Ch. 681: Chapter 681-690

Chapter 681 Laugh Now While You Still Can

Gaap managed to survive because his Master had given him her life saving artifact, allowing the Half-Ling to escape their hunters.

"Lux, there is a place that we need to go," Gaap stated. "It is the Sacred Grounds of all Necromancers. It is where we receive the World's Blessing and breakthrough to become a Ranker."

"Master, can we delay this trip for the time being?" Lux asked. "I already mentioned that my friends and I were supposed to conquer a dungeon together. But, for some reason, I was transported here. I need to go back and help them. The Domain of the Fallen prevents any Rankers from stepping foot inside it."

Gaap frowned before reluctantly nodding his head. Although he wanted his Disciple to become a Ranker already, he also respected his will.

Because of this, he decided to wait until the Half-Elf had finished whatever he was supposed to do before they made a pilgrimage to the Sacred Lands of the Necromancers.

"Master, do you know how to leave this place?" Lux asked.

"Of course I know," Gaap replied. "How do you think I got here?"

Lux breathed a sigh of relief because he thought that Gaap had been teleported to this place against his will.

If the old Half Ling didn't know how to leave the Kingdom of Zangrila then it would take a longer time for him to get back and meet with Cai, and the others, inside the Domain of the Fallen.

"Master before anything else, please join my Guild," Lux said. "You becoming one of our members will definitely make the Guild stronger."

"You little rascal, you really know how to take advantage of people," Gaap sneered. "Why would I join a kiddy guild like yours? You want me to join your Guild so that you can brag to your members that your Master is strong? Very well, I will humor you this once. You should be glad that you have a Master like me."

"Thank you, Master. You're the best."

"Hmph! Flattery will get you nowhere."

Gaap was feeling a bit smug because he knew what Lux was thinking. Having a strong person like him to enter a guild would definitely boost the morale of its members.

However, the smugness on his face instantly vanished when he received Lux's Guild invitation.

"... Heaven's Gate?" Gaap blinked in confusion. "Your Guild's name is Heaven's Gate?"

"Yes, Master." Lux smirked because he was doing his best to not laugh after seeing his Master's priceless reaction when the old Half-Ling discovered his Guild's Name.

"Are you playing a prank on me?" Gaap asked.

"No?" Lux replied.

"This is real?"

"It is real."

Gaap once again looked at the rows of text in front of him, which signified Lux's invitation.

Although he had stayed inside Zangrila for many years, that didn't mean that he hadn't heard the announcement that reverberated across the entire world.

The Old Half-Ling was still half in doubt, but knew that he would find out the truth once he accepted Lux's invitation.

A second later, the old Half-Ling suddenly felt a surge of strength inside his body as the Guild Buffs came into effect.

He had been in a guild before and knew that they didn't have this kind of function, which erased all the doubts he had earlier.

'By the Gods, the Mythical Guild is real!' Gaap exclaimed internally after finally accepting the fact that the red-headed teenager whom he had made his Disciple, was actually the Guild Master of the Guild whose name resounded in the worlds of Solais and Elysium.

"Master, let's leave this place," Lux stated. "My friends are still waiting for me."

Gaap forcefully calmed his widely beating heart before nodding his head. He then drew a magic circle in the air while uttering ancient words of magic that Lux didn't understand.

After a few minutes, a red portal materialized in front of them.

"Enter the portal," Gaap ordered. "It will take us out of Zangrila."

Lux nodded and entered the portal as he was told.

The Wraith King, Leoric, and his Knights, gave the Kingdom of Zangrila one last glance before they too, entered the portal to follow their new Lord, whom they had pledged their allegiance to.

Gaap was the last to enter the portal, but before he did, he glanced in the direction of the crack in the sky of Zangrila.

He had sensed a presence watching them from that gap in the void, and its power was just as strong as a Saint.

Gaap snorted as if the powerful presence that had been observing them for quite some time wasn't a big deal.

Although the Old Half-Ling was truly only an Apostle, he wasn't afraid, even if a Saint were to appear and fight him to the death.

But, that was not happening.

The laws that bound Zangrila forbade any Saint, or any Calamity Class Creatures from the Void, and Elysium, to enter the border that divided the two worlds.

"Thanks for the Monster Parts and Beast Cores," Gaap said in a teasing tone. "I'm sure that my Disciple will use them well."

The Old Half-Ling then entered the portal in a good mood, leaving behind the ruined city, whose people had all been given a second chance at life.

A minute later, a loud roar similar to that of a booming thunder, spread in the surroundings making the sky and earth tremble.

"Lowly mortal!" a voice filled with anger growled. "The next time I see you, I'll make you regret stepping into this place! Laugh now while you still can because soon, the Abyssals will once again trample your world, and make you wish that you were never born!"

The loud roar of anger continued for a few more minutes before fading completely.

Once again, the ruined city of Zangrila fell into a deathly silence.

Having lost the living and the dead, it had truly become a forsaken place, but not for long.

Soon, it would once again bear witness to the second invasion of the Abyssal Monsters, whose goal was to drag the world of Elysium within the void, just like the other worlds that they had conquered in the past.

-------------------

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Chapter 682 Have You Guys Forgotten What He Can Do?”

After leaving the Kingdom of Zangrila, Lux took Gaap with him to his Guild Headquarters, located in the Dragon Kingdom of Karshvar Draconis.

"... This is the Outer Reaches?" Gaap asked as he looked at his surroundings. "Yes. Although it has been a while, I am certain that the floating island over there is where the City of Pygmalion is located."

"Oh? You know about this place, Master?" Lux looked at the Old Halfling in surprise. "Have you been here before?"

"My Master brought me here in the past," Gaap replied. "She made friends with… one of the High-Ranking Dragons of this place. I never thought that your Guild Headquarters would actually be located in Karshvar Draconis. But, I'm more surprised that the current Dragon King allowed you to stay here. That guy likes to go fishing with people he doesn't like."

Just as Lux was about to reply, some people came out of their Guild Headquarters to meet with them.

One is the Half-Orc, Flamma, who was currently wearing a very annoyed expression on his face.

The other one was Garret, whom Lux had made his Steward and assigned to watch over the Guild Headquarters.

"How long must you keep me waiting, Lux?!" Flamma asked. "You said that you would summon me as soon as you enter the Sacred Dungeon! It has already been two days since you left. Did you already conquer the Dungeon without me?!"

"Flamma, calm down for a bit," Lux answered in an awkward manner. "Something happened while I was entering the Dungeon, and I was teleported somewhere else. I just got back, and I'm planning to get back to the Dungeon right away. I'm just here to drop my Master off here at our Guild Headquarters before I go."

"Master? Isn't your Master that Dwarf, Randolph?"

"Hmm? You have another Master, Lux? Why didn't I hear anything about this?"

Gaap looked at his Disciple with squinted eyes, which made the Half-Elf laugh nervously.

"Master, I have become a Disciple to a Dwarf Blacksmith to learn the art of Smithing," Lux replied. "He taught me a lot, and although I still haven't fully put his teachings to practice, I still consider him as my first Master."

Gaap scoffed. "A Necromancer doing Smithing? What a waste of time. Still, since he is your Master, then I guess I'll try to get along with him for your sake. Is he here?"

Lux shook his head. "Right now, Master is with the Orc Blacksmiths of the Blackrock Clan to help him recreate a powerful weapon that we managed to take during a great war. You should have seen it, Master. It turned six million soldiers into crystal statues."

"Oh? That is indeed amazing." Gaap became interested after hearing about such a powerful weapon, and decided to ask more.

Garret, who was the Great General that commanded those six million soldiers, cleared his throat, stopping Lux from saying anything else.

Although he was now Lux's subordinate, he was still the Great General who had once commanded those six million soldiers. Hearing this topic hit his sore spot.

"Lux, it will be best if you go and see Cai and the others in the Sacred Dungeon," Garret said with a serious expression on his face. "It seems that they've encountered some trouble and were unable to proceed with the conquest of the Gate of Famine."

The Half-Elf frowned after hearing Garret's report. He then immediately opened his Guild Chat and contacted Cai, and the others to ask them of what was happening in the Gate of Famine.

—---------

Cai: Lux! You're finally back! Where have you been?!

Lux: I was teleported to a different place when I entered the Gate of Famine. There was also something that prevented me from making contact with the outside world, so I was unable to tell you guys about my situation. What happened to the Gate of Famine? Garret said that you and the others are having trouble?

Gerhart: Having trouble is an understatement. The conquest of the Gate of Famine has failed. All of us were expelled from the Dungeon after we died and immediately brought back to the entrance of the Domain of the Fallen.

The adults are now brainstorming on how to deal with the situation. However, no matter how hard they thought about it, unless a miracle happens, succeeding in the conquest of the Gate of Famine is near impossible.

Cethus: Although I hate to admit it, even if you were here, the outcome would have still been the same. We are simply outmatched. This is not a battle that Initiates can fight—we were faced with a Monster Outbreak spearheaded by a Dreadnaught Rank World Boss.

Cethus: There are Argonaut and Deimos-Ranked Monsters as well. Even when we all worked together with the Crystal Palace, we were simply overwhelmed by the disparity in numbers and rank. It was a one-sided massacre.

Keane: I have a feeling that the expedition will be called off because this was already beyond what Initiates can handle. Going to the entrance of the Sacred Dungeon without you will endanger the lives of the candidates. Also, even if we are able to return to the Gate of Famine, the outcome will still be the same.

—---------

"I'll come to you as fast as I can," Lux stated. "I don't care what the other Factions are thinking, but send word to Henrietta, Xander, Einar, and Val to wait for me. We will clear that dungeon ourselves."

"Hahaha! That's more like it!" Flamma, who was itching for a fight, commented on the Guild Chat as well. "Don't worry. With Lux here, we can beat that Dungeon easily, or have you guys forgotten what he can do?"

Gerhart and Cethus, who had accompanied Lux to the Wanid Kingdom, immediately realized what the Half-Orc was thinking.

They had completely forgotten that their Guild Master had a cheat-like ability that could turn the tide of battle in their favor.

—-------

Gate of the Domain of the Fallen…

The atmosphere inside the cavern was very gloomy after their failed attempt to conquer the Gate of Famine.

Even the members of the Crystal Palace couldn't help but feel frustrated at the unfairness of the situation.

At that moment, a burst of loud laughter spread in the surroundings, catching everyone's attention.

Cethus, who was feeling just as gloomy as everyone, was now in good spirits and wasn't able to stop himself from laughing out loud.

"Now that I've finally seen what the Gate of Famine is like, I realized that it is easier to conquer than I thought," Cethus said as he crossed his arms over his chest. "I only used a quarter of my power earlier to gauge the waters. Now that I know what I'm dealing with, conquering it this time will be a breeze."

Cai, Gerhart, and Keane looked at the smug-faced Dragon Born in disdain. However, they didn't stop the Dragon Born from spouting his nonsense and went to talk to their allies to tell them that they were going to enter the Gate of Famine a second time.

At first, Xander, Henrietta, Einar, and Val, thought that Cai and the others were still in denial about their current situation.

However, when they mentioned that Lux, who had gone missing, was on his way to lead them to conquer the Gate of Famine, something stirred inside their chests, rekindling the hope that they had lost.

Although they were still half in doubt whether Lux's arrival would change anything, at least, they felt that it was worth giving it a shot.

After all, every time the Half-Elf was with them, they were able to overcome even the most dangerous situations.

 

Chapter 683 So, Are You Guys Ready For Round Two?

From Karshvar Draconis, Lux returned to Wildgarde Stronghold in Solais.

After that, he asked Gerald, the Commander of the Stronghold, to allow him to use the Teleportation Gate to go to Elysium.

Just like everyone else, Gerald was surprised to see Lux in the stronghold because he thought that the Half-Elf was with the others in conquering the Gate of Famine alongside the other members of the young generation.

After explaining how he had been teleported to a remote location after entering the Gate of Famine, Gerald decided to personally escort Lux to the Gate of the Domain of the Fallen.

Doing so would save time because he had the authority to use any of the Teleportation Gates of the Xynnar War Pact, cutting the traveling time by a good margin.

Finally, an hour later, Lux arrived at the Cavern where everyone was gathered.

Looks of doubt, disappointment, and disdain were cast in his direction, coming from the envoys and High-Rankers of the different Factions.

They thought that the Half-Elf had decided to leave the Gate of Famine in order to save himself from the embarrassment of being unable to conquer the Dungeon, crushing everyone's expectations of him.

However, Lux didn't give a hoot about whatever they were thinking and simply walked towards his companions, who had been waiting patiently for his return.

"So, are you guys ready for Round Two?" Lux asked with a grin. "I heard that you guys got beaten up pretty badly when I wasn't around."

Einar snorted, but he then raised his fist towards the Half-Elf.

Lux imitated the gesture and the two fist-bumped each other, which meant the Barbarian had decided to join his team.

"Can we win?" Val asked with his arms crossed over his chest. "We're dealing with Dreadnaughts out there. It is not something that we Initiates can beat even if we all worked together."

He held Lux's gaze, trying to see if what the red-headed teenager was saying was just false bravado, or if he really had the ability to back it up.

"We can win," Lux said with confidence. "So, are you in?"

Val didn't answer right away. Instead, he smiled and said something that almost made Cai charge at the Spider Boy and gouge him with her tusks.

"If we are able to clear this dungeon, I will introduce you to my little sister," Val said in a teasing tone. "Actually, my family is watching me right now through this artifact. They have heard many things about you and have been wanting to know if there is some truth to it."

Val patted the emblem on his lightweight armor, which was the coat of arms of their family.

"I'll pass," Lux replied in a heartbeat after seeing that Cai was scraping the ground with her right hoof as if she was preparing to attack Val from behind. "Tell your sister to find someone else."

"It's your loss, man. My sister is a beauty."

"Hahaha."

Lux then glanced at Henrietta, and Xander, asking the two with his eyes if they were going with him.

The two didn't hesitate and nodded their heads in unison.

"Okay, let's go," Lux said as he walked towards the Gate of the Domain of the Fallen.

Cai and the others followed closely behind him, not caring what the adults were thinking.

"Wait!"

The Black Dragon Born, whom Cethus called Uncle Piccoro, called out to the Half-Elf and stopped him in his tracks.

"Yes?" Lux asked as he glanced in the direction of the Saint from the Crystal Palace.

"I overheard your discussion earlier and couldn't help but find this act of yours a futile endeavor," Piccoro said. "If I were you, I would stop this nonsense at once. Also, Cethus, do not think that I didn't know that you were just spouting nonsense about not using your full power a while ago. Do you think I'm blind? You had a constipated look on your face before that Dreadnaught Monster slapped you to oblivion."

Cethus didn't get angry at his Uncle's words and simply smiled back at him.

Although the Saint had brought up his embarrassing moments before he died, Cethus had always been very good at hiding his shortcomings and forgetting about them when it was convenient for him.

"Uncle, whether I am spouting nonsense or not is something for you to see later," Cethus replied calmly. "Also, we are not you and don't think like you. If you were in our place, you would not dare to challenge the Dungeon again because you know that you don't have a chance of winning."

The smile on Cethus' face widened because although he wasn't confident in his ability to conquer the Dungeon, he was confident that Lux could do it.

After all, the Half-Elf could summon Barca and the others, who were Empyrean and Argonaut-Ranked Monsters.

So what if the enemy was a Dreadnaught?

An Empyrean-Ranked Half-Orc would smash its face silly!

Piccoro frowned because Cethus' words and actions were filled with confidence. As a Saint, it was fairly easy for him to tell whether someone was lying or not. However, he couldn't detect any falsehood in Cethus' words, making him wonder if the troublemaker Dragon Born didn't really use his full powers earlier.

"Very well," Piccoro stated as he tossed a small token towards the black-scaled Dragon Born. "Allow me to watch this farce through your eyes. I'm sure that your grandma and I will find your attempt quite entertaining."

Cethus looked at the token in his hand before placing it on his chest. The token then embedded itself in the Dragon Born's armor, allowing Piccoro and Cethus' "other" Grandma, who was currently safeguarding the Crystal Palace, to see what was happening around him.

"I'll do my best to entertain the both of you then," Cethus commented. "Well then, let's go, Lux. lead the way."

Lux didn't mind Cethus acting as his superior because he didn't want to deal with the nonsense of a Saint right now.

For him, it was more favorable to be looked down upon by others, so they wouldn't tag along. They could just watch as he conquered the Gate of Famine with the people who believed in him.

—--------

Safe Zone of the Domain of the Fallen…

"Um, what are you guys doing here?" Cai asked Enlil, as well as Jasper, who had also entered the Domain of the Fallen, bringing the other representatives of the Six Kingdoms, and the Xynnar War Pact with them.

"I have been given strict orders by my Father to follow him," Enlil replied in annoyance. "I don't want to hear any complaints from the Elven Council when I return to my Kingdom for not following orders. Let's just go in there and die already, so we can go back home."

"I share the same sentiments as Prince Enlil," Jasper commented. "We're here under orders. Whether we succeed or not doesn't matter."

Jasper also felt like challenging the dungeon again was pure nonsense. However, orders were orders, and he would see to them through until the end.

Gilmore Faisal, who was also one of the former Four Kings and a very skilled swordsman, was also there to accompany the others on the expedition.

After losing to Keane in the tournament, he had trained a lot and had improved by leaps and bounds. He had come with Enlil and Jasper because, for some reason, he could sense that something had changed in the Half-Elf since he last saw him two days ago.

As a warrior, he trusted his sixth sense very much, and his sixth sense was telling him to follow the Half-Elf, who looked confident enough to challenge the Dungeon despite knowing what he was up against.

"Since all of you are here, I want to make one thing clear," Lux announced. "You will have to follow my orders without fail, regardless of how dangerous or how silly it seems. In return, I promise to not treat any of you as cannon fodder. If you can't agree to this condition of mine, please leave. I am not here to babysit extra baggage."

The teenager was somewhat offended by Lux's high-handed words. However, the ones who insisted on coming with him were them, so they had no choice but to nod their heads in agreement.

"Good," Lux said after seeing everyone nod their heads. "Since that is settled, let's go to the Sacred Dungeon."

This time, Lux didn't take any detours and walked straight towards the location of the Sacred Dungeon, which baffled the members of the Xynnar War Pact and the Six Kingdoms.

What they didn't know was that the Half-Elf no longer needed to avoid any Monsters because all of them had already been dealt with by the two shameless Saints, who were still inside the Domain of the Fallen, investigating an ancient ruin that they had come across by accident.

 

 

Chapter 684 Everyone, Duck!

Those who belonged to the Factions of the Crystal Palace and Skystead Alliance didn't join Lux's group in reattempting the Gate of the Domain of the Fallen.

In their eyes, this was simply a wasted effort. However, they also wanted to see the suffering of the fools who decided to follow the Half-Elf, who had gone missing after they all entered the Dungeon the first time.

Although they knew that Lux was a Necromancer and could summon the Undead, they believed that his Undead Army would only get crushed under the might of the Overlord that was in command of the Monster Outbreak inside the Gate of Famine.

However, just as everyone was getting ready to watch a good show, Malcolm walked towards Aron and appealed to him, asking for permission to enter the Domain of the Fallen and join the Half-Elf in his quest to clear the Gate of Famine.

"You what?" Aron asked in a displeased tone.

"I want to challenge the Gate of Famine a second time," Malcolm replied.

Although there was a bit of anxiety in his voice, there was mostly firmness in it that made the High-Ranker of the Vahan Empire arch his eyebrow.

"Do you want to embarrass our Empire in front of these people?" Aron's voice sounded calm, but there was an underlying sharpness in it that made Malcolm start to sweat buckets.

"Your Excellency, I have been inside the Gate of Famine just like the other representatives here," Malcolm replied. "I personally experienced what it was like to be crushed helplessly by a monster that far surpassed my Rank.

"However, I've also been part of Lux's group in the past. Even though I know that this mission seems impossible, I would still like to give it a try. Your Excellency, please give me your permission to challenge the Gate of Famine a second time!"

Piccoro snorted after hearing Malcolm's words.

"It seems that this boy has been infected by that Half-Elf's stupidity," Piccoro stated. "But it will be entertaining to watch him struggle. How about you give him permission to go? Maybe he will understand that making the same mistake over and over again is called madness."

The arrogant and teasing tone of the Dragon Born made Malcolm's heart grow cold. However, his gut instinct was telling him that he should at least follow the Half-Elf on this expedition. Regardless of whether he succeeded or not, he would have nothing to regret because he followed what his heart was telling him to do.

"Your Excellency, if you don't mind, I'll keep watch over Malcolm and make sure that he doesn't do anything that will tarnish the Vahan Empire's reputation," Nero, who had been keeping silent the entire time, spoke up, which surprised Aron.

"You plan to babysit this fool?" Aron crossed his arms over his chest. The High Ranker then glanced at Prince Cyrus, who was looking at Malcolm in a weird manner.

Clearly, the Prince of the Vahan Empire thought that what the son of their Great General was planning to do was pure folly.

"How about you, Your Highness?" Aron asked. "Do you want to join them as well?"

"Me?" Prince Cyrus pointed at himself.

Aron nodded. "Yes. Your Highness. Do you want to go as well?"

Prince Cyrus pondered for a bit before nodding his head.

"Yes," Prince Cyrus replied. "Although dying inside the Sacred Dungeon feels terrible, I would like to personally laugh at that Half-Elf in his last moments. Count me in."

Aron then shifted his gaze back to Malcolm, who was now looking a bit more hopeful.

"Nero, look after these two and make sure they don't die an embarrassing death," Aron ordered. "Do I make myself clear?"

"Yes, Your Excellency," Nero pressed his closed fist over his chest and bowed his head.

Aron then waved his hand with impatience.

"Go and follow that Half-Elf," Aron ordered. "If you don't hurry and catch up to him, you might die at the hands of some random monster before you can even get to the Sacred Dungeon."

"Yes, Sir!" Malcolm said and bowed his head respectfully.

After paying his respects, he briskly walked towards the Gate of the Fallen, followed by Nero and Prince Cyrus, who wore an amused expression on his face.

The members of the Crystal Palace, with the exception of Aur, mocked the three teenage boys in their hearts.

Just like Piccoro said, they thought that Malcolm had gone crazy after dying inside the Gate of Famine.

Aur watched them go with a calm expression on his face. He had heard many impressive things about Lux, but just like everyone else, he didn't believe that the Half-Elf would be able to change the outcome.

The only difference between him and his subordinates was that he didn't openly mock Lux and Malcolm, simply crossing his arms over his chest.

His gaze then landed on the projections on the wall of the cavern, which were being taken by the artifacts that were in the possession of the members of the Xynnar War Pact and Six Kingdoms.

Piccoro glanced at Aur before looking at the projections as well. He was looking forward to watching an entertaining farce that the Humans were planning to make.

—--------

Domain of the Fallen….

Malcolm, Nero, and Prince Cyrus hastened their movements until they caught up to Lux's group.

The members of the Skystead Alliance and Six Kingdoms looked at these three people with suspicion and wondered why they decided to join their expedition as well.

"Before any of you get the wrong idea, I just want to say that I came here to watch your embarrassing defeat firsthand," Prince Cyrus declared. "Just watching the projections is not enough, so I came here to witness it personally."

Lux, who was walking at the very front of the formation, didn't even bother to turn around to see who the newcomers were.

He had somehow expected that Malcolm would catch up, but he never thought that Nero and Prince Cyrus would join them as well.

Truth be told, he didn't mind if anyone else tagged along with him on this expedition.

Whether they were there or not wouldn't make a difference. But, he intended to follow his father's advice to look at the bigger picture. What he planned to do was to make the other Factions indebted to him, especially the Six Kingdoms and the Xynnar War Pact.

As for the Skystead Alliance? As long as they didn't look to him for trouble, Lux would not do anything to antagonize them.

"Is it just me, or do you guys also not sense the presence of any Monsters anywhere?" Enlil, who was using the power of Wind to check for any potential danger in their surroundings, asked.

"You're not the only one who feels that way," Jasper replied. "I am also quite surprised by the lack of tension in the surroundings."

Although they didn't encounter any Monsters when they were following Lux on their previous attempt at the Gate of Famine, they could vaguely sense some tension that hung in the air due to the Monsters' powerful presences.

However, right now, they didn't feel anything. It was as if the entire Forest had gone quiet, and all the Beasts had gone into hibernation.

Cai, Keane, Gerhart, and Cethus were also wondering what was going on.

Lux didn't tell them about the secret operation that the two Saints were conducting inside the Domain of the Fallen to ensure that there wouldn't be any leaks.

However, the four of them couldn't shake the feeling that the red-headed teenager, who was leading them, had something to do with the disappearance of the Monsters in their surroundings.

"Don't let your guard down and always be alert in your surroundings," Lux warned. "The fact that we aren't sensing any Monsters means that there might be a hidden danger that we are not aware of. Stick to the formation and keep your weapons at the ready. There might be a Monster similar to that Chameleon we faced a few days ago that could hide its presence."

After Lux's reminder, everyone became vigilant and prepared to fight at any given time. The Chameleon that Aur had dealt with had caught everyone by surprise, so they no longer asked questions and followed behind the Half-Elf.

In order to keep them on edge, the Half-Elf decided to take a detour, fooling others into thinking that he had sensed the presence of a strong Monster up ahead.

'Father, can you send one Monster in our direction?' Lux asked Alexander directly through the special messaging feature of his Guild Chat. 'Everyone is starting to wonder why they are not sensing any beasts in our surroundings.'

'I thought you were already in the dungeon?' Alexander's response came seconds after Lux messaged him. 'Did the expedition fail?'

Lux briefly explained what happened after he entered the Gate of Famine to Alexander, which caught the latter by surprise.

'Let's talk more about it later,' Alexander commented after Lux finished his explanation. 'How many and how strong do you want the Monsters to be?'

'At least three,' Lux replied. 'If you can make one of them an Argonaut, the better.'

'Okay. Where are you guys at?'

'We are currently at the…'

Lux and Alexander discussed the intricacies of the "play" that they planned in order to scare the teenagers that were following behind the Half-Elf.

A few minutes later, the entire forest of the Domain of the Fallen trembled, and the roars of countless monsters erupted at the same time.

Suddenly, a giant Argonaut-Ranked Orangutan appeared, swinging from tree to tree, making the teenagers freeze in their tracks.

"Everyone, duck!" Lux ordered.

Following his orders, the teenagers crouched on the grasses, hiding their presence from the Argonaut Ranked Monster that could easily turn them into pancakes.

While everyone was doing their best to erase their presence from the incoming threat, Cai, who still hadn't crouched down, confusedly looked at the Orangutan first then at Lux second.

"Um, that's not a duck," Cai said. "That's an Orangutan. Ducks are different from monkeys, you know?"

"""#$Y*U@#@#&*@!"""

All the teenagers wanted to hack the stupid Boar to pieces so badly because she would be the death of them.

Even Lux didn't know if he should laugh or cry at his fiance's choice of words.

He knew that Cai's IQ would revert to that of a five-year-old when she was in her Boar Form, so he didn't take her words to heart.

Instead, he just pulled her down, pinned her to the ground, and covered her snout with his hand.

"Cai, behave, and just don't say anything, okay?" Lux said in a low volume that was enough for everyone that was near him to hear. "If you're good, I'll give you some Beast Cores later."

Cai nodded her head like an obedient child, making all the teenagers sigh in relief.

After that incident, everyone followed Lux's every order, as they tried to navigate around the forest, avoiding the Monsters that had been purposely placed in strategic locations to create the illusion that they were always in danger.

All of them also avoided Cai like the plague, with the exception of Lux's inner circle, thinking that the Boar was a bringer of bad luck.

The Boar on the other hand, simply ignored them while walking beside the red-headed teenager.

Since no one was paying attention to her, they didn't see that there was a twinkle in Cai's eyes, and the corner of her lips was raised upwards.

Although she was in her Boar Form, she could instinctively sense that the Orangutan that was headed in their direction wasn't hostile.

In fact, she could even vaguely guess that it was an ally, so she decided to play a prank on everyone, scaring them silly.

As someone that was loved by Spirits, Cai was sensitive to these things.

Everything she did might be silly in the eyes of others, but she had taken a calculated risk, making all the Factions more reliant on Lux, and making everyone avoid her like a plague.

------------

Important Announcement!

I will be publishing two stories this month of May. For now, I have published the first story and its title is "Kingdom Building Done Right".

I have also created a Patreon Page for it, so you guys can read its advance for a very, very, cheap price that will not put a hole on your pockets and wallets.

The Patreon page can be found on the synopsis of the novel, but do take note that no chapters are uploaded in it at the moment. I will work on it after three days, so you guys can read without too much hassle.

The two new stories will also be having a Webtoon Adaptation, so I will be very happy if you guys donate to make it happen. That is all folks. Enjoy the new story.

P.S Don't worry, this announcement will not make you pay additional coins. I made sure that it will not add to the word count to make you pay extra, so don't get mad at me, okay?

 

 

Chapter 685 Are You Not Entertained?

Finally, three hours later, Lux and company arrived at the Sacred Dungeon's safe zone.

He then asked everyone to rest for an hour to recover their strength, while he talked to his father, Alexander, about the things that happened in the Kingdom of Zangrila.

Lux didn't hide anything, including the new profession that he had upgraded to, as well as becoming the disciple of a Necromancer who was only of the Apostle Rank but able to control Undead Deimos and above Ranked Monsters as if it was nothing.

Alexander listened to the Half-Elf's story with great interest, especially when the red-headed teenager mentioned that he had been to Zangrila.

As a Saint, Alexander liked reading history books in his spare time to get a better understanding of the world.

In one of those ancient tomes, he had read about the Kingdom of Zangrila. According to the book, it was the Kingdom where the first Abyssal Invasion took place, making it a very popular topic among scholars.

Although the distance between the Xynnar War Pact and the Kingdom of Zangrila spanned countless miles, the God of Games, Eriol, made sure that every Temple of the God in Elysium had records of the Abyssal Invasion.

As the God of Elysium, it was his duty to inform his people about the external danger that had come from the Void.

Because of this, the Kingdom of Zangrila became a warning to everyone about what would happen to their own Domains if they didn't take the threat of the Abyssal Race seriously.

"Thank you for telling me this information," Alexander replied. "However, Lux, make sure not to share this with others. Even with Iris and Cai. Although I'm sure that they will keep this secret of yours safe, the fewer people who know of this, the better. "

"I understand." Lux agreed. "Right now, only you and Master Gaap know about my new profession. I will not tell anyone else about it."

"Good," Alexander commented. "Maximilian and I are almost finished with our operation here. We're just examining the ruin we discovered. If our guess is right, this is the reason why the Domain of the Fallen was created in the first place. Let's talk about it more when you finish clearing the Gate of Famine."

"Okay," Lux replied.

After their connection was cut, the Half-Elf glanced at the teenagers who seemed to have recovered their stamina and wits. He decided that it was time to enter the Gate of Famine and see for himself the Monster Outbreak that had annihilated all the members of the expedition on their first attempt.

"Is everyone ready to go?" Lux asked. "If everyone has rested, we will now enter the Gate of Famine."

Prince Cyrus stood up and stretched a bit before voicing his thoughts out loud.

"This time, don't run away again, Half-Elf," Prince Cyrus stated.

Lux ignored Prince Cyrus' taunts because, for him, the Prince of the Vahan Empire was just a second-rate mob character that authors used as cannon fodder in their novels.

"Okay, follow me," Lux declared before moving towards the Gate of Famine. "I already know what we are facing, so let me tell all of you this. Whatever happens, don't die, okay?"

The teenagers looked at the Half-Elf as if what he said was a joke.

Of course, none of them wanted to die, but they were going to face Monsters whose Ranks exceeded their own several times.

How could they possibly survive a fight against them?

Lux, who had no idea what they were thinking, placed his palm over the Gate of Famine and turned into particles of light.

Cai quickly moved and was second to enter because she was afraid that Lux would disappear again if she didn't follow him right away.

One by one, the teenagers all entered the Gate of Famine to follow the Half-Elf who seemed to be confident of his chances at victory.

Those left at the Gate of the Fallen, who were watching the projections, also paid close attention to what was waiting for the teenagers on the other side of the Gate of Famine.

The first thing that Lux saw after entering the Gate of Famine was a ruined city. Black smoke was rising in several places, telling the Half-Elf that it hadn't been long since it was attacked.

However, something caught Lux's eyes that made the Half-Elf's expression turn solemn.

On the part of the City Walls that had survived the destruction, a single tattered flag fluttered in the breeze.

Lux was quite familiar with this flag because he had fought under its banner a few times in the past, so it had a special connection to him.

Cai, who had followed the Half-Elf's gaze, also noticed the flag and cried out in alarm.

Keane, Xander, Henrietta, Einar, Val, Malcolm, Nero, and the other teenagers who joined the previous expeditions noticed it as well, making them frown.

"This is not where we first appeared when we entered the Gate of Famine," Henrietta said.

"That's right. We were in the Western Regions of the Zephyr Kingdom when we challenged the Gate for the first time, Jasper commented. "Why are we here?"

No one knew the answer to Jasper's question because they were just as surprised as he was.

Suddenly, a loud shriek reverberated in the sky, making the teenagers look behind them to see what it was.

There, they saw a fifteen-meter-long flying serpent with rainbow-colored wings, accompanied by a dozen Wyverns, who were all of the Deimos Rank.

The Flying Serpent was a Peak-Deimos Ranked World Boss, and the Wyverns were all Deimos-Ranked Alpha Monsters.

If they were only dealing with the Flying Serpent, the teenagers might have stood a chance against it.

However, since it wasn't alone, the first thought that came into their mind was to flee.

The Ambassadors, the Rankers of the Crystal Palace, and the Skystead Alliance watched this scene with amused expressions on their faces.

All of them wanted to see the despair of the teenagers who thought too highly of themselves.

"Who wants to make a bet with me?" one of the Rankers of the Vahan Empire said. "I say that they will all die in ten minutes. Any takers?"

"I'll bet with you," one of the Rankers of the Skystead Alliance replied. "They will last for fifteen minutes."

"Mine is five minutes."

"Twenty minutes tops."

The representatives of the Xynnar War Pact and the Six Kingdoms kept their silence. For them, this wasn't a laughing matter as it directly involved the members of their young generation.

Suddenly, Xander's father, Hector, stepped forward and joined the bet.

"I'll join this betting," Hector declared. "My bet is that they will all survive for fifty million gold coins. Who wants to bet with me?"

"Hahaha! You're throwing away your money just like that?" the Ranker that started the betting game sneered. "Very well, this Daddy will take you on. I won't refuse free gold."

The other members of the Skystead Alliance all cheered and even chipped in to help raise the stakes to fifty million.

Aron laughed at Hector's attempt to boost the morale of their faction in his heart. For him, this was already a done deal, and all that was waiting for the teenagers was a very painful death that would send them back to the entrance of the Gate of the Fallen.

Right after the coins were gathered, they were passed to Piccoro for safekeeping.

The Flying Serpent screeched once again, ordering the Wyverns to attack the teenagers, who had all taken a defensive stance.

Even though they wanted to flee, the Half-Elf, who was their leader, didn't give them any orders.

Lux's gaze locked on the Flying Serpent, disregarding the other monsters escorting it.

"Rise!" Lux ordered as he summoned his Skeleton Gangbangers and Steel Golems.

At first, the members of the different factions thought that Lux would summon strong Monsters to fight against the incoming threat.

But after seeing that the red-headed teenager only summoned hundreds of Rank 4 Monsters, all of their hopes evaporated into thin air.

Eiko, who was perched on top of her Papa's head, also imitated Lux's summons. She already knew what was going to happen next and was very excited about what was about to come.

"Come forth, Hecatoncheires!" Lux ordered, and the hundreds of Skeleton Ganbangers and Steel Golems merged together.

A moment later, four giant Abominations with hundreds of hands and dozens of faces towered above the teenagers, making all of them gasp in shock.

"D-Deimos Ranked summons?!" Prince Cyrus gasped in shock after seeing the giant abominations that appeared out of nowhere.

The Wyverns, whose bloody gazes had locked onto the teenagers earlier, suddenly found themselves being swatted by hundreds of hands, giving them no time to react.

Pained cries spread in the surroundings as some of the Wyverns were smashed into the ground by the merciless strikes that hit them.

The other Wyverns weren't that lucky, because the two Hecatoncheires that belonged to Eiko grabbed these flying monsters from the sky, preventing them from flying away.

The two Hecatoncheires were able to grab three Wyverns each and immediately proceeded to punch and bite them until blood sprayed from their bodies.

Lux shook his head helplessly upon seeing that Eiko had gotten carried away, ordering her Summons to tear their enemies apart.

However, he didn't make any move to stop the Baby Slime. There were still six other Wyverns, so he was fine with letting Eiko have some fun.

The Rankers, who were watching this from outside of the Gate of Fallen, looked at the battle in disbelief.

However, Lux wasn't finished yet.

"Come, Shax," Lux commanded. "I have a job for you."

At that exact moment, a malicious creature suddenly appeared above Lux's head, making the teenagers feel as if their breath had been taken out of their chests.

"Kill the Flying Serpent as cleanly as you can," Lux commanded. "I like how colorful it is. It will be a good addition to my army."

The Nightgaunt, who didn't have a face, flapped its bat-like wings and nodded its head.

A moment later, it disappeared from where it hovered, making the teenagers wonder if what they had seen and felt was just a hallucination.

Suddenly, the Winged Serpent, who had deemed that its subordinates were unable to deal with the four Giant Abominations, descended from the sky to back them up

But before it could even help the Wyverns, the Nightgaunt appeared in front of it with its arms crossed over its chest.

Turning its body to the side, its long spiked tail smashed against the Flying Serpent's head, making the latter cry loudly in pain as it fell from the sky.

The Rankers who were watching the battle through the projections were flabbergasted by the unexpected turn of events, making them wonder if there was something wrong with the projections.

However, this thought didn't last long because all of the projections were showing the exact same thing, proving that what they were seeing was real.

Perhaps the teenagers of the different factions were all thinking of the same thing, so their gazes landed on the Half-Elf's back, making Lux appear on all the projections in the cavern.

As if everything was done deliberately, the Half-Elf slowly turned around and gave the teenagers a devilish smile.

This smile was caught by the artifacts that allowed those outside of the Dungeon to see everything happening in the Gate of Famine in real-time.

"Are you not entertained?" Lux asked in a teasing tone, which made the teenagers and the Rankers who wanted to see him fail shudder subconsciously. "Don't worry. There's more to come."

He had ignored the mocking gazes from the Crystal Palace and the Skystead Alliance when he led the factions of the Six Kingdoms and the Xynnar War Pact inside the Gate of Famine.

They were not aware that in the span of two days, the Half-Elf had gained an Army that was enough to make him an Overlord of a vast swath of territory if he wished for it.

Now that he was inside the Gate of Famine, he no longer felt the need to hold himself back.

He wanted to show the fools who dared to laugh and mock him earlier that they weren't the ones who would decide who would have the last laugh.

No.

Lux would make them understand that the one who would have the last laugh was none other than him.

 

Chapter 686 Clash Of Titans [Part 1]

While Lux was dealing with the Monsters that came to attack them, an uproar was happening in the cavern where the representatives of the different factions watched the battle through the projections in front of them.

All of them thought that the Half-Elf, as well as the other teenagers, would suffer a painful defeat against the Winged Serpent and the Wyverns.

None of them anticipated that the situation would be the opposite of what they were looking forward to seeing.

They gaped at the Half-Elf single-handedly dealing with the situation with ease. A moment later, one of the Initiates of the Crystal Palace snorted.

"So what if he defeated an Argonaut-Ranked Monster?" the Initiate stated. "Our Master dealt with dozens of them. In the end, when he is faced with the Dreadnaught World Boss, he will realize just how short-lived his victory is."

"That's right!" another Initiate from the Crystal Palace seconded. "If he can't even handle this much then what was the point of going back into the Dungeon? Something like this isn't a big deal."

Soon, more voices of agreement came from the youngsters of the Crystal Palace, making the place lively.

"Silence!" Piccoro growled, and immediately, all the youngsters shut their lips tightly, not daring to offend the Saint, who was known for having a bad temper.

Piccoro then flicked a storage ring towards Hector that contained the 100 Million Gold Coin bet between him and the Rankers of the Skystead Alliance.

There was no need to wait until Lux finished dealing with the monster before the outcome of the match was decided. The moment the Winged Serpent fell from the sky, everyone knew that the battle was over.

It was at that moment when Aur took a step forward and confronted the Saint, who was one of his bodyguards.

"Piccoro, I am going," Aur suddenly declared, which made the Dragon Born Saint frown.

"Are you sure about this?" Piccoro asked. "Although he managed to defeat an Argonaut Monster, the two Dreadnaught-Ranked World Bosses are still a threat. Let's say that he will be able to deal with one of them, but both of them at the same time? That's impossible."

Aur smiled as he walked towards the Gate of the Fallen.

"Don't forget why we are here, Piccoro," Aur stated. "This is not about Pride. This is for the glory of the Crystal Palace."

Piccoro sighed before giving Aur a respectful bow. "It is as you say. Please forgive my short-sightedness. May fortune be in your favor, Your Highness."

The three other Saints also bowed their heads as their acknowledgement of Aur's determination.

"All of you, protect his Highness," Piccoro ordered the Initiates whom they had brought to escort Aur to the Domain of the Fallen.

"""Yes, Your Excellency!"""

Aron, who was struggling internally, also sighed and glanced at teenagers that represented the Skystead Alliance.

"All of you go as well," Aron ordered. "Make sure to protect Prince Cyrus, and follow his orders."

"""Yes! Sir!"""

Soon, the representatives of the Crystal Palace and the Skystead Alliance entered the Gate of Fallen.

Their goal was to join up with Lux's group and do their best to survive until the Dungeon had been cleared.

—------------

Inside the Gate of Famine…

"You want me to tame this beast?" Lux asked Shax, who was stepping on the head of the Argonaut-Ranked Winged Serpent that it had successfully subdued.

The Nightgaunt nodded. The Winged Serpent had pleaded for its life, and Shax decided that there was no merit in killing it.

Lux rubbed his chin as he cast a glance at the Argonaut-Ranked Monster who didn't show any signs of aggression towards him.

Out of the twelve Wyverns, four had died at the hands of the Hecatoncheires that belonged to Eiko.

The remaining eight had been pinned down by Lux's four Giant Abominations, giving them no chance to escape.

After giving it some thought, Lux glanced at Cai who was standing next to him.

"Do you want this Winged Serpent to be your pet?" Lux asked.

Cai thought a bit before asking for another opinion.

"Hmm… what do you think, Fei Fei?" Cai asked the golden slime perched on top of her head. "Should we tame this Winged Serpent?"

"Wei~"

"I guess you're right. Fine, I'll take this Winged Serpent. I like how colorful its wings are."

Lux nodded and motioned for Shax to look after Cai and ensure that the Winged Serpent wouldn't do anything silly, while the taming process was happening.

Basically, anyone could tame a Beast to make it their Beast Companion as long as the Beast approved of it.

Since the Winged Serpent didn't want to die in the hands of the faceless Creature that was pinning it down, it didn't resist Cai's Beast Contract, allowing it to become her Beast Companion and mount.

"How about you, Keane, Gerhart, Xander, and Cethus?" Lux asked. "Do all of you want a Wyvern each?"

"Can I have that bronze-scaled Wyvern?" Keane asked as he pointed at one of the Wyverns that was being held by one of the two Hecatoncheires.

"Sure," Lux replied. "It's yours."

"I'll take the green-scaled one," Gerhart commented.

Lux nodded "Okay."

"Mine will be the gray one," Xander stated.

"I'll take the black one," Cethus declared.

"Go." Lux made a gesture, letting the four of them tame the Wyverns. "How about you, Henrietta? Do you want one?"

The Half-Elf glanced at the Guildmaster of Serenity, who was part of his Father's faction.

"... Lux, Deimos-Ranked Wyverns are not cabbages that you can easily give away as if they are bought on sale," Henrietta said in a disapproving tone.

"So you don't want one?" Lux arched an eyebrow.

"I'll take the White one, please."

"Okay. It's yours."

The other three members of Serenity, who had come with Henrietta to clear the dungeon, were all left speechless.

They didn't expect that their proud and steadfast Guildmaster would fold after a Deimos-Ranked Alpha Wyvern was offered to her as a Beast Companion.

Truth be told, they would have done the same in her shoes. Having such a strong Creature as a companion would give them enough bragging rights when they returned to the Academy.

"Einar, Val, you want one too?" Lux asked his two steadfast companions who were loyal to him when it came to conquering the Sacred Dungeon.

"Since you offered, then why not?" Einar grinned as he walked towards the Hundred-Armed Giant to choose one of the Wyverns that were left.

"Thanks." Val gave Lux a brief nod, before he, too, followed behind Einar.

Val could transform into a Giant Spider, but he couldn't fly in the sky. Because of this, he decided to not hesitate and accept Lux's offer.

There was still one Wyvern left unclaimed, and Lux thought that it would be a waste to kill such a fine beast.

Even if he killed the Wyvern and revived it, he would only get a Rank 5 Alpha Monster because its rank would degrade after it had died.

It was not cost-effective, so he decided to let it live.

Besides, after the battle in the Kingdom of Zangrila, he had no shortage of flying Abyssal Monster corpses, which were all stored inside his Bounty Rings.

"Malcolm, are you interested?" Lux asked as he looked in the direction of the blonde-haired boy, who had been his subordinate in their previous dungeon expedition.

"Are you sure?" Malcolm didn't expect Lux to extend some goodwill in his direction, allowing him to own a Deimos-Ranked Wyvern for free.

Malcolm's father, who was a Great General, was one of the handful of people that had a Wyvern Mount in the entirety of the Vahan Empire.

Having a strong monster as his Beast Companion would drastically increase his prestige among the members of the nobility, making his effort to go with Lux into the Gate of Famine worth it.

----------

Important Notice:

Advance chapters for Kingdom Building Done Right are now available in Patreon. Just search for ElyonFantasy.

----------

patreon. com/ElyonFantasy

 

Chapter 687 Clash Of Titans [Part 2]

"I'm sure," Lux replied. "Take one for old time's sake."

Malcolm understood what Lux was trying to say, so he no longer hesitated and chose the last remaining Wyvern, which had brown-scales covering his entire body.

The teenagers from the Xynnar War Pact, and the Six Kingdoms were feeling envious of the gifts that the Half-Elf had given to his friends and acquaintances.

What they didn't know was that this was Lux's plan to make all of them loyal to him.

If they could see him as a leader who was willing to share his spoils of war, he would be able to gain a good image in their eyes, as well as the people that were watching them from outside the Domain of the Fallen.

While the Half-Elf was feeling satisfied with how things turned out, the Dragon Token stirred, and Keoza's voice sounded inside his mind.

'I am sensing two Dreadnaught-Ranked World Bosses to the North of this place,' Keoza stated. 'One of them feels familiar. Do you remember that Devil that tried to kidnap Cai in the Gate of Conquest? I believe that it's him again. You should be careful. Even if you call for me, I won't appear, do you understand?"

"Does this have something to do with the Crystal Palace?"

"..."

Keoza sighed, but he didn't reply. Even so, his sigh had confirmed many things, which connected some pieces of the puzzle together.

"Be careful, and goodluck."

Those were the last words that Keoza said before the Dragon Token returned to being dormant once more.

Lux felt conflicted about the Crystal Dragon's current attitude, but since Keoza had helped him a lot in the past, he decided to just let things be.

Just as everyone had finished taming the Wyverns, Lux received a message from Alexander, informing him that several teenagers had entered the Domain of the Fallen.

As a Saint, he didn't want to dirty his hands with killing mere Initiates because that would be beneath him.

'Let them be, father,' Lux replied. 'Their arrival will not make any difference.'

'Good,' Alexander stated. 'It's good to see that you also prioritize the bigger picture. Just don't let them order you around, okay?'

'Understood,' Lux answered.

Lux knew full well how prideful Dragons and Dragon Borns were after being around Cethus for a while.

Even so, he admitted that he found Aur's sudden move quite surprising, which made him realize that he had underestimated the handsome Dragonoid, who seemed to be determined to accomplish the goal that he had set out to do.

'Well, as long as they don't get in my way, I'll let them tag along,' Lux thought. 'But, I need to find Great General Sherlock and Great General Watson first. According to Keoza, two Dreadnaught-Ranked Monsters are located in the North. If I'm not mistaken that is the direction of the Ammarian Kingdom. I'll avoid them for a while, and head South.'

After finalizing his decision, the Half-Elf was about to order everyone to follow him when suddenly, he heard a notification sound inside his head, followed by rows of texts appearing in front of him.

Cethus, and Gerhart, glanced at each other after receiving the same notification sound and grinned. They already knew what this meant, and checked the information in front of them with serious expressions on their faces.

Cai, Keane, Xander, Henrietta, Einar, Val, as well as their other members, also received the notification sounds as well.

The Barbarians, the members of Val's Guild, as well as the Guild Members of the Barbatos Academy were all part of Lux's personal party.

He didn't invite Jasper's group, nor the three people from the Skystead Alliance because the Half-Elf only cared about his people.

Malcolm, who had once been part of Lux's party in the past, realized what just happened because the teenagers that had just tamed their Wyverns were all looking at the blank space in front of them, as if reading something.

'C-Could it be?' Malcolm's heart skipped a beat because his gut instinct was telling him that his guess was right.

Seeing that others managed to receive a quest, made him feel bitter. However, this bitterness instantly disappeared when a row of text appeared in front of him.

—----------------------

< Do you wish to Join Lux Von Kaizer's Party? >

< Yes / No >

—----------------------

Malcolm didn't even bat an eye and hurriedly accepted the invitation, as if he was afraid that it would disappear in front of him if he delayed his decision.

As soon as he chose the yes option, several rows of text appeared in front of him, allowing him to finally see the mission that the others had received as well.

—----------------------

< Clash of Titans >

Mission Rating: SS+

– A Monster Outbreak led by three Dreadnaught-Ranked World Bosses has descended upon the land. Their goal is to wipe out the entire Human population, leaving nothing but corpses in their wake.

< Quest Objectives >

[Main Quest]

– Prevent the complete destruction of the Yelan and Ammarian Kingdoms

[Sub Quest]

– Defeat at least two of the three Dreadnaught-Ranked World Bosses and put an end to their tyranny.

– Quest will automatically fail when 80% of the territories of both the Yelan and Ammarian Kingdoms are destroyed by the Monster Army.

< Quest Rewards >

– Quest rewards will be calculated after you complete the mission. The more you contributed to it as a whole, the greater the rewards you will get!

—-----------

A breath of cold air escaped Malcolm's lips after reading the information of the quest.

Although he knew that Lux could fight against Argonaut Monsters, the two Dreadnaught World Bosses were still a great threat that they had to face.

Naturally, the red-headed teenager didn't share his worries because he had several aces under his sleeve.

"Everyone, follow me," Lux ordered as he summoned his Thunder Warg King, Jed. "We're all heading South."

Right now, he wanted to know if the Yelan Kingdom was still standing.

If there was a chance to save his old comrades, he would definitely not stand by and allow the Kingdom that Great General Sherlock and Great General Watson had protected with their lives end up in ruins.

 

 

Chapter 688 Death God Of The Battlefield

A few hours later, Lux and his comrades arrived at another city with its gates shut tight.

Several archers were manning the ramparts, but fortunately, none of them opened fire because Lux made sure that they wouldn't be attacked by his former comrades.

Before he left the Gate of Conquest, he had asked Great General Sherlock to give him several banners of the Yelan Kingdom.

The Half-Elf had thought of the possibility that they might meet the two Great Generals again if they challenged the Gate of Famine.

Because of this, he wanted to have their banners just in case they would be forced to march onto a battlefield where the Yelan Kingdom was fighting against their mortal enemy, the Ammarian Kingdom.

Since Lux's entourage had the banners, the defenders of the city didn't attack them, but didn't let them enter the city either. Clearly, they were still wary of a bunch of teenagers carrying the banner of their Kingdom, especially in these troubled times.

"My name is Lux Von Kaizer," Lux shouted. "I serve under Great General Sherlock and Great General Watson. Please, let me talk to your commanding officer. We just came upon a ruined city earlier that was attacked by monsters. I have every reason to believe that your city might be their next target."

The Guard Captain who defended the city narrowed his eyes as he looked at the red-headed teeanger that declared himself a subordinate of Great General Sherlock and Great General Watson.

Currently, the two Great Generals were away, leading their army to fend off a Monster Outbreak in the Eastern Region of their Kingdom. The place was a good distance away from where they were, so it was impossible to confirm whether or not the teenage boy was telling the truth.

"Let them in," a voice that was filled with authority said, making the Guard Captain turn his head to look at the General who had been stationed to defend their city.

"General Fahad, you know him?" the Guard Captain asked.

"Of course we know him," General Fahad's second son, Leo, replied. "Have you forgotten the name of one of the War Heroes of the previous campaign? That Half-Elf down there is the one responsible for helping us win. So, what are you waiting for? Let him in!"

Currently, Leo was acting as his Father's second in command, which gave him the authority to order the soldiers guarding the city.

Because of this, the Guard Captain hurriedly told his men to open the gates.

Now that he had been reminded of who the Half-Elf was, the Guard Captain found it quite silly for him to forget the name of the person responsible for helping them win the previous war against the Ammarian Kingdom.

Lux was very famous among the members of the militaries of the Yelan and Ammarian Kingdoms, and they even gave him the nickname of Death God of the Battlefield.

Ever since then, the Ammarian Kingdom had not launched any campaigns against the smaller Kingdom, which they had long wanted to annex, in fear that their next attempt would also end in failure.

When the gates opened, Lux and his entourage were immediately greeted with cheers from the soldiers, as well as the populace.

Clearly, the Half-Elf was being treated as a War Hero, making the latter have a hard time keeping a straight face due to embarrassment.

"It's nice to see you again, Lux," General Fahad said as soon as the Half-Elf and his entourage had all entered the city. "Seeing you here makes me a little more confident about defending this city."

"General Fahad." Lux smiled as he reached out his hand for a handshake. "It's good to see that you are doing well. Can you tell me about the current situation of the Yelan Kingdom?"

"Of course, please follow me," General Fahad led Lux and his entourage to the make-shift barracks inside the city.

Due to the threat of the Monster Outbreak, all able-bodied men had been conscripted to defend their Kingdom.

Currently, they were being trained in the barracks in order to help the veteran soldiers fight off the Monsters that threatened to destroy their homes.

Since the number of people that Lux brought with him didn't surpass fifty, all of them were taken to the conference room to be briefed of the current situation.

"It started around two weeks ago," General Fahad said as he pointed at the map that was plastered on the wall. "The border guards sighted several powerful Monsters that were Argonaut-Ranked and below, leading countless low-ranking Monsters, heading deeper within the Ammarian Kingdom.

"Back then, we were quite happy with this development because we thought those bastards would finally receive the retribution they deserved. Just like we expected, the Monster Army destroyed several cities before they clashed against the Ammarian Army.

"The battle was fierce, and even though they sacrificed countless lives, they were able to repel the Monsters. However, something unexpected happened, which made their victory short-lived."

A grim expression appeared on General Fahad's face, which made the Half-Elf frown.

"A day after the battle ended, three Dreadnaught-Ranked World Bosses made their appearance, and all of them were leading Monster Armies that were at least ten times larger than the Monster Army that the Ammarian Kingdom defeated.

"Seeing that there was no chance of victory, the General ordered a full retreat, ordering their soldiers to go all the way back to their Capital City, preparing for a last stand. However, these Monsters didn't head directly to the Ammarian Capital City.

"The three Dreadnaught-Ranked World Bosses split their forces. Two of them remained in the territory of the Ammarian Kingdom, taking their sweet time to destroy the outer cities, leaving nothing behind but destruction. It was as if they didn't plan on letting even a single village, town, city, or person live, going for a full extermination, leaving the Capital City for last."

The Yelan General sighed. He didn't ever think that there would come a time when he would pity their enemies.

But, their current situation was indeed truly pitiful that even though the Yelan General hated them, he wished that the innocents were spared from such tragedy.

 

 

Chapter 689 I Want Some Good News Right Now

After regaining his calm, General Fahad continued his explanation as he pointed at the Eastern Region of the Yelan Kingdom.

"I already said earlier that the three Dreadnaught-Ranked Monsters split their forces," General Fahad stated. "While two of them remained in the Ammarian Kingdom, one of them headed to our Kingdom. The city you saw earlier was one of the outer cities that was destroyed just a day ago.

"The Monster Army headed East, destroying any city they came across. I have a feeling that after they destroy a few more cities, they will turn back and deal with us next. For some reason, the Dreadnaught Monster seemed to be avoiding the main army. But, if my assumptions are correct, I believe that it is simply toying with us and purposefully making us feel helpless."

Lux was deep in thought as he listened to General Fahad's explanation. However, someone seemed to not be able to read the mood and decided to ask the Yelan General a question.

"General, do you know about the Zephyr Kingdom?" Cai asked.

"The Zephyr Kingdom? Of course, I know them," General Fahad replied. "That is the kingdom located near the borders of the Ammarian Kingdom. Just like us, they were able to repel the Ammarian Kingdom's invasion, keeping their sovereignty.

"Their army is also quite powerful. Perhaps, even more powerful than ours. Have you been there before?"

Cai and the other teenager's expressions became solemn after hearing General Fahad's reply.

Before all of them were killed a few days ago and were ejected from the Gate of Famine, they were fighting alongside the Zephyr Kingdom's Army against the three Dreadnaught-Ranked Monsters that had attacked their Capital City.

The last one to die in that struggle was Cai, but before she did, she had witnessed the destruction of the entire Capital City of the Zephyr Kingdom, which was nearly two weeks ago.

(A/N: The timeline of the Sacred Dungeon and the world inside the Gate of Famine was similar to Zangrila. A week inside the Gate of Famine was equivalent to a day in the outside world).

"General, I have another question," Cai said with a seriousness that was very rare for her to show. "Is the Dreadnaught Monster attacking the Yelan Kingdom a silver-haired devil? You know—a humanoid with two horns, silver hair, and bat-like wings?"

General Fahad shook his head.

"The Monster leading the Monster Outbreak in our Kingdom is not the devil you spoke of," General Fahad replied. "It is a Giant Earth Turtle. Even our Kingdom's most powerful magical cannons are unable to even leave a dent in that Monster's body.

"It was still a Dreadnaught-Ranked World Boss a few days ago. But after destroying several cities, its Rank suddenly jumped to the peak of the Dreadnaught Rank, making it a Pseudo-Empyrean Ranked World Boss. I don't want to sound pessimistic, but I'm doubting if we will be able to survive this calamity."

General Fahad was a very brave General and didn't back away even when he faced the Ammarian Army, which had greater numbers than his own.

For him to acknowledge that the chances of winning were nearly non-existent proved just how dire their current situation was.

Lux, who had been listening all this time, opened his Soul Book and enlarged the map of the Yelan Kingdom.

Dozens of miles away from them, countless blinking red dots appeared on the map, which were scattered in different places.

It seemed that the Giant Earth Turtle was using the divide and conquer strategy, attacking as many towns as possible in the shortest amount of time possible.

'That explains why we were attacked by the Winged Serpent and the Wyverns,' Lux thought. 'We were not their real target but this city that General Fahad was guarding. We just happened to be in their way, so they decided to attack us first.'

Now that the pieces were finally falling in place, Lux understood the current situation.

"General, I have some good news and bad news for you," Lux said as he observed the map on his Soul Book. "Which one do you want to hear first?"

"The good news," General Fahad replied. "I want some good news right now."

Lux nodded. "The good news is that the Monsters that were supposed to attack this town have already been dealt with by us. Meaning, that in the next four days, no Monsters will be attacking this city."

"That is indeed good news," General Fahad commented. "But what do you mean when you said that we wouldn't be attacked in the next four days? Do you mean that we will be attacked on the fifth day?"

Lux sighed before nodding his head.

"It seems that the Earth Turtle has realized that one of its raiding parties had failed their mission," Lux stated. "So it has ordered half of its army to head here, while the other half will continue to head East, facing off against the Main Army of the Yelan Kingdom."

General Fahad, as well as the teenagers that belonged to Lux's entourage, were shocked by the Half-Elf's revelation.

They had no idea why Lux sounded so confident when he made his declaration, but all of them knew that he wasn't joking one bit.

General Fahad remained silent for a full minute before asking Lux a question through gritted teeth.

"What do you think we should do?" General Fahad asked.

After fighting alongside Lux in the previous war, he treated the Half-Elf's words very seriously.

"Evacuate the citizens and tell them to head to the Capital City," Lux replied. Have the new recruits, and a few of your officers escort them. If my estimate is right, this city will most likely be destroyed when the Monster Army arrives. If you don't want to have innocent victims, then the only thing that you can do is order an evacuation, and it must be done… right now."

Lux's voice held a finality that General Fahad wasn't able to ignore.

An hour later, the General made an announcement and all of his messengers passed through everyone in the city.

The Monsters were coming, and the only way for them to live was to evacuate before it was too late.

Lux was confident that he would be able to protect himself, but he couldn't say the same for the people in the city.

The Monster Army that was headed in their direction numbered in the tens of thousands and, based on what he had seen, there were several Argonaut Ranked and Deimos Ranked Monsters mixed in it.

One thing that grabbed his attention was a red dot that was significantly bigger than the others.

Although he didn't want to overthink things, he had a feeling that the leader of the Monster Army headed in their direction was a Monster that had just evolved into the Dreadnaught Rank.

 

 

Chapter 690 Forewarned Was Better Than Forearmed

"Father, I don't want to go," Leo stated. "I want to stay with you and fight!"

"That's General Fahad to you, soldier," General Fahad snapped at his son, who refused to obey his order. "Have you forgotten the promise you made to me when I agreed to bring you along on this campaign? You swore to obey my every order. Is this what your promise amounts to? Insubordination?"

Leo lowered his head, unable to come up with words to refute his father. The only reason he was allowed to accompany the General on all of his campaigns was because he promised to always obey his order.

However, after knowing that his father and the rest of the Veteran Soldiers would be staying to fight against the approaching Monster Army, Leo felt that he needed to be with him more than ever.

The conscripted men of the city had all been assigned to protect the residents as they evacuated towards the Capital City of the Yelan Kingdom.

They had only trained for a few days, so General Fahad knew well that they were not ready to fight against a Monster Army of such magnitude.

To avoid mishaps, he also assigned a dozen of his trusted subordinates to lead the new conscripts, as well as the evacuees to safety. One of the people he wanted to oversee this mission was his son, Leo,

But the latter refused to obey him, giving him a headache.

"Father. Please, let me stay," Leo begged. "I promise that I will obey every order you give me, but you must let me stay and fight with you."

General Fahad snorted as he looked down at his son, who insisted on staying to fight with him.

"What good is your promise if you can't even keep it?" General Fahad sneered. "You still say that you promise to obey my orders when you've refused my order to lead the people to safety? I've had enough of your farce. From now on, you are stripped of your military authority and hereby delegated as a civilian!"

General Fahad tore the badge on Leo's uniform, making the teenage boy's eyes widen in shock. He never thought that his father would go as far as to strip him of his rank to prevent him from staying.

"Guards! Take this boy out of here now!" General Fahad ordered. "Tie him in chains if you have to, and take him to the Capital along with the other evacuees!"

""Yes, Sir!""

As if waiting for that cue, two Guards immediately entered the command room and grabbed hold of Leo, preventing him from doing anything.

"Don't do this, Father!" Leo pleaded. "I just want to fight with you to the bitter end! Let me go! I want to stay here!"

However, no matter how much he begged, the two soldiers took him away without mercy.

Only when he could no longer hear his son's shouts did General Fahad heave a long and depressing sigh.

"You did the right thing," General Fahad's second in command, Benjamin, said as he entered the room. "This is no place for him to die."

"What's this? Do you also think that we will not survive this one?" General Fahad asked in a wry tone.

"To be perfectly honest, no," Benjamin replied. "The scouts that we have deployed just sent us a message that the Monster Army is composed of dozens of Deimos-Ranked Monsters, a handful of Argonaut Monsters, and one Dreadnaught-Ranked Monster at its Initial Stages.

"There is also the countless number of Rank 5 and below Monsters, plus their army is at least around a hundred thousand strong. Even if we can match their number, the High-Ranking combatants have such a large disparity that it is impossible to win.

"Perhaps both of us can take on one Argonaut-Ranked Monster each, and a few of our Elites can handle the Deimos-Ranked Monsters. But the moment that Dreadnaught makes its move, we're done for."

General Fahad walked towards the window and gazed at the city below him.

Currently, many people flooded the streets as the mass evacuation was in full swing. According to Lux, the Monster Army would arrive in three more days if they kept their current pace.

If the Dreadnaught Monster decided to hasten their movements, the Monsters might come knocking on their city walls before the sun rose the next day.

Because of this, General Fahad ordered that the evacuation must be carried out as soon as possible, giving the people only half a day to pack everything they could before leaving the city.

"Lux told me that he has a way to deal with the Dreadnaught-Ranked Monster," General Fahad said after several minutes passed. "He said that we should prioritize dealing with the small fries, and he will handle the rest."

"Oh? That's quite reassuring then." Benjamin chuckled, thinking that it was a joke.

But his chuckle only lasted for a short while before his expression became solemn. "... Is he serious?"

"Very serious."

"I know that this might sound weird coming from me, but for some reason, I now feel that we might be able to survive this one."

The Generals of the Yelan Kingdom had treated Lux as a War Hero in their hearts after the many accomplishments the Half-Elf had made during their previous campaigns.

Each and every time, the red-headed teenager was able to pull off something new, giving them an opportunity to turn the tides of battle in their favor.

"Actually, I came here to ask you a favor. I wanted to ask you to pass a letter to my wife to let her know that I might not be able to make it." Benjamin scratched his head. "But now, I guess I'll keep it for the time being."

"You do that." General Fahad nodded. "I also don't have any intention of dying here."

The two High-Ranking officers exchanged a knowing gaze before returning to their duties.

Since the Monster Army would arrive in the next three days, they couldn't possibly not give them a warm welcome that would send them all directly to kingdom come.

—--------

"Boom Boom!"

"Boom!"

Eiko and Fei Fei were busy making one Blast Bomb after the other. They wanted to make as many bombs as they could to help prepare for the war, and partly because the two Baby Slimes had grown fond of making things go Boom!

Accompanying them in this task was none other than Boomer, Eiko's Crimson Monkey Kong Skeleton Bombardier.

Of course, Eiko made sure to summon her clones as well to speed up the Blast Bomb Production.

Not far from them, the Archlich, Asmodeus, was discussing plans with Lux about how to better deal with the upcoming Monster Invasion.

Of course, they weren't doing this with just the two of them.

Cai, Keane, Xander, Gerhart, Cethus, Einar, Val, Henrietta, Enlil, Jasper, Gilmore (the swordsman who Keane fought in the tournament), Malcolm, and Prince Cyrus were present as well.

They were the individuals representing the different factions and had accompanied Lux in the Gate of Famine, so the Half-Elf gathered them as well.

"I sent a scout to check on the Monster Army yesterday and found out the composition of their army," Lux stated. "There are dozens of Deimos-Ranked Monsters, a handful of Argonaut-Ranked Monsters, and one Dreadnaught-Ranked Monster. Not only that, there are at least tens of thousands of Rank 5 and below monsters that serve as the bulk of their army."

The teenagers all listened to the Half-Elf with serious expressions on their faces. The composition of the Monster Army was already a force that Initiates couldn't possibly contend with.

Only Rankers and above would be able to deal with this kind of situation. But after seeing what Lux was capable of, they felt more hopeful that the Half-Elf had found a way to overcome the situation they were about to face.

"None of you have to worry about the Dreadnaught-Ranked Monster. I have a way to deal with it," Lux stated. "Cai, General Fahad, and the High-Ranking combatants of the Yelan Army will deal with the Argonaut-Ranked Monsters. This leaves you with only the Deimos-Ranked Monsters to deal with."

Lux didn't know whether he should mention this or not to the others, but for some reason, a good number of Rank 5 Monsters within the approaching Monster Army were about to evolve as Deimos-Ranked Monsters.

At the very least, Zagan estimated that they would face at least a hundred of these about-to-evolve monsters when they arrive at their destination.

After careful deliberation, the Half-Elf decided that it would be best to just spill the beans to give his team more time to adjust to their current situation.

Forewarned was better than forearmed.

In a battle of this magnitude, Lux understood that their chances of survival would increase only when his team and allies truly knew what they were about to face.

-------------------

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