ă€ŠLandlord World - Start with SSS talentă€‹


 Chapter 1 SSS Talent - Almighty Fusion

    10 p.m

    In Terith city.

    In a dark and smelly alley where no one passed by, a young man sat leaning against the wall, with a wound on his head that was bleeding profusely.

    He sat still, his head bowed, breathing weakly as if it would stop at any moment.

    He wanted to call for help, but he couldn''t make a sound because his strength was exhausted. Even moving a finger was a herculean task at this moment.

    The young man waited in despair for death to come; however, the more despair he felt, the greater the hatred in his heart.

    Even though he was on the verge of death, his eyes were still filled with resentment, as if he wanted to chew the bones and drink the blood of his enemies.

    However, the light of life in his eyes slowly dimmed, becoming dimmer, then completely turning grey.

    His breath was gone; he was... dead.

    The crowd outside was still moving; even if this young man died, it wouldn''t stop the world.

    Suddenly, his fingers moved, and the fatal wound on his head and the wounds all over his body began to heal at an incredibly fast speed.

    A moment later, all the wounds healed, he slowly opened his eyes.

    "Heh?! Where... where is this?"

    The young man looked around, his eyes no longer filled with resentment and despair but instead with confusion and worry.

    "What the hell? Where the hell am I? Wait! Blood?!"

    "Fuck!"

    The young man cursed when he realised there was a lot of blood on his head: "What the hell is going on? Ack!!"

    The young man suddenly felt a pain in his head as if a hammer had hit it. He held his head with both hands, grimaced, and clenched his teeth.

    The excruciating pain made him sweat so much that beads of sweat the size of peas covered his entire face.

    Luckily... the pain didn''t last too long; less than a minute later, it was gone.

    At this moment, the young man sighed, leaned against the cold wall, and gasped.

    He finally realised... where he was.

    His name is Noan, a normal 25-year-old office worker who lived on Earth.

    Noan remembered standing in the elevator and feeling his body fall into a state of weightlessness, then...

    ''Fuck!'' Noan cursed in his heart: ''Who the hell installed the elevator?''

    He remembered that the building where he worked had been inaugurated for less than 3 years, and yet there was a case of broken elevator cable.

    Noan didn''t know if he was lucky or unlucky because at that time he was alone in the elevator.

    That aside, the terrible headache earlier helped him regain this body''s memories.

    The owner of this body is also named Noan; however, the Noan in this world is much younger than him, only 20 years old.

    The reason why Noan died in this world is related to many things.

    First of all, it must be said that this world is not Earth; this is a completely different world.

    The science and technology of this world are far superior to Earth''s, and the way this world operates is also very strange.

    Every citizen in this world has to study for 12 years; after turning 18, they have to study for 2 years on how to become a lord.

    Yes, they must learn how to be a real lord.

    It looked like an ID card, with nothing but strange drawings and characters on it..

    The Rank F lord card was grey; however, it was currently emitting a mysterious black aura.

    A sci-fi-like information panel appeared in front of him, displaying all of his information.

    ...

    Name: Van Noan

    Lord Rank: F

    Lord level: 01

    Description: Rank F Lord, has the ability to summon Rank F troopsˇŞSkeleton. Can summon 10 skeletons per day.

    Note: The higher the lord''s level, the more soldiers he can summon.

    ...

    His information was still the same; it was just that... Below the information panel, a line of text gradually appeared.

    Just a few seconds later, Noan could clearly read what the words said.

    ...

    Talent: Almighty Fusion

    Rank: SSS

    Description 1: You can fuse three soldiers of the same rank together to create a soldier of a higher rank.

    Description 2: You can use multiple high-ranked soldiers to increase the rank of the hero you summoned.

    Description 3: For soldiers or heroes who have undergone ''Fusion,'' they will receive the ''Evolution'' mark.

    ''Evolution'' Mark: When a soldier or hero receives this mark, their overall strength will be increased by 10%.

    The more soldiers or heroes possess the ''Evolution'' mark, the more the lord''s power will increase.

    ...

    Seeing the new talent appear, Noan knew this was the gift that the gods compensated him with.

    Last week, after ''Old Noan'' completed the ritual and qualified to become a lord, he began performing the talent receiving ritual.

    Each person, after completing the ''Lord''s'' ritual, can perform the ritual to receive the grace of the Gods to receive a random talent.

    However, the randomly obtained talents in most cases have the same rank as the Lord''s rank.

    However, when Noan was performing the ritual to receive his talent, something went wrong; he... didn''t receive any talent at all.

    The academy didn''t care much about that either; after all, his Lord Rank was only F, and perhaps his talent would be only rank F.

    The rank levels in this world are arranged from low to high: F, E, D, C, B, A, S, and SS, a total of 8 rank levels.

    Rank F is the lowest; therefore, the effect of Rank F talent is almost zero.

    Now it''s different; the talent that suddenly appeared in his Lord ID card is SSS.

    You must know that in this world, there are only 6 people who possess SS rank talent.

    Of course, no one has ever possessed an SSS Rank before, and according to ''Old Noan''s'' memories, no one has ever questioned whether an SSS Rank exists or not.

    In the minds of everyone in this world, Rank SS is supreme and godlike.

    But Noan is different; his talent is at SSS rank; perhaps he is the only existence that possesses this rank.

 Chapter 2 What the hell are you doing?

    Noan was happy and excited.

    This talent not only works on Noan''s soldiers and heroes but also on himself.

    It''s a win-win situation.

    Besides, if it is as described by this talent, then even if he summons a Rank F Hero, he can still evolve that hero to a higher rank.

    As long as Noan has enough ''materials,'' he can even evolve his hero to Rank A, or even Rank S.

    Noan shook his head, suppressing his excitement. Even though he possessed an SSS rank talent, things had yet to begin.

    "He is here!"

    Suddenly, a young man''s voice rang out. Noan quickly realised it was the voice of one of the thugs who had beaten him.

    In the small alley, five young men carrying metal baseball bats entered.

    Leading the way was a man in a black suit; although it was evening, he was still wearing sunglasses. On his face was a rather scary scar.

    Noan frowned, feeling scared: ''Could it be that they think I''m not dead yet, so they came back to kill me?''

    He originally intended to run away, but this small alley was a dead end. At the end of the alley was a wall of another building that was more than 10 meters high. Unless he grew wings, he would not be able to escape from this place.

    A thug saw Noan looking at him with a calm face and immediately shouted: "Fuck! I thought he was dead!"

    "That''s right." Another thug continued: "There was so much blood just now, I thought he was about to die."

    "So this bastard was pretending. Damn it! Now I''ll beat you to death!"

    Suddenly, the man waved his hand, and the five thugs immediately quieted down.

    He walked in front of Noan, then sat down, gave a spine-chilling smile, and said: "Kid, are you seriously injured?"

    Noan felt like this man wanted to say something; he tried to calm down, shook his head, and said: "It''s okay, it''s just a little bleeding."

    Although all the wounds on his body had healed, of course, he wouldn''t say that.

    "Still conscious?" the man asked again.

    Noan did not answer but just nodded slightly.

    "Good! I know you''re dissatisfied, but listen carefully..." The man said, his voice starting to become quite heavy: "You''re shouldering the debt for your younger brother, but the IOU is your signature."

    "I... just want the money; I don''t want trouble or want to beat you to death, understand?"

    Noan frowned and continued to nod without saying anything more.

    "Very good! Very smart, kid." The man smirked: "Although that amount of money is huge, as the principal and interest is 20 million credit points, I don''t want to force you into a dead end."

    "If you have a stable job, you can pay off that debt slowly; of course, I won''t charge you extra interest."

    "If not, I will cut you into pieces and sell your organs on the black market, understand?"

    Noan heard that and immediately knew that this man thought he could not pay his debt and sought death.

    Noan still hasn''t paid even a single credit point of that man''s debt.

    If he died, all that money would disappear. The man was not stupid, so he gave Noan a way to live to repay his debt.

    In his previous life, Noan was only 25 years old, but he started working very early. He had also met many types of people, so he knew very clearly what this man wanted.

    Noan did not rush to answer but took out a card from his pocket, raised it in front of the man, and said: "Don''t worry, with this, I will quickly pay you back."

    The man saw the card and suddenly laughed out loud: "Hahahaha... hahahaha... very good... very good..."

    Noan continued: "Even though I am only a Rank F Lord, is this enough to prove that I can repay you?"

    "Of course!" The man patted Noan on the shoulder and said, "I will come collect the debt in a month. If you still can''t pay by then..."

    The man didn''t finish speaking, but the hand that was patting Noan''s shoulder suddenly grabbed his neck: "The consequences... you won''t be able to imagine it."

    "What the hell? Why isn''t he dead?"

    The man sighed; if Noan were here, he would definitely recognise him as one of the thugs who beat him to death.

    No, to be more precise, beat ''Old Noan'' to death.

    The man said in confusion: "I don''t know either. At that time, I clearly used a metal baseball bat to hit his head many times."

    "He was bleeding profusely, and he lay still on the ground, so I thought he was dead."

    "I also didn''t think he wouldn''t even die and would even extend the repayment period."

    "Fuck!" This blond-haired young man was Noan''s younger brother, named Negon.

    Noan and Negon are twins; however, they do not look alike at all, and Noan does not even resemble his father and mother.

    Negon, although the same age as Noan, was in the group that was tested later.

    Although he didn''t know the outcome of whether he could become a lord or not, seeing Noan become a lord, even if he was Rank F, made him extremely jealous.

    Jealous to the point that Negon really wanted to kill Noan. That''s why he gave the thug in front of him a large sum of money to beat Noan to death.

    However, Noan did not die; on the contrary, he extended the debt repayment period, making Negon so angry that he wanted to vomit blood.

    "Can you try again?" Negon said hurriedly.

    "Impossible." The thug said worriedly: "Boss has noticed him; if I do that again, I''m afraid... Boss will skin me alive."

    "Okay, don''t contact me anymore; I''ve tried my best."

    The thug said and quickly left.

    "Tsk!" Negon clicked his tongue angrily, he gritted his teeth and muttered: "Noan! Don''t think that becoming a lord means you can be arrogant."

    ...

    The next day, Noan woke up to the sound of the alarm clock.

    Yesterday, he didn''t go back to the motel because he was afraid that the thug who beat him to death would do something terrible again.

    In fact, even if the thug who beat ''Old Noan'' to death didn''t tell the truth, ''Old Noan'' still knew what his younger brother had done.

    After living together for 20 years, ''Old Noan'' knew his younger brother''s personality very well.

    After becoming a lord, Noan quickly left his family and rented a small room to live alone because he was afraid that Negon''s jealousy would make him do terrible things.

    But Noan still underestimated that jealousy; he just didn''t expect that Negon would pay someone to beat him to death.

    Noan knew clearly that Negon was behind it because... the thug who beat him up was someone Negon often hung out with.

    To be more precise, they know each other.

    Even a fool would know that Negon is behind this.

    Of course, ''New Noan'' is not as ''friendly'' as ''Old Noan''.

    He will definitely take revenge.

    Noan washed his face, changed his clothes, and had breakfast at the hotel. Then, he took a taxi to Landlord Academy.

    In this world, those who have completed 12 years of compulsory education are required to study an additional 2 years at Landlord Academy.

    Even if they don''t have the chance to become a lord, they must have knowledge about new lands and landlords.

    Anyway, at present, all issues such as economy, politics, society... are related to the existence of Landlords.

    Very quickly, the taxi arrived at Landlord Academy.

    Noan got out of the car and just entered the academy gate when a familiar voice rang out.

    "Oy! Noan, what the hell are you doing?"

    A voice filled with anger and annoyance rang out; even without turning around, Noan knew clearly who that voice belonged to.

 Chapter 3 Rank F Landlord - Lylia

    A somewhat beautiful woman walked in front of Noan; however, that beauty was covered in layers of thick makeup and a strong smell of cheap perfume.

    Noan frowned and took a step back, avoiding the girl''s hand.

    Seeing Noan''s actions, she became even angrier and more upset. She couldn''t hold back any longer and shouted, "Are you crazy? Why did you block my phone number?"

    Noan didn''t reply, his face indifferent as he looked at her.

    She is his girlfriend, Karen.

    Last week, when Noan finished his test and officially became a landlord, Karen appeared and took the initiative to flirt with him.

    ''Old Noan'' lacked love, so he quickly fell into Karen''s trap and became her dog.

    Not only was his family treating him unfairly, ''Old Noan'' also volunteered to become a gold mine for Karen to dig.

    The credit points that Noan had saved up were quickly used up because of Karen.

    However, ''Old Noan'' was like a fool, or... he volunteered to be a fool, constantly providing ''resources'' to Karen.

    Of course, Karen is not a landlord; she is a normal person.

    But the ''new Noan'' doesn''t understand why the ''old Noan'' is so loyal to her, like a dog.

    However, now it''s different; Noan now don''t wants to continue his work as a dog.

    He looked at Karen''s face and felt a little nauseous. Judging from the heavy makeup that looked like it was drawn with child''s crayons, she looked like a bus.

    "Oy! Didn''t you hear me? Quickly transfer 30,000 credits to me." Karen shouted, her expression filled with anger and arrogance: "No! I''ve changed my mind now."

    "If you don''t transfer 50,000 credits, I''ll break up with you."

    Noan laughed contemptuously in his heart. He didn''t know if when Karen said that, she thought about the status between her and him.

    "What are you laughing at?" Karen saw Noan laughing, and a feeling of discomfort appeared in her heart.

    "I''m laughing..." Noan replied: "because I feel you don''t have the qualifications to be my girlfriend."

    "You..." Karen angrily raised her hand as if she wanted to slap Noan.

    However, the current Noan didn''t let her do whatever she wanted.

    Karen''s hand had not yet touched his face when it was stopped by Noan. He grabbed her wrist and squeezed it hard.

    "AAA!!" Karen screamed in pain; even though Noan didn''t use any force, she pretended as if he was about to break her wrist.

    Her scream attracted the attention of everyone around.

    This is the academy gate anyway, so there are a lot of people coming and going.

    Noan let go of Karen''s hand, but she pretended to fall on the ground, crying loudly as if she wanted more people to pay attention.

    "Noan, you are so cruel. I just wanted to buy a new phone; do you have to hit me like this?" Karen cried and shouted.

    Noan sighed inwardly. If Karen became an actress, the Oscars would probably have to give her a miniature golden human statue.

    "You are a lord after all. Why are you stingy?"

    "I love you so much; I sacrificed so much for you. Now that you have become a lord, you want to abandon me. Are you still human?"

    Karen also realised that people were starting to pay attention and quickly added.

    "Even though I know you are just a rank F Lord, I still love you and stay by your side. Now you look down on me like this; do you know how much my heart aches?"

    Hearing Karen say that, the people around looked at Noan with eyes of annoyance and contempt.

    Noan laughed contemptuously in his heart. Negon, although he looked like a thug, was actually a coward.

    "If you like that bus, I can give it to you. Don''t worry, I haven''t touched her yet; I''m afraid of getting dirty."

    Hearing Noan say that, Negon felt confused and asked: "Bus?! What do you mean?"

    Noan smiled and replied: "That means... with just a little money, it''s easy for anyone to go up or down."

    "AA!! Noan! I will kill you!" Karen heard the contemptuous words that treated her like a dirty bug and immediately shouted.

    But as she lunged towards Noan, he immediately dodged to the side, causing her to fall to the ground.

    "Landing was terrible, 0/10." Noan laughed disdainfully, then left.

    Today was a very important day anyway; he didn''t want to waste time with fools.

    The crowd around saw Noan leave and no longer gathered there.

    Anyway, the main character of the drama is gone; they have no reason to stay here anymore.

    Karen was lying on the ground; at this moment, she was really crying, both angry and feeling uncomfortable: "AAA!!! Damn it! Damn it! Damn it! Negon, why didn''t you hit him?"

    Negon frowned: "Do you think I don''t want to beat him? I want to kill him, cut him into pieces. But this is Lord Academy; he is also a lord. If I beat him, I will definitely get into big trouble."

    "Huhuhu... I can''t stand this humiliation. AAA!!! How can I ever meet anyone else again."

    Hearing Karen cry loudly, Negon became even angrier. He gritted his teeth and said, "Karen, don''t worry; I''m sure he will pay."

    ...

    Noan, of course, didn''t care what Negon and Karen would do; even if they didn''t do anything, it wouldn''t make him forgive what they did.

    He went to the newbie area, preparing to complete the procedures to enter the new land.

    Suddenly, Noan felt someone poking his back with a finger; he turned his head and saw a girl.

    This girl has extremely bright pink hair; even if you put her in a crowd, she will stand out.

    About 165 cm tall, with a lovely face, a slightly mischievous expression, and a charming figure wrapped in a JK outfit, which makes her even more adorable.

    Like a sweet lollipop, anyone who sees it will be fascinated.

    She is known as every guy''s dream girlfriend, Lylia.

    Noan, of course, knew her, not because she was famous but because he was in the same class with her.

    In his class, only he and she were qualified to become lords.

    Lylia smiled slyly: "Hehehe... you were so cool just now."

    Noan glanced at Lylia and asked in confusion: "Aren''t you angry? You see the way I treat women; you are also a woman. Don''t you feel uncomfortable?"

    Lylia shrugged and said with a smile: "Why do I feel uncomfortable? On the contrary, I feel very happy and comfortable."

    "I don''t like that kind of woman; what you did made me very satisfied."

    "Oy! Where did you get the word ''bus''? Hehehehe... That word is really a fatal blow to that kind of woman."

    Seeing that Lylia really didn''t seem angry, with her mischievous expression, he also felt amused: "Want to learn? You have to pay tuition."

    Lylia pouted, her expression extremely adorable. She stuck out her tongue, annoyedly saying: "Bleh! I don''t need it, stingy!"

    "Worthy of being a Rank F lord!"

    After saying that, Lylia suddenly felt that she had gone a bit too far and pursed her lips, saying: "Ah! Sorry, I... I didn''t mean to say that."

    "Don''t worry; I don''t care either."

 Chapter 4 First hero - D rank Succubus

    What Noan said was the truth; he really didn''t care what people said or that they looked down on him as just a Rank F Landlord.

    Anyway, he now possesses SSS rank talent; no matter how much people scold him, he doesn''t care.

    On the contrary, the less people know about his SSS rank talent, the better.

    Like Negon, he was so jealous that he hired thugs to beat him to death when he found out that Noan had become a lord. But in Negon''s eyes, he was just a Rank F lord.

    If people were to know about the existence of the SSS rank talent he possessed, many people would be willing to kill him immediately.

    Therefore, for his own safety, he needed to keep this secret.

    What he needs is time.

    Noan believes that as long as he has enough time to develop, in the future, even if people discover this secret, he will have enough ability to defend himself.

    Seeing that Noan really didn''t care, Lylia breathed a sigh of relief.

    Her expression made Noan feel confused; after all, she was the most beautiful flower in this academy, the dream goddess of every boy. Why did she feel worried that he would be angry?

    Lylia regained her mischievous expression, took out her phone, and said with a smile: "Let''s exchange contacts."

    "Hmm?!" Noan asked in confusion: "For what?"

    "Ah! You are really arrogant." Lylia pouted: "Other men want to talk to me, but I am too lazy to pay attention to them."

    "And you, I am asking for your phone number, but you are so cautious as if I want to eat you."

    Noan laughed: "You are so funny."

    Lylia shook the phone in front of Noan : "Moreover, in our class, only you and I have become lords. Let''s exchange contacts a bit. After we reach the new land, we can support each other."

    "Are you sure you need my help?" Noan shrugged and said: "You just said I''m just a Rank F landlord; don''t you remember?"

    "Huh!" Lylia snorted; her arrogant expression did not make Noan uncomfortable; on the contrary, it made him feel that she was very cute.

    "And I am a Rank A lord, Rank A, Rank A."

    "Okay, you don''t need to repeat it three times." Noan frowned.

    "Important things need to be said three times." Lylia smiled and said: "If you can''t help me, I can protect you."

    Thump! Thump!

    Lylia said as she patted Noan''s shoulder, seemingly not minding touching his body.

    However, Noan didn''t want to touch her. Just because she was close to him didn''t mean she liked him; perhaps it was just because her personality was quite easygoing.

    "Then... Please take care of me more."

    "Hehehehe... don''t worry!" Lylia said confidently.

    [Please invite student Noan to teleport station number 23.]

    Noan heard the announcement mentioning his name and said, "I''ll go first."

    "Bye bye!" Lylia waved at him with a mischievous smile: "When you reach the new land, remember to contact me."

    "Got it!" Noan replied simply, then quickly headed to teleportation station number 23.

    Here, the employee in charge of teleportation was a black-haired girl with a pretty face, probably only a few years older than Noan.

    She smiled warmly and said, "Hello, I am Maya, the manager of this teleportation station. You and I will be working together a lot in the near future."

    Noan also nodded and said: "I am Noan."

    Maya continued, "This portal will take you to a new land. There, you will build your own territory."

    "Don''t worry; the place you''re going to is very suitable for beginners; just do exactly what you''ve learnt."

    "Do you have any questions?"

    Noan shrugged and said, "No!"

    ...

    Noan felt a little dizzy, as if he had fallen into a zero-gravity environment.

    But after feeling his feet touch the ground, he slowly opened his eyes.

    "This place is..."

    Noan saw this place like a city that had been abandoned for a long time. The buildings collapsed into huge piles of rubble.

    Plants had invaded everywhere; even weeds and flowers, even trees over five meters tall, had broken through the road surface to cover the place with greenery.

    In the distance, rotting zombies were moving aimlessly.

    Luckily, the place where Noan appeared was quite far away from those zombies, so they didn''t detect him.

    However, Noan felt very confused about why he was here.

    In fact, he knew very well that the first land that a newbie like him set foot on would be filled with zombie monstrosities.

    However, according to what he learnt, the place he was taken to was very safe.

    Zombies are also very far from the area to build the territory, creating enough conditions for new lords to get used to the dangers in the new land.

    But... It seemed that Noan felt that the place he went to was a bit strange.

    There were a lot of zombies, moving everywhere on the road. Luckily, the place he was situated was quite far from the zombies, so he was still safe.

    Noan shivered, sensing something watching him from the hidden corners of the collapsed buildings.

    He frowned and gently backed away, trying not to make any noise.

    Even though he is a lord, if he cannot find a place to place the Core and summon soldiers, he is useless.

    Only when he finds a suitable place to install the Core does he have the right to summon soldiers to fight.

    He was a novice and had summoned a hero once; however, he did not dare to use the summoning power here.

    Luckily this place was not in the city centre, so he could quickly run to the suburbs.

    In the city, the population is extremely dense, so the number of zombies will certainly be extremely large.

    Therefore, Noan decided to go out of the city and find a rather deserted place.

    After walking since morning, Noan found an abandoned house, surrounded by a flower field, looking quite peaceful.

    After confirming that there were no other zombies in this place, he squatted on the ground and took out the metal ball that Maya had not given him.

    He took out the Lord ID card, scanned it on the orb, and immediately after, a mechanical voice rang out.

    [Ding! You have access to the Core; do you want to install the Core now?]

    "No, I want to be granted the right to summon heroes."

    [Ding! You have a hero summon; do you want to use it now?]

    "Yes!"

    [Ding! Please place the Core on the ground and confirm there are no dangers in the surroundings.]

    Noan followed the instructions and placed the Core on the ground. Immediately after, with the metal ball as the centre, a magic circle appeared on the ground, emitting a purple light.

    From within the magic circle, a honeycomb-shaped cocoon slowly emerged.

    It flew out of the magic circle and hovered in front of Noan.

    The cocoon slowly disintegrated into countless particles of light, revealing an extremely alluring woman lying inside.

    Shoulder-length black hair, snow-white skin, soft as a baby''s, a body full of charm as if enticing men to see her commit a crime.

    On her back are two bat-like wings, accompanied by a tail, the end of which is an upside-down heart like the symbol of the Ace of Spades.

    [Ding! Congratulations on successfully summoning your first HeroˇŞSuccubusˇŞRank D.]

 Chapter 5 Territory Core

    Hero Rank is the same as Talent Rank; the lowest is F, and the highest is SS.

    Rank D is very low, but still better than Rank F very much.

    Besides... Noan liked the succubus sleeping in front of him.

    So beautiful, so seductive... The curves of her body seemed to bewitch him.

    Noan tried to suppress the fire of lust burning inside him; he knew now was not the time to ''have fun.''.

    However, even though he only summoned a D Rank Hero, he still felt satisfied in his heart.

    First, he has SSS rank talent and can evolve a hero easily.

    Second, he thought he had summoned an ugly monster, but in front of him was a beautiful woman; in fact, her beauty was not inferior to Lylia''s.

    If Lylia is the symbol of every boy''s first love, then this succubus is like a gentle older sister.

    Each person is beautiful in their own way.

    Noan reached out his finger and touched the succubus'' forehead; immediately after, she slowly opened her eyes, placed her two feet on the ground, and tilted her head to look at him.

    "You... are my master?" She spoke, her voice pleasant as if whispering into his ear.

    "Yes." Noan took a deep breath and said.

    Indeed... A succubus is a type of monster with such a high charm that it is hard to resist.

    Hearing that, she suddenly smiled greedily; that smile made Noan shiver as if she was about to do something very ''terrible''.

    She slowly walked towards Noan; he swallowed, his heart tense.

    He was not afraid of her betraying him; after all, the monsters summoned by the Lord would be absolutely loyal and would never betray them.

    He was just afraid... that what she would do would make him unable to control his desires.

    She walked up to him, her hand gently caressing his face: "Master, what is your name?"

    Noan felt her soft and warm hand caressing his cheek. Just a small action, but it made his heart beat continuously as if it was about to jump out of his chest.

    "Noan!" He said through gritted teeth.

    "Ah! My name is Vylyss. Master... Do you want me to ''eat'' you, or do you want to ''eat'' me?" Vylyss said, her voice filled with seduction.

    Her words were like pouring gasoline on the fire of lust burning inside him.

    Vylyss licked her lips greedily; she began to bring her face closer to his.

    Each breath carried a scent so fragrant that it caused Noan''s mind to begin to be covered by a layer of fog.

    Her hands seemed to carry some kind of mysterious magic; her left hand caressed his face as her right hand began to reach inside his pants.

    Her luscious red lips were just inches away from his face.

    As their lips were about to touch, Noan''s two hands suddenly grabbed Vylyss''s shoulders and then pushed her away.

    "Ack! Master..." Vylyss asked in confusion: "I... I''m still clean, don''t worry."

    Noan took a deep breath, trying to calm down.

    Too horrible, too scary, too seductive.

    Although he also wanted to enjoy a little, to see what kind of feeling the succubus would bring him.

    However, he still had to do something, which was to find a place to install the core. Besides, at the academy, he had also learnt about the succubus race.

    The concept of a succubus is, of course, known to everyone; although they are only Rank D, they are very dangerous.

    Note: Vylyss is heterosexual, as she worships both goddesses, so if you become her lover, you need to be careful.

    She can absorb more life energy than other succubi; however, she can also control the amount of life energy she needs to absorb.

    *** To evolve Vylyss, 6 Rank D materials are needed.

    ...

    Noan read the description and felt a little surprised. It was the first time he heard about a succubus worshipping two goddesses.

    In fact, the goddess that Vylyss worships is not only the ''Goddess of Lust'' but also the ''Goddess of Purity''.

    ''Luckily she can control the amount of life energy she needs to absorb.'' Noan thought to herself.

    That is a huge advantage. It must be known that succubi cannot control their ability to absorb life energy.

    That''s also why the previous lord died while sleeping with the succubus.

    Noan also noticed one more thing, which was the condition to be able to evolve to a higher rank.

    ''She needs 6 Rank D materials.'' Noan thought to himself, ''That means it doesn''t matter if she''s a soldier or a hero.''

    Suddenly, Noan realised there were four black shadows flying towards him, making him startled.

    Those four black shadows were like four balls, drawing an arc in the air, then accurately falling in front of him.

    He recognised the four shadows as... four skulls. Three adults and one child, all in a state of decay, their eyes about to fall out but held together by a few tears.

    The face was badly rotten, revealing the tongue and throat inside; the stench rushed into Noan''s nose, making him almost vomit.

    Noan quickly retreated; he raised his head and saw Vylyss flying in the air, her face happy as if she had just done something wonderful.

    Noan : "..."

    What the hell is this? A gift for me? Please... I don''t need this kind of gift.

    Noan covered his mouth and nose, frowning and saying, "Is that all?"

    "Yes, master." Vylyss smiled and said, "The inside is clean."

    Noan thought of the four headless corpses still in the house and ordered: "You take those four corpses and throw them somewhere else, the farther the better."

    "Heh?! Yes, master." Vylyss followed Noan''s command, once again returning to that house.

    Noan sighed; after all, he came from Earth, and he rarely saw dead people, so he couldn''t adapt to this world yet.

    After Vylyss dealt with the four corpses inside the cabin, Noan now approached the house.

    The house was not big, about fifty square meters, and has two floors, an attic, and a basement.

    The basement was quite large, probably even larger than the area above the house.

    However, the musty smell was terrible, and besides, rats, cockroaches, and many other insects were everywhere.

    The basement was even more horrifying; underneath it seemed to be used for storing food reserves. However, over the years the things below had become horrible; the stench was so strong that it almost made Noan vomit.

    But the basement of this house is built very solidly and spaciously; it can be used as a place to put the Core.

    So Noan opened the basement door, letting the stench out a little, then used a towel to cover his nose and mouth and climbed down.

    Beside him was Vylyss; she didn''t seem to smell anything, her face still calm as usual.

    Noan didn''t want to stay in the basement for long; he quickly placed the Core on the ground and then activated it.

    [Ding! Do you want to make this place your territory?

    Note: After the Core is activated, with the core as the center, the area within a 10-meter radius around it will become your territory.]

 Chapter 6 Licker?!!

    "Agree!" Noah immediately agreed.

    [Ding! Confirmation successful.]

    The metal ball immediately separated, then formed a circular metal altar, three meters in diameter, on the ground.

    On the altar, strange characters emitted a grey light, symbolising the Lord''s Rank, Rank F.

    Not stopping there, a few strange characters flew up, then stuck to Noan''s Lord ID card.

    [Ding! Core activation successful.]

    [Ding! Summoning altar activation successful.]

    [Ding! Territory activation successful.]

    [Ding! Activation of Lord functions successful.]

    Four consecutive system notification sounds rang out. Noan held the card in his hand, smiling with satisfaction.

    This is the power of combining current technology and magic.

    He felt lucky to come to a world like this.

    In the past, he had read many fantasy novels, but most of them were based on the mediaeval era. Rarely had Noan seen a combination of fantasy and science fiction like this.

    Noan had learnt everything at the academy, so he knew what to do now.

    He raised his ID card, then ordered: "Activate Lord function."

    Immediately after, a panel appeared in front of him, with the functions he could now use on it.

    The functions he could use were just like a regular social networking site he had used on Earth.

    There are many items but can be summarised as follows: chat, transaction, information lookup, emergency request, map, and translation.

    Noan did not rush to use the functions on the card. He put the card in his pocket, then walked to the side of the altar and asked with a frown, "How many resources are needed to renovate this house?"

    Immediately after, another information panel appeared before him.

    [Ding! To renovate the territory in its original form, 100 wood units and 100 stone units are needed.]

    Noan nodded; he knew this was the way to calculate materials to build a territory.

    However, according to what he learnt in the academy, there would definitely be resource storage centres left behind by the Imperial Federation around this place.

    Anyway, this is the first map for beginners, just to help beginners get used to fighting in a new land.

    Therefore, the Empire has created the best conditions for new players to have the initial time to develop.

    "Vylyss, find out if there are any resource reserves around this place."

    Hearing Noan say that, Vylyss suddenly pouted: "Master, you still haven''t praised me just now."

    Noah: "..."

    He sighed and said: "Later, wait for me to clean this house; I don''t want to stay in such a smelly and dark place."

    Vylyss tilted her head at him as if doubting his promise.

    Noah: "..."

    Hey! I''m your master; trust me a little, okay?

    Vylyss left with a doubtful expression. Noan sighed. Although he knew that she would be absolutely loyal to him, he still felt a little strange in his heart.

    Is that the look a loyal person should have?

    He shook his head, not wanting to think anymore. He looked at the altar, starting to arrive at the moment he was most looking forward to.

    Summoning and fusion.

    "Begin summoning!" Noan ordered.

    On the contrary, Noan can summon 10 skeletons in a day. Combined with his ''Almighty Fusion'' talent, he can definitely create an extremely terrifying skeleton army.

    Noan didn''t think much more; he also didn''t continue to fuse.

    Although he knew that if he continued to fuse, he could create a Rank E Skeleton, which would make it very difficult to protect the territory.

    Sometimes, quantity is better than quality, especially when it comes to guarding.

    Noan sighed, thinking to himself: ''Looks like... to be able to evolve Vylyss, I need to wait a while longer.''

    At this moment, Noan also felt the strength in his body increase, however, only a little.

    Like a drop of water falling into a glass of water, it doesn''t mean much.

    But... that also proves that his power has increased thanks to the fusion of soldiers.

    Soldiers are also empowered by the ''Evolution'' mark.

    Noan assigned 4 Rank F Skeletons to patrol around the house, while 2 F+ Skeletons stayed inside the house, closer to him.

    If anything happens, the 4 skeletons outside will sound the alarm by knocking on the wall.

    This is also one of the weaknesses of Skeletons. They cannot talk, cannot communicate, have extremely low intelligence, and can only perform simple tasks.

    A moment later, Vylyss returned, saw Noan sitting on the sofa in the living room, and she immediately hugged him.

    "Master.."

    Noah: "..."

    At this moment, Noan''s heartbeat increased so fast that it was out of control.

    He really wanted to cry in his heart; possessing a beautiful succubus was wonderful, but being next to such a succubus was punishment.

    He gritted his teeth and pushed Vylyss away. Of course, he could also see her face filled with dissatisfaction.

    "Found the resource reserve?" Noan asked immediately.

    Vylyss pouted and said, "Master, within 20 miles of this place, there is no structure like what you described."

    Hearing this, Noah frowned, feeling extremely confused. One must know that resource reserves were distributed everywhere to serve the initial territory building of newbies.

    But there being no resource reserve within 20 miles of this place was too strange.

    While Noan was thinking, Vylyss was still looking at him with eyes full of resentment.

    He sighed, patting his thigh. Vylyss was delighted to see that and immediately lay down on Noan''s lap.

    Vylyss''s face pressed against his thigh reminded him of images that were a bit... R18. His hand gently caressed her face and hair; this was also a kind of enjoyment.

    If he didn''t do this, she would definitely not stop enchanting him.

    Noan stroked Vylyss while taking out his ID card and checking the ''Map'' function.

    The map appeared; there was only one bright area on it, which was the 20-mile area around his territory; the rest was all black.

    Any place that the lord''s soldiers or heroes pass through will be shown as a cleared area on the ''map''; this is as a result of combining magic and technology.

    Noan frowned; usually the map would show resource-gathering locations or dangerous places.

    However, even the areas that Vylyss had explored did not show anything.

    This place... is more like a ''singularity'' than a beginner''s area.

    "Master..." Suddenly, Vylyss spoke up: "It seems we have guests."

    "Guest?!" Noan frowned.

    At this moment, Vylyss sat up, her finger pointing towards the window. Noan saw this and walked to the window, frowning as she looked into the distance.

    Immediately, he realised there was a dark figure lurking in the distance, behind the dense foliage.

    However, Noah still recognised what the creature was: "Licker??!!"

 Chapter 7 Warrior High Orc

    Noan, of course, knew what kind of monster a Licker was; after all, in the academy, he had learnt all the knowledge necessary for a Lord.

    Lickers are also a type of zombie monster; however, they are agile, have the ability to cling like lizards, and move without making any sound.

    In particular, their tongue is a tentacle as hard as metal, an extremely terrifying weapon. Lickers can use it to pierce through human skulls, then suck out the brain inside.

    A Licker''s rank is E+, however, they do not hunt alone but in groups.

    They are usually in a group of at least 3 or more. Even though Vylyss is a D-Rank Hero, facing so many Lickers is impossible.

    Although Noan possesses SSS rank talent, it is only for support purposes and cannot be used in combat.

    Besides, the soldiers that Noan owns are only 2 rank F+ skeletons and 4 rank F skeletons.

    It could be said that in front of a group of Lickers, he was no different from a delicious bait.

    Noan frowned; he could guess that the Lickers had followed him from the city here.

    ''Perhaps... the sense of danger I felt when I first teleported here was coming from those Lickers.'' Noan thought to himself.

    "Master..." Vylyss stood beside Noan and spoke softly.

    "Don''t worry," Noan sighed and replied, "They won''t dare attack us now; they''ll wait until evening."

    "Pay attention to how many monsters there are, then report back to me."

    Vylyss glanced at Noan; even though his face was quite calm, she knew he was worried.

    Because of that, she stopped teasing him and bowed her head, saying, "Yes, master."

    After Vylyss left, Noan let out a sigh; he was really worried in his heart.

    The bad news was... the Lickers were going to attack him tonight. The good news was... he had time to prepare from now until the sun set.

    Noan frowned; at this moment, he seemed to be certain that he had been teleported to the ''Singularity''.

    It must be known that this is almost impossible. Up till now, there have only been two cases of being mistakenly teleported to the ''Singularity''.

    However, people who are teleported to the ''Singularity'' all die; the mortality rate is 100%.

    Both of those cases were high-ranking lords; one was a level 4 Rank B Lord, and the other was even stronger, a level 6 Rank A Lord.

    However, they all died and never returned.

    The ''Singularity'' is an area unexplored by the Imperial Federation, a place like a tropical forest, full of danger and brutality.

    Even if he could ask the Empire for aid, they wouldn''t be able to come to his aid because the ''Singularity'' didn''t exist on the maps that had been cleared by the Empire.

    Simply put, he was thrown into the middle of hell; no one could help him; only he could help himself.

    The good news is... he can still perform trading functions.

    On the information panel displayed before him, the trading and chat functions were still working normally.

    In the chat box, there was only one person he could contact, and that was Lylia.

    Noan thought for a moment, then decided to contact her. After all, right now, perhaps only she could help him.

    Noan : [Hello!]

    Lylia: [Ah! I thought you didn''t contact me. Where are you? Send me your location.]

    Noan: [I can''t send you the location.]

    Lylia: [Are you afraid that I will send troops to attack you? Huh! Are you looking down on me?]

    Noan: [No, it seems I was sent to the ''Singularity'', There are no exact coordinates to send you.]

    Lylia: [What?! ''Singularity? Are you sure?]

    Noan: [Sure!]

    Lylia: [I''ll call the support team to look for you.]

    Noan: [No need; they can''t find me. We can only wait until 7 days later; I will be automatically teleported back to the city.]

    Lylia: [This... 7 days is too long; I''m afraid that during that time you will...]

    When he returned to the city, he would find a way to thank her later.

    Noan began to manipulate the screen floating in front of him, and then a list of starting projects appeared before him.

    Even though he had a lot of resources, he could only build the starting building. Other buildings required a higher lord level and had many other conditions.

    Noan chose for a long time, deciding to choose the most expensive project among the starting projects.

    [Ding! Do you want to build the ''Apocalyptic Bunker''?]

    "Confirm!"

    [Ding! The construction will cost 400 stone units, 400 wood units. Please wait for 12 hours.]

    The house did not change immediately but remained normal until the construction period was completed; the appearance of this house changed.

    Noan breathed a sigh of relief, then he continued to use the random soldier summoning card.

    [Ding! Do you want to use the random soldier summon card?]

    "Agree!"

    [Ding! Summoning is starting...]

    Immediately after, the summoning lake emitted a green light. Noan was delighted when he saw that light because he knew what that light represented.

    From within the lake, nine shadows began to climb out.

    They were about 140 cm tall, had skinny bodies, blue skin, and two small fangs in their mouths, and they held a wooden club in hand.

    ...

    Race: Goblin

    Rank: E

    Description: Quite strong, very agile, but gets tired quickly and eats a lot.

    ...

    Noan only skimmed through the description because he naturally wouldn''t use these nine Goblins to fight.

    "Full fusion!" he ordered.

    Immediately after, the bodies of the nine Goblins began to disintegrate into countless particles of light; those particles of light began to fuse into one.

    9 Goblins can create 3 high-level individuals, but he wants an even higher-level individual.

    Luckily, the number was enough for him to continue fusing. Therefore, the 9 Goblins immediately fused into one.

    [Ding! Congratulations, During the fusion process, the monster has mutated, gaining additional good attributes and a higher level.]

    Noan was a little surprised; he never thought that the talent ''Almighty Fusion'' also had this ability.

    ''Looks like... I still underestimated this SSS rank talent.''

    ''There are probably more hidden functions that the system doesn''t show inside the talent description.''

    Noan thought to himself, of course, he was also extremely excited to wait and see what he would create.

    The light disappeared, revealing a figure about 250 cm tall, with blue skin and fangs growing backwards in its mouth, more than 10 cm long.

    In one hand the monster held a metal spiked mace, in the other a wooden shield covered in steel.

    Standing in front of that monster, even though it was Noan''s soldier and definitely loyal to him, he still felt a bit scared.

    [Ding! Congratulations on obtaining the mutated monster: Warrior High Orc.]

    ...

    Name: Warrior High Orc (+10%)

    Rank: D+

    Description: Immense strength. When it is in mortal danger, its outer skin can harden like metal.

    It can even lead a group of Orcs or High Orcs into battle.

 Chapter 8 Fight the Licker

    Noan felt both happy and relieved when he saw the Warrior High Orc standing in front of him.

    ''Looks like... as long as the number of Lickers isn''t too large, I can easily defend myself.''

    Besides, Noan was also surprised when his strength increased a lot, even more than when he fused 2 Warrior Skeletons.

    Noan felt very clearly that his physical strength had almost doubled compared to before.

    His body was shaking with joy; every cell of his body was extremely excited.

    He was very weak before due to long periods of malnutrition and overwork, which gradually exhausted his body.

    However, after feeling the increase in strength, he felt that he was not inferior to the professional athletes on Earth.

    Noan clenched his fist and raised it in front of him. He could clearly see that his hand had gained some muscle.

    Not much, but pretty obvious.

    This is the special effect of ''Almighty Fusion''. Not only are the heroes and soldiers he summoned strengthened, but he himself is also strengthened.

    The power he gains is based on the strength and number of monsters or heroes that possess the ''Evolution'' mark.

    At this moment, the Warrior High Orc knelt on the ground; even though he was kneeling, he was still as tall as Noan.

    It bowed its head and respectfully said, "Master, please give me a name."

    "Name?" Noan frowned upon hearing it. Only a summoned hero who wanted to abandon his old name would ask the Lord to give him a name.

    This high orc is just a soldier; why does he need a name?

    ''Could it be because it mutated after I used ''Almighty Fusion''?'' Noan thought to himself.

    Of course, this was a simple matter. He thought for a moment and decided to choose a name for the High Orc: "From now on, you will be Urlgan."

    "Thank you, master." Urlgan bowed his head and said.

    Noan suddenly realised something extremely important... how to get Urlgan out of this basement.

    A moment later, Vylyss returned and was surprised to see a high orc in the house. What was more special was that there was a large hole in the middle of the house, enough to see the entire basement.

    "Master, that is..." Vylyss flew to Noan''s side, asking in confusion.

    "That is a Warrior High Orc, my new soldier." Noan shrugged and said.

    He really had no choice but to let Urlgan break the floor upstairs to climb out of the basement.

    The basement entrance was too small anyway; Urlgan couldn''t climb out through that path.

    Vylyss only glanced at Urlgan sitting in the corner of the room, then ignored him and turned her attention to Noan.

    "Master... there are about 4 monsters outside that you call Lickers." Vylyss said as she used her hands to rub Noan''s shoulders from behind.

    Noan did not refuse Vylyss''s service, enjoying it while frowning and thinking: ''Four Lickers... it seems they might possess that thing.''

    "Get ready; tonight, we will attack." Noan said.

    Vylyss seemed to pay no attention to his words, nor to Urlgan''s existence.

    She leaned over, letting her soft peaks press against the back of Noah''s neck.

    "Master..." Vylyss''s words carried a kind of charm, as if she was pleading with Noan, causing him to shiver.

    "Master... I flew all day; now I feel very tired. Could you... Give me some, please?"

    "Just a little..."

    Hearing the words filled with excitement and coquetry, Noan felt an extreme headache.

    Even though his strength had increased greatly, he did not dare let lust take over his mind.

    But... they were so soft, as if pouring gasoline on the fire of desire inside him.

    "Okay, wait until tonight; I will give you some."

    "Hehehe..." Vylyss laughed happily: "Master... I look forward to it... um..."

    She finished speaking and then lightly bit his earlobe, startling him.

    Vylyss immediately retreated, looking at him with a face full of triumph.

    A heavy feeling of class difference emanated from him, causing the Lickers to be afraid.

    It is a fear that comes from the soul, from their instincts.

    Their instincts were screaming that... they needed to run.

    The Lickers tried to run away in a hurry, but their legs were chained together. All four of them ran but in four different directions, causing them to drag each other.

    The giant figure naturally did not hesitate; it held the thorn mace and swung it towards a Licker.

    BAM!

    The thorn mace is made of metal, and the Licker''s head is their fatal weakness.

    The thorn mace hit the Licker''s head, and like a cake, it instantly exploded; blood and brain matter splattered everywhere.

    The Lickers stopped running and turned to attack Urlgan.

    Tongues shot towards him, but...

    Clang!

    Keng!

    Clang!

    The three blade-like tongues made a metallic sound as they were unable to penetrate his defenses.

    This is Urlgan''s unique talent: he can make his skin as hard as metal.

    Urlgan, of course, did not stop; he grabbed a tongue and then pulled it towards him.

    BAM!

    The licker was pulled towards him; before it could fall to the ground, the thorn mace had already smashed its head.

    The remaining two did not dare to stay long; they quickly turned and ran away.

    Urlgan quickly grabbed the chains binding their legs and pulled them back towards him.

    Jingle! Jingle!

    The sound of chains colliding with each other, along with the sound of the two Lickers'' claws clawing on the ground in vain, created a brutal soundtrack.

    BAM!

    BAM!

    Another two loud bangs rang out, and the two remaining Lickers finally died.

    GRAOOO!!!

    Urlgan suddenly roared, his roar echoing throughout the entire area like a warning.

    This is his area; anyone who comes near... dies!

    Noan was in the room, using the flash on his phone to shine light outside.

    "Master..." Vylyss suddenly appeared beside him, her arms around his shoulders, her words gentle yet stimulating: "There is no longer any danger around."

    Hearing that, Noah breathed a sigh of relief. Tonight... he had won.

    The entire battle went without any surprises for Noah.

    It was all part of his plan.

    The reason the skeletons didn''t join the fight was because they needed to protect Noan. If everyone fought and suddenly a Licker rushed into the house, Noan would definitely die.

    Fortunately, the Lickers were indeed just like what he knew.

    Although they are agile, can move on any terrain, and possess extremely strong tongues, their bodies are very light, and their skin is also very weak.

    What is special is that they are very sensitive to sounds and strong smells.

    It was unknown whether the Lickers were unlucky or lucky to have met Noan. If they had met anyone else, they would have been easily killed by them.

    However, Vylyss can create a special scent; it is 20 times stronger than perfume, and it is a fatal blow to the Licker''s nose.

    Urlgan possesses extremely terrifying strength; he can easily break through their weak defences and is also not afraid of their tongue attacks.

    In short, Noan has everything those Lickers fear.

 Chapter 9 Apocalyptic Bunker - This is your first time?

    Noan quickly brought the skeletons outside.

    Even though Vylyss said it was safe outside, he still had to be a little careful.

    After all, this is the ''Singularity'', Danger is everywhere; just a little bit of negligence will lead to his death.

    Noan saw Urlgan standing still, the flash of light shining on him, revealing his body covered in blood and shredded flesh, along with some of the Licker''s brains.

    At Urlgan''s feet, four headless Licker corpses lay, emitting a terrible stench that made Noan cover his nose.

    He waved his hand, ordering the skeletons to move closer to the four corpses and then try to search for something.

    Very quickly, the skeletons found four green stones the size of two peas and brought them to Noan.

    He used a piece of cloth to wipe the blood off the four stones, then frowned and looked at them intently.

    ''As I thought, they have ''Energy Stones'' in their bodies.'' Noan thought to himself.

    If in the normal world transactions are done using ''Credit Points'', then the currency used by Lords to trade with each other is ''Energy Stones''.

    It is also divided into many grades; the lowest is still F; however, the highest is currently only S; there is no SS rank energy stone.

    Why?

    Because the number of SS rank lords is only 6, but the SS rank monsters are so strong that even if 6 SS rank lords work together, they still cannot defeat them.

    Therefore, rank S energy stone is the best type that humanity has ever owned.

    The Lickers are all E+ rank monsters, so they definitely have ''Energy Stones'' in their bodies.

    Only F-rank monsters have a 30-50% chance of having energy stones inside them.

    Otherwise, monsters from rank E and above are certain to possess energy stones inside their bodies.

    The higher the rank of the energy stone, the greater its value and the more resources it can be exchanged for.

    If you were to exchange energy stones for ''credit points,'' then an E-rank energy stone that Noan was holding could be exchanged for about 2,000,000 ''credit points''.

    Besides being a currency for trading, energy stones are also a favourite food of monsters.

    It can replenish energy or even help monsters level up.

    Noan looked at the energy stone for a moment, then gave one to Urlgan and Vylyss each.

    Urlgan took the energy stone into his hand, a joyful smile on his face.

    However, perhaps because he was so ugly, when he smiled, he looked extremely ferocious, as if he was about to eat Noan.

    Vylyss was different; she held the energy stone in her hand, her eyes showing a bit of hatred; she then gave it back to Noan.

    "Hm?!" Noan asked in confusion: "You don''t need the energy stone?"

    "Master..." Vylyss suddenly stretched out her index finger, lifted Noan''s chin, and smiled greedily: "How can this energy stone compare to the milky energy you are about to bestow upon me, master..."

    Noan shuddered; he naturally knew the ''milky energy'' that Vylyss was talking about.

    It seems... She really only cares about that, and the energy she needs actually comes from the life energy she absorbs from men.

    Noan nodded slightly and said, "Wait until the territory construction is complete."

    Vylyss pouted in dissatisfaction, but Noan didn''t want to comfort her.

    If he comforted her now, she would probably push him down on the bed and then drain the life energy inside him.

    ...

    Vylyss did not feel disappointed by his words, on the contrary, she tied her hair up, then stuck out her tongue for him to see.

    Noan was startled because her tongue seemed to be twice as long as a normal person''s, the tip of the tongue was thin and slightly pointed.

    The tongue moved smoothly like a snake, with a little bit of clear, sticky saliva on top.

    Suddenly, Noan felt that tongue was extremely seductive, and he also knew... what Vylyss was preparing to do.

    Just then, a scent made Noan''s mind start to become hazy.

    He saw Vylyss sitting down between his legs, her face filled with greed and joy.

    She licked her lips as she began to touch that ''place.'' She suddenly raised her head to look at him and asked, "Master, is this your first time?"

    Noan sighed and nodded slightly.

    At this moment, Vylyss''s face turned red, showing extreme excitement: "Master... do you know that this is also my first time?"

    "Heh?! You... Um..." Before Noan could reply, he felt his thing being enveloped in something warm, soft, and slimy.

    From the beginning until now, from living on Earth until now, this was the most wonderful feeling he had ever felt.

    He didn''t want to think anymore, he just wanted to let desire take over his mind.

    A Succubus was indeed born for this, Vylyss just used her mouth and made him feel like this, if he slept with her, he''s afraid...

    After a while, Noan couldn''t hold back anymore, immediately giving Vylyss the milky life she needed.

    "Um... um..." Vylyss held the thing tightly in her mouth, as if trying to swallow it all, not leaving a single bit behind.

    After a moment, Vylyss licked her lips, a satisfied smile appearing on her face.

    Noan didn''t know if it was his illusion or if Vylyss really seemed to be emitting a bit of a pink aura.

    However, that halo only appears and disappears in a tiny moment.

    Noan breathed a sigh of relief, feeling his body seemed a little empty.

    What''s worse is... the scene before him suddenly distorted, then... his mind gradually fell into darkness.

    "Ah! Master..." Vylyss saw Noan leaning back, lying on the bed, his face looking like he was sleeping.

    She smiled happily and joyfully, lying on top of him, pressing her face against his chest, pressing her two soft mountains against his stomach.

    "Thank you for the meal, master..."

    ...

    Noan slowly woke up, he didn''t know how much time had passed, however, he felt his body was very heavy.

    So heavy that even opening his eyes was extremely difficult.

    Noan tried to open his eyes, however, what caught his eyes were two large, white, soft mountains, accompanied by a scent so alluring that he just wanted to continue lying still and enjoy this feeling forever.

    However, he gritted his teeth and tried to push Vylyss away.

    "Ah! Master, you''re awake?" Vylyss said happily when she saw Noan awake.

    Noan let out a sigh, feeling his body completely empty. At this moment, he realized the reason why the lord who slept with the Succubus before died.

    She just used her mouth and he was already about to die. If she really did that to him, he''s afraid... he would definitely die from being drained of his life energy.

    "Vylyss..." Noan sighed and said, "You will need to learn how to ''be a vegetarian'' for a long period of time."

    Vylyss: "Heh?!" ¦˛ (ˇă Ąí ˇă)

 Chapter 10 today, we will go hunting

    After feeling more awake, Noan went to the top floor of the shelter and started his daily routine.

    Vylyss looked like she was struck by lightning after hearing the word ''vegetarian'', she just sat still in the bedroom, refusing to go out.

    Noan sighed; if he didn''t give that order, he was afraid she would squeeze him dry, drying him up like a stick.

    It must be known that his physical strength has increased greatly since he created the Warrior Skeleton and Warrior High Orc.

    However, just having ''fun'' with Vylyss made him unconscious for more than 12 hours, and after waking up, he didn''t even have enough strength to open his eyes.

    Therefore, he had no choice but to defend himself by forcing Vylyss to become a ''vegetarian''.

    Noan suddenly remembered the question she asked him before they started; at that time... she said that this was her first time too.

    Coupled with Vylyss''s description, it seems... what she said is true.

    Vylyss worships both the ''Goddess of Lust'' and the ''Goddess of Purity'', so she only loves and is loyal to one person.

    Noan sighed and shook his head; he didn''t want to think anymore.

    He stood before the summoning pool created from the lord''s core; behind him were all the skeletons he had summoned and fused.

    [Ding! Do you want to use today''s soldier summoning?]

    "Yes!"

    [Ding! Summoning is starting...]

    Immediately after, from within the summoned lake, ten skeletons began to crawl out, then knelt on the ground in front of Noan.

    Noan sighed; the ''Apocalyptic Bunker'' building had a good effect that had a 10% chance of doubling the number of soldiers he summoned.

    Just now, he had hoped that the probability would be activated, but perhaps... 10% was still too low.

    As of now, Noan owns 2 F+ Skeletons and 14 F-rank Skeletons.

    Noan thought for a moment, deciding to merge everything.

    After the decision was made, all the F-rank Skeletons turned into light particles and then fused together, except for the remaining 2 F-rank Skeletons that could not fuse due to lack of materials.

    12 Rank F Skeletons turned into 4 F+ rank Warrior Skeletons. At this moment, Noan was disappointed once again; he thought that there would be a chance of mutated skeletons appearing.

    At this point, he had 6 Warrior Skeletons.

    Noan continued to fuse the current 6 warrior skeletons into 2 higher-level skeletons.

    Finally, in front of Noan appeared two skeletons taller than 180 cm, one holding a sword, the other holding a shield.

    He sighed; still no mutated skeleton appeared, it seemed... Today was not his lucky day.

    Noan clenched his fists, feeling that his strength had increased quite a bit.

    However, it wasn''t as much as yesterday, when the Urlgan summoning was successful.

    If yesterday,

    Noan shook his head, not wanting to think anymore, and opened the information panel to see how strong the two new skeletons were.

    ...

    Name: Warrior High Skeleton

    Rank: E

    Description: Tireless fighters, their sturdy skeletons increase their defenses. In particular, Warrior High Skeletons are no longer slow; they can move very quickly.

    At this rank, skeletons can hear and understand somewhat complex commands.

    ...

    At this moment, Noan felt that he was really lucky that he was only an F-rank Lord and could only summon skeletons.

    If he summoned another monster, he probably wouldn''t be able to fight zombies so comfortably.

    According to the knowledge he learnt in the academy, the virus in a zombie''s body can infect monsters.

    There are many cases where the lord''s soldiers are infected with the virus from zombies, and then they kill the lord.

    It cannot be said that the soldiers betrayed their lords, but only that the soldier died; the contract of absolute loyalty was cancelled.

    After becoming zombies, there is no longer any relationship between soldiers and lords.

    Even heroes are susceptible to the zombie virus.

    However, with skeletons, they are not normal living creatures; they exist only thanks to energy.

    As Noan watched the two High Skeleton Warriors, who were like two wolves lost among sheep, he felt happy in his heart.

    The zombies in front of those two skeletons were like pudding.

    The two F rank skeletons would act as looters. After all, he didn''t want to rummage through that pile of rotting flesh looking for energy stones.

    Besides, F rank skeletons can hear and carry out simple commands, so this is not difficult for them.

    Noan sighed; he risked hunting because he really needed the energy stone.

    Lords need to have enough resources to level up, especially energy stones.

    Soldiers and heroes need energy stones to level up.

    Notably, his skeletons do not survive by eating but by absorbing energy stones to replenish their own energy.

    Trading or buying resources, equipment, etc. also requires the use of energy stones.

    It can be said that energy stones are the almighty currency, so Noan needs to earn more energy stones.

    He couldn''t hide inside the bunker forever; that would be no different from committing suicide.

    Noan raised his head and looked into the distant sky. There, Vylyss was flying high in the sky, waving a piece of red cloth.

    He knew that meant there were high-level zombies ahead; he needed to be careful.

    Vylyss will take on the role of information gathering, and Urlgan will protect him or fight if he encounters high-level monsters.

    What about bunker defence?

    No need to defend; this place is a zombie world after all. Will there be zombies so intelligent that they ambush inside his bunker?

    Besides... his bunker was sealed; if someone other than him wanted to get inside, they would have to break the wall or door.

    It''s so easy to tell there''s an intruder.

    The massacre lasted for two hours straight, and in the end, Noan only collected 70 F-rank energy stones.

    He sighed; he felt that it was a bit slow. The rate of energy stones appearing inside a zombie''s body was too low, only about 40-50%.

    Currently, for Noan to be able to level up, he needs 1,000 F-rank energy stones.

    ''If this continues, I don''t know when I''ll be able to level up.'' Noan thought to himself.

    If the other lords were to hear his thoughts, he would probably be beaten to death by them.

    When new lords arrive in a new land, the first thing they think about is adapting to the new life, gathering resources, and fighting constantly.

    Then try to survive, and finally think about levelling up.

    As for him... he was sent to the ''Singularity'', but instead of worrying about survival, he was worried about levelling up.

    I''m afraid Noan is the only one who can adapt this quickly to the singularity.

    As for the others... after being brought to the singularity, they all died.

 Chapter 11 Hunter!

    Noan was right to worry about this, because he could see that... There weren''t many zombies in this place.

    Usually, in the city, the number of zombies will be very large, so many that a ''zombie flood'' can appear.

    However, the zombies in the city were strangely few. But Noan quickly found out why the number of zombies in this place was so small.

    Judging by the state of decomposition of many zombies, the zombie apocalypse here must have been over for quite some time.

    Besides, due to how the trees pierced the road surface to grow, it could be deduced that the zombie disaster site must have been at least 5-7 years old.

    The undecayed zombies were probably the last survivors in this place.

    Good news... fewer zombies, less danger.

    Bad news... Zombies are few, and it''s hard for him to find energy stones.

    Extremely bad news... As time passed, perhaps... The zombies here have evolved and become much stronger.

    If he had come at the beginning of the zombie apocalypse, he would probably have become the overlord of this place.

    However, the zombie disaster seemed to have been over for many years, and he was unclear about how much the zombies in this place had evolved.

    But he knew one thing: this place was definitely many times more dangerous than the territory reserved for a new lord.

    Crack!

    While Noan was thinking, Urlgan, who was standing next to him, suddenly clenched his fist so hard that it made a sound similar to a tree branch breaking.

    Noan glanced at Urlgan, who was trying to restrain himself, and sighed.

    He forgot that the Orcs, especially the High Orcs, all had an interest and passion for fighting.

    It''s like opium to them; if they don''t fight, they will become irritable and easily go crazy.

    Noan raised his head to look at Vylyss flying in the sky; she was waving her red scarf at him, and his eyes gradually became sharper.

    "Urlgan!"

    Hearing Noan''s voice, Urlgan hurriedly bowed his head: "Master!"

    "Go, but be careful."

    Urlgan smiled ferociously, revealing his large and frighteningly sharp teeth: "Yes, noble master."

    ...

    In a large cave made from a ruined building and countless pieces of the structure, a horde of Lickers were hiding inside.

    Jingle! Jingle!

    In the eerily quiet space, suddenly, a strange sound rang out.

    Jingle! Jingle!

    It was like the sound of a chain being dragged across the ground by someone, which immediately caught the Lickers'' attention.

    Gra! Gra! Gra!

    Gra! Gra! Gra!

    The Lickers began to stretch out their long, pointed tongues, crawling towards the sound.

    Their speed was extremely fast, crawling towards the entrance of the tunnel created from these ruined buildings.

    Jingle! Jingle! Jingle! Jingle!

    The closer they crawled to the light, the louder and more intense the sound became.

    Although they were afraid of the heat of the sun, hunger and instinct were urging them to crawl out of the cave.

    The fastest Licker was about to burst out of its cave, stretching its long tongue as far forward as it could as if it wanted to be the first to taste its favourite food.

    10 meters...

    "Not good... I should go back..." Noan looked into the distance, deciding to return to the bunker.

    The terrain here is too dangerous; there are ruined buildings everywhere, and there are too many places for other monsters to hide.

    If there really was a high-level zombie, then even if Urlgan or Vylyss fought together, they wouldn''t be able to protect him.

    Noan hurriedly took Urlgan, Vylsys, and the four skeletons and left. Although the two skeletons had only taken six energy crystals from the Lickers inside the cave, his life was more important.

    If he is still alive, he can return here to continue harvesting the remaining energy crystals, or he can continue hunting to gather more resources.

    But if he dies, it''s all over.

    Noan took all the monsters and Vylyss and quickly started returning to the bunker.

    He decided to move in the middle of the highway; at least there weren''t any structures to block it. Even if there were monsters, they wouldn''t be able to hide.

    "Master!" Vylyss immediately shouted.

    Noan startled, turned back.

    At this moment, he saw a black shadow rushing towards him at an extremely terrifying speed.

    Noan didn''t have time to react; he could only watch that dark figure getting closer and closer, as if death was coming to take him away.

    Suddenly, at this moment... a black streak appeared beside him, swung straight towards the black shadow that was charging towards him.

    BAM!

    A loud bang rang out as Urlgan''s thorn mace collided with the black figure. The force of the collision was so terrifying that it created a hurricane, blowing Noan backwards.

    He fell to the ground but immediately got up. Four skeletons stood in front of him, ready to act as his shield.

    Noan looked forward; he saw that the black shadow, after colliding with Urlgan''s thorn mace, seemed to be uninjured but only retreated a little.

    At this moment, he saw the black shadow clearly, and of course, he knew clearly what that black shadow was.

    "Hunter!" Noan muttered, his face showing worry and tension.

    The Zombie looked like a lizard in fantasy novels with huge muscles and strong legs like a kangaroo''s.

    Its two big, long hands, which contained sharp claws, could cut through a tree trunk more than 20 cm thick like cutting through a cake.

    The bizarre head resembled that of a turtle with sharp fangs that could easily crush human bones.

    Unlike in zombie games on Earth, Hunters in this world are extremely strong.

    Not only its speed, but its physical strength is also extremely terrifying.

    It was truly a perfect killing machine. Its rank... was (D - Peak), approaching C rank.

    Looking at the rank, people probably wouldn''t think that Urlgan is much inferior to a Hunter. However, they would be wrong.

    The higher the rank, the bigger the difference.

    Typical examples are Urlgan and Licker. Urlgan''s rank is (D+), while Licker''s is (E+), however, Urlgan alone can easily slaughter a whole group of Lickers.

    The case now is the same; Hunter is rank (D - Peak), although only a small level higher than Urlgan''s rank, but the difference is very large.

    "Vylyss, support Urlgan."

    Hearing Noan''s command, Vylyss also immediately swung her arms up; chains shot out from her palms, rushing towards Hunter.

    However, its speed was too fast; the chains couldn''t touch it.

    "GRAAA!!!" Urlgan roared as he charged towards Hunter.

    The thorn mace in his hand was swung towards Hunter with all his might.

    Hunter suddenly dodged to the side, then charged towards Vylyss; it was so fast that Noan couldn''t even see how it moved.

    Only a dark shadow was seen stretching across the ground; in the blink of an eye, it appeared in front of Vylyss.

    The Hunter then swung his sharp claws up, chopping down on her head.

 Chapter 12 Hunter (2)

    Jingle!

    Suddenly, the sound of chains colliding rang out as the Hunter''s huge arm was tied up by countless chains, hanging in the air, unable to come down.

    Noan was a bit surprised; he didn''t think that Vylyss''s chains could bind a Hunter.

    It must be known that even though Vylyss is a D-rank hero, she is like a mage; her physical strength cannot be compared to the Hunter or Urlgan.

    But... looking at the chains binding Hunter''s arms, Noan could hardly believe his eyes.

    However, Noan saw that those chains all had anchor points. To be exact... Vylyss had attached countless chains to the surrounding structures without him knowing.

    When the Hunter attacked her, those chains immediately bound it.

    Vylyss did not lose any strength, but the surrounding structures anchored the Hunter with their own weight.

    No matter how strong the Hunter was, it couldn''t possibly pull down the countless concrete pillars of the surrounding buildings.

    At this moment, Vylyss''s eyes suddenly emitted a strange pink light. A stream of pink smoke flew towards Hunter, surrounding its head.

    Gru! Gru! Gru!

    Hunter tried to struggle as if something was making him feel extremely uncomfortable, but the chains naturally wouldn''t let him go.

    "GROO!!!"

    Urlgan turned back now, angrily swinging its thorn mace up, using all its strength to smash it towards Hunter''s head.

    However, the Hunter, even though tied up, was still able to swing his arm back, blocking the thorn mace that was swinging towards his head.

    BAM!

    The two sides collided fiercely, the air pressure exploded, forming a hurricane that blew out all around.

    But Urlgan seemed to have gone mad; his eyes were red as blood.

    It continued to swing the thorn mace towards Hunter.

    BAM! BAM! BAM!

    The Hunter wanted to block, but the pink smoke made it impossible to concentrate.

    Vylyss waved her hand, and at this moment, other chains shot out from her palm, shooting into the distance.

    Jingle! Jingle! Jingle!

    The sound of chains echoed through the rubble from the collapsed buildings, then they returned, binding Hunter.

    Noan knew Vylyss was adding more chains to imprison the Hunter.

    Urlgan seemed to have gone crazy at this point; not only did he hit the Hunter''s head, he also hit its entire body.

    It was as if Urlgan was swinging the thorn mace by instinct.

    BAM!

    BAM!

    Even if the Hunter was rank (D - Peak), he could not resist the power and coordination of Vylyss and Urlgan.

    However, he underestimated the Hunter.

    Even though it was hit by Urlgan''s thorn mace, the Hunter was not too badly injured. His body was covered in blood, but if you looked closely, he only had torn skin and minor injuries.

    But... Noan looked at Vylyss, her face covered in sweat. Even though she had used anchor points to bind Hunter, these chains were made from her magic.

    To maintain them, Vylyss had to concentrate extremely hard and use a lot of energy.

    Noan knew this situation could not last; otherwise, he would definitely lose.

    GREE!!

    CLANG!

    The Hunter suddenly roared; it used its strength and broke Vylyss'' chains.

    It swung its arm, slashing towards Urlgan, its sharp claws slashing against the thorn mace, creating a metallic clashing sound.

    Its force was so great that it forced Urlgan to retreat.

    Suddenly, Hunter stopped attacking Urlgan and instead charged towards Vylyss.

    At this moment, Vylyss felt pain in her body as her magical chains broke, turning into countless black dust particles.

    Seeing Vylyss enter inside, it also started moving.

    Slow and gentle, not making any sound. The Hunter seemed to blend into the darkness; however, its sharp claws extended as if in dire need of fresh blood.

    The Hunter entered the building; in the lobby, Vylyss was looking at something, not moving but standing still.

    Seeing her standing still, Hunter did not rush towards her but remained hidden in a mysterious place.

    Although darkness had fallen across the city, it was already dark outside, and even darker inside the building.

    It was so dark that even if you held your hand in front of your face, you wouldn''t see it clearly, but the Hunter was still hiding in a mysterious place, which showed that he was very careful.

    The Hunter saw Vylyss start to turn away from it, then slowly walk deeper into the building.

    At this point, it started to act.

    Each step it took on the ground was extremely light, in complete contrast to its massive body.

    Step by step... slowly getting closer to Vylyss.

    When the distance between it and her was less than ten meters, at this moment, it suddenly bent down slightly, then...

    BAM!

    A terrible sound rang out as its foot stomped on the ground, causing it to shatter.

    The tremendous recoil made it like a bullet as it shot towards Vylyss.

    The ten-meter distance was shortened in the blink of an eye, its claws extended, slashing towards Vylyss.

    Whoosh!

    The whistling sound of wind was created by Hunter''s claws, but... as Vylyss was cut into pieces, her body suddenly turned into a stream of black smoke, then dissipated.

    Hunter: "??!!"

    Hunter was startled; he didn''t understand what was happening. Why did Vylyss disappear?

    BANG! BANG! BANG!

    Suddenly, countless explosions rang out; it was like the sound of steel bars being violently broken.

    Hunter raised his head; he felt something coming down, and his instincts were telling him to run.

    It immediately rushed out; however, Urlgan suddenly appeared in front of it, swinging the thorn mace in its hand.

    BAM!

    The enormous force sent Hunter flying backwards; although it wasn''t too badly injured, it was a bit stunned.

    Urlgan was no better; he felt pain in both hands holding the thorn mace, proving that the collision just now was extremely terrible.

    Jingle! Jingle!

    While the Hunter was still unconscious, countless chains suddenly appeared and wrapped tightly around him.

    Those chains weren''t very strong, but they wrapped tightly around the surrounding pillars, then tied up Hunter, making it difficult for him to move.

    BAM!

    BAM!

    BAM!

    There was a loud bang; the whole building shook violently as if an earthquake was happening.

    Hunter tried to move, but as soon as it did, Urlgan lunged in front of it, swinging his thorn mace repeatedly, stunning it further.

    It knew something dangerous was falling, but it couldn''t move, much less avoid it.

    Urlgan''s constant attacks forced it to fight back, the chains restricting its movements.

    "Enough!"

    Suddenly, Noan''s voice rang out; Urlgan heard that and immediately jumped back, then ran out of the building.

    Instinctively, Hunter also wanted to run, but it was too late.

    A giant steel ball, along with countless pieces of debris from the upper floors, fell down.

    GREEK!!!

    BAM!!!!

 Chapter 13 Thank you, my master...

    A loud bang rang out; the great hall instantly shattered.

    The steel ball crushed the Hunter, breaking the ground of the first floor, then falling into the basement.

    BAM!

    BAM!

    Boom! Boom! Boom!

    The steel ball pressed down on the top floor, causing the ground to shatter. The entire building shook violently, then began to collapse.

    The sound of steel columns breaking echoed throughout the city; in the quiet of the night, it became even more piercing and terrifying.

    The building collapsed, dust flew up, and pieces of the building were scattered all around.

    The entire city also trembled a little; the roads and surrounding buildings that were already severely degraded also collapsed.

    More than ten minutes later, the entire space fell silent again.

    Noan stood more than 200 meters away, hiding in a pile of rubble.

    Luckily this place wasn''t affected much; otherwise, he would also be in danger.

    Four skeletons surrounded him to guard against danger.

    Vylyss flew above him, looking into the distance. Although she couldn''t see, she possessed sensory magic and was able to sense everything around her, but her range of action wasn''t very large.

    Urlgan also came out from the smoke at this moment and stood beside Noan.

    ''Looks like... the Hunter is really dead.'' Noan thought to himself.

    At first, he couldn''t find a way to kill the Hunter because the Hunter''s power was too overwhelming.

    Coupled with the arrival of the darkness, the Hunter further unleashed its abilities, making it nearly invincible.

    But when he saw this building, Noan knew that... He had a chance to defeat Hunter.

    This building is over 60 stories tall, and just as Noan thought, there is a ''balance pendulum'' in this building.

    Buildings that are too tall are susceptible to many things, especially wind and earthquakes.

    Therefore, engineers have come up with a solution called ''balance pendulum''.

    They put a steel pendulum weighing hundreds of tonnes at the top of the very tall buildings.

    If the building shakes, the pendulum will swing in the opposite direction, which keeps the building balanced during a windstorm or earthquake.

    The building that just collapsed also had a giant steel pendulum anchored to the top of the building.

    Noan estimated that its weight could exceed 300-400 tonnes.

    The next step was to trick the Hunter into entering the building, right where the steel ball could fall.

    And most importantly... make sure the Hunter is in the exact spot where the steel ball will hit.

    Naturally, Vylyss and Urlgan successfully completed this difficult task.

    As for why the Hunter followed Vylyss and not Noan or Urlgan... Noan already knew the reason.

    Because when Vylyss was attacked by it, she used charm magic on the Hunter.

    That''s why, even though they all ran away, he was still enchanted by her, causing his lust to flare up.

    Of course, its desire was to ''eat''. It really wanted to eat Vylyss, which was also the reason it followed her.

    Noan took advantage of that and used Vylyss to trick the Hunter into entering this building, which then led to this outcome.

    It''s just that... Although Noan felt happy, he also knew that this time it was just his luck.

    If he hadn''t come across this building, if the Hunter hadn''t followed Vylyss and had decided to attack him and everyone else without waiting until dark...

    Lylia: [If there''s nothing wrong, can''t I text you?]

    Noan: [No, Miss Lylia can text me anytime; I will definitely reply to you.]

    Lylia: [Huh! Very good... hehehehe... Are you okay?]

    Noan: [It''s fine; it''s just that the monsters here are too strong; I almost died.]

    Lylia: [Heh?! Too many zombies? There are quite a few zombies in my place too.

    This afternoon, the other lords and I encountered a herd of more than 200 zombies; luckily, we''re fine.]

    Hearing this, Noan frowned and thought to himself, ''A herd of more than 200 zombies, so it seems that inside that herd of zombies there will be many Lickers or even Hunters.''

    ''It seems... The other lords are also developing very well; even if they don''t have SSS rank talent like me, they can easily defeat them.''

    Noan sighed; he felt that even though he possessed SSS rank talent, if he didn''t try hard, he was afraid that those lords would surpass him.

    Besides, the place they live is a safe zone; even if there are zombies, they can cooperate and help each other.

    There are also ''resource storage centers'' where they can be picked up for free.

    It can be said that they are in a wonderful environment to develop.

    Noan thought for a moment, then asked: [Are you okay?]

    Lylia: [It''s fine, I''m an A-rank Landlord after all. You should worry about yourself better. Do you need my help with something?]

    Noan: [Not really, but... I need more soldier summoning cards.]

    Noan thought for a moment, then added a sentence: [I can buy it.]

    Lylia: [I don''t have a soldier card right now either, but I can ask the other lords. Don''t worry, I''ll answer you soon.]

    Noan: [Thank you.]

    Lylia: [Instead of thanking me, you should choose a restaurant first, hehehe...]

    Noan: [Already chosen; it''s a very good fried chicken restaurant.]

    Lylia: [You should die! I hope you get bitten by a zombie and become a zombie.]

    Noan shook his head, smiling happily.

    A moment later, Lylia suddenly sent him another message.

    Lylia: [Be careful; you have to come back.]

    Noan looked at Lylia''s message and felt a little warm inside. Looking at the message, he felt that Lylia was a hundred times better than his parents and that bastard little brother.

    "Master..." Vylyss opened the door and walked in, her face filled with joy and excitement: "Do you want..."

    Noan: "..."

    He sighed and said: "Just sleep; don''t do anything else. I''m very tired."

    "Alright, just sleep... master..." Vylyss gently hugged him; Noan rested his head on those two large and soft mountains, then... fell asleep.

    Vylyss stroked his hair and patted his back like a gentle mother.

    "Master... you worked hard today..." Vylyss remembered the time she was attacked by Hunter, and Noan saved her.

    At that moment, her heart seemed to no longer be hers.

    As a hero, even a low-ranked one, Vylyss knew well what her fate was.

    When Noan is in danger, he can either abandon her to run away or turn her into a shield to protect him.

    But Noan chose differently; he chose to save Vylyss. That foolish choice made her happy and joyful.

    Vylyss bowed her head, gently kissed Noan''s forehead, and said with a smile: "Thank you, my master..."

 Chapter 14 Goblin Summon Cards

    Elsewhere, Lylia then sent a message to Noan, she pouted in thought, her face extremely adorable.

    At this moment, an extremely handsome man, wearing a magician''s robe, approached Lylia.

    He gave a friendly smile, like warm sunshine, making every girl swoon.

    "Lylia, this is your share. You contributed the most, so your share is also the biggest." He said with a smile.

    Lylia glanced at the young man and shrugged, saying, "I don''t need it. You can share it with the others."

    "That''s not good, you''ve helped everyone a lot anyway, this is what you deserve."

    Hearing what the young man said, Lylia felt a little troubled.

    Since that afternoon, the young man kept bothering her and even tried to get close to her.

    Lylia of course knew his intentions.

    She was aware of how beautiful she was, anyway, when she was still in the academy, there were many boys surrounding her, wishing to be able to get close to her.

    Because of that, Lylia knew clearly what that man needed and why he treated her so intimately.

    But she didn''t need those things, right now, she was having a headache because she didn''t know how to help Noan.

    Lylia sighed and said: "Jankos, don''t worry about me too much..."

    "What are you talking about?" Jankos laughed and said, "We are all Landlords and live in the same area anyway, we need to care about each other, right?"

    "Besides, you..."

    Jankos was talking but suddenly fell silent because he saw Lylia''s eyes suddenly turn grey.

    Yes, it was grey, the color of murder, death, contempt... as if she was looking at a dirty bug.

    Lylia''s face now lost its mischievous look, replaced by cruelty, brutality and anger.

    Jankos took a deep breath, and swallowed his saliva, his body trembling involuntarily.

    "Huh!" Lylia snorted in disdain, then turned and left.

    Jankos watched her back until she was out of sight, only then did he let out a sigh of relief.

    ''What the hell? That girl... why does she have such a terrifying killing intent?''

    Jankos looked at his sweaty palm, but his face now showed a smile: ''Very interesting, Lylia, you are very interesting.''

    ''I will definitely not let you escape from my hands.''

    ...

    Lylia returned to her territory, opened the chat box, inside there was a group chat with quite a few members inside.

    Lylia: [I need some soldier summoning cards, do you have any?]

    xxx: [Miss, do you need a soldier summoning card? What kind of monster do you need?]

    xxx: [Of course it''s cute monsters like Spirit, Elf, or feminine monsters.]

    Lylia: [No need to be too strong, around rank E to D is fine, just 2, no, hm... 3 cards.]

    xxx: [Heh?! Miss, you''re not using it for yourself, are you?]

    Lylia: [Why are you asking so many questions? Can you find what I need?]

    xxx: [Sorry, Miss. I can definitely find it, after all, there are many weak soldier summoning cards like that on the market.]

    Lylia: [Wait! I haven''t finished talking about the requirements yet, even though they are rank E or D, they must be good at fighting and have good combat ability. Besides, it doesn''t require spending too many resources to level them up.]

    xxx: [That... Miss, your request is a bit difficult. After all, from rank E and above, they have already started absorbing energy stones instead of almighty food.]

    Lylia: [Don''t talk too much.]

    xxx: [Miss, don''t be angry. Actually, there is a type of monster that meets your request, it''s the Goblin.]

    Her eyes were dreamy, and she hugged him tightly as she immersed herself in this feeling.

    From Vylyss''s mouth, a moaning sound came out that almost made Noan lose control.

    He sighed and pushed her away.

    "Master..." Vylyss panted, her flushed face making her even more alluring, her wet eyes looking at him as if saying she wanted more.

    "Alright, I don''t want to be unconscious for another half day." Noan shook his head and said.

    Vylyss pouted, her face carrying a hint of resentment.

    "Don''t be sad, I want that too." Noan reached out, gently caressing her face.

    He didn''t know if... Succubus'' skin was as soft as a baby''s, or if Vylyss was a special case?

    "But... I can''t do that to you right now, otherwise, I''ll die. Wait until I become stronger, then I''ll let you know how ''strong'' I am."

    Hearing Noan say that, Vylyss''s felt as if honey was being poured into it.

    "Um... I will wait for you, master..." Vylyss finished speaking, lightly kissing his cheek, then hugged his arm tightly, pressing it between those two large mountains.

    Noan sighed, he really wanted to become stronger. Not only because of Vylyss, but also because he didn''t want to waste this SSS talent.

    Besides, being able to live a second time in such a wonderful world, and possessing the only talent in this world, he... didn''t want to live as an ordinary person.

    Noan checked the chat box and saw that Lylia sent him a lot of messages.

    Lylia: [Oy! Are you dead?]

    Lylia: [Oy! Oy! Oy!]

    Lylia: [You sleep so early? Are you a child? Or did you just start kindergarten?]

    Lylia: [Wake up!]

    Noan : "..."

    He didn''t know if this was her personality or if she treated him specially.

    Noan rummaged through the memories of ''Old Noan'' but couldn''t find any memories of this personality of hers.

    Lylia was originally an energetic, lovely, and shy girl. But... was this shyness?

    He felt like she was more like a female gangster.

    Noan: [It''s me! Aren''t you sleeping? I''ve been busy all day, now I just want to sleep.]

    Lylia: [Huh! You asked me to find a summoning card for you, and you were sleeping. I don''t care about you anymore, I''ll let you get bitten to death by zombies.]

    Noan: [Ah! Lovely Lylia, beautiful Lylia, of course I am very grateful to you. It''s just that I just went through a very fierce battle today, so I feel a bit tired and want to sleep a bit.]

    Lylia: [Alright, I''ll forgive you this time. I just found some other landlords, they have some soldier summoning cards for you.

    However, this is not a strong soldier, the price is... fine, you can pay me back later.]

    Noan: [That''s a bit inappropriate, you''ve helped me so much, how can I take your money?]

    Lylia: [Let''s continue when you get back to the city. I''ve already sent you those cards. Bye bye!]

    Lylia quickly closed the chat box, she was afraid that if she continued talking, Noan would feel embarrassed and not want to receive those cards.

    Noan is of course not that arrogant. If someone gives him a free monster summoning card, of course he will accept it.

    As for whether he felt ashamed or not... if he was facing death, shame or self-respect were worthless.

    Noan happily rushed to the last basement, saw the summoning lake shining, along with a notice board.

    [Ding! Lord Lylia has sent you a package, would you like to receive it?]

    "Have!"

    [Ding! You have received 3 Goblin Summon Cards - Rank E, random number.]

 Chapter 15 Shaman High Orc

    When Noan saw the cards sent, his heart was filled with joy.

    Noan was very grateful that Lylia sent him some monster cards even though they were just E-rank.

    In this dire situation, any help means a lot. Lylia''s help even helped him survive until now, so he was truly grateful to her.

    Besides, this is a Goblin summoning card, so he can fuse it into a High Orc, and moreover... he can help Urlgan evolve.

    "Use all the Goblin summoning cards."

    Immediately after, many Goblins crawled out from the summoning lake; they knelt before Noan, their expressions extremely respectful.

    But their eyes were filled with greed as they looked towards Vylyss.

    Vylyss frowned, snorting in disdain: "Huh!"

    That sound scared the goblins, and they immediately bowed their heads.

    Noan knew it was the difference in class that made the goblins fear the succubus.

    A Goblin is only E rank, but Vylyss is D rank.

    "Fuse them all." Noan didn''t want to see the information of these Goblins either; he decided to fuse all of these Goblins.

    The Goblins turned into particles of light, then merged together.

    There were many Goblins, but in the end only one Goblin remained standing in front of Noan.

    [Ding! Congratulations on your successful fusion; you have obtained the Mutated Shaman High Orc - Rank D+.]

    Seeing the notice board, Noan was overjoyed; however, at this moment, he also felt a slight change in his body.

    Noan could feel his physical strength increase slightly; however, what was special was that he also felt a strange flow appear in his body.

    "This is... energy flow." Noan immediately recognised what it was. After all, he had already learnt all the necessary knowledge in the academy, so of course he knew how special energy flow was.

    Noan clenched his fists, feeling his body refreshed; he was filled with alertness and strength as both his physical and mental fatigue were completely gone.

    He tried to contain his joy as he looked towards the high orc shaman kneeling before him.

    That high orc wasn''t as tall as Urlgan, but rather a bit short.

    No, saying he was short wouldn''t be correct, because the Shaman High Orc''s height was somewhat similar to his, being around 175-180 cm.

    However, the Shaman High Orc was covered in a rough cloth cloak and carried a stick about two meters long in his hand.

    On the tip of the stick was the skull of an animal that somewhat resembled a mountain goat, with two horns on its head.

    The Shaman High Orc''s face resembles the Warrior High Orc''s, but he is older, and his beard and hair have turned silver.

    "Master... Please give me a name." The high orc shaman bowed his head and said.

    Noan realized... Once they mutated, they would have superior intelligence compared to other high orcs, and of course, they would need names.

    Noan thought for a moment, then said, "Your name will be Urlgug."

    "Thank you, master." Urlgug bowed respectfully and said.

    Noan opened Urlgug''s information board to see.

    ...

    Name: Urlgug

    Race: Shaman High Orc - (D+)

    Description: A shaman of the High Orc race, although his physical strength is not high, he can use many types of magic to attack.

    In particular, Shaman High Orc can use magic to buff High Orcs, increasing their fighting power.

    ...

    Noan nodded, feeling extremely satisfied. He now had a mage, support, and tanker.

    Urlgan will be the tanker and main damage dealer, Urlgug will support from afar with magic, and Vylyss will take on the role of attacking from afar or controlling the opponent.

    It could be said that his formation was gradually being completed. What was more special was that Noan could use a little bit of Urlgug''s magic.

    ''It seems... I not only inherited the power but can also use all the skills from monsters that possess the ''Evolution'' mark.''

    Noan was overjoyed.

    The light flew towards Urlgan, who was buried by the Lickers, wrapping around his body.

    GRRRRRR!!!

    Urlgan seemed to gain strength as he immediately grabbed a Licker''s head and then squeezed hard.

    BAM!

    Its head instantly shattered, blood and white brain matter crushed by Urlgan, splattered everywhere.

    The Lickers were not afraid, but neither was Urlgan.

    Although the Thorn mace had fallen to the ground, he was still able to use his hands to crush the Licker''s head.

    "Bust! Shield!" Urlgug stood in the distance, once again using magic.

    Urlgan''s body was enveloped by two more layers of red light. He felt his body filled with energy, and even the skin on his body, which was already hard, became much harder.

    The Lickers were basically unable to break through his defenses, no matter how hard they tried, they were killed one by one by Urlgan.

    Suddenly, the Lickers, as if obeying someone''s command, immediately turned their heads, looked towards Urlgug, and then, they charged towards Urlgug like a pack of rabid dogs.

    Urlgug frowned, disdain in his heart. He stabbed the magic staff in his hand on the floor, then shook it.

    It seemed that there were marbles inside the skull attached to the tip of the magic staff. When Urlgug shook it, they made a very strange sound.

    Cok! Cok! Cok!

    The sound continued to ring, accompanied by a gust of wind.

    GRRRRRR!!!

    A terrifying roar rang out as countless gusts of wind suddenly gathered into a giant tiger, charging towards the Lickers.

    WHOOSH!!!

    The wind whistled loudly, sending the Lickers flying backwards.

    Urlgan now also ran towards Urlgug; he had the thorn mace and a shield in his hands.

    He swung the thorn mace in his hand around, and the unlucky Lickers hit by the thorn mace died instantly.

    Urlgug also retreated, trying to get back into the bunker for cover.

    The skill just now looked very impressive, but in reality it didn''t do any damage; it was only used to hold the enemy in place.

    Urlgan frantically swung the thorn mace in his hand, but the Lickers ignored him and only charged towards Urlgug.

    BAM!

    BAM!

    BAM!

    Explosions rang out one after another, and many Lickers were killed, with only half of their number remaining.

    However, Urlgan had begun to pant, the strength used to swing the thorn mace gradually draining away.

    He tried to throw the shield in his hand; the shield flew at high speed, stuck into the stomach of a Licker, and its intestines and internal organs spilt out.

    Urlgan tried to fight even though he was extremely tired.

    In the distance, in the woods, a dark figure sat on a tree branch, its legs swinging as if it was watching something quite interesting.

    "It''s just a high orc, but his fighting strength really surprised me."

    The shadow muttered.

    "And that Shaman High Orc... not only can it use magic to strengthen its teammates, but it also has the ability to defend itself."

    "It seems... this lord has some mysteries that I need to uncover."

    As the shadow smiled strangely, a chain suddenly appeared and rushed towards her.

    Keng!

    The black figure did not turn around, only swung her arm behind her. In her hand she held a dagger, preparing to block the chain just now.

    "Ara ara! Sneak attacks are no good, my boy..."

    Not far away, Noan and Vylyss were looking towards that dark figure. Especially Noan, his eyes were filled with confusion and discomfort, mixed with a bit of anger.

    "Who are you?"

 Chapter 16 That is my prey

    Noan saw the woman in the black cloak and felt a little surprised.

    He didn''t think that he would meet another person at the ''Singularity''.

    "What a surprise... How did you know I was here?" The strange woman said, her voice not carrying any annoyance or anger.

    On the contrary, Noan could tell that her voice was filled with excitement.

    Noan frowned and said: "Who are you? Why are you attacking me?"

    "Ah! You know that I am the one controlling those Lickers? How did you know?" The woman asked again; she seemed to be smiling excitedly.

    "Lickers do hunt in groups, but there can''t be this many of them," Noan said. "There''s only one possibility... someone is controlling them."

    "They attacked us with purpose; even the way they acted didn''t seem like they were acting on instinct."

    "That''s why I don''t think there''s a high-level zombie controlling them. To be exact, they''re being controlled by a human."

    "Hahahaha..." The woman laughed madly, her laughter echoing throughout the forest: "Hahahaha... kid, you are really interesting."

    However, without waiting for her to continue, Vylyss took action, launching countless chains towards her.

    The woman was like a ghost; the chains couldn''t catch her.

    "Now!" Noan suddenly shouted.

    At that moment, a chain suddenly shot up from the ground, right at the spot where the mysterious woman had just stepped down.

    Jingle! Jingle!

    A chain shot out from beneath the ground, instantly wrapping around the woman.

    "What?!" She was a little startled, not thinking that there was a trap waiting for her.

    Jingle! Jingle!

    Jingle! Jingle!

    Countless other chains also immediately bound her tightly, not allowing her to move.

    "Oy! Why are you doing this to a weak woman like me?" The woman said while laughing, as if the one being tied up wasn''t her.

    Noan frowned: "Weak? Can a weak person control an entire army of Lickers?"

    "Hahaha..." The woman laughed excitedly: "Aww!! Kid, you really make me feel excited. I''m about to wet..."

    Hearing this, Noan''s eyebrows furrowed even more, and he hurriedly asked: "Who are you? Why did you attack me?"

    Even though the woman was tied up, Noan still did not dare to approach her.

    She could control a whole pack of Lickers anyway, he thought... even if she was tied up, she was still extremely dangerous.

    "Why are you standing so far away? Are you afraid?" The woman provoked.

    "That''s right." Noan wasn''t angry, on the contrary, he shrugged and said: "I''m very timid, just standing here is fine."

    "Ah!" She tilted her head: "Are you really that afraid of me? But you''re standing too far away, I''m afraid you can''t hear what I''m saying."

    "I can hear it." Noan frowned, feeling that she seemed to be trying to stall for time.

    ''Could it be... there''s someone else? Does she have reinforcements?'' Noan thought to herself.

    "Alright..." The woman suddenly smiled strangely: "If you won''t come near me, then let me come near you."

    Immediately after, the woman''s body instantly dissipated into a puff of smoke.

    Jingle! Jingle!

    The chains lost their binding and immediately fell to the ground.

    Noan was startled and stepped back. Vylyss was also very surprised as she looked around cautiously.

    No!

    Even though she looked pitiful, he felt... this was the moment for Vylyss to realize how weak she was.

    She must have the desire to become stronger; only then can she become a true hero.

    If she relied solely on his ''Fusion'' talent, her ambitions would be crushed.

    Sometimes... you have to feel despair to understand how valuable hope is.

    Noan patted Vylyss on the shoulder: "Don''t be sad; at least we''re still alive."

    Vylyss pursed her lips upon hearing this; she suddenly hugged him tightly from behind, her two soft mountains pressed against his back to the point they were deformed.

    "Master... if you continue to be so sweet, I won''t be able to control myself."

    Noan shuddered when he heard that: "I was just comforting you a little; how am I sweet?"

    He felt a little confused; why did Vylyss find such a normal comforting word sweet?

    Noan suddenly looked towards Urlgan, feeling that there was something very strange about Urlgan.

    Urlgan sat still at this moment; his physical strength had also recovered, but... looking at his face, he looked quite sad and disappointed.

    Noan suddenly remembered something and thought to himself, ''Ah! I forgot that Urlgan is a high orc; he worships the Goddess of War.''

    That''s right, the High Orcs worship the ''Goddess of War'', for them, fighting and winning is the sweetest glory.

    However, in this battle, Urlgan revealed his weakness. It wasn''t that he was weak, but rather that his physical strength wasn''t enough to help him resist until the end.

    Luckily, Urlgug helped; otherwise, this war would have ended before it began.

    That was why Urlgan seemed to feel humiliated when he couldn''t win. When he was about to lose, the Lickers suddenly died, so that couldn''t be called a victory.

    Noan looked at Urlgan; although he lost two rank (E+) skeletons in this battle, in return, Vylyss and Urlgan had begun to realize that they were not strong.

    However, he also knew he was in danger.

    Noan thought that the Hunters were the biggest danger he had to face, but now a mysterious woman appeared.

    Not only could that woman control Lickers, she was also like a ghost, uncatchable.

    If she wanted to kill him, he would have been dead by then.

    Not only Zombies, but he also had to watch out for a mysterious woman. maybe she was watching him from the shadows right now.

    Besides, he didn''t know if the woman was alone, or had a separate organization.

    Noan sighed, then returned to his bedroom. He was really tired, he really wanted to rest.

    Seeing Noan leave, Vylyss did not stop him, she suddenly flew outside, then disappeared into the darkness.

    ...

    Elsewhere in the city, two people in black cloaks who vaguely resembled the woman stood at the building that Noan had caused to collapse.

    They both appeared to be men.

    At this moment, the woman from earlier appeared, standing opposite the two men.

    "Let''s go back."

    Hearing the woman speak, one of the two men immediately spoke up.

    "Captain, shouldn''t we capture that kid?"

    "That''s right." The other person continued, "That kid is very strange. The monsters he possesses are completely different from the type of monsters a beginner should possess."

    "Captain, I think..."

    They were talking but immediately fell silent because the woman''s gaze towards them was filled with murderous intent; it was so cold that it made them feel as if they were standing in an ice cellar.

    "That is my prey; if you reveal his existence, the consequences... you cannot imagine..."

 Chapter 17 I dont like you

    Hearing what the woman said, the two men shuddered in fear and immediately fell silent.

    The woman glanced at the two men, then ignored them.

    She looked into the distance, her lips, which were painted a strange purple colour, curved into a smile.

    A moment later, a ball of light appeared in front of her; from within the ball, a voice rang out.

    [Report on the mission progress, Isabell.]

    Isabell withdrew her smile and said softly, "Nothing unusual; it''s just that the zombies are a bit crazy."

    The ball of light was silent, then spoke again: [Alright, back to ''Phoenix Point'', we have a new mission.]

    "Understood!"

    As soon as Isabell replied, the ball of light disappeared, and she walked away. However, before leaving, Isabell turned her head, looking towards Noan''s bunker, smiling expectantly.

    ...

    The next morning, Noan woke up feeling a little better.

    He was feeling energised, but his stomach was empty.

    Noan ate an almighty pill, then went to the lowest floor, where he had installed the summoning pool.

    At this moment, Urlgug was waiting for him.

    Noan frowned and asked: "Where are Urlgan and Vylyss?"

    "Master..." Urlgug knelt on one knee on the ground, bowed his head, and respectfully said: "Urlgan is trying to practice; he feels that last night''s failure was a humiliation."

    "Vylyss... sorry master, I don''t know. She left last night and hasn''t returned yet."

    Noan heard that and nodded slightly, not caring anymore.

    Urlgan is training; that''s a good sign, and Vylyss? Okay, maybe she needs to go somewhere to stabilise her mood.

    She wouldn''t betray him anyway, so he didn''t need to worry too much about her.

    Leaving her alone is the best thing to do right now.

    "Master, this is yesterday''s harvest." Urlgug said as he took out a small cloth bag and opened it; inside were all rank E energy stones: "25 rank E energy stones."

    Noan heard that and felt a little happy inside. With this amount, he could upgrade his territory.

    However, he needed to convert the E-rank energy stone to F-rank.

    Although one E-rank energy stone can be exchanged for 100 F-rank energy stones, to level up a lord from level 0 to level 1, the system only accepts F-rank energy stones.

    That''s why he needs to find the energy stone exchange center.

    After converting, he still had 15 rank E energy stones left, which meant he could buy more items or monster summoning cards to supplement his territory''s combat power.

    Noan took the energy stone from Urlgug, then was about to summon today''s soldiers when a notice board suddenly appeared.

    [Ding! The system has a serious ''bug'', lords please prepare to teleport back to the city in 10 minutes.]

    Hearing this, Noan frowned and thought to himself, ''Could it be that they discovered that I had been taken to the ''Singularity Point''?''

    ''That''s good too. Even though I can survive here, this place is too dangerous, not only because of monsters but also because of that strange woman.''

    Noan sighed; at least in the safe area he could cooperate with other lords to fight or experience more things.

    Hearing this, Noan frowned at her, then took the pen placed on the table, wrote a line on the table, then said: "Think carefully, the decision is in your hands. Tell me the answer tonight."

    He said and left.

    Maya was startled; she lowered her head to look at the words that Noan had written on the table, of course she understood what he wanted to do.

    However, she just plopped down on the chair, while looking up at the ceiling, not knowing what she was thinking.

    Noan was in no hurry to summon Vylyss to the city, she was a succubus, after all. if there weren''t items to seal her seductive abilities, he was afraid she would cause a ruckus.

    He was planning to go to the conversion center to exchange for the E-rank energy stone, however, he seemed to have a bit of trouble.

    "Oy! Where are you going?" Lylia suddenly appeared before him, a mischievous and adorable look on her face.

    "This..." Noan frowned; he sighed and said: "I plan to go to the conversion center for a bit."

    "Wow! You won the lottery?"

    "No, what I mean is..."

    "Huh!" Lylia suddenly pouted, her face showing displeasure: "Have you forgotten what you need to do?"

    "Ah! I am so pitiful; I''m so hungry, but no guy is offering me a meal."

    Noan: ( ?  ? |||)

    "Okay, I will..."

    "Lylia!" Before Noan could finish his sentence, a masculine voice rang out.

    He looked towards the voice; it was a young man about his age, a little taller than him.

    He had blonde hair that was combed back and a handsome face like a movie actor with a smile that was like warm sunshine.

    "What a coincidence." The young man smiled and said, "I know a very luxurious restaurant nearby. Would you like to have dinner with me?"

    Lylia saw the young man and sighed, her facial expression slightly uncomfortable: "Sorry, Jankos. But I already have an appointment right now."

    "A date?" Jankos looked at Noan, his eyes filled with contempt as he saw the cheap clothes on him.

    "Ah! With this person?" Jankos laughed disdainfully: "Lylia, even if you don''t want to have a meal with me, you shouldn''t use such a poor ''excuse."

    Lylia frowned, wanting to say something, but Noan spoke up: "Ah! Are you her boyfriend?"

    Jankos smirked: "Not right now, but in the future, yes."

    Noan laughed contemptuously: "Do you know what arrogant people have in common?"

    The smile on Jankos'' face immediately disappeared, replaced by contempt and annoyance: "What do you mean..."

    "They all come to a miserable end, like a dog," said Noan.

    "It seems... you don''t know how to write the word ''death''." Jankos said, his voice cold and filled with murderous intent.

    Noan shrugged: "Are you illiterate? Do you need me to hire a tutor to teach you privately?"

    "You..."

    "Enough!" Lylia spoke up at this moment, breaking the tense atmosphere: "Jankos, I really have an appointment with him for a meal; you don''t need to follow me."

    "Besides... Jankos, I don''t like you; you don''t need to flirt with me."

    "Let''s go."

    Lylia hurriedly pulled Noan away. Jankos did not say anything, but the murderous intent in his eyes was still extremely terrifying.

 Chapter 18 You are also dining here?

    Walking to the academy gate, Lylia smiled and said: "You were really cool just now, daring to talk to Jankos like that. Perhaps in this entire academy, you are the only one who dares to do that."

    Lylia finished speaking and looked at Noan. Suddenly, she realised that he wasn''t looking at her. On the contrary, he was looking down at something.

    She also lowered her head, following his gaze, finding her pressing his arm into the narrow gap between her two large mountains.

    "Ack!" Lylia was startled and let go, her face red: "You... this..."

    "Ah!" Noan glanced at Lylia and teased, "What just happened? I just felt something very soft and warm."

    Lylia covered her chest and pouted, "You pretended to forget so you wouldn''t have to take responsibility, right?"

    "Hahahaha... Don''t think too much, I was really scared by that idiot just now, so I don''t remember what just happened." Noan said with an innocent face.

    "AAA!!" Lylia frowned as if she was about to cry: "You have to take responsibility; otherwise, tomorrow I will tell the entire school that you have..."

    "Alright! Alright!" Noan sighed, feeling a bit of a headache: "You hugged me, I didn''t hug you, how can you say that I bullied you?"

    "I don''t care." Lylia pouted: "Everyone will definitely believe me; no one will believe you."

    "You... Ah! Alright, wait for me to get to the conversion centre, then I''ll take you out to eat, okay?"

    "Hehehe..." Lylia suddenly changed her expression, smiling mischievously and triumphantly: "I''ll spare you for now."

    ...

    At the Conversion Center, Noan exchanged 10 rank E energy stones for Credit Points.

    He could not downgrade rank E energy stones to rank F, as such an action was strictly prohibited.

    For novice lords, they were expected to search for energy stones on their own to level up their domains.

    The exchange of energy stones was forbidden because the Federal Government and the Empire feared that novice lords might overly rely on high-ranking lords to achieve easy level-ups.

    Thus, Noan was only allowed to convert energy stones into Credit Points.

    Fortunately, the rank E energy stones he possessed all came from Lickers, a type of rank (E+) monster. Their quality was significantly higher than usual.

    150 million points... That''s not a small amount of money; it was enough for him to buy a small house in the countryside or help him live comfortably in the city for 5 years.

    However, he needs to use this money to do a few things before enjoying life.

    "Wow! Not only did you not die, you also brought back more resources than Jankos." Lylia was surprised when she saw the amount of energy stones that Noan exchanged.

    "This... This is an E-rank energy stone, and the quality is very high. Where did you find it?" Lylia opened her mouth wide: "It''s like the place you were teleported to is an energy stone mine?"

    "Hm?!" Hearing this, Noan also felt confused: "I heard you say you guys surrounded a group of zombies, are you guys poorer than me?"

    "Zombies?" Lylia frowned and tilted her head, saying, "Are you stupid? No matter how strong we are, we are still just beginners."

    "That group of zombies was all normal zombies; in the end, they only harvested less than 150 F-rank energy stones."

    "But if 150 stones are divided equally among 13 lords, how many resources do you think each of us will have?"

    Lylia pouted and said: "Huh! I am an A-rank lord after all; do you really think I am weak? Even if we fought, I alone could beat ten of you."

    Noan : "..."

    He felt he should stay away from this girl, as behind that angelic appearance was a violent demon.

    "Oy! I can tell what you''re thinking." Lylia said threateningly.

    "Okay, I lose!"

    "Huh! I''ll spare you this time." Lylia said as she waved her fist in front of him as if threatening him.

    Suddenly, she stopped and pointed forward: "Ah! We will have dinner there."

    Noan raised his head and saw a magnificent and luxurious palace, illuminated everywhere by neon lights.

    Even though it was daytime, the palace was still extremely bright, causing him to gape in awe.

    Although he had dined at fancy restaurants when he was still alive on Earth, this was the first time he had seen one this luxurious.

    What the hell is this? Is this the royal palace?

    "Let''s go!" Lylia urged.

    "Wait!" Noan asked in confusion: "You... you guarantee that it is a restaurant and not a royal palace?"

    "Of course, I often eat here too, don''t worry."

    Noan : "..."

    "Hey! How rich are you anyway?" Noan looked at Lylia and asked with a frown.

    "Hehehe... that''s a secret." Lylia laughed and said: "How is it? You feel like you''re not worthy of me, right?"

    "No! Usually the children of the rich are a bit stupid, I feel like you are not worthy of me."

    "Gru gru gru!" ((¨p¨Ž_¨Ť))

    Lylia growled, but the sound was very cute: "You want to be beaten again, don''t you?"

    "Alright, how many credits does it cost to eat here? I don''t want to spend that much on just one meal." Noan shrugged.

    "Ah! You are so stingy." Lylia pouted: "Do you know that there are countless men who, in order to have a meal with me, are willing to spend 100 million just for one meal?"

    "That high? I think 10,000 is enough." Noan said with a smile.

    "Bleh! Bleh!" Lylia stuck out her tongue: "I curse you to never have anyone love you, to be single for the rest of your life."

    "If so, I will become a single ghost and haunt you, so that you will also be single for the rest of your life." Noan said disdainfully.

    Lylia pouted, her face flushed with anger, but her heart felt sweet.

    "Ah! Lylia, what a coincidence." Suddenly, Jankos suddenly appeared and walked towards them: "You are also dining here?"

 Chapter 19 Wont you pick it up?

    As Lylia saw Jankos, she knew in her heart that this was not a coincidence.

    Jankos glanced at Noan, his eyes filled with disdain: "Hey! Only people with high incomes can enter this place; don''t let others laugh at you, the academy''s beauty."

    Lylia heard that and frowned, saying: "Jankos, what do you mean?"

    "I''m just telling the truth." Jankos shrugged: "Look at him; his entire outfit adds up to less than 1,000 credits; he''s like a beggar."

    "If you go into this restaurant with him, I''m afraid the staff there will chase him away because they would think he''s a beggar."

    "I don''t want you to get into an embarrassing situation either, so Lylia, let''s go in together, okay?"

    Lylia was a little annoyed, but she didn''t care about Jankos anymore and said to Noan: "Let''s go inside."

    Noan wanted to say something, but hearing Lylia speak, he didn''t say anything more and followed behind her.

    Jankos was not angry that he was ignored; instead, he wore a slightly arrogant smile.

    "Is this place really only for high-income people?" Noan asked.

    "That''s right, don''t worry, I''ll treat you today to celebrate you being the first person to return from the ''Singularity''." Lylia said with a smile.

    Noan shrugged; even though he had 150 million credit points, if someone invited him to eat, he would still happily accept.

    Will he be modest, or will he refuse?

    Of course not; he also has no obligation to be modest with Lylia.

    Even though she was beautiful and helped him, he didn''t like her, and he would repay her in another way.

    Besides, Noan has a succubus waiting for him who was absolutely loyal to him.

    He could even evolve her to a higher rank, even S rank.

    An S-rank hero is a beautiful Succubus, it is the perfect dream that every man desires.

    Besides, that beautiful succubus woman was absolutely loyal to him, so what did he need other women for?

    He didn''t want to love a woman who could betray him at any time without him knowing.

    So, for Noan, Lylia is a friend, nothing more.

    Arriving at the restaurant door, a very elegantly dressed staff member came to greet them.

    However, when the female employee saw Noan, she immediately smiled disdainfully: "Sorry, this place is only for high-income earners and those with feudal status."

    "He is also a lord." Lylia said with a frown.

    "But..." The female employee looked at the clothes Noan was wearing and felt a little uncomfortable.

    After all, the outfit Noan was wearing was even cheaper than the female employee''s outfit, so how could she believe that Noan was a lord?

    "Excuse me, but may I check this guest''s lord ID card?" the female employee said with a smile.

    "Is this how this restaurant treats customers?" Lylia was really annoyed: "Who are you to be able to check the lord''s ID card?"

    "Huh! A beggar dares to enter this restaurant. Where is the security? You even let dogs in this place now?"

    "Hurry up and chase him away. I can still smell the stench of poverty."

    The killing intent in Lylia''s eyes grew stronger, her gaze becoming as sharp as a knife.

    Jankos naturally didn''t pay attention to her gaze; he just gently reached out his hand towards Lylia, softly saying: "Miss Lylia, can I invite you to dinner?"

    "Wow! This couple really makes everyone jealous."

    "Yes, it''s like you two were destined to be together."

    "Agreed!"

    "Agreed!"

    "Hurry up and date."

    The crowd once again started to chatter, making Lylia feel even more uncomfortable.

    "Heh?! It''s just an F-rank energy stone?" Suddenly, Noan''s voice rang out, drawing everyone''s attention to him.

    "Hey! Did you hear what he said?"

    "It''s just an F-rank energy stone... damn it! Even an F rank isn''t something a poor guy like you can dream of, understand?"

    "Not only is he poor, he''s also stupid. Who does he think he is? A high lord?"

    "Hahahaha... Kid, those energy stones should be enough for you to live until the end of this year."

    "That''s right, quickly pick it up and leave; don''t stay here and pollute the air with your poor smell."

    Lylia frowned and said: "I brought him here; he is my friend. Can''t he come in?"

    The female employee laughed disdainfully: "Sorry, miss. But this restaurant has a rule that... there are certain people who cannot enter the restaurant to avoid affecting other customers and the restaurant''s reputation."

    Lylia naturally realised that the female employee was scolding Noan.

    She was about to say something when Noan continued speaking: "13 F-rank energy stones? Are you that poor?"

    Jankos frowned upon hearing that, his eyes filled with murderous intent as he looked at Noan: "Do you know who you are talking to? That much energy stone is enough to buy your life."

    Noan shrugged, took a small stone from his pocket, and threw it in front of Jankos.

    "Pick it up!" Noah said with authority, his voice filled with majesty and command, as if he were the one holding the power in his hands.

    "You..." Jankos was about to say something when he realised that the stone under his feet was not an F-rank energy stone but an E-rank one.

    "Oh my god! That''s... an E-rank energy stone."

    "No, its colour and light are even more dazzling than a normal E-rank energy stone."

    "A high-grade E-rank energy stone. Why does a poor guy like him have such a stone?"

    Jankos gritted his teeth, his face red with anger.

    "What''s wrong? Won''t you pick it up?"

 Chapter 20 Iâ€¦ will definitely protect you

    Noan smirked, his face showing contempt.

    Jankos froze when he saw Noan''s smile, but his eyes were filled with anger.

    "Ah! I know." Noah suddenly shouted: "Not enough, right? One more."

    He said as he took out an E-rank energy stone and threw it on the ground.

    Keng!

    The sound made the people around swallow their saliva.

    Although there are a few lords here, those were still rank E energy stones, one of which costs more than 20 million credits.

    Just one such stone is equivalent to one month''s salary of a senior administrative staff member.

    Yet the young man threw them to the ground as if they were two small stones.

    Some people saw this scene and felt their faces hurt as if they had just been slapped by Noah.

    They just called Noah poor and a dirty dog, but who is poor now?

    Without waiting for Jankos to reply, Noan took out a grey ID card and said, "Is this enough for me to go inside and eat?"

    The female employee felt extremely embarrassed at this moment; she was unable to imagine that the poor young man was actually a landlord; moreover, he also possessed quite a few high-grade energy stones.

    However, when she saw Noan''s card, she immediately regained her confidence, laughing comfortably: "Hahahaha... yes, you are a Landlord, but an F rank Landlord."

    Her voice was loud, as if she was trying to make sure others could hear it too.

    Although landlords in this world are highly regarded and have an extremely noble status, low-ranked landlords seem to not enjoy the respect of those around them.

    In particular, rank F landlords are considered useless, and they are viewed in contempt.

    "Hahaha... You surprised me; he''s just a rank F landlord, yet here he is being arrogant."

    "That''s right; it must have been luck that he was able to get two high-grade energy stones."

    "I think he stole them."

    "No, I think that brat hid in a safe place, waited for the high-level landlords to finish fighting, then stole some energy stones."

    "Hahaha... he''s just a mouse, yet he''s so arrogant?"

    When Jankos saw the ID card in Noan''s hand, his face regained its usual confidence and disdain: "Hahahaha... how funny. Kid, do you think you''re so cool?"

    "Rank F?! Fuck! Do you believe that one of my soldiers is enough to destroy your territory?"

    Jankos spoke as he took out a red card; he was so arrogant that his nose seemed to be bulging: "Look carefully; this is a Rank B lord card. It''s Rank B, hahahahaha..."

    The crowd around also laughed at Noah.

    "That''s right, that guy is a B-rank landlord, and you? What rank are you? F-rank! Hahahaha..."

    "Look! A rank F wants to compare with a rank B?"

    "Hahahaha..."

    Lylia''s voice and warm breath blew straight into his face.

    Her mischievous face was now filled with not only anger but more than that, worry.

    Noan forced a smile: "Hahaha... anyway, that''s the only way for us to get out of there. Otherwise, I''m afraid the crowd won''t let us leave easily."

    Lylia gritted her teeth: "But... you..."

    "Don''t worry. If I can survive in the ''Singularity'', then I have a way to defeat him."

    Seeing Noan so confident, Lylia seemed to think that he didn''t know how terrifying a rank B landlord was, so she explained.

    "Are you stupid? Do you know how big the difference is between F rank and B rank?"

    "This..." Noan scratched his head, his expression a bit confused.

    He naturally knew the difference; however, he needed a real opponent to be able to see the difference clearly.

    He is at the ''Singularity'', death and danger surround him, forcing him to strive to become stronger.

    But he still needs an enemy, an enemy who always reminds him that he needs to become stronger.

    If he had no enemies, he would be too relaxed.

    Seeing Noan stuttering, Lylia angrily shouted: "Are you stupid? Do you know what kind of soldiers and heroes Jankos possesses?"

    "His soldiers are Earth Spirits; both their defence and attack are extremely powerful. Especially their defense, thanks to his soldiers, 200 Zombies couldn''t break through that defense."

    "His hero is a B-rank Elf with extremely powerful ranged attacks. He has both defence and offence. What do you have to defeat him?"

    Noan heard that and nodded slightly, not afraid at all; on the contrary, his eyes showed a strong will.

    "Don''t worry; I definitely won''t give up so easily."

    "You..." Looking at Noan, Lylia was so angry that she wanted to scold him, but in the end she had to swallow her words.

    She sighed, her face suddenly sad: "Alright, this happened because of me, so I will take responsibility. I will help you defeat him."

    "No need, you..."

    "Shut up!" Lylia pouted and said: "I have made up my mind; you can''t change my mind."

    After saying that, she hurriedly caught a taxi; before leaving, she did not forget to tell him: "Noan, you still owe me a meal. I will find a way to help you; during this time, you should try to level up, understand?"

    Noan sighed, watching the car leave, feeling a little funny.

    ''Looks like... She''s really enthusiastic.'' He thought to himself.

    He sighed, decided to find a place to have lunch, then settle the debt he was carrying on his back.

    In the taxi, Lylia frowned, her expression completely different from before. The cold murderous aura made the driver jump in fear.

    ''Noan... Don''t worry; no one will be able to threaten you.''

    ''I... will definitely protect you.''

    Lylia thought as she recalled the memories of the past, her face suddenly showing a happy smile.

 Chapter 21 Noans Family

    Noan naturally didn''t know what Lylia was thinking. He found a place to have lunch, then took a taxi and returned to the Landlord centre at the academy.

    He went straight to the hero summoning area.

    This was his first time coming to this place, so Noan was a bit overwhelmed by the atmosphere.

    Everyone here is a landlord, and beside them is the hero they brought into this world.

    There are monster heroes like animals, birds... There are plant heroes and spirit heroes, like moving rocks and metal blocks.

    It could be said that this place made a person from Earth, like Noan, a bit excited.

    You must know that on Earth, most young men like the Poke?mon movie. Coming to this world, although the Hero is not a Poke?mon, it makes Noan feel like he is living in that world.

    Noan went to the front desk, checked in, and then paid the summoning fee of 1,000,000 credits.

    He turned on his phone and started using the payment app, but a red notification popped up on his phone screen, making him frown.

    [Sorry, the credit in your account is not sufficient to make the transaction.]

    "Not enough?" Noan frowned, starting to feel uneasy.

    He hurriedly checked his account, and sure enough, all the 150 million credit points he had just received this morning had evaporated; there were no more credit points left in his account.

    "My account got hacked?" Noan muttered.

    "Excuse me." At this moment, the receptionist spoke up: "Please pay, there are many people waiting."

    He gritted his teeth, decided to take out an E-rank energy stone, placed it on the table and said: "I just got back, I haven''t had time to convert the energy stone into money, Can I use the energy stone to pay?"

    The receptionist saw the rank E energy stone and happily nodded: "Of course. Please wait a moment; I will transfer the change to your account."

    "No! I want to store it in the landlord''s private account." Noan immediately said.

    Yes, in addition to the bank account, each lord will have another private account.

    That account is under the control of the Empire, and it is not managed by any other bank.

    "Yes, please wait a moment," replied the receptionist.

    While Noan waited for the female employee to complete the hero summoning procedure, he opened his phone and called the bank.

    After a while of talking, he finally learned why his entire credit score had evaporated.

    He gritted his teeth; he was so angry that his eyes were bloodshot like tree roots.

    ...

    In a small apartment in an old apartment building.

    At this moment, three people sat around a round table, laughing and talking excitedly.

    A middle-aged man, a middle-aged woman, and Negon, Noan''s younger brother.

    That''s right, the middle-aged man and middle-aged woman are the father and mother of Negon and Noan.

    The middle-aged man had short hair, but there were many silver strands in it. His face had many scratches as if it had been cut by something sharp. He was tall and had rude gestures.

    Ding! Dong!

    Suddenly, the doorbell rang, causing their smiles to instantly stop.

    Negon''s father frowned, picked up the metal baseball bat that was placed in the corner of the house, then angrily walked towards the door.

    Ding! Dong!

    "Huh!" Negon''s father snorted in disdain, opening the door.

    Seeing a familiar face standing at the door, he laughed disdainfully: "What? You still know the way back here?"

    Negon''s father held a baseball bat in his hand which he pointed at the young man standing at the door.

    Noan frowned. With no emotion, he looked at him and said: "I came to get my money back."

    "Your money?" Negon''s father poked the baseball bat at Noan''s chest, laughing contemptuously: "It''s my money now, understand?"

    "Hahaha... my good older brother." Negon laughed loudly; although he said that Noan was his older brother, Noan also recognised the contempt and mockery in his words: "Thank you for these 150 million credit points; my parents and I will use them well."

    "Listen carefully, right?" Negon''s father said with a smile, "If you want to come back to this family, it''s not impossible."

    "If you earn another 150 million..."

    "Huh! 150 million?" Negon''s mother spoke up at this moment, a look of disdain evident on her face: "In a few days, he has already earned 150 million; you are asking for so little?"

    "At least 500 million."

    "Ah! Right." Negon''s father laughed loudly: "That''s right, 500 million credit points. Your younger brother also needs to get married, needs to buy a house and a car."

    "Your mother and I are old; we need a luxurious place to retire, and we need savings."

    "You earned 150 million in less than three days; 500 million is definitely not difficult, right?"

    Noah''s face suddenly became darker and colder. His gaze was locked onto the three people he once thought were his relatives.

    No, those were the people that ''Old Noah'' once thought were his relatives.

    He took a deep breath, deciding to give them another chance.

    "I''ll say it again: I came here to get my money back, not for you to suck my blood again."

    "You bastard!" Negon''s mother grabbed a glass on the table and threw it at him.

    Noan was now different from before; after using the talent ''Almighty Fusion'', he possessed power that surpassed that of normal humans.

    That''s why he just tilted his head to avoid the flying glass.

    Cheng!

    The sound of shattering glass echoed from behind him as the cup hit the wall, shards falling everywhere on the ground.

    Negon''s mother stood up, her face red with anger: "You are my son! You dare to ask for your money back?"

    "Your money is my money! How I use it is my right."

    "Huh! I changed my mind; if within a week you don''t bring back a billion credit points, I will ask the government to let me abandon an unfilial son like you."

 Chapter 22 The police is here!

    Noan felt amused when he heard that. What did they base such stupid requests on?

    Suddenly he remembered what the ''old Noah'' had done and sighed in his heart.

    Because ''Old Noah'' was very weak and mentally fragile. After a long time without the warmth of a family, ''Old Noah'' craved the feeling of being loved.

    That''s why, as long as this miserable family gives him a little warmth and a little laughter, he''s willing to do anything.

    Whether it was having to work to pay off his father''s debt when he was 10 years old or having to deliver goods in the rain at 15 to have enough money to pay off his gambling mother''s debt.

    And most recently, he accepted the responsibility of shouldering the huge debt of his bastard brother.

    What about his younger brother? Since birth, he has received all the love from his parents. He has never done any hard work.

    What Noah''s younger brother is enjoying comes from Noah''s exhausted labour.

    Sometimes, ''Old Noah'' wanted to give up on this house, but when he was about to give up, the blood-sucking demons of this family gave him a little hope.

    The ''old Noah'' didn''t know that what they gave him was just fake smiles and contempt. Their love was all for Negon.

    Later, ''Old Noah'' realised he couldn''t stay here anymore, so he ran away.

    However... he still could not escape the clutches of these bloodthirsty demons.

    Now, he is no longer the ''old Noah'', he is the ''new Noah'', He doesn''t need this fake feeling.

    Noan sighed and said: "Good! I hope you can quickly give up on me."

    "What?!"

    Negon and his parents seemed surprised by Noan''s words.

    You must know that before, if they just said this, Noah would be scared and beg them not to do it.

    Then he will try to make more money for them.

    But at this moment... Noan''s answer was beyond their expectations.

    He should have worriedly apologised to them; he should have knelt down and begged for a little love from them.

    Why is he so indifferent?

    Negon''s father was furious at this moment; he picked up the baseball bat and pointed it at Noan: "You bastard! Do you think that becoming a landlord means you have grown wings? Do you want to leave this house?"

    Noan frowned; he felt uncomfortable with that man''s actions.

    Even though he was his father, however, after receiving the memories of ''Old Noah'', he felt that man was not worthy of being his father.

    Besides, he was not the ''old Noah'', he had no love or attachment to this family.

    That''s why, when he heard what Negon''s mother said, he immediately happily agreed.

    "That''s right." Noah said, "Since the day I was born in this house, have you ever considered me your son? Or a tool for you to suck blood?"

    Negon''s mother angrily shouted: "So what? You are my son? Giving me all the money is what you should do; is that wrong?"

    "Kid! You are so brave; you even dare to hit your own father."

    "Don''t say too much. There''s no need to explain to a piece of trash like him, who even beats his own parents. Arrest him and take him to the police station."

    "That''s right. Everyone, quickly capture him."

    Noan frowned. He looked around; only these three men were the healthiest here, the rest were just women, children, and the elderly.

    If he wanted to, he could easily get past these people and run away.

    Noah also didn''t want to cause big trouble; he also forgot that his father was not only an alcoholic but also a bum.

    At this moment, Noan felt a little regretful for coming here. He had foolishly thought that perhaps they would feel guilty about what they had done.

    But... human nature cannot be changed that easily.

    "Kid! If you don''t want to get beaten, stand still." A man spoke up.

    Noah also saw that a few people had called the police. The people around looked at him and loudly scolded him.

    "This kid looks handsome, but why does he do such a despicable thing?"

    "Don''t talk so loudly! Maybe he went out gambling and was short of money, so now he''s back home playing thug to get money from his family."

    "What a bastard! If I had a son like that, I would have thrown him in the trash long ago."

    "Huh! Look carefully; in the future, raise your children well, or else they will grow up to be thugs and beat up their parents."

    The Negon family heard everyone scolding Noan and laughed out loud in their hearts.

    Negon also hurriedly spoke up at this time: "Everyone, don''t beat my brother. It''s because he owes too much money, so he had no choice but to come back to ask for money."

    "But we had no money, so he... hit my father. But I don''t think he did it on purpose, everyone... Don''t hurt him."

    Looking at Negon''s pitiful expression, not only did the crowd not calm down; on the contrary, they became even angrier.

    "See? At least they still have a good son."

    "Damn! This brat looks very decent; I didn''t think he was a piece of trash."

    "Trash! You can''t judge a book by its cover."

    "This kind of bastard should be in jail."

    "Wait a minute; the police will come, and we can put him in jail."

    "That''s right; let him stay in prison until he dies. This kind of person will harm others outside."

    Noan frowned; he didn''t want to say anything more. In this case, it was his words against theirs.

    He was about to leave, but three men surrounded him. His father refused to stand up, one hand holding his head, the other tightly gripping his leg.

    Noan sighed; he was about to unleash his power and use violence to leave when a voice rang out.

    "Get out of the way! The police is here!"

 Chapter 23 Mom... Im sorry

    The crowd moved aside, revealing a middle-aged policeman whose eyes were filled with anger as he looked at Noan.

    He looked at Negon''s father, who was on the floor, then looked at the people around him.

    The policeman frowned and said, "What happened?"

    "Police! He wants to kill me! This bastard wants to kill his father!" Negon''s father shouted in a hurry, holding his head and speaking as if he was seriously injured.

    The policeman frowned and looked at everyone around him: "Is that true?"

    "Yes," the crowd began to echo.

    "Police, this bastard dared to hit his father."

    "A guy like this needs to be put in jail."

    "The law is very strict now; this bastard needs to be severely punished to set an example for other young people."

    The policeman nodded, looked at Noan without saying anything, and asked coldly: "Do you have anything to say?"

    Noan shook his head; he knew, in this place, no matter what he said, it would be meaningless.

    "Put your hands out!" said the policeman.

    Noan frowned: "Do we need handcuffs?"

    "Huh! Do you think I''m stupid? What if we go out later and you run away?" The policeman said uncomfortably, "Put your hands out."

    Noan took a deep breath, trying to suppress the anger in his heart. Although the status of a landlord was much higher than that of an ordinary person, he was only a landlord of rank F, with a level of only 1, so he did not have many privileges.

    He held out his hands, then the policeman handcuffed him and took him away.

    "Police, let me follow you." A man shouted: "He even dares to hit his own father; I''m afraid he will..."

    "Do you think I''m stupid?" The middle-aged policeman angrily shouted: "Alright, everyone go home; I''ll take him to the police station to give a statement, then I''ll call his family."

    The Negon family heard this and laughed happily; Negon even waved his hand, his face full of provocation.

    The crowd nodded slightly after hearing what the police said, then returned home.

    Only the Negon family watched him until he entered the elevator.

    As the elevator doors closed, Negon''s father laughed loudly: "Hahahaha... Have you seen my acting skills?"

    "Hahaha..." Mother Negon also laughed: "In terms of whining, if you are second, then no one can be first."

    Negon also spoke up at this time: "That stupid bastard! Does he think he can get his money back just by coming here?"

    "That''s right." Mother Negon sneered: "The money is already in our hands; how can we return it to him? Dream on!"

    "Hahahaha..."

    "Hahahaha..."

    ...

    In the elevator, the middle-aged policeman suddenly took out the key and then opened the handcuffs for Noan.

    Hearing Vylyss''s voice filled with hatred and anger, Noan sighed, gently patting her on the back: "Don''t worry. Those beasts aren''t worth dirtying your hands with."

    "Moreover, this is a human city; if you do that, I''m afraid you will be arrested and even taken away to be destroyed."

    "Vylyss, I don''t want to lose you."

    Vylyss heard this, and her heart felt so sweet that it felt like it was about to melt.

    "Master..." She hugged him even tighter, as if she was trying to merge her body with his.

    "Alright, let''s go shopping a little more." Noah smiled and said, "I only bought you some clothes just now; is there anything else you want to buy?"

    Vylyss rubbed her head against Noan''s chest, quickly shaking her head: "No! I only need you, master..."

    "Hahaha... let''s go; you are my woman, and I definitely won''t be stingy."

    "Aw! Master..." Vylyss couldn''t hold back anymore, as strange sounds came out of her mouth: "You''re so sweet; how can I stand it anymore?"

    Noan was startled; the people around him were looking at him, making him embarrassed.

    He hurriedly took Vylyss away; after all, there were a lot of people here, and if Vylyss couldn''t control herself and used charm magic, it would be very troublesome.

    Currently, Vylyss was restraining her charm ability. After all, she was a succubus, and her charm was like a passive skill; even if she didn''t want it, the people around her would be charmed by her.

    ...

    At a small hospital.

    In a somewhat old hospital room, the equipment was also extremely rudimentary.

    On the bed, a middle-aged woman lay still; on her body were wires used to measure her health indicators.

    The thin middle-aged woman, so thin that she looked like she was nothing but skin and bones, lay quietly on the bed.

    If the heart rate monitor next to her didn''t show a normal reading, anyone who saw the woman would have thought she was dead.

    Beside her, a somewhat beautiful, black-haired woman was sitting, still wearing a female receptionist uniform.

    Yes, she is Maya.

    At this moment, she looked at the woman on the bed and said softly: "Mom... you always told me to cherish myself and not to easily give myself to any man."

    "But... mom... I''m sorry... If I don''t do this... I''ll lose my job; I won''t be able to take care of you anymore."

    The woman on the bed, although her eyes were closed, seemed to know what Maya was saying, and tears immediately spilt out.

    "Mom..." Maya saw this and quickly wiped away her mother''s tears, then explained: "Mom, don''t worry. He''s not a bad person; he will definitely treat me well."

    At this time, Maya also cried, her tears flowing out into two small streams.

    A moment later, after she was sure her mother was asleep, she let out a sigh, trying to stop the tears from flowing.

    Maya pulled the blanket up, covering her mother''s thin body, then went out.

    She stood in front of the hospital room door, looking at the old corridor and the dim but still unchangeable light bulbs of the hospital, and felt a little desperate.

    Maya took a deep breath, her eyes determined as if she had just decided something, and immediately left.

 Chapter 24 Noan and Maya (R18)

    R18 content - Please consider before reading.

    At a luxury hotel.

    Maya was still wearing her receptionist uniform, and she was standing in front of a door of a luxurious room.

    She took a deep breath, trying to calm her emotions and thoughts.

    She had already made a decision and had decided to stick to it.

    But when she came here, she felt scared and worried. After all, since she was little, she and her mother supported each other in life.

    Because her family was poor, she couldn''t become a landlord, so she could only try to study hard and do many jobs to earn more money.

    Because of that, she never had the thought of having a boyfriend or getting married.

    Even so, she had also read many romantic novels and dreamed that one day a prince would come riding a white horse to brighten her dark life.

    However, Maya also knows how different reality and dreams are.

    But... she never thought that she would find herself in this ironic situation.

    Maya felt her heart pounding as if it was about to jump out of her chest.

    She took a deep breath and exhaled, repeating it so many times that she stood in front of the door for more than 15 minutes.

    Then she mustered up her courage to ring the doorbell.

    Ding! Dong!

    Even though she was the one who rang the bell, when it rang, she was startled and felt scared.

    Crack!

    The sound of the door latch being turned was heard, and then the door opened. Noan, now dressed in a clean white pyjama, stood at the door, smiling and saying, "Have you decided?"

    Maya pursed her lips, then nodded slightly.

    Noan stood aside, signalling that she could come inside.

    ...

    Noan sat on the bed, waiting for Maya to take a shower. After a while, the sound of running water stopped, followed by the sound of a hair dryer.

    In less than two minutes, the sound of the hair dryer also disappeared.

    The bathroom door opened, and Maya stepped out with only a towel covering her body.

    She is beautiful in her own right, but she still cannot be compared with Vylyss. Because she had to do many jobs since childhood, her skin is not too soft.

    Her hands also have many calluses; however, the nails are neatly trimmed and clean.

    There were some cracks around her heels, indicating that in the past, those feet had been soaked in water for a long time or had not been properly maintained.

    She was a little clumsy, but then, she quickly got the hang of it, her tongue also gently wrapping around his tongue.

    Noan could no longer hold back, as she greedily tasted Maya''s lips and tongue, then explored every corner of her mouth.

    In the past few days, he had encountered many dangers at the ''Singularity'', so now he wanted to let himself be at ease.

    Coupled with Vylyss''s constant teasing, how could he possibly extinguish the fire of desire burning inside him?

    He can''t touch Vylyss right now because his power isn''t enough, but that doesn''t mean he can''t touch other girls.

    Noan and Maya kissed so much that Maya was a little breathless.

    He knew that, so he separated, looking at Maya, who was panting; her flushed face became even more adorable, her chest rising and falling with each breath she took.

    "Do you want to continue?" Noan caressed her face and asked softly.

    Maya pursed her lips, not answering, but she just nodded slightly, her eyes wet as if she was about to continue crying.

    He lowered his head and kissed her lips. This time, he was composed as he gently tasted the flavour of those soft lips.

    Maya also cooperated with him; she even proactively stuck her tongue inside his mouth.

    The kiss was gentler and sweeter, as both of them seemed to be enjoying this sweeter taste than honey.

    Maya suddenly bit his lip, startling him.

    Seeing his surprised expression, she felt amused and smiled happily: "Sorry, I..."

    Noan frowned, then lowered his head and licked her neck.

    "Ah! Noan... um..." Maya felt like an electric current was running through her body, causing her to tremble slightly.

    But a strange feeling also appeared in her mind. That feeling was similar to someone who had finally gotten what they desired after a long time.

    Noan moved his tongue all over her neck and to her ears, causing her to continuously tremble, her mouth emitting strange sounds.

    "Um... Noan... Noan... um..." Maya moaned as she wriggled her body to press closer to him. Her two hands tightly hugged his head, her breathing becoming more and more rapid.

    Noan didn''t stop; he continued to taste every spot on her neck, then moved his tongue to her breasts, feeling their softness with his tongue.

    "AH!" Maya was startled when Noan took the pink cherry on her chest into his mouth.

    A strange and indescribable feeling spread throughout her mind.

    "Um... um..." Maya covered her mouth because she unconsciously let out strange, lewd sounds.

    Noan heard that sound and became more and more excited; his tongue played with Maya''s cherry even more intensely.

    His hands were not idle either, continuously kneading Maya''s other breast.

    Maya''s body tensed as she could clearly feel Noan''s tongue playing with her.

    After a while, Noan let her go because he had had enough. He looked at Maya and said with a smile, "The appetiser is done; now it''s time for the main course."

 Chapter 25 Noan and Maya (R18) (2)

    Maya was panting; the intense emotion was still on her chest, and it became more intense after hearing Noan''s words ring out.

    She looked at him, her wet eyes containing a hint of shyness with the dreaminess of a woman tasting the forbidden fruit for the first time.

    But she still did not resist, softly saying: "Please... be gentle..."

    Noan smiled, and he started to put it inside her.

    At that moment, Maya felt something big and hot attacking inside.

    Afterward...

    "Ah! Um..." Maya groaned, her teeth clenched as she felt as if her body was being torn apart.

    But that feeling didn''t last long, as Maya felt that big and warm thing enter inside her; a strange, magical feeling immediately overpowered the pain.

    Maya pursed her lips, tears flowing from both the pain and the feeling of having lost something very important.

    After that, Noan wasn''t too crazy; he moved gently, his hand caressing Maya''s face as if he was seeing how she felt.

    Maya looked at him, took a deep breath, and said: "Kiss me..."

    Noan did not refuse; he lowered his head and kissed her lips, his hands continuously kneading her breasts gently.

    "Um... um..." Maya moaned, that lewd sound making Noan unable to control himself anymore, and he started to move faster.

    "Um... um... Noan... Noan... Um..." Maya kept calling his name, her legs involuntarily wrapping around his waist.

    Her small hands held his face tightly as if she wanted to imprint his face into her mind.

    Noan and Maya were both going at it crazily. But this was Maya''s first time, so she didn''t have any experience, so she could only lie still.

    A moment later, Maya felt something about to pour out of her body.

    She wanted to hold back, but Noan''s voice rang in her ears.

    "Don''t hold back..."

    Hearing Noan say that, Maya decided to relax her whole body, then a stream of water gushed out from the small stream, drawing a curve and falling onto Noan''s stomach.

    Maya was startled when she saw that her already red face became even redder: "Sorry. I... I..."

    Noan smiled and said: "It''s okay; this proves that I am very strong."

    "That... I..." Maya pursed her lips, but she still felt that huge thing still inside her.

    Maya looked at Noan, her face filled with shame, and said softly: "You... still not enough?"

    "Of course!" Noan said, continuing to move slowly.

    "Um... wait! I... Ah!" Before Maya could say anything, Noan suddenly accelerated.

    The room was filled with the sound of moaning and the strong scent of sex hormones.

    Luckily, this room was perfectly soundproofed, so Maya''s voice did not escape.

    Noan frowned, immediately realising what the title was about.

    He clicked on the post; inside was a video of him betting with Jankos, and below were many comments talking about it.

    Noan was a little curious, deciding to see what those comments said about him.

    [What the hell? Is the admin stupid? The title should be changed to stupid or on drugs.]

    [That''s right, F rank against B rank? Fuck! I wouldn''t even dream of this.]

    [Hahahaha... maybe this is a trick for the contest organisers to help people pay more attention to it.]

    [In competitions like this, they probably don''t need to use tricks for people to pay attention to it.]

    [The user above is right. Maybe that kid is really stupid; did he make the difference between F rank and B rank that big?]

    [Rank F can only summon Skeletons or some common Slimes, but Rank B... damn it! That''s Landlord Jankos, who can summon Earth elemental soldiers.]

    [Hopefully that brat wrote his will early. Don''t mention B rank; he can''t even beat D rank.]

    [Perhaps because he just became a Landlord, he is arrogant and has not yet realised the truth that there is still a huge difference between landlords.]

    [Have you guys seen the betting site? Fuck! The odds of that brat winning against Jankos are 0.0001%. That means you only need to bet 1 credit point on that brat; if he wins, you can get back 10,000 points.]

    [Hahaha... no fool would bet on him; if anyone is that stupid, I''m willing to eat this phone.]

    [Fuck! Someone actually bet on that kid to win, even betting 10 million credit points.]

    [Has the user above started eating his phone yet?]

    [+1. I also want to see him eat the phone.]

    [Please! I want to see the video of him eating the phone.]

    Noan was a bit amused; most of the comments say he is an idiot.

    However, only he knew exactly what he was doing.

    Ding!

    Suddenly, a message came in. Noan saw that the message was from Lylia and felt a little startled, as if he was caught cheating on her.

    Noan shook his head, thinking to himself: ''Don''t worry. She and I are just friends.''

    That''s right; he also didn''t believe that a beautiful and rich girl like Lylia would like him.

    That was simply a fairy tale.

    In fairy tales, it is the prince who likes Cinderella, but never the queen who likes a common hunter.

    Because of that, he didn''t think much about his relationship with Lylia, completely just considering her as a friend.

    Noan opened the message; inside was a picture with a line of text: "Noan, I bet 10 million credit points on you. If you lose, don''t worry; I will let you hide in my house and be my housekeeper. I''ll pay 10 million credit points a month, okay?"

    Noan: "..."

 Chapter 26 You...

    Noan saw Lylia''s message and didn''t know whether to laugh or cry or feel uneasy or joyful.

    Considering his current capabilities, 10 million credit points was an insignificant amount. A single energy stone could earn him many times that.

    After thinking for a moment, he replied to the message: "If I lose, will you protect me?"

    [Of course!]

    It seemed like the reply came instantly. Seeing Lylia''s response, Noan could only force a smile, unsure what to say.

    Why was this girl so enthusiastic? Could she be interested in him?

    However, Noan immediately dismissed the thought, shaking his head. He thought to himself, "No, definitely not. It''s probably just her easy-going personality that makes others misunderstand."

    In the past, when he lived on Earth, Noan had never been in love, but he had seen many people suffer from misunderstandings.

    They mistook friendship for love, mistook friendliness for special attention.

    Because of this, Noan didn''t want to entangle himself in such things.

    After contemplating, he replied: "Don''t worry, I will win."

    [Tsk! I was hoping you''d lose. Alright then, winning is fine, too. Do you need my help with anything?]

    "No need! I''ll handle this with my own strength."

    [Good! Best of luck. Bleh! Bleh!] Lylia added a playful tongue-out emoji before ending the conversation.

    Noan sighed, feeling like his upcoming opponents weren''t just Jankos and Lylia.

    One night passed. Noan and Maya slept until morning. This might have been his most peaceful sleep in a long time.

    However, apart from the soft body he had "battled" with in front of him during the night, another soft body was pressing against his back.

    Of course, he knew it was Vylyss, but he pretended to stay asleep.

    After all, she was a Succubus. If he allowed her to get excited, she might drain his "Vital Energy" until he died.

    In the morning, Maya woke up early. She bathed and then took some medicine. Naturally, Noan knew it was a contraceptive pill.

    When she saw him awake, she hastily explained, "I''m sorry... I''m afraid if I get pregnant now, I won''t be able to take care of my mother."

    Maya''s voice trembled, her face still cloaked in sadness and gloom.

    She bit her lip, wanting to say something but swallowing her words instead.

    "If you want to say something, just say it. It''s about money, isn''t it?" Noan said with a smile.

    Maya bit her lip and nodded lightly. "Yes... I need money to pay my mother''s hospital fees. Not too much... just 1 million credit points."

    As she said this, she glanced up to see Noan''s reaction, her hands clenching nervously, her body trembling slightly.

    "One million?" Noan raised an eyebrow and looked at Maya, his voice slightly louder.

    "Work?" Vylyss tilted her head, looking at Noan with confusion upon hearing his words.

    ...

    In a small basement beneath an inconspicuous bar, a room no larger than 10 square meters was filled with the thick, acrid smell of cigarette smoke.

    A man sat on a worn-out sofa, a half-smoked cigarette between his fingers, trails of smoke curling upward. His gaze was fixed on the slowly rotating ceiling fan above, lost in thoughts only he knew.

    BAM!

    A sudden loud crash broke the silence, making the man frown.

    He turned his head toward the door, his eyes narrowing with a hint of killing intent.

    Leaning forward, he reached under the table and retrieved a dagger. Instead of holding it in his hand, he discreetly tucked it behind his back, out of sight.

    Crack!

    The door creaked open, revealing a familiar figure standing in the doorway. Behind him, bodies lay scattered on the ground, motionless as though unconscious.

    The man smirked, his voice calm and steady. "We meet again, Noan. It seems... you''ve been taking good care of my men."

    Noan frowned, his voice low. "Kaito, I''m just returning the favour."

    "Hahahaha..." Kaito laughed loudly. "Since becoming a Lord, your courage has grown significantly."

    "Care to test it?" Noan replied coolly, his tone dripping with disdain.

    Indeed, the man was KaitoˇŞNoan''s creditor.

    Kaito''s smirk twisted into a sneer as he grabbed the ashtray on the table, hurling it toward Noan.

    However... his hand froze mid-motion, unable to move. The same went for the hand clutching the dagger behind his back.

    It was as if his entire body had been bound by an invisible force, rendering him utterly immobile no matter how hard he tried.

    Noan stepped into the room and closed the door behind him. Kaito''s eyes filled with fear but also brimmed with hatred.

    "Kaito, do you remember what you used to beat me with?" Noan''s voice was icy. "Ah! A metal baseball bat."

    "I should be thanking you and your men. Because of you, I found the strength to rise and become who I am today."

    "That''s why I''m here... not just to settle old debts but to repay you for everything."

    "You bastard!" Kaito gritted his teeth, spitting curses. His inability to move only fueled his growing dread.

    If Noan killed him now, no one would ever know.

    "Don''t worry..." Noan said softly as if reading Kaito''s thoughts. "I''m not going to kill you. I''m just going to return the kindness you once showed me."

    "You..."

    BAM!

 Chapter 27 High Orc?

    Kaito had not yet had time to speak when he was silenced by Noan''s punch.

    Noan''s punch was so strong that it made Kaito fall backwards, and roll a few times on the ground before stopping.

    Kaito gritted his teeth, feeling both angry and scared. Only a few days had passed, not even seven days, but why had Noan''s power become so terrifying?

    He felt confused, but now was not the time for him to think about that.

    Noan walked up to him, his eyes filled with coldness, holding the phone up in front of him: "I have paid off all my debt to you."

    "Before, you hit me with a metal baseball bat; now, my fist has also taken back that debt."

    "Your subordinates beat me; I also beat them."

    "There is no debt between you and me now. But if you want to continue playing, I will play with you."

    Kaito looked at Noan''s phone screen; a notification appeared that the transfer was successful.

    In reality, Noan only owed 20 million credit points, but the amount he transferred to Kaito was 30 million points.

    Noan frowned and said: "The remaining 10 million is the hospital fees for you and your subordinates."

    Kaito sighed, spat out a mouthful of blood, then raised his thumb in front of Noan: "You... did very well! Consider it that you and I no longer owe each other anything."

    Hearing that, Noan turned around and left, leaving Kaito kneeling on the cold floor.

    He looked at Noan''s back, feeling uncomfortable.

    But even if he was upset, there was nothing he could do. After all, the other party was a lord, and besides, his strength was also extremely overwhelming.

    Most special of all is the strange power that can imprison him.

    Kaito shuddered; he thought Noan was just an F-rank Lord who couldn''t summon any powerful heroes.

    However, he was wrong. A hero who could use their abilities freely in the human region was definitely a high-ranking hero.

    At least rank D.

    Can a rank F Lord summon a rank D Hero?

    Maybe, but the odds are very low, about as low as the odds of someone dying from falling into a sewer.

    Because of that, Kaito felt like Noan was hiding something. However, this wasn''t his problem, but the other Lords'' problem.

    ''Alright. The money is in hand, and there''s an additional 10 million points; it''s good to endure a little pain.'' Kaito thought to himself, then decided that from now on, he wouldn''t let Noan''s younger brother borrow money again.

    ...

    Noan went out, and Vylyss also appeared, walked beside him, and happily said: "Master, did I do well?"

    Vylyss was currently wearing a black dress and a mask on her face. Her wings, tail, and two horns were also hidden by her, making her look no different from an ordinary woman.

    "Very good!" Noan smiled, patting her head.

    Vylyss reached out her finger and stroked his neck: "If I do well, will I get any reward?"

    Noah: "..."

    ...

    He went to the reception hall, saw Maya, and showed a friendly smile.

    She saw him and smiled, a smile that carried a bit of shyness and happiness.

    Urlgug gritted his teeth; a hint of worry and fear appeared on his face, and then he lowered his head and said: "Master... Urlgan has been captured."

    "What?!"

    ...

    In a rather dark and damp place.

    Urlgan''s limbs were chained and hung from a wall made of extremely sturdy marble.

    Surrounding him were two people in black robes. If Noan were here, he would definitely recognise that the two were probably from the same organisation as Isabell.

    "Strange..." A man spoke up: "It''s a high orc, but it has the ability to use the Abyssal Beast''s enhancement ability."

    "Not really." The man said, "What this monster uses isn''t magic, but rather a kind of talent."

    "But that''s even stranger. The High Orcs have never possessed this kind of talent. If they possessed such terrifying talent, I''m afraid their rank could be on par with the Elves."

    "Or... this monster has mutated, right?"

    "No... I feel..."

    "You have a surprise for me." Suddenly, a woman''s voice rang out.

    The two men immediately bowed their heads and shouted in unison, "Captain."

    At this moment, a woman in a black robe entered inside.

    Although the robe had a hood, covering the upper half of her face, just based on the lower half of her face, one could tell that this woman was extremely beautiful.

    However, her lips are painted purple, along with her snow-white skin, making her even more mysterious and extremely dangerous.

    Like a poisonous apple, anyone who sees it can only stay away.

    If Noah were here, he would definitely recognise this woman.

    Yes, she was the one who summoned the Lickers to attack his territory, Isabell.

    She looked towards Urlgan, who was chained to the wall by strange black chains, his face and body covered in wounds, some of which were even bleeding.

    "Ah! This is... that brat''s High Orc." Isabell used her slender fingers, which were also painted an eerie purple, to gently stroke her alluring lips.

    "Akai, Aki, have you guys gone to that brat''s territory?"

    Aki hurriedly said, "That''s right, Captain. I wanted to go check out what was special about that brat, but by the time Akai and I arrived, he had already returned to the city."

    "However, there were two high orcs patrolling around his territory."

    Akai sighed at this moment: "Captain, you don''t know how hard Aki and I have worked. He and I only wanted to capture those two monsters for research, but we didn''t expect them to be different from normal monsters."

    "Hm?!" Isabell wore a smile full of interest and stood in front of Urlgan, who looked as if he was unconscious.

    "High Orc? Isn''t that normal?"

    "That''s right." Hearing Isabell, Aki hurriedly replied, "Although they were only D-rank, level 0 monsters, it took a lot of effort for Akai and me to capture one; the remaining high orc could use magic, so it luckily escaped."

    Isabell smiled, her fingernails lightly brushing against Urlgan''s chest.

    Right now, from the position where her fingernails touched Urlgan''s chest as the centre, countless strange symbols spread throughout his body, emitting an eerie purple colour.

    Urlgan suddenly opened his eyes wide; from within his eyes, a dazzling purple light emitted.

    GRRRRRR!!!!

 Chapter 28 Hunting again

    Urlgan''s roar was filled with pain and anger. Blood flowed from his ears, nose, and mouth; however, the magical symbols did not stop as they continued to cover his entire body.

    After a while, Isabell frowned and let go of her hand, her eyes filled with disbelief: "This monster..."

    "Captain, is there a problem?" Akai and Aki spoke up, looking towards Isabell.

    Isabell touched her purple lips with her finger, then showed a crazy smile: "Interesting; this is the first time I''ve seen someone who can resist my enslavement magic."

    "What?" Akai was startled and hurriedly asked, "Captain, are you joking? This is just a high orc; how could it possibly resist that kind of magic?"

    Isabell did not reply but instead smiled with joy and excitement: "It seems... that kid is truly a huge mystery."

    "Aww! I really want to see what he can do."

    After Isabell finished speaking, she took out a small black scroll from her pocket and then placed it on Urlgan''s chest.

    The scroll immediately turned into countless particles of light upon contact with Urlgan. Those particles of light did not disappear. On the contrary, they were like tiny snakes, creeping into Urlgan''s body.

    A moment later, all the light particles disappeared. Isabell smiled and said: "Bring this monster back to that kid."

    "Heh?! Captain, why do we have to do that?"

    "Hm?!" Hearing Aki and Akai say that, Isabell tilted her head; the cold killing intent radiating from it made them shiver.

    Although they didn''t know what Isabell''s purpose was, they didn''t want to die either, so they hurriedly brought Urlgan back to the vicinity of Noan''s territory.

    ...

    At this moment, after hearing Urlgug recount the story of Urlgan''s capture, he felt a little confused.

    "Master..." Vylyss said worriedly: "I suspect that woman..."

    Noan nodded slightly: "I think so too. She is the only one who knows our position clearly and how unique Urlgan and Urlgug''s power is."

    "However, we are in the light, the enemy is in the dark. We cannot see the enemy, but they see us."

    "I don''t know what action to take, and our position is not too safe."

    Urlgug and Vylyss fell silent upon hearing this.

    Noan sighed; although he possessed SSS rank talent, the path he took was not smooth.

    If he could move to a safe area like the other lords, he would probably develop much faster.

    He also couldn''t ask the Federation to move him to a safe area.

    It''s just that... he couldn''t determine Urlgan''s location or what his current condition was.

    For him right now, levelling up is the best thing.

    The higher the level, the more soldiers he can summon, and his strength will also increase.

    At level 4, he can choose the troops to summon. At that time, he will be like a caterpillar, moulting into a butterfly, as his power will increase enormously.

    Therefore, what he needs most now is time. But time does not wait for him; he must race against time.

    Unfortunately, he is only an F-rank lord and can only purchase and use D-rank soldier cards at most and cannot purchase higher-rank soldier summoning cards.

    The rule is... F-rank lords can purchase D-rank soldier summon cards at most.

    Lords of rank E, D, and C can purchase summon cards for soldiers with a maximum rank one level higher than the lord''s rank.

    Lords of rank B or higher almost have no need to buy soldier summoning cards because their soldiers are already extremely strong.

    If they want to buy, they are only allowed to buy soldier summoning cards with the same rank as their lord.

    "To reach Lord level 1, 1,000 F-rank energy stones are needed." Noan muttered, "There is no other way; I need to hunt more."

    Noan sighed; even if this place was a ''Singularity'', filled with danger everywhere, he still had to go hunting.

    If he just hides in the territory, sooner or later, he will become a feast in the mouth of another monster.

    When it was 10 am, Noan brought Vylyss, Urlgug and the E-rank skeleton out.

    Although it was almost noon, the temperature was very low, making him feel a little cold.

    Suddenly, he felt a warm feeling enveloping his back.

    Noan turned his head and saw Vylyss using one wing to shield him.

    He glanced at her, smiled, and said: "Thank you."

    Vylyss was happy to hear that; her face flushed: "Master, you don''t need to thank me; this is what I need to do."

    Suddenly, in this space filled with death, he and Vylyss felt a strange warmth.

    "Sorry for interrupting." Urlgug spoke up at this moment: "Master, I don''t want to spoil your mood, but I noticed a group of zombies up ahead."

    Hearing that, Noah frowned and asked: "Quantity..."

    "About 500. However..."

 Chapter 29 Zombie Tanker

    Urlgug hesitated a bit before continuing: "There is a rather special zombie with them; its body is much taller than its peers."

    Noan didn''t find it strange when he heard that. After all, with such a large group of zombies, there would definitely be an evolved zombie.

    "Take me there, let me see" Noah ordered.

    Urlgug nodded, then brought him and Vylyss to a collapsed building. Thanks to its cover, they could see a herd of zombies in the distance.

    More specifically, Noah could see a zombie that was physically superior to the other zombies around.

    It was over two meters tall, and its body showed no signs of decay. On the contrary, its skin had turned a golden grey as if it were cast from solid bronze.

    But the striations of his muscles were extremely clear; there was no hair on its head, and its black eyes looked extremely scary.

    Noan frowned and muttered, "It''s a Zombie Tanker."

    "Tanker?" Vylyss asked from the side.

    "That''s right." Noan explained, "Its strength is quite similar to Urlgan''s; its outer skin is extremely tough; even swords or guns cannot penetrate its skin."

    "Besides, its strength is also extremely enormous. Although it is only over two meters tall, it can lift an object weighing tens of tonnes."

    "However, it is not as perfect as the zombie Hunter; its speed is very low, like a tank. It has high attack power but low speed."

    "But... we shouldn''t underestimate it either. Its rank is D, but because its outer skin is almost impenetrable, its fighting power is extremely terrifying."

    "Moreover, with such a large group of zombies, there must be other zombie lickers hiding around."

    Vylyss and Urlgug nodded slightly upon hearing this. Although they had not witnessed the true power of the Zombie Tanker, hearing Noan''s words, they knew clearly how dangerous that zombie was.

    "Let''s go... Let''s find another place." Noan said softly.

    Although these zombies were very attractive, if he destroyed all of them, at the very least, he could find 50-100 F-rank energy crystals.

    However, he did not want to take any risks. Currently, Urlgug, Vylyss, and the E-rank Skeleton behind him were all ADC types, with almost zero resistance.

    And him? Even though he is a lord, he has no fighting power.

    At least, in the current situation, he could only hunt normal zombies.

    Suddenly, Vylyss sensed something and hurriedly shouted: "Master!"

    Before Noan could realise what was happening, Vylyss pushed him away, and immediately after, a terrible whistling sound was heard.

    Whoosh!

    BAM!

    Noan only heard the sound of an explosion, then blood splattered everywhere, even splashing onto his face.

    His eyes seemed to enlarge as he saw that Vylyss''s shoulder was seriously injured due to shielding him.

    "Vylyss!" Noan shouted, he quickly hugged Vylyss into his arms.

    Her beautiful, flawless shoulder was now a mess of blood and flesh. He even saw that her shoulder blade was shattered, causing her arm to no longer move.

    Vylyss tried to raise her head, looked at him, and smiled happily: "Master, are you okay?"

    Just now, the zombies were moving aimlessly, but upon hearing the Tanker zombie''s roar as if hearing an order, they immediately looked towards Noan''s group.

    Urlgug knew that if he did nothing, even if he ran, he would not be able to escape, so he swung the stick in his hand.

    The skull of the antelope-like creature tied to the end of a stick emitted a faint glow, and a stream of smoke came billowing from the skull''s eye sockets.

    In just a few seconds, a thick fog-like smoke covered a large area.

    "Master... follow me." Urlgug immediately walked closer to Noan, speaking softly.

    The bow-wielding skeleton also followed them like a machine, without any thoughts.

    At this moment, the zombie tanker stood still, looking towards the thick smoke, not moving nor making any sound.

    However, from his ears and nose, small tentacles extended out, like the tentacles of an octopus, then retracted back into the Zombie Tanker''s head, completely disappearing.

    ...

    Noan carried Vylyss on his back; although his strength had increased a lot, his stamina was limited.

    Running more than 4 kilometres was a bit tiring, although he could still continue running, his speed had decreased a lot.

    Whoosh!

    Suddenly, the sound of wind whistling rang out. Noah heard this sound and instinctively bent down.

    His body lost balance, and he fell with Vylyss.

    BAM!

    A rock flew past him, hitting the ground not far in front of Noah, causing a deafening explosion.

    Noan shuddered; if he hadn''t fallen just now, that rock would have smashed his head.

    Vylyss lay on the ground; she was in so much pain that sweat was pouring out of her, but she still tried to say: "Master, you run first; I can run after you."

    "Shut up!" Noan shouted; he naturally understood what Vylyss wanted to do.

    She didn''t want to be Noan''s drag, keeping him stuck in this place.

    She wanted to sacrifice herself to buy him time to escape.

    Noan angrily said: "I will not abandon you. Not now, and definitely not in the future."

    When Vylyss heard that, although she was suffering from pain, her heart felt extremely warm, and her eyes were wet as if she was about to cry.

    Noan also did not pay attention to Vylyss''s expression; he looked into the distance but did not see the Tanker zombie.

    Even without seeing the monster, Noan knew it was definitely nearby.

    "Urlgug, how much energy do you have left?" Noan asked as he picked Vylyss up.

    Seeing her shoulder now covered with dirt and sand, it would probably cause her much more pain, and he felt extremely uncomfortable.

    "Master, I still have a lot of energy, but if this continues, even if I expend all my energy, I still won''t be able to resist."

    Noan frowned, feeling hopeless. Suddenly, he remembered something; looking at the skeleton holding the bow, a strange thought appeared in his mind.

 Chapter 30 You should see this

    Noan immediately spoke up: "Urlgug, use the smoke magic from earlier."

    "Yes, master." Urlgug didn''t ask much; immediately waving his magic staff, another stream of smoke appeared, covering a large area.

    In the distance, more than 100 meters away from Noan''s position, behind a ruined building, the Zombie Tanker stood there looking towards the smoke.

    It bent down, picked up a rock, and threw it toward the smoke.

    Whoosh!

    The sound of the wind whistling rang out, the tennis ball sized rock after being thrown flew at a terrifying speed, like a cannonball.

    BAM!

    The rock flew into the thick smoke, then exploded because it collided with something.

    However, the Tanker zombie couldn''t see what the rock had hit because there was too much smoke, he couldn''t see anything.

    Whoosh!

    Suddenly, the whistling sound came again.

    A bone arrow flew towards the Tanker zombie, however...

    BANG!

    The Zombie Tanker didn''t resist, as it let the arrow collide into its head.

    It didn''t penetrate the Tanker zombie''s head; on the contrary, when it collided with its head, the arrow immediately shattered into countless pieces of bone.

    The zombie Tanker looked in the direction where the bone arrow was shot and saw a Skeleton monster holding a bow.

    It pulled out a piece of bone from its body and inserted it into the bow it was holding.

    The Zombie Tanker then did not pay attention to it anymore.

    Whoosh!

    Another whistling sound was heard.

    BANG!

    The bone arrow colliding with the Zombie Tanker didn''t even hurt it, it was like a mosquito trying to attack a block of metal.

    BANG!

    BANG!

    However, the Skeleton continued to attack, the arrows were like soap bubbles as they shattered as soon as they touched the Tanker zombie.

    Whoosh!

    Another arrow was fired, the Tanker zombie still didn''t notice it.

    However...

    When the arrow touched the Tanker zombie''s body, it immediately emitted a strange light.

    "Urlgug!" Noan''s voice rang out.

    If you look closely, the tip of the arrow has three rank E energy stones attached to it.

    The three stones collided with the Zombie Tanker''s body and immediately emitted a dazzling light. Countless magical characters rushed out from within the stones, covering its entire body in the blink of an eye.

    "The Demon King''s Army often uses this method to control the kings of the kingdoms they want to attack."

    Noan nodded slightly after hearing that, however, what Noan found hard to believe was... why did a monster from the fantasy world appear in the ''Apocalypse'' world?

    It must be known that even in ''Singularities'', the worlds are completely isolated, without any interference with any other worlds other than the appearance of the ''Lord''.

    So... why did a monster from the Fantasy world appear in the ''Apocalypse'' world?

    Noan was certain that he had never learned any knowledge about this type of monster.

    Besides... Its appearance doesn''t have anything to do with zombies.

    "What is its rank?" Noan asked, frowning.

    "Rank (D+)."

    Hearing Urlgug''s reply, Noan took a deep breath and asked softly, "It''s so weak, why is it rank (D+)?"

    "Master, you don''t seem to know much about this type of monster." Urlgug explained, "As I said earlier, it is an extremely terrifying weapon that the Demon King uses to control the Kings of the Kingdoms that the Demon King''s army wants to attack."

    "Master, don''t look down on it just because it looks weak. If it can get inside your body, it can take all of your memories and information."

    "It can even control you as if you were still alive without anyone being able to detect anything unusual, including parents or those close to the controlled person."

    Hearing this, Noan''s face showed even more worry and fear. It seemed... with that strange power, it was understandable that this monster had a rank of (D+).

    He glanced at the Zombie Tanker lying on the ground, then looked back at the ''Evil Eye'' monster.

    The demon eye also looked at him, in its single eye appeared fear and worry, as if begging him to forgive it.

    "Master, be careful." Urlgug suddenly spoke up: "This monster is very cunning, it can take advantage of our pity to trick us."

    Noan nodded: "Don''t worry, I definitely won''t be fooled by it."

    That''s right, this monster had forced him and everyone into a path of death anyway, if he hadn''t discovered something strange and had the ability to fight back, he and everyone would have died.

    Noan frowned and asked, "Is there any way we can control or tame this monster?"

    Urlgug listened and rubbed his chin, thought for a while, then shook his head: "Master, right now I have no way to help you."

    Noan was a little disappointed when he heard that. He had planned to use this monster to control some high-level zombies to harvest high-rank energy crystals.

    But maybe that''s impossible.

    "Alright, kill it. Get the energy crystal in the Tanker zombie''s head for me."

    "Yes, master." Urlgug heard Noan speak, immediately bowed his head, and respectfully replied.

    Noan carried Vylyss to a safe and clean place, sitting her with her back against the wall.

    Vylyss left Noan''s back, feeling a bit reluctant, as she just wanted to lie on his back forever.

    Seeing her sulky expression, he chuckled: "Hahaha... wait until you fully recover, you can lie down as much as you like."

    "Really?" Vylyss asked happily upon hearing that.

    "Of course!" Noah said as he caressed Vylyss''s face: "Does it hurt?"

    Vylyss quickly shook her head: "It doesn''t hurt. As long as master is safe, even if..."

    "Alright, let''s not talk about that anymore. We should think of a way to treat you first." Noan saw Vylyss''s wound and felt a little pain in his heart.

    He was about to say something when Urlgug''s voice suddenly rang out.

    "Master... you should see this."

 Chapter 31 Youth is indeed very good.

    Noan heard Urlgug''s voice ringing out and softly said to Vylyss: "You sit here quietly, understand?"

    Vylyss nodded slightly, feeling extremely warm inside.

    Seeing Vylyss so obedient, Noan breathed a sigh of relief, then hurriedly walked towards Urlgug.

    Urlgug had now cut the ''Evil Eye'' into many pieces; the parts that Urlgug had cut were neatly placed on the ground, with a clean cloth underneath.

    "Master..." Urlgug said as he held out his hand for Noan to see.

    In Urlgug''s hand were two stones of the same colour.

    However, one was normal, and the other had a bit of white in the middle, like a pearl surrounded by a crystal.

    "Congratulations master... You were lucky to obtain the ''Evolution Crystal''." Urlgug laughed loudly, his face showing joy.

    Noan felt confused and frowned, asking: "Urlgug, what is an evolution crystal?"

    Urlgug took a deep breath and began to explain: "Master, as I said earlier, the ''Demon Eye'' has the ability to hide inside the victim''s body and turn their body into its home."

    "In addition, it can absorb energy, power, and even energy crystals inside the victim''s body."

    "One of its most special features is that... if it absorbs enough energy, it can create an ''Evolution Crystal''."

    "This stone is the ''Evolution Crystal'', If it''s used by any monster with a rank lower than C rank, they can evolve a small level."

    Noan held the stone with the white spot in the middle in his hand, as he felt that this was too strange.

    He had never learnt or read any information about a stone with such terrible uses.

    It should be noted that the rank of a lord''s soldiers or heroes is fixed and cannot be increased.

    Of course, except for Noan''s SSS rank talent, which has surpassed the limits of human understanding, it is possible to easily increase the rank of heroes and soldiers.

    ''Perhaps this thing only exists in the fantasy world.'' Noan held the stone in his hand, thinking to himself.

    Suddenly, he remembered that Vylyss was still seriously injured. He looked at Urlgug and said softly, "Urlgug, thank you. But this time Vylyss is seriously injured; I have to save her first."

    Urlgug hurriedly knelt on one knee on the ground, bowed his head, and respectfully said: "Master, you have given me this life; you allowing me to exist is already a blessing to me; I have nothing more to ask for."

    Noan heard that and nodded slightly: "Uhm!"

    "Master, I have something I want to try; I hope master can allow it."

    Hearing Urlgug speak, Noan asked in confusion: "What do you want to try?"

    "Master, shamans like me have a somewhat evil magic that can turn the dead into tireless fighting machines." Urlgug explained.

    "I feel like this monster is a suitable material to use that kind of magic."

    "Good! You can try." Noah said and turned to leave.

    Urlgug bowed his head respectfully, then he walked to the side of the Tanker zombie''s corpse, his eyes turning extremely cold; it was completely different from when he was facing Noan.

    Noan of course, didn''t know what Urlgug would do, at this moment, he just wanted to quickly save Vylyss.

    He walked to her side, handed the ''Evolution Crystal'' to Vylyss, and said softly: "Vylyss, you should swallow this stone first; it can help you evolve."

    Noan noticed that her horns and wings seemed to be slightly larger.

    Especially the wings; before, her wings were black, but now they seem to have turned purplish-black.

    Vylyss slowly opened her eyes, revealing a pair of eyes that emitted a seductive yet strange pink light.

    ...

    Name: Vylyss

    Race: Royal Succubus.

    Rank: D+

    Level: 0

    Description: [Collapsed]

    ...

    Noan read the description, seeing nothing new except for an additional line describing her new ability.

    "Chains of Imprisonment"

    It was the type of skill she had used often, but now, with the addition of darkness and light elements, its power was also increased.

    However, what he noticed most was her wound; it had completely healed, leaving no trace behind.

    Noan looked closely and discovered that Vylyss''s skin seemed to have become a little smoother. Her skin was not the snow-white type but had a slight pink tint to it, making it extremely alluring.

    "Master..." Vylyss suddenly smiled greedily and seductively, walking to his side.

    Her fingers gently lifted his chin.

    Their faces were facing each other; she was so close that he could feel her breath on his face.

    Her breath carried a seductive scent; it was like the scent of lavender.

    Not too strong, but enough to make him feel intoxicated.

    "Master... Do you want to continue what happened earlier?" Vylyss smirked; she looked like a domineering CEO forcing a kiss on a small male secretary.

    Noah: "..."

    "Okay, you don''t have to...um...um..." Noan opened his eyes wide.

    Vylyss continued to kiss Noan; this time the kiss was even more intense than before.

    She licked his lips, bit them lightly, then used her long tongue to wrap tightly around his.

    "Master, I..." Urlgug was about to say something as he walked towards Noan when he saw this scene.

    Vylyss glanced at Urlgug, her eyes showing a hint of annoyance. She waved her hand, and a black curtain appeared, enveloping them inside.

    When Urlgug saw this scene, he did not know whether to leave or stay. In the end, he could only sigh, go to a place not far away, and sit and watch over them.

    "Ah! Youth is indeed very good."

 Chapter 32 Vylyss - Loving Succubus

    Noan saw darkness envelop the entire space around him, transforming the place into a blackened room.

    Vylyss pinned Noan to the ground, but strangely, the surface beneath him wasn''t as hard as he had expected. Instead, it was soft and yielding.

    "Don''t worry, Master." Vylyss held him firmly against the ground, one hand pressing both of his wrists above his head while the other gently stroked his face. "The first time will, of course, be comfortable for you."

    "The first time? Wait! You... um..."

    Before Noan could finish his sentence, Vylyss kissed him. He could distinctly feel her tongue, nearly three times the length of a normal one, entwining tightly with his own.

    A peculiar viscous liquid filled his mouth. Strangely, instead of feeling repulsed, it reminded him of honey, intoxicating and alluring.

    Vylyss''s eyes gleamed with two heart-shaped symbols, radiating a captivating pink glow.

    "Uck! Uck! Uck!" Noan felt the strange liquid flood his mouth, and instinctively, he swallowed it.

    The more he drank, the hotter his body became, as if it were igniting into flames.

    After a while, just as he was about to suffocate from the kiss and the mysterious liquid overwhelming his mouth, Vylyss finally released him.

    Noan gasped for air, the transparent, sticky liquid trickling from the corners of his lips.

    Vylyss extended her long tongue, sleek and snake-like, its pointed tip dripping with the same viscous substance.

    She smiled, licking the remnants from the corner of his mouth, and spoke softly, "Master, don''t worry. I''ve gained control over myself and won''t drain all of your life energy."

    Noan wanted to say something, but his mind began to blur, leaving only one thought: he wanted her.

    "Master... this time, you can''t escape." Vylyss''s greedy smile deepened as her long tongue trailed down his neck.

    Her hands moved to strip away his clothes, and soon, Noan''s thoughts faded into a haze.

    Afterward, he could remember nothing but sensationsˇŞecstatic, indescribable euphoria that made him feel as though he had ascended to another plane.

    Every time he opened his eyes, he saw Vylyss astride him like a rider atop a steed, and, of course, he was the steed.

    Her face radiated a manic exhilaration, her pink heart-shaped pupils glowing brilliantly.

    Her ample chest heaved violently with her movements, bouncing rhythmically.

    A strange heart-shaped magical sigil emitted a vivid pink glow just below her navel, five centimeters down.

    However, Noan''s thoughts had completely dissolved; he could only succumb to the thrill Vylyss had brought him.

    He had no idea how much time had passed or how much ''milk'' he had given her. He only remembered that his consciousness plunged into darkness after the first two times.

    "Um..." Noan slowly awakened, realizing he was still in the blackened space Vylyss had created. Yet, the place remained soft and comforting.

    Turning his head, he saw a ''Peerless Beauty'' in his arms.

    She wore not a single thread of clothing. Her flawless body lay bareˇŞa masterpiece of creation that made Noan instantly crave her again.

    Her skin was a delicate white-pink, impossibly inviting, and her full chest, topped with enticingly rosy nipples, exuded an irresistible allure.

    Her stunning face, with lips as red as temptation, seemed to beckon him to savor her more.

    Name: Vylyss

    Race: Loving Succubus (Mutation)

    Rank: D - Peak

    Level: 0

    Description: With enough sunlight, flowers will bloom. When a Succubus who worships both the ''Goddess of Lust'' and the ''Goddess of Purity'' is filled with love, she evolves.

    After evolving into a Loving Succubus, she can use light-element powers.

    Additionally, she can enhance her strength through the ''essence'' of the one she loves. Note that she is eternally loyal to the one she loves because of her devotion to the ''Goddess of Purity.''

    **Almighty Fusion:** To evolve Vylyss, three D-Peak materials are required. (To ensure successful evolution, use materials such as: Succubus; elemental spirit of light and darkness; a creature specializing in mental powers.)

    ---

    Looking at Vylyss''s updated information, Noan was taken aback. She had evolved a second time without relying on his inherent ability, *Almighty Fusion.*

    In ranks F and E, there were sublevels of F, F+, and E, E+.

    However, an additional tier called ''Peak'' existed for ranks D and C.

    Urlgug and Urlgan, both ranked D+, had appeared weak and insignificant when facing the Zombie Hunter at rank D - Peak.

    This illustrated the immense power of the ''Peak'' rank.

    After their intimacy, Vylyss had evolved again, reaching the rank of D - Peak, meaning her power had ascended to a terrifying level.

    Moreover, she was a ''Mutation Succubus,'' which meant she was stronger than other creatures of the same rank.

    Just how powerful she had become would need to be tested to confirm.

    Vylyss smiled at him and asked softly, "Master, do you want to go again? This time, you''ll be fully conscious."

    Noan glanced down at her large, pale chest, swallowing hard. In the end, he managed to suppress his desire.

    "All right, let''s wait until we return to the territory. Then we''ll have more privacy," Noan said with a shake.

    After all, this place was still a ''Singularity.'' Staying here any longer wouldn''t be a good idea.

    The curtain of darkness was lifted, and Vylyss, her face brimming with happiness, clung tightly to Noan''s arm.

    Urlgug, seeing the darkness dissipate, quickly approached Noan, kneeling on one knee with reverence. "Master."

    Noan cleared his throat awkwardly to compose himself and said softly, "Sorry, Urlgug, how long have I kept you waiting?"

    Hearing his master apologize, Urlgug was deeply shocked. He hadn''t expected a Lord to apologize to him.

    He hurriedly replied, "Master, please don''t say that. Serving you is my honor."

    "Master, you and... Lady Vylyss have been ''asleep'' for over a day."

    Noan: "..."

 Chapter 33 Can not level up?

    "One day?!" Noan was startled and turned to look at Vylyss.

    Vylyss didn''t feel embarrassed; on the contrary, she sighed, tilted her head, rested her hand on her face, and muttered, "Ah! Only one day? I should''ve extended it to two or three days instead."

    Although she was muttering, her voice wasn''t lowˇŞjust enough for him to hear every word she said.

    Noan didn''t know what to say, only feeling fortunate he had woken up early. If not, he didn''t know how long Vylyss would have kept him locked in that dark room.

    Taking a deep breath, Noan looked at the sun gradually setting in the distance. If Urlgug hadn''t told him how much time had passed, he would have thought he had only been in that dark room for a few hours.

    "Alright, let''s head back now," Noan sighed.

    "Master..." Urlgug suddenly spoke up. "You need to see this."

    Seeing the cheerful expression on Urlgug''s face, Noan felt strange. However, he didn''t rush and waited for Urlgug to reveal the next surprise.

    At that moment, a creature resembling a human walked toward them.

    It was the Zombie Tanker they had fought earlier. Although its body bore numerous injuries, overall, it was still intact.

    Recalling that moment, Noan felt relieved he had noticed something strange about the Zombie Tanker. Otherwise, he and the others would likely have been killed.

    Noan understood clearly... no matter how strong Zombies became, their intelligence remained limited. Otherwise, Zombies would have long since dominated the entire world.

    Despite being ranked D, the Zombie Tanker displayed intelligence that exceeded Noan''s understanding.

    Is a Zombie capable of using its strength to conceal its weaknessesˇŞwas there such a Zombie in this world?

    Definitely not.

    So... what had happened to that Zombie?

    There was only one possible answer: it was being controlled by an existence far stronger or far more intelligent than itself.

    Because of this, Noan decided against attacking directly and instead used energy crystals as a makeshift bomb.

    Energy crystals contained an immense amount of power. When detonated, their destructive force far surpassed that of ordinary explosives.

    Unusually, the energy would transform into a shockwave, penetrating even the thick skin of the Zombie Tanker and targeting its internal organs.

    Noan wasn''t sure if this method would work. After all, the opponent was a Zombie. Even if its internal organs were destroyed, it wouldn''t necessarily be affected.

    Still, Noan wanted to try because he was aiming for the Zombie Tanker''s brain.

    Exactly. The shockwave could disrupt the Zombie''s neural functions.

    Noan theorized that if the Zombie Tanker was being controlled by another entity, its brain would undoubtedly serve as the connection point.

    As long as the Zombie Tanker''s brain functions were destroyed, even if it didn''t die, it wouldn''t remain as intelligent as before.

    But... Noan was incredibly luckyˇŞhe had to admit that.

    He never thought the entity controlling the Zombie Tanker would be hiding inside its head.

    After being affected by the shockwave from the explosion of two rank E energy crystals, that creature seemed significantly weakened.

    "That''s also why Urlgug could imprison and kill it easily.

    Chains, countless chains, pierced through the spatial ripples around them, immediately penetrating the heads of every zombie present.

    Five hundred zombiesˇŞa massive number spread over a vast areaˇŞwere all killed within seconds.

    Even the energy crystals inside their heads were effortlessly extracted.

    Not far away, Vylyss clenched her fist, causing a ripple of space to appear before her. Moments later, numerous energy crystals fell to the ground.

    Noan''s eyes widened as he watched the scene, filled with disbelief.

    He knew Vylyss was a ''Mutation Succubus,'' her strength far surpassing that of typical rank D-Peak monsters. But he hadn''t expected her power to be this terrifying.

    The chains that previously emerged from her palms could now easily pierce through the surrounding space to launch surprise attacks on her enemies.

    Even more astonishingly, those chains could collect energy crystals for Noan.

    It didn''t stop there. Vylyss glanced down at the pile of rank F energy crystals coated in blood and streaked with bits of white brain-like zombie matter and frowned.

    With a wave of her hand, a soft white light radiated from her palm, cleansing all the energy crystals, making them incredibly clean and glistening like polished gems.

    Noan gaped, feeling like Vylyss had just been upgraded with a cheat code.

    Still, he understood that the stronger Vylyss became, the safer he was.

    Vylyss glanced at Noan. Seeing his expression, she chuckled softly, her smile as warm as a spring breeze, leaving Noan entranced.

    "Master... are you staring at me?"

    Hearing Vylyss''s question, Noan snapped out of his daze and nodded. "Indeed, you... you truly surprise me."

    "Hehehe..." Vylyss placed a finger, as delicate as a work of art, against her lips. Her eyes narrowed into crescent moons as her seductive voice echoed, "Master... you''d be even more surprised if you made love to me."

    Noan: "..."

    He felt that ever since he had been intimate with her, she had become increasingly bold and completely unreserved when it came to discussing such sensitive topics.

    Seeking to change the subject, Noan asked, "How many energy crystals have we harvested?"

    Vylyss pouted in mock displeasure, and her voice tinged with playfulness, "Master, about 70 rank F energy crystals."

    Noan nodded lightly at her words, inwardly sighing, ''As expected... the drop rate for rank F energy crystals is incredibly low, much lower than rank E or D.''

    But he quickly regained his composure. After all, gathering energy crystals would be much easier with Vylyss and the Zombie Tanker now by his side.

    Noan led the group to continue hunting. By the time the sun was about to set, he glanced at the pile of energy crystals stuffed into his backpack and nodded in satisfaction.

    Thanks to the combined power of Vylyss, Urlgug, and the Zombie Tanker, he had harvested over 1,000 rank F energy crystals, more than 50 rank E energy crystals, many rank E+ energy crystals, and even one rank D energy crystal today.

    He didn''t rush to level up. Instead, he led everyone back to the territory.

    After all, this area was still incredibly dangerous. Even with the addition of Vylyss and the Zombie Tanker, he still didn''t feel completely secure.

    Upon returning, Noan sat on his bed, opened the lord interface, and began the process of leveling up.

    "Use 1,000 energy crystals to upgrade to level 1." Noan commanded.

    Immediately, a notification popped up, causing him to frown.

    [Ding! Apologies, you cannot level up because the location of your chosen territory does not support this function.]

 Chapter 34 Noan, next time...

    Noan frowned, once again checking the energy crystals in his backpack. Upon confirming enough for him to level up, he glanced at the notification again.

    "The territory''s location does not support this feature... could it be..." Noan murmured, recalling a rumor he had once heard back when he was still in school.

    Of course, that memory belonged to the ''old Noan.''

    At that time, there was a rumor that the system was not created by the Empire''s scientists in collaboration with magic but by a certain God.

    That God wanted to raise humanity like caged animals; thus, they could only use the system within specific areas.

    If they left those areas, akin to leaving their cage, the system''s support would no longer be available to them.

    However, it was merely a rumor, quickly dismissed.

    After all, while this world was vast, humanity had footprints everywhere.

    Even when lords were sent to other worlds to train and fight, the system still supported them normally.

    But what about the ''Singularity Point''?

    Noan was the clearest example. Even though he had been sent to the ''Singularity Point,'' he could still use every system feature, including the trading function.

    However, he faced a major problem: he couldn''t level up.

    The reason was that the area where he had built his territory did not fall within the system''s level-up support range.

    Noan began to feel uneasy and immediately switched to the chat tag.

    But when he opened the chat tag, he didn''t see Lylia online. She hadn''t moved to the lord''s area yet, meaning she was still in the city.

    Noan left her a message so she could see it whenever she logged in.

    [Ding! The area you are in does not support this feature.]

    Noan frowned, sensing something strange was happening.

    "No way!" he muttered. "I was still able to use this feature last time. Why can''t I use it now?"

    Refusing to believe it, thinking the system might malfunction, he used another featureˇŞthe trade function.

    Previously, he could open the ''trade'' tag to browse in this location, but once again, Noan was met with despair.

    In front of him was the same red notification panel with its familiar message.

    [The area you are in does not support this feature.]

    "What the hell?" Noan scowled, trying other features, but all efforts were futile.

    "What the hell is going on?" He held his head, feeling a wave of despair. "Everything worked perfectly fine last time. Why is this happening now?"

    "Surprised?"

    "Who''s there?!" Noan was startled as an unexpected voice echoed in the room.

    He looked around, hoping to identify the owner of the voice.

    But the door was tightly shut, and light illuminated every corner of the room, leaving no shadows.

    From the wound, a fresh drop of blood trickled down, rolling along his neck before flowing downward.

    Noan took a deep breath and hurriedly answered, "I don''t ask for much, just someone beautiful and loyal to me."

    "Loyal?" Isabell said, her voice carrying a hint of coldness.

    "You misunderstood," Noan hurriedly explained. "By loyalty, I mean... someone who would never betray me."

    "Ah!" Isabell nodded slightly, then laughed gleefully. "Hahahaha... you''re such a fool. I was just teasing you a little."

    "Ack!" Noan was startled as Isabell suddenly pulled him backward, causing him to fall onto the bed.

    She grabbed his hands tightly, straddling his waist as she leaned down, looking at him.

    Because of her hood, he couldn''t see her entire face, only the lower half.

    However, even that was enough for him to sense her beautyˇŞwhich was no less dazzling than Vylyss''s.

    Her lips, painted in a deep purple hue, didn''t make her look unattractive. On the contrary, they gave her an eerie yet strangely seductive charm.

    The scent surrounding her grew even stronger, clouding his mind further.

    Isabell leaned down, extending her moist tongue to gently lick the spot on his neck where her nail had pierced him.

    She didn''t stop there. Her tongue trailed downward, following the path of the blood that had trickled earlier as if savoring its taste.

    When her tongue reached his collarbone, she softly kissed his chest, leaving behind a vivid purple lipstick mark, exuding an aura of ominous allure.

    "I''ll be back. Hopefully, by then, you''ll surprise me even more."

    "What?" Startled by her words, Noan tried to move, but a loud, heavy sound suddenly rang out.

    BAM!

    The door burst violently, and Vylyss stormed into the room, raising her hand.

    Clink! Clink!

    The scene from the afternoon replayed itself as countless chains shot out from the surrounding space, swiftly binding Isabell tightly.

    She didn''t resist. On the contrary, she smiled with exhilaration. "Remember my name... Isabell. We will meet again."

    Then, she transformed into a wisp of purple smoke and vanished as if she had never been there.

    Seeing this, Vylyss''s face turned pale. She couldn''t believe that despite her thorough patrols and even using magic to inspect the area, that wretched woman still managed to infiltrate this place.

    "Master, don''t worry, I will... Ack!" Vylyss started to say something but was suddenly grabbed by Noan, who threw her onto the bed.

    "Master, you..." Before Vylyss could grasp what was happening, Noan pressed his lips against hers.

    At this moment, Noan''s reason had been completely clouded by desire. He indulged in the sweetness of Vylyss, wanting to do far more with her.

    Of course, Vylyss didn''t resist and willingly cooperated with him.

    Soon, the sounds of passion echoed through the room.

    Outside, perched on a tree branch not far from Noan''s territory, Isabell sat with a mysterious smile. "What a shame, I didn''t have enough time to play with you."

    "Noan, next time, I''ll play with you much more... so much more... Hahaha..."

 Chapter 35 This is all I can do for you

    At the same time, in the city.

    In an exceptionally luxurious mansion.

    Lylia stood before a man, her face puzzled as she asked, "Father, are you serious?"

    The man nodded slightly. "Yes, the space has become chaotic. The Empire and the Federation Government are trying to conceal this, but sooner or later, it will be exposed."

    Lylia sighed deeply.

    Indeed, the man was none other than Lylia''s father, Simon.

    Lylia frowned and asked, "Then what should novice lords like me do in the near future?"

    Simon sighed and said, "Don''t worry. The Federation Government and the Empire anticipated this and have prepared another world for everyone."

    "However, the System can only operate in that world, and the other worlds will be disconnected from the System."

    Lylia, upon hearing this, suddenly realized something and hurriedly asked, "Father, does that mean all the lords transported to other worlds will be gathered in a new world together?"

    Simon stroked his chin and said softly, "Yes, but they will likely be divided into different zones."

    "I''m not entirely sure. We can only wait for the official announcement."

    Hearing this, Lylia was overjoyed, thinking of how Noan had been sent to the ''Singularity Point,'' her heart grew even happier.

    ''If that''s the case, there''s a high chance that he and I will end up in the same zone,'' Lylia thought to herself.

    "Lylia!"

    Suddenly, Simon''s voice rang out, startling her and pulling her thoughts back to reality.

    "Ah! Father, were you calling me?"

    "Yes." Simon frowned and said, "Lylia, although you are a rank-A Lord, the competition in the new world will become unimaginably fierce."

    "Heh?!" Lylia asked in confusion, "Why?"

    Simon sighed and explained, "In the new world, it seems that resource concentration points have not yet been established, and even if they exist, their numbers are quite limited."

    "If all the lords are gathered in the same world, I fear the competition and battles over resources will become even more catastrophic."

    "Moreover, the Empire and the Federation Government appear to have decided to allow the lords to eliminate one another."

    "What?!" Lylia was startled, her face filled with worry and fear as she looked at Simon. "Father, are you serious?"

    Simon nodded solemnly.

    It must be understood that Lords are humanity''s most precious resource. Even a rank-F Lord is protected by the Federation Government and the Empire, enjoying immense benefits.

    Seeing Lylia''s expression, Simon gave a bitter smile. "No need to thank me. Lylia, I just don''t want to see you in pain."

    "Ah! Because of my shortcomings, your grandfather made that decision."

    "If..."

    "Father, don''t worry." Lylia quickly interrupted him, "I believe that Grandfather will change his mind eventually."

    Hearing this, Simon nodded slightly and said, "Very well. I''ll contact the Federation Government to see what can be done. If it works, you might not get another chance."

    Lylia smiled and said, "Father, don''t worry. After all, I am a rank-A Lord. How could I die so easily?"

    Simon sighed in relief at her words. He knew exactly what it meant to be a rank-A Lord.

    Rank-S Lords were exceedingly rare, like phoenixes or dragons. Such Lords were given special training by the Federation Government or the Empire.

    If a rank-S Lord did not enter the battlefield, the battlefield would belong to rank-A Lords.

    And as for rank-SS Lords? There was no need even to mention them. If they appeared, the Federation Government and the Empire would undoubtedly treat them as treasures, preventing anyone from so much as touching them.

    Simon looked at Lylia, aware that his daughter was a rank-A Lord. Moreover, her natural talent was also ranked A.

    Two rank-As. With that, she would undoubtedly avoid being bullied and could even become the ruler of her own domain.

    Feeling more at ease, Simon said softly, "Alright, I understand. This will be the last time I can help you."

    "Hehehe... Father, thank you." Lylia smiled, her face mischievous and radiant, like a blooming sunflower.

    After speaking, Simon nodded and left. Once she was sure Simon was completely gone, Lylia took out her phone and sent a message in her secret group chat.

    ["How many monster summoning cards do you all have left?"]

    xxx: [Miss, I only have one card left.]

    ooo: [Me too, but its level is very low.]

    [As long as it''s a rank-D card or lower.]

    xxx: [Miss, I have a rank-D Succubus card. Do you want it?]

    Seeing this message, Lylia wanted to say yes, but then she imagined Noan surrounded by a group of Succubi, which made her angry.

    [No need! Regular monsters, preferably male or spirit, would be better.]

    aaa: [Miss, I have a Goblin summoning card. It''s only rank-E, but it can summon many of them.]

    [Good. Do you all have any more cards like that?]

    After a while, Lylia managed to gather five monster-summoning cards. She sighed inwardly, thinking: ''Noan, this is all I can do for you. The road ahead, you''ll have to walk on your own.''

 Chapter 36 Do you want me to kill him?

    After the encounter with Isabell, Noan and Vylyss were immersed in desire.

    However, the days that followed were not too perilous for him.

    Within five days, he had collected a substantial number of energy crystals. However... despite his abundant resources, he could still not level up. Furthermore, he couldn''t stockpile other types of resources.

    In the safe zones designated for novice Lords, there were resource storage centers where Lords could collect wood, stone, and iron materials.

    But ''The Singularity'' was different. This place was no different from a land of death, filled only with monsters and energy crystals.

    Noan also couldn''t communicate with the outside world through the System.

    It could be said that he was now stranded on a deserted island teeming with monsters.

    Ultimately, Noan accepted this reality and focused on gathering as many energy crystals as possible.

    If he ever had the chance to return to the city, he could use these energy crystals to exchange for some resources, especially monster cards.

    Of course, in the past five days, hunting had been relatively easy.

    Urlgug commanded the Zombie Tanker to sweep through everywhere. Vylyss had reached Rank D-Peak, so they encountered almost no danger.

    Even when facing a Zombie Hunter, Vylyss alone could easily eliminate it without needing the assistance of Urlgug and the Zombie Tanker.

    Meanwhile, during these five days, Noan also searched for traces of Urlgan.

    However, all his efforts led to dead endsˇŞuntil today.

    On the morning of the sixth day, Noan woke up to find Vylyss curled up in his embrace like a lazy cat.

    He gently patted her back, letting her sleep a little longer before making his way to the lowest level of the shelter.

    Over the past five days, he had hardly encountered any danger.

    At this moment, he realized that as long as he possessed sufficient power, he could live peacefully even within ''The Singularity.''

    Hunting in the morning, ''battling'' with Vylyss at night. With the arrival of a new day, all he needed to do was fuse his soldiers, and his strength would naturally grow.

    Lately, when venturing out for hunts, he no longer brought along the Skeletons, leaving them behind in his territory to patrol instead.

    With no Skeletons perishing, he had the necessary number of soldiers required for fusion.

    Seeing that the number of Skeletons was sufficient, Noan decided to fuse them all.

    [Ding! Congratulations! Fusion successful. You have obtained a mutated SkeletonˇŞSkeleton Hunter, Rank D.]

    [Ding! Congratulations! Fusion successful. You have obtained a mutated SkeletonˇŞSkeleton Swordmaster, Rank D+.]

    Noan''s eyes widened in surprise upon seeing the two Skeletons standing before him, accompanied by the notification panels that had just appeared. Then, an overwhelming sense of joy surged through him, making him want to shout out in excitement.

    Right before him stood two Skeletons.

    One wielded a finely crafted longbow with a sturdy frame. It was equipped with light armor, and two blue flames burned intensely within its eye sockets.

    Although he could amass an enormous number of energy crystals here, they were no different from useless stones if he couldn''t use them.

    As the elevator reached the top floor, Urlgug suddenly approached him excitedly. Then, kneeling on one knee, he lowered his head and spoke.

    "My esteemed master, I bring great news for you."

    Hearing the slight tremble of excitement in Urlgug''s voice, Noan was puzzled. "What is it?"

    "Master... Urlgan has returned."

    ...

    Noan frowned as he looked at Urlgan lying motionless on the ground, appearing as if he were merely asleep. A sense of confusion welled up inside him.

    Turning his head, he saw that his territory was only about 200 meters away from this spot. Then, he looked back at Urlgug and softly asked, "You said you were on patrol when you found him lying here like this?"

    Urlgug immediately bowed his head. "Yes, Master. I checked thoroughly and found no traces of mind-control magic or any kind of curse spell."

    Hearing how meticulous Urlgug had been, Noan nodded slightly. "Then... why hasn''t he woken up yet?"

    Urlgug scratched his head, puzzled. "That... I don''t know either. Maybe he''s still exhausted, or... he''s just asleep."

    Noan glanced at Urlgug before shifting his gaze back to Urlgan.

    Just as he was about to examine Urlgan''s body, the latter suddenly furrowed his brows and slowly opened his eyes.

    Seeing this, Noan narrowed his eyes and signaled the others to be on guard.

    In truth, Noan wasn''t afraid that Urlgan would betray himˇŞafter all, his innate ability, Almighty Fusion, had clearly stated that any monster he fused would never turn against him.

    However, it was always better to be cautious.

    Urlgan''s eyes widened upon seeing his master. He quickly looked around, his face filled with disbelief.

    Noan, equally perplexed, asked slowly, "Urlgan?"

    Upon hearing Noan''s voice, Urlgan seemed to want to say something. But suddenly, strange runic symbols radiating a purple glow erupted all over his body, encasing him entirely.

    "Master! Be careful!" Urlgug shouted anxiously, raising his staff, ready to cast a spell. However, Urlgan was far faster.

    Urlgan sprang to his feet and swung his massive fist toward Noan.

    Yet Noan remained unfazed. He stood motionless, watching as Urlgan''s powerful punch hurtled toward his face.

    Clang! Clang!

    Just as the fist was about to reach himˇŞbarely 10 centimeters awayˇŞit stopped abruptly.

    "Master..." Urlgug''s voice trembled as he realized that Urlgan''s body was now tightly restrained by countless chains binding him to the spot.

    At that moment, a stunning figure appeared, hovering behind Noan. Two bat-like wings unfurled, enveloping him protectively.

    Vylyss wrapped her arms around Noan''s neck from behind and whispered softly, "Master, do you want me to kill him?"

 Chapter 37 Two territories??!!

    Noan frowned and said, "No need, just hold him tight."

    Vylyss flashed a seductive smile, her fingers gently caressing Noan''s face. "Yes, my master."

    Noan shivered. He felt as if Vylyss was always trying to enchant him.

    Ever since that dayˇŞor more precisely, ever since she evolvedˇŞshe had become even more alluring than before.

    Of course, the one who had to endure Vylyss''s seduction and temptation was none other than him.

    Vylyss certainly didn''t drain Noan of his strength, but he was so immersed in her sweetness and softness that he nearly forgot he was inside the ''Singularity.''

    Urlgan was tightly bound by chains, his body trembling, yet the magical symbols surrounding him gradually faded before completely disappearing.

    Once again, Urlgan collapsed onto the ground, utterly unconscious.

    However, this time, something was even stranger.

    The magical symbols from before had completely fused into Urlgan''s body. Originally the signature green of the Orc race, his skin was now shifting to a deep purple hue.

    Moments later, Urlgan''s skin had fully transformed into a dark purple shade. In the center of his forehead, a peculiar, diamond-shaped markˇŞabout the size of a beanˇŞhad appeared.

    [Ding! Congratulations, High Orc Warrior - Urlgan has successfully evolved.]

    ...

    Name: Urlgan

    Rank: D-Peak

    Race: High Orc Warrior

    Description: Urlgan''s outer skin has become tougher than metal, making it extremely difficult to penetrate.

    ...

    A brief description, yet the fact that Urlgan had evolved to rank D-Peak did not bring him any joy.

    Even though he could clearly feel his strength had increased significantly, an unsettling sense of anxiety crept over him.

    Vylyss evolved thanks to the ''Evolution Crystal,'' whereas Urlgan had undergone evolution through some mysterious method that even Noan had no knowledge of.

    That alone signified just how dangerous that woman wasˇŞso dangerous that she could kill him at any moment.

    The only reason she had allowed him to live was likely because she found him interesting.

    The mere thought of a woman capable of evolving monsters staring at him so intently sent chills down his spine.

    "Huh?!" Noan jolted awake as the notification appeared before him.

    Immediately, his mind became sharp again, and his eyes locked onto the message.

    Although it was not a notification about returning to the city, being transported to a new area still meant he might be able to escape the Singularity.

    However...

    He frowned at the notification, his gaze fixating on the phrase, "Do you wish to retain your territory here?"

    "System, can I keep my territory in this place?"

    [Ding! Because someone is using a special item, you can now establish a new territory in a different area. As a result, you will have two territories.

    You may choose to maintain both territories simultaneously or abandon one, keeping only a single territory.]

    Seeing the System''s explanation, Noan frowned deeply. This was extremely unusual and the first time he had encountered such a situation.

    He stroked his chin and continued asking, "What about my soldiers and heroes? Can I bring them to the new territory?"

    [Ding! You can transfer soldiers and heroes between the two territories. However, you must pay some energy crystals to use this function.

    Of course, you may also choose to travel between the two territories, though doing so will require a set amount of resources.]

    Noan felt a surge of joy upon hearing this, yet he couldn''t understand why this was happening to him.

    ''Could it be because my territory is inside the Singularity? Is that why the System allows me to use this special function?''

    Frowning, he continued to ask, "System, why do I have this privilege?"

    [Ding! Because someone has used a special item that allows you to establish a new territory in another location.]

    Upon hearing this, Noan rummaged through his memories and suddenly recalled that such an item did exist.

    It was an extremely rare item, exclusively reserved for Lords ranked A and above.

    After all, Lords ranked A or higher possessed terrifying power and were considered invaluable assets to nations, governments, and empires.

    For that reason, they were granted one chance to start over to ensure that these Lords wouldn''t be completely ruined if they lost their territory.

    However, they only had that one chance. If their second territory was also destroyed, they would permanently lose their status as a Lord.

    Naturally, such an item was exorbitantly expensive, and only the Federal Government or major Empires had the authority to distribute it.

    So then... here came the real question.

    Who was the one who had used such a priceless item to help him?

 Chapter 38 Angel Zombie

    Noan tried to search through his memories, but he couldn''t think of anyone who was both capable and close enough to him to use such a valuable item on his behalf.

    ''Could it be Lylia?''

    However, the moment that thought surfaced, he immediately dismissed it.

    Why?

    Because there was no way he and Lylia were that close. He knew she had approached him simply because she found him interesting.

    And, of course, Noan was certain that there was no emotional bond or deep relationship between them that would make Lylia willing to give up a once-in-a-lifetime chance to become a Lord for his sake.

    For that reason, he eliminated Lylia from his list of suspects.

    ''Then... could it be that the Federal Government or the Empire has discovered my SSS-rank talent, and they''re giving me this opportunity to establish a new territory?''

    Noan found this theory much more plausible. After all, the Federal Government and the Empire controlled the System and had access to the entire database of Lords. It wouldn''t be strange if they knew about his talent.

    He let out a sigh, feeling a hint of unease. He had thought he could keep this secret hidden until he was strong enough to defend himselfˇŞuntil the day when, even if his talent was exposed, he wouldn''t have to fear anyone.

    But now, things were different. He was just a level 0 Lord, completely powerless if he were to be targeted.

    However, after a moment, Noan exhaled and decided not to dwell on it.

    If the Federal Government or the Empire truly wanted to harm him, they would have already forced him to return.

    Perhaps... they were merely observing him, assessing whether he was worthy of being nurtured and supported.

    The more he thought about it, the more convinced he became that his speculation was correct.

    [Ding! Do you wish to move to the new area right now?]

    "Can I get some information about the new area first?" Noan asked.

    After all, he wanted to understand the situation in that place fully. If it turned out to be another ''Singularity,'' he would have no choice but to cry.

    [Ding! The new area is a designated New Lord Survival Zone established by the Federal Government and various Empires.

    Under the new Survival Project, Lords must reside in this area and struggle to survive. Any conflicts or Lord fatalities will not be interfered with by external forces.

    Lords must endure in the new area for a set period. Once the time limit is reached, a ranking system based on accumulated points will be applied.

    The higher the ranking, the greater the rewards.]

    "What are the rewards?" Noan asked.

    [Ding! This information is currently classified and cannot be disclosed.]

    Noan frowned and changed his question. "Then when does it start?"

    [Ding! The event will officially begin in seven days. However, many have already entered the new area to familiarize themselves with the environment.]

    "Seven days? Wait a moment! What about the New Lord Competition?"

    [Ding! Time in the Singularity does not align with real-world time. Based on real-world time, you have only been away from the City for one day.]

    Noan also asked Urlgug how many monsters he could control.

    As expected, the answer was just one.

    Urlgug must cancel the magic controlling the Zombie Tanker if he wanted to control another monster.

    Of course, the monsters he could control had to be ranked lower than himself.

    Leading his army, Noan ventured into a more distant area. This time, he wanted to take a risk.

    Following a vast highway, he moved further and further away from the city.

    Along the way, he saw countless abandoned cars scattered everywhere.

    Some had crashed into each other, others had veered off the road, some were flipped overˇŞand, of course, there was no sign of any living survivors.

    The highway cut through a mountain, and since it had not been maintained for a long time, vegetation from both sides had crept in, making the road look even more eerie.

    "Master..." Vylyss suddenly appeared beside him, speaking softly. "There''s a group of zombies up ahead, but... they''re quite strange."

    "Hm?!" Noan asked in confusion. "What''s strange about them?"

    Vylyss shrugged. "I don''t know how to explain it. Perhaps you should take a look yourself."

    Hearing this, Noan nodded. If Vylyss had said that, it meant that the zombies ahead posed no immediate danger to him.

    Leading his group forward for about five miles, he finally spotted the zombies in the distance.

    Still cautious, Noan had everyone take cover behind abandoned cars or large trees to observe.

    Just as Vylyss had said, the zombies in front of them were indeed strange.

    There were about 100 of them, but unlike regular zombies that wandered aimlessly, these ones were kneeling on the ground.

    If not for the strange sounds they were making, Noan would have thought that the zombies were already dead.

    The group of zombies knelt in a large circle on the highway. Though the road wasn''t particularly wide, a hundred zombies were enough to block the path completely.

    At the center of the zombie circle, a small figure sat with her arms wrapped around her knees, her head lowered so deeply that Noan couldn''t see her eyes.

    However, he could tell she was a girl, likely around 18 to 20 years old, wearing a tattered blue dress stained with blood.

    The dress was torn so that large parts of her body were exposed. Of course, Noan wasn''t perverted enough to be interested in a zombie''s body.

    But what caught his attention was the strange golden glow emanating from the areas of her decayed flesh, where the rotting tissue had peeled away to reveal bone.

    It was like a flame was burning inside the zombie girl''s body.

    Noan frowned, rummaging through his memories in search of information about such a zombie, but it was futile.

    This was the first time he had encountered a zombie whose body emitted light from within.

    Suddenly, a long-forgotten legend that had circulated among Lords on the internet resurfaced in his mind.

    The legend of the Angel Zombie.

 Chapter 39 Angel Zombie (2)

    He had once heard of a peculiar type of zombie known as the Angel Zombie.

    Taking the form of a young girl, it was not overwhelmingly powerful, yet it was incredibly difficult to defeat.

    The moment someone approached, the Angel Zombie would unleash a sonic attackˇŞone that could even induce hallucinations, making it a nightmare for Lords to deal with.

    However, this was merely a legend he had come across back at the academy.

    There were plenty of such rumorsˇŞvarious bizarre types of zombies as if they were nothing more than urban myths created by people''s imaginations.

    But now, Noan felt as if he had truly encountered an Angel Zombie.

    He asked Vylyss in a low voice, "Is the opponent strong?"

    Vylyss shook her head. "No, but... the energy inside that thing is strange. It fluctuates wildly as if it could explode at any moment."

    Hearing this, Noan found it odd.

    Zombies shouldn''t have much energy within their bodiesˇŞor rather, to be precise, they should have none at all.

    Yet now, Vylyss told him that the zombie sitting there had energy. That was both confusing and concerning.

    He wasn''t reckless enough to make rash decisions that could endanger himself.

    Noan turned to Urlgug and said quietly, "Urlgug, it''s time for you to put on a show."

    ...

    At that moment, a zombie with a humanoid form but an outer layer resembling hardened metal slowly advanced toward the kneeling zombie.

    Yes, it was the Zombie Tanker.

    Suddenly, the kneeling zombies all turned their heads toward it, their mouths stretching open as they let out eerie soundsˇŞgarbled and guttural from their decayed throats.

    Zombie Tanker abruptly accelerated.

    BAM!

    The already deteriorated road cracked under its sheer weight with a single step.

    Then, with explosive force, Zombie Tanker charged forward, throwing a devastating punch that instantly obliterated a zombie''s head.

    Grao! Grao! Grao!

    The remaining zombies shrieked and lunged at Zombie Tanker.

    However, its outer shell was as tough as metal. They couldn''t harm it no matter how ferociously the surrounding zombies attacked.

    And besides...

    Tanker was a zombie. Even if it got bitten, it wouldn''t make a difference.

    BAM!

    BAM!

    A continuous series of explosions echoed through the airˇŞthe sound of Tanker''s fists colliding with the skulls of the surrounding zombies.

    Zombie Tanker was like a wolf let loose in a chicken coop; the zombies around it were nothing more than helpless prey.

    These were ordinary zombies. None of them evolvedˇŞexcept for the one sitting motionless in the center. Because of that, nothing could stop Tanker''s rampage.

    What was strange, however, was that even after Tanker had wiped out nearly half of the zombies, the girl sitting on the ground still didn''t move. She remained completely still as if she were already dead.

    Even without Urlgug finishing his sentence, Noan already understood.

    ''It seems... there''s something truly mysterious about the Angel Zombie.''

    Noan furrowed his brows, contemplating his next move. He wasn''t terrifiedˇŞbut he was weighing his options.

    Should he try to capture the Angel Zombie... or eliminate it?

    In the end, Noan let out a deep sigh and made his decision.

    "Vylyss..."

    "Yes, my master." Even before Noan could finish his sentence, Vylyss already knew what he wanted.

    In the next instant, she extended her hand forwardˇŞthen clenched her fist tightly.

    Clang! Clang!

    Countless chains tore through the very fabric of space, shooting straight toward the Angel Zombie.

    It raised its head, but before it could release another sound, the chains had already wrapped tightly around its bodyˇŞbinding it completely.

    And then...

    Crack!

    Crack!

    The chains pulled violently, tearing apart the already heavily decayed body of the Angel Zombie in an instant.

    Its limbs and head were ripped away while its torso collapsed onto the ground.

    The Angel Zombie was deadˇŞjust like that.

    After all, Vylyss was a mutated Succubus, and at rank D-Peak, exterminating a zombie was a trivial task.

    In the world of zombies, the power of a Fantasy World being was still vastly superior.

    Noan didn''t rush toward the Angel Zombie''s corpse. Instead, he crouched down, watching it for a long while.

    Vylyss also used her magic to sense any hidden dangers.

    Noan patiently waited over thirty minutes before finally allowing Urlgan to approach and inspect the remains.

    After confirming there was no further threat, Noan and the others moved in.

    He walked around, checking the severed limbs and head, but found nothing unusual. Then, he turned his attention to the torso.

    Vylyss summoned her chains once more, tearing the torso apartˇŞrevealing something that Noan never imagined he would find in this world.

    A machine.

    NoˇŞmore precisely, it was an energy combustion chamber.

    A glass tube filled with a strange, unknown liquid was at its center. Inside that liquid floated a peculiar, green-glowing stone.

    "This is..." Noan frowned, turning to look at Urlgug.

    Urlgug, sensing his gaze, merely shrugged, indicating that he had no idea either.

    Noan lowered his head, staring intently at the machine nestled within the Angel Zombie''s chest, his expression filled with an unsettling mix of confusion and unease.

    ''Could it be... that the zombies in this world were created by humans?''

 Chapter 40 I will definitely make you mine

    Noan had countless questions swirling in his mind, but he had no idea what the answers wereˇŞnor did he know where to find them.

    With a sigh, he instructed Urlgan to bring the mysterious machine back to the territory for further study later.

    He didn''t stop there. Instead, he continued to venture farther. However, contrary to his expectations, he only encountered a few zombies along the way.

    Night fell quickly. Noan had no intention of returning to his territory and decided to stay outside.

    As the night deepened, the temperature plummeted to an unbelievable degree. Worse still, there was no moon tonight. Darkness stretched endlessly like a black veil, consuming every trace of light.

    Noan shivered slightly. He hadn''t expected such an extreme temperature difference between day and night.

    During the day, the temperature was likely around 30ˇăC, but by nightfall, it had dropped drasticallyˇŞperhaps below 10ˇăC. The biting wind made the cold even more unbearable.

    Even his breath turned into visible wisps of white smoke.

    Seated beside the campfire, Noan tried to warm himself. Though his body had been enhanced by the Almighty Fusion talent, even that wasn''t enough to completely resist this bone-chilling cold.

    Whoosh!

    Suddenly, Vylyss sat beside him, spreading her wings and wrapping them around him like a protective barrier against the wind.

    She smiled softly, resting her head on his shoulder. Her arms wrapped around his, pulling it into the warmth between her soft, ample curves.

    A wave of warmth spread through Noan''s body as if he were being shielded from all the harshness of the outside world by Vylyss''s embrace.

    "Do you feel warmer now, Master?"

    Noan nodded. "Mhm! If you spoil me like this, I''ll become useless."

    "Really?" Vylyss chuckled, her laughter like a dark rose swaying in the wind. "Then I''ll have to become stronger to protect you."

    "Master, no matter how useless you become, I will always be able to protect you."

    As she spoke, her delicate fingers traced lazy circles on his thigh.

    Noan said nothing more. He simply pulled her into his arms.

    Seeing this, Urlgug and Urlgan silently walked away, giving them their space.

    After all, both of them were High Orcs. The cold barely affected them.

    It was only because Noan was hereˇŞand because he couldn''t endure such frigid temperaturesˇŞthat Urlgug had even bothered to light a campfire.

    In the heart of the darkness, beside the flickering flames, Noan and Vylyss shared a moment of warmth and sweetness.

    ...

    Morning arrived, and when Noan opened his eyes, he was met with a pitch-black veil surrounding him.

    Vylyss was already awake, lying beside him. He had no idea how long she had been watching him.

    She propped her head up with both hands, her gaze fixed on him as if she had admired him for a long time.

    Noan sighed. "You don''t have to stare at me like that. I''m not going to disappear."

    Vylyss smiledˇŞsoftly, tenderly, as if she were gazing upon the most precious treasure in the world.

    "Master, I want your face to be forever engraved in my memory."

    But for now, he was still too weakˇŞtoo vulnerable. He wasn''t willing to take such a risk.

    "Alright, let''s head back," Noan said decisively, and the others followed his lead without hesitation.

    After all, both Vylyss and Urlgug shared Noan''s thoughts.

    If something truly terrifying lurked in this place, staying longer would only put them in unnecessary danger.

    Returning was the wisest choice.

    Leading the way, Noan retraced his path back toward his territory.

    And, of course, throughout the entire journey, Urlgan continued carrying the Angel Zombie''s mechanical core on his back.

    ...

    At the Teleportation Hall, the place resembled an airportˇŞonly far larger and far more advanced.

    Lylia walked through the vast hall, her eyes scanning the surroundings as if searching for something.

    "Strange..." she muttered to herself. "Where exactly is Noan?"

    She had already checked all the places he used to stay, yet she still couldn''t find him.

    Today was the day everyone would be transported to the new areaˇŞthere was no way he wouldn''t show up.

    Taking out her phone, she checked her messages.

    All the ones she had sent to Noan still hadn''t gone through.

    She sighed, frustration creeping into her heart. "Noan, where on earth are you? I sacrificed my second chance to become a Lord for you, yet you haven''t even thanked me."

    Lylia pouted, her face filled with irritation.

    "Lylia!"

    A voice suddenly called out.

    Lylia turned her head excitedly, only for her expression to immediately sour. Her face darkened in an instant, her mood shifting 180 degrees.

    Jankos, seeing Lylia''s initial smile when she turned around, felt even more confident.

    ''See? She must like me. Otherwise, why would she look so happy when she heard me call her name?''

    ''Tsk, how quickly she changed her expression. Women truly are complicated creatures. She''s probably just being shy.''

    He walked up to her, grinning. "You were waiting for me, weren''t you?"

    "Come on, let''s head to the new area together. Don''t worryˇŞI''ll protect you."

    Lylia frowned, her voice carrying unmistakable annoyance. "Jankos, do you understand what I''ve been telling you?"

    "I don''t like you. I will never like you. Please, stop following me. You''re seriously getting on my nerves."

    With that, she didn''t wait for his response and turned to leave.

    Jankos didn''t get angry.

    Instead, he licked his lips, his face filled with twisted amusement.

    "Lylia... you''re getting more and more interesting, I will definitely make you mine."

 Chapter 41 New area

    "Achoo!"

    Noan suddenly sneezed, feeling a bit puzzled. He wondered, "Did I catch a cold from the freezing night?"

    However, he quickly shook his head, dismissing the thought.

    It had only taken him a day to return to his territory, which was always warm. Besides, his strength was now three times that of an ordinary humanˇŞthere was no way he could catch a cold so easily.

    He assigned Urlgan, Urlgug, Skeleton Hunter, and Skeleton Swordsman to guard the surroundings.

    More importantly, Urlgan placed the Angel Zombie''s mechanical core about 100 meters outside the territory, covering it with dried branches to keep it concealed.

    Urlgug was tasked with monitoring the device. After all, Noan had no idea what kind of danger it might pose, so he wasn''t about to bring it inside the territory.

    In his private chamber, Noan lay on Vylyss''s lap, reviewing his accumulated resources.

    Once he finished checking, he frowned, contemplating who he should take with him to the New Area.

    "System." Noan asked, "What will happen to my territory here once I move to the new area?"

    [Ding! This territory will enter a concealment state. However, if a high-ranking Lord approaches, they can still detect its existence.]

    Hearing this, Noan furrowed his brows, feeling a bit uneasy.

    But he quickly made up his mind. "Then... if I want to bring all my soldiers and heroes to the new area, how many energy crystals will I need to pay?"

    [Ding! Based on your current number of soldiers and heroes, you must pay 40 F-rank energy crystals daily to maintain their presence in the new area.]

    Noan took a sharp breath, deepening his frown.

    "Forty F-rank crystals per day... it''s not much now, but over time, it''ll add up to a massive number."

    After thinking for a while, he still brought everyone with him.

    He had plenty of energy crystals at the moment, and there was no point in leaving anyone behind.

    Why didn''t he leave a few soldiers or heroes to guard his current territory?

    Because Noan knew it would be useless.

    If another Lord discovered this place, it would mean that their rank was far above his own.

    Leaving soldiers or even Vylyss behind wouldn''t make any differenceˇŞthey couldn''t stop someone like Isabell, who could enter and leave his territory as if it were an abandoned house.

    Noan sat up straight and gave out some final instructions to his subordinates.

    Then, he decided to prepay 400 F-rank energy crystals to ensure his entire army''s survival in the new area.

    Luckily, there were no restrictions on how he could make the payments. He could even use higher-rank energy crystals to substitute for F-rank ones.

    [Ding! Payment successful. Would you like to teleport to the New Area now?]

    "Accept!"

    [Ding! Teleportation is in progress. Please wait a moment...]

    ...

    Noan opened his eyes again, finding himself inside an old wooden house. Though aged, the structure was still sturdy enough to provide shelter from rain and wind.

    Standing up, he took a moment to scan his surroundings before exploring the house further.

    Despite its worn appearance, the house had a bedroom, another small room, and a kitchen.

    Stepping outside, he saw a fenced garden encircling the house. The wooden fence, made of tightly packed logs, stood over two meters tall.

    Estimating the space, Noan figured the house was roughly 50 square meters.

    For him alone, it was a decent size. However, if he had to share the space with his soldiers and heroes, things would get cramped rather quickly.

    Returning to the bedroom, he noticed a System Notification hovering before him.

    ...

    But now, he realized that it wasn''t a punishment at all.

    It was a cheat code!

    Two territories meant two lives.

    Two summoning cycles meant twice the growth.

    Of course, there were probably more hidden benefits, but Noan wasn''t rushing to figure them all out just yet.

    With his SSS-rank talent and the "cheat" of dual territories, he was absolutely certain that he could surpass every other Lord.

    "System, where is the Summoning Pool located?"

    [Ding! There is no summoning pool in this place. When the Lord uses the summoning function, a Void Gate will open, and soldiers and heroes will emerge from it.

    Additionally, the Core of this territory is the Lord himself. If the Lord dies, the territory will become ownerless.

    However, if the territory is destroyed by another Lord, the original Lord will lose the ability to summon, and soldiers and heroes will lose their ''Absolute Loyalty'' trait, making them capable of betraying their Lord.]

    Noan read the system''s explanation and quickly grasped the rules of this new area.

    "Aside from monsters, the other Lords are also a terrifying threat," Noan thought to himself. "If I let my guard down, the ones who kill me won''t be monstersˇŞit''ll be the other Lords."

    However, he wasn''t too concerned. He would never be in danger if he had enough strength.

    Besides, this place was only filled with F-rank Lords, with the highest being E-rank. There were no overwhelmingly powerful Lords here.

    With his talent, Noan didn''t believe he could be killed so easily.

    "System, I choose to use all of my summoning attempts."

    [Ding! Summoning in progress.]

    At that moment, a magic circle appeared on the ground, radiating an eerie gray light.

    Then, a horde of Skeletons began crawling out from the magic circle as if emerging from a gateway.

    Moments later, his small room was filled with forty Skeletons, all kneeling on the ground.

    Noan was baffled.

    He clearly remembered that he could only summon ten Skeletons per summoning session.

    If he counted both summoning attempts, he should have only been able to summon a maximum of 20 Skeletons.

    So why did 40 Skeletons appearˇŞso many that they had to spill into other rooms?

    [Ding! Congratulations! You have activated the special ability of ''Apocalypse Bunker''ˇŞa 10% chance to double the number of summoned soldiers.]

    Seeing the notification, Noan immediately understood what had happened.

    "This means... the special effect of my territory in the Singularity is still in effect even while I''m here."

    At this moment, Noan felt that being sent to the Singularity had been an incredible blessing rather than a punishment.

    He activated his ''Almighty Fusion'' talent without hesitation, fusing all the Skeletons together.

    Even though he currently had 40 Skeletons, he could only use 39 for fusion.

    All 39 Skeletons merged together, creating 13 Skeletons at F+ rank.

    "Continue the fusion," Noan commanded.

    The 12 F+ rank Skeletons fused again, forming 4 E-rank Skeletons.

    As a result, Noan could feel a surge of power coursing through his body.

    His physical strength was now nearly four times that of a regular human.

    "Keep going!"

    [Ding! Congratulations! You have obtained a mutated SkeletonˇŞSkeleton Shielder - Rank D.]

 Chapter 42 Black Spy

    After fusing three E-rank Skeletons, Noan completely skipped the E+ rank and directly advanced to D-rank, which filled him with joy.

    He could feel the power in his body increasing. Although the boost wasn''t significant, it was still more than enough for now.

    Opening the status panel of the Skeleton Shielder, Noan began to examine its details.

    ...

    Name: Skeleton Shielder (Mutated)

    Race: Skeleton

    Rank: D

    Description: Possesses extreme defensive capabilities and high regeneration speed. As long as it has sufficient energy crystals, the Skeleton Shielder can continuously regenerate indefinitely.

    ...

    Seeing the information, Noan couldn''t help but smile.

    "Now I have a balanced team: Urlgug as the Shaman, Vylyss as the Mage, Skeleton Swordsman as the Warrior, Skeleton Hunter as the Archer, Skeleton Shielder as the Tank, and Urlgan as the Berserker."

    "And more importantly... it seems that the chance of summoning mutated monsters from E-rank and above is exceptionally high when I use Almighty Fusion."

    He recalled how Skeleton Hunter and Skeleton Swordsman were mutated variants, possessing superior stats to ordinary Skeletons.

    Now, with the Skeleton Shielder, his squad was growing even stronger.

    Looking around the room, Noan noticed that a few Skeletons remained unfused due to the lack of a sufficient number for the next fusion process.

    [Ding! Would you like to convert the remaining soldiers into ''food'' for your other soldiers?]

    "Heh?!" Noan frowned as he saw the notification appear.

    He stroked his chin, pondering for a moment before ultimately deciding not to use this function.

    This conversion ability was mainly for Lords who lacked energy crystals and needed to recycle weaker units to strengthen their stronger ones.

    However, Noan wasn''t short on energy crystals. He had plenty.

    He decided to keep his remaining 1 F-rank Skeleton, 1 F+ Skeleton, and 1 E-rank Skeleton for future fusion.

    Of course, Noan assigned the remaining Skeletons to guard his territory.

    As for the Skeleton Shielder, he didn''t want anyone else to know about its existence.

    After all, he was merely an F-rank Lord, meaning he should only be able to summon F-rank soldiers.

    Until Vylyss and the others arrived, Shielder would be his trump card.

    BAM! BAM!

    Suddenly, loud banging noises echoed outside like someone was pounding aggressively on his wooden door.

    Noan frowned, signaling Shielder to remain hidden inside the house and be ready to strike at his command.

    After preparing himself, he cautiously approached the door.

    BAM! BAM! BAM!

    The knocking intensified.

    Instead of opening the door immediately, Noan stayed inside and shouted in a firm voice, "Who is it?"

    "Open the damn door!" A young man''s voice came from outside.

    Noan hesitated for a moment, then decided to unlock the door.

    When the door swung open, he saw three young men standing before him.

    However, his eyes immediately locked onto the one with blond hair, who wore an arrogant expression and a sneering smirk, radiating undisguised contempt toward Noan.

    "You are...?" Noan began.

    The blond-haired youth stuffed his hands into his pockets, scoffing at Noan. "You''re new, aren''t you?"

    "What do you mean?" Noan frowned.

    "Are you deaf?" A second young man, standing behind the blond one, barked like a rabid dog. "Do you even know who this is? This is Big Brother Hawke, an E+ rank Lord!"

    "System," Noan spoke: "Summon a hero."

    [Ding! Summoning in progress.]

    Once again, a magic circle appeared on the ground, emitting an eerie gray light.

    Then, a large spider crawled out from the summoning circle.

    Its body was about the size of a basketball, and its eight sturdy legs lifted it off the ground.

    A red sigil resembling two wings was etched onto its silken abdomen, and three pairs of eyes gleamed atop its head.

    The spider''s entire body was jet black, but instead of evoking pure fear, it exuded an elegant and mysterious beauty.

    [Ding! Congratulations! You have successfully summoned Black Spy - Rank F+.]

    ...

    Name: Black Spy

    Rank: F+

    Description:

    Can use venom to eliminate enemies. Moves so silently that few can detect its presenceˇŞa perfect assassin. Its silk threads have steel-like durability yet remain highly flexible.

    Note: Six F+ rank materials are required to evolve.

    ...

    Seeing that Black Spy was only F+ rank, Noan wasn''t disappointed.

    After all, he was only an F-rank LordˇŞsummoning a hero at F+ rank was already a great success.

    Besides... with his ''Almighty Fusion'' talent, he could evolve Black Spy to a higher rank if he had enough resources.

    Despite being the size of a basketball, Black Spy wasn''t as frightening as it appeared.

    Instead, it was surprisingly affectionate.

    The moment it was summoned, it crawled onto Noan''s shoulder, rubbing its head against his cheek.

    To his surprise, there was no discomfort or chills like expected.

    Instead, Black Spy''s exterior was softˇŞalmost like a fine silk fabric.

    "If you like my shoulder so much, you can stay there," Noan chuckled.

    Black Spy rubbed its head against his cheek even more eagerly as if understanding his words.

    Despite its sharp, sturdy legs, they didn''t pierce or scratch Noan''s skin.

    Curious, Noan used his finger to scratch its head gently.

    The spider remained still, seemingly enjoying the sensation, happily curled on his shoulder as he petted it.

    "I can''t just keep calling you ''Black Spy''... so from now on, your name will be Zhisse. How does that sound?"

    Zhisse perked up, waving its eight legs excitedly as if agreeing to the name.

    Noan found Zhisse incredibly interesting.

    Even though it was only F+ rank, its intelligence seemed far superior to most creatures of the same level.

    His next focus was on evolving Zhisse, which required six F+ rank materials.

    But he wasn''t in a hurryˇŞhe knew that with his two soldier summoning attempts tomorrow, he would easily gather enough materials to evolve Zhisse.

    He then turned toward the backpack resting on the bed, opened it, and checked its contents.

    To his delight, the energy crystals he had collected from the Singularity were still inside!

    "System, I want to level up my Lord Rank to Level 1," Noan declared.

    For a moment, he felt a hint of nervousness.

    After all, inside the Singularity, he had been unable to level up, meaning this might be his only real chance.

    [Ding! Please pay 1,000 F-rank energy crystals to level up.]

 Chapter 43 This placeâ€¦ is a dead zone

    Seeing the notification appear before him, Noan was overjoyed. "I can finally level up."

    He let out a long sigh before saying, "Accept!"

    [Ding! Beginning level-up process.]

    Noan felt a surge of power coursing through his body, though the increase was only slight.

    [Ding! Level-up successful.]

    Noan did not celebrate but instead spoke again. "Level up to Lord Rank 2."

    [Ding! To reach Lord Rank 2, you need 500 E-rank energy crystals.]

    Seeing the notification, Noan sighed.

    He had just over 100 E-rank energy crystalsˇŞfar from enough.

    Moreover, he couldn''t convert D-rank energy crystals into E-rank since the System wouldn''t allow it.

    "System, I still have one more hero-summoning attempt, correct?"

    [Ding! That is correct. Would you like to use your hero summoning now?]

    "Use it!"

    Immediately, the magic summoning circle appeared again.

    However, this time, it emitted a vibrant green glow instead of the usual gray light.

    At that moment, a floating Rubik''s cube slowly emerged from the magic circle, hovering in midair.

    As the magic circle faded, the mysterious cube floated directly in front of Noan.

    He frowned, staring intently at it before murmuring to himself, "What... kind of monster is this?"

    [Ding! Congratulations! You have successfully summoned the Abyss Cube - Rank D.]

    ...

    Name: Abyss Cube

    Rank: D

    Level: 0

    Description: It possesses the ability to morph into any type of weapon, enhancing the user''s combat abilities and magical power.

    However, be warned... when you gaze into the Abyss, the Abyss gazes back at you.

    Note: You need 6 D-rank materials and an Abyss Crystal to evolve.

    ...

    Noan stared at the status panel before him, then shifted his gaze to the floating cube hovering in the air. A deep sense of confusion filled his mind.

    This was the first time he had ever encountered a monster that could transform into a weapon.

    It completely shattered his previous understanding of monsters and everything he had learned.

    He reached out his hand, grasping the Abyss Cube in his palm.

    Cold. Extremely coldˇŞalmost like holding a solid piece of metal.

    Yet, despite its metallic temperature, its surface resembled a stone, and its size was roughly the same as a 3x3 Rubik''s cube.

    Noan examined the mysterious cube, unsure how to use it.

    SuddenlyˇŞ

    Krit! Krit! Krit!

    Zhisse, perched on his shoulder, let out a sharp, anxious cry, its posture filled with unease and hostility.

    Noan could feel Zhisse''s fear and wariness as if this cube was its natural enemy.

    Reaching up, he gently scratched Zhisse''s head with his finger and spoke softly.

    "Don''t worry. This thing won''t harm you."

    Zhisse momentarily stared at the cube, then crawled onto Noan''s back, firmly against him.

    Seeing Zhisse''s reaction, Noan became even more suspicious about the Abyss Cube''s nature.

    And thenˇŞ

    The cube suddenly shifted.

    Its form began to change, flowing like liquid metal, before wrapping tightly around Noan''s arm.

    Within seconds, it reformedˇŞnow a stone-like bracelet encircling his wrist.

    Noan frowned, lifting his arm to examine it more closely.

    Though he didn''t fully understand it, he instinctively knew this object was far from ordinary.

    It possessed an extraordinary ability, and even its evolution process was different from any other monster.

    Unlike regular monsters, the Abyss Cube required six D-rank materials and an Abyss Crystal to evolve.

    What exactly was an Abyss Crystal? Noan had no idea.

    But his intuition told himˇŞthat this thing would bring him a massive advantage.

    Frowning slightly, he decided to test it.

    "Can you transform into gauntlets?" Noan asked aloud.

    Instantly, he tensed.

    His eyes shot forward, scanning the area.

    A shadow lurked within the bushes ahead, staring directly at him.

    Noan''s expression darkened as he shoutedˇŞ

    "Who''s there?"

    The bushes rustled in response.

    Swoosh! Swoosh!

    The moment Noan shouted, the stranger panicked and boltedˇŞ

    But in his haste, he tripped over the bushes and fell flat on the ground.

    As Noan approached, he saw a thin, frail-looking young man sitting among the foliage.

    His face was filled with fear and unease as he looked up at Noan.

    Then, Noan noticedˇŞ

    The young man''s ankle was tangled in a nearly transparent silk thread.

    Zhisse''s silk.

    That was probably why he had fallen.

    "S-Sorry... I... I..." the young man stammered, his voice trembling.

    "I don''t mean any harm... It''s just that... when I saw you had a Universal Food Pellet, IˇŞI wanted to ask if I could have one."

    Noan frowned slightly, then extended his hand toward him.

    Seeing Noan reach out, the young man flinched.

    He immediately raised his arms before his face, bracing for a hit.

    But after a few moments, when no pain came, he hesitantly peeked through his fingers.

    The hand reaching for him wasn''t to strike himˇŞ

    It was to help him up.

    A heavy sigh of relief escaped his lips.

    With cautious movements, the young man grabbed Noan''s hand and slowly stood up.

    Now that they were face-to-face, Noan took the opportunity to assess him properly.

    Tall and thin.

    Jet black hair.

    Dark circles under his eyes, like he hadn''t slept in days.

    Noan narrowed his eyes.

    "What''s your name?" he asked.

    The young man hesitated before answering.

    "I... I''m Caleb... Caleb Whitmore," he stuttered nervously.

    "You can just call me Caleb."

    Noan glanced at Caleb, then pulled a Universal Food Pellet from his backpack and held it up.

    "You want this, don''t you?" he asked.

    The moment Caleb saw the pill in Noan''s hand, his eyes lit up.

    "Of course!" he nodded eagerly.

    "Good," Noan replied. "If you answer my questions, I won''t just give you oneˇŞI''ll give you three."

    Caleb''s expression stiffened for a moment. But after a brief hesitation, he nodded.

    "Ask away. I''ll tell you everything I know," he said.

    Noan tossed him one pill and said, "Eat that first."

    Caleb caught it mid-air but didn''t immediately swallow it. Instead, he glanced at Noan.

    "Hurry up," Noan urged.

    Hearing the command, Caleb quickly popped the pellet into his mouth and swallowed.

    As the nutrients settled in his stomach, a deep sense of relief and satisfaction spread across his face.

    "Good," Noan observed, studying his reaction.

    Something about this whole situation made Noan feel even more perplexed.

    After a moment of thought, he asked, "Why are you so hungry? There''s nothing to eat around here?"

    At Noan''s question, Caleb sighed heavily.

    "You just arrived here, didn''t you?" he asked.

    Noan gave a slight nod, neither denying nor hiding the fact.

    Caleb continued, "That explains it... You don''t know yet, do you?"

    He looked around the desolate landscape, then turned back to Noan.

    "This place... is a dead zone."

 Chapter 44 Lords could kill each other

    "A Dead Zone?" Noan frowned at Caleb.

    Caleb looked at Noan with a hint of caution and asked, "You... you didn''t read about this online? The guides didn''t tell you anything?"

    Noan''s expression darkened slightly. After being sent to the Singularity, he had lost all contact with the outside worldˇŞhe couldn''t return to the city, nor could he communicate with anyone.

    It was as if he had been stranded on a deserted island, cut off from civilization, with no ships passing by.

    So, everything he knew had come from the System.

    And, of course, the System''s information was never truly complete.

    Noan didn''t bother explaining further. Instead, he calmly said, "I don''t know. Explain it to me."

    Caleb seemed surprised by Noan''s honesty. He scratched his head, looking a bit embarrassed. "Sorry... There''s so much to explain, I don''t even know where to start."

    Noan frowned slightly, stroking his chin as he thought for a moment. Then he said, "I''ll ask. You answer."

    "Ah! Got it!" Caleb immediately nodded.

    Noan wasted no time and asked, "Why is this place called a ''Dead Zone''? Are there a lot of monsters here or something?"

    Caleb nodded but then shook his head as if the answer was complicated.

    "Well... to explain that, I need to talk about the nature of a Chaotic Zone," Caleb began.

    "First, in a Safe Zone, you could freely trade for food and resources. Finding food was so easy that you probably never thought about it."

    "But here, it''s different. All external support functions are disabled. When a Lord is sent here, all their food and resources are completely erasedˇŞnothing can be brought along."

    "I have no idea how you brought a Universal Food Pellet because nobody can bring anything to this place. Not even a piece of candy, nor a single Energy Crystal."

    Noan was taken aback.

    Unlike what Caleb described, he had easily brought everything from his Singularity TerritoryˇŞfood, water, and even Energy Crystals.

    This shouldn''t have been possible...

    His ability to bypass this restriction confirmed that he fundamentally differed from other Lords in this area.

    Frowning, he asked, "Then how does everyone survive here? There''s no food anywhere?"

    Caleb sighed and continued explaining, "That''s exactly what I was getting to."

    "Don''t be fooled by the dense vegetation around hereˇŞit doesn''t mean there''s plenty of food. None of these trees produce anything edible; even if you find something, it''s never enough to keep you full."

    "If you want food, your only options are venturing deep into the forest to gather fruit or heading to the river to fish."

    "But no matter which way you go, you''ll run into zombies, and more importantly..."

    Caleb suddenly glanced around nervously, afraid that someone might overhear what he was about to say.

    After listening, Noan finally got a clearer picture of how Chaotic Zone 27 worked.

    Simply put, as long as you didn''t enter the Dark Forest, you were safe.

    His expression darkened. "And you all just accept this? Letting Hawke and his people do whatever they want?"

    "Shh!" When Noan finished speaking, Caleb frantically gestured for him to lower his voice.

    "What the hell are you doing talking so loud? Do you have a death wish?"

    He glanced around nervously, and after making sure no one was nearby, he finally let out a sigh of relief.

    Then, he turned back to Noan with a sharp glare.

    "You might not care, but I don''t want to die. Hawke and his people are all Rank E and E+ Lords. In this place, they''re emperors. Who the hell dares to go against them?"

    "Besides..." Caleb''s voice grew heavy with resignation.

    "Do you know how terrifying it is when ten Lords at Rank E and E+ work together?"

    "Besides, Hawke is already a Level 2 Lord and possesses a Rank D HeroˇŞan incredibly powerful Fire Rhino. That beast can wipe out an entire Rank F army with ease."

    Hearing this, Noan fully grasped the power gap between himself and Hawke''s faction.

    He continued asking, "What about resources? How do you guys collect resources?"

    Caleb sighed. "That... I don''t really know."

    "Honestly, just finding food to survive is already a huge problem here. Who even has the time or energy to gather resources to level up?"

    "However, I''ve heard people say that if you want to find resource storage points, you must go further out. Exactly how far, though? I have no idea."

    Noan rubbed his chin, carefully memorizing all the information Caleb had provided.

    After that, he asked a few more questions before turning to leave.

    Caleb watched Noan''s back disappear into the distance, then glanced down at the two All-Purpose Food capsules in his hand.

    Something seemed to spark inside him.

    Clenching the capsules tightly, he suddenly turned and ran opposite where Noan was heading.

    Walking along the road, Noan thought deeply, processing everything Caleb had told him.

    Now, he finally understood why no one dared to resist Hawke''s group.

    Even though this zone was temporarily safeˇŞmeaning monsters couldn''t attackˇŞLords were a different story.

    That''s right.

    Lords could kill each other.

 Chapter 45 Nutrient Pill?

    Imagine if the other Lords could join forces to rebel against Hawke''s faction, but there was a traitor among them.

    That alone would be enough to shatter their fragile alliance like a thin sheet of paper.

    Not to mention, Hawke''s faction consisted entirely of Rank E and E+ Lords.

    In a zone where most were only Rank F or E, those at Rank E+ ruled as the supreme overlords.

    Even if no spies existed among the resistance, they would still struggle to overthrow Hawke''s group.

    Besides, Hawke''s Rank D Hero seemed to be the strongest creature in this entire regionˇŞone no one could defeat.

    Noan shook his head, pushing those thoughts aside.

    Even if his monsters and heroes from the ''Singularity Point'' hadn''t arrived yet, his Rank D Skeleton Shielder alone was enough to challenge Hawke.

    On top of that, he had Zhisse (Rank F+) and Abyss Cube (Rank D).

    However, there was a saying he always rememberedˇŞ"No matter how strong the tiger is, it can still be overwhelmed by a pack of wolves."

    Noan knew he couldn''t afford arrogance or recklessness.

    He had to grow in silence.

    With that decision in mind, Noan turned back toward his territory.

    He had **no intention of venturing into the forest or exploring other areas for resourcesˇŞ**not yet.

    First, he would wait for all his monsters from the ''Singularity Point'' to be summoned here.

    Only then would he begin to lay out his next plan.

    ...

    At this moment, Hawke and his subordinates didn''t return to their territory. Instead, they headed toward a makeshift house near the river.

    As soon as Hawke stepped inside, he saw a large group of people already waiting for him. Nodding in satisfaction, he smirked.

    "Is everyone here?" Hawke asked with a chuckle.

    "The boss hasn''t arrived yet!" someone responded.

    Upon hearing this, Hawke scanned the room, then casually sat down in an unclaimed spot.

    Seated on a wooden table, his face oozed arrogance as he sneered, "Should we wait for the boss or discuss the plan first?"

    Another person immediately said, "Waiting for the boss would be best. The next phase of the plan is quite crucial."

    "Agreed." Someone else added, "Lately, we''ve noticed a few Lords forming alliances, thinking they can overthrow us. We should at least hear the boss''s instructions before taking action."

    "I feel the same." Another person scoffed, "Those weaklings are fools. Do they really believe that with their pathetic Rank F troops and low-level HeroesˇŞthose fragile chickensˇŞthey can defeat us?"

    "Hahaha... they''re just blind to reality." A man laughed, his voice dripping with mockery. "Only when death stares them in the face will they finally understand fear."

    Hearing their conversation, Hawke''s smirk widened. His eyes gleamed with contempt.

    "It seems we''ve overestimated these pathetic Lords. This time... our plan will be incredibly simple."

    "Not necessarily."

    A sudden voice echoed through the room, drawing everyone''s attention.

    The people inside instinctively turned toward the entrance, where a young man stepped into the room.

    If Noan were here, he would instantly recognize him.

    Yes, the young man standing before them was CalebˇŞthe same person Noan had just encountered.

    "Boss!"

    The moment Caleb entered, the others immediately greeted him with reverence. Caleb glanced around, then gave a small nod in response.

    The weight of Caleb''s words crushed the room into submission. Many lowered their heads, their arrogance evaporating.

    They had never thought that far ahead.

    Or rather, if they had, they knew deep downˇŞcould they even defeat Hawke? Could they defeat Caleb?

    This world was not like the city.

    Here, the strong ruled. Their words became law.

    Caleb took a deep breath, then slowly exhaled.

    "You''re all incredibly foolish."

    His voice was calm, but there was an undercurrent of icy ridicule.

    "Has it never crossed your minds why the System divided us into different zones?"

    Hawke furrowed his brows and spoke up,

    "Boss, are you saying... the System wants us to fight against other zones?"

    A glint of interest flashed in Caleb''s eyes as he looked at Hawke.

    "That''s right. You''re sharp."

    "I believe that a war between zones is inevitable in the future."

    "And when that time comes, it won''t just be Rank F Lords fighting each other."

    "Higher-ranked LordsˇŞRank D, C... maybe even B or AˇŞwill all join the battlefield."

    "If we wipe out every Lord in this region, do you really think that just a few of us can stand against those other Lords?"

    Once again, the room plunged into silence.

    But this time, the arrogance in the air had vanished.

    Instead, a deep unease settled into their chests.

    Right now, they might be kings in this zone.

    But when faced with Rank D or higher Lords, they were nothing more than ants.

    Caleb continued,

    "For now, there''s no need to kill the other Lords."

    "Turn them into obedient workers. Let them gather resources, collect foodˇŞwe''ll just take taxes from them."

    "Meanwhile, all of you should focus on training and leveling up."

    "You must get stronger."

    "Maintain daily roll calls. Make sure no one is acting suspiciously."

    "If any Lords reach Rank E or E+, recruit them into our group. Understood?"

    "Understood!"

    The group responded in unison, nodding firmly.

    Then, suddenly, Caleb reached into his pocket and pulled out a small pillˇŞno larger than a soybean.

    Hawke and the others immediately recognized it.

    "Nutrient Pill?" Hawke frowned. "Boss, where did you get that? Don''t tell me..."

    Caleb shook his head.

    His eyes darkened, an edge of cruelty flickering in his gaze.

    "Hawke, I need you to act in a little play with me."

 Chapter 46 Were still friends, right?

    The night was steeped in silence.

    A silence so heavy it felt suffocating.

    There was only the occasional whisper of the wind rustling through the trees. Despite the dense vegetation surrounding the area, there were no sounds of insects and no distant howls of beasts.

    As if the entire world had been switched to "mute."

    Darkness stretched endlessly, enveloping everything, making the cold night even more eerie and oppressive.

    Fortunately, Noan still had some wood left in his territory, allowing him to start a small fire for light.

    BAM!

    BAM!

    BAM!

    Shattering the fragile stillness like a discordant note in a perfect symphony, suddenly, sharp knocks echoed through the night.

    Noan frowned and turned toward the door.

    He stood up, moving toward the entrance, deliberately taking his time, unwilling to open it too soon.

    BAM!

    BAM!

    BAM!

    "I know you''re in there! Open the damn door!"

    A familiar voice rang outˇŞnot exactly familiar, but recognizable enough for Noan to remember.

    Yes, it was the voice of one of Hawke''s subordinates.

    Noan didn''t know what was happening but raised his hand, signaling Skeleton Shielder to stay hiddenˇŞbut not too far.

    If anything unexpected happened, or if he sensed danger, Skeleton Shielder would strike immediately.

    Noan had no interest in unnecessary conflicts, but if these people insisted on stirring trouble, he wouldn''t hesitate to fight back.

    He unlatched the door and pulled it open.

    Standing outside were Hawke, two of his subordinates, and another young man held firmly in their grip.

    Noan''s brows furrowed.

    "Caleb?" he murmured.

    Caleb''s face lit up with fear and desperate relief when he saw Noan. "Noan, help me!"

    Noan''s eyes flicked to Hawke, and instantly, he understood the situation.

    But he maintained his act, feigning confusion.

    "What do you want?" he asked flatly.

    Hawke casually shoved his hands into his pockets, a smirk of utter disdain curling his lips as he gazed at Noan.

    "Hahaha... I''m feeling a little hungry."

    "How about you lend me some of those fancy Nutrient Pills?"

    "Don''t worry. I''ll pay you back later."

    As soon as Hawke spoke, his two subordinates chuckled, their expressions a mix of mockery and amusement.

    Noan''s expression remained neutral.

    When he opened the door and saw Caleb being restrained, he had already guessed that his possession of Nutrient Pills had been exposed.

    After all, no one was supposed to be able to bring any resources into the Chaos Zone.

    Not food.

    Not water.

    Hawke frowned. Suddenly, he swung his fist, landing a punch right into Noan''s stomach.

    Thud!

    "Ack!" Noan clutched his stomach, falling to his knees, his face contorted in pain.

    "Your attitude is pissing me off," Hawke sneered as he raised his foot and stomped on Noan''s head, pressing his face into the dirt. A bit of dust and sand slipped into Noan''s mouth.

    "Be more sincere. I''m not some beggar!"

    Hearing Hawke''s words, Noan clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white.

    "Angry?" Hawke let out a loud laugh. "Hahahaha... then hit me!"

    "What''s wrong? Can''t do it?"

    "Hahaha..." Hawke''s two subordinates standing behind him also burst into laughter.

    "This kid is such a coward!"

    "Yeah, getting humiliated like this and not daring to fight back."

    "He doesn''t even dare to say a word. Looks like he''s dumber than I thought, hahaha..."

    Hawke scoffed, his hands tightening into fists as he anticipated Noan''s retaliation.

    If Noan dared to fight back, Hawke would immediately turn him into a punching bag.

    However, contrary to what Hawke expected, Noan slowly relaxed his hands and softly said, "Please, take this."

    Hawke was momentarily surprised, but then he erupted into laughter.

    "Hahahaha... hahahaha..."

    His laughter was filled with ridicule and arrogance.

    "Son of a bitch! Hahahaha... this bastard is obedient. Hahahaha..."

    "Alright then, since you''re so sincere, I''ll take it."

    Still chuckling, Hawke wiped away tears from laughing too much as he reached out and grabbed the bag of nutrient medicine from Noan''s hands.

    "Remember this..." Hawke continued, "You begged me to take it, not the other way around. Understand?"

    "I understand!" Noan responded, his voice trembling slightly.

    Zhisse, in the dark, saw this scene with such a huge fear that it was invisible, touching Noan''s finger.

    Noan immediately realized what Zhisse wanted to do. He hurriedly grabbed me, softly saying, "I''m fine, don''t worry."

    "In the future, he''ll get back a hundred times what he did today."

    Hawke smirked, feeling a strange pleasure, an urge to torment Noan even further.

    However, a hand suddenly gripped his shoulder.

    He frowned and turned around, only to meet Caleb''s gaze.

    Caleb looked at him and shook his head slightly.

    Seeing Caleb''s gesture, Hawke knew he couldn''t continue. Otherwise... Caleb would be angry.

    "Tsk! You got lucky, but don''t think you''ll have peace in the next few days, hahahahaha."

    Hawke left, taking the Rock Rhino and his two subordinates with him.

    At that moment, Caleb''s expression shifted to worry and fear.

    He hurried to Noan''s side, his voice filled with guilt and self-reproach.

    "I''m sorry, Noan. I am. I... I had to say it because if I didn''t, they would''ve killed me."

    "I was just trying to save myself. But you''re also at faultˇŞyou had the nutrient medicine, yet you let it be discovered so easily. You can''t blame me."

    "But don''t worry, Hawke said that if you gave him the all-purpose food, he wouldn''t bully either of us anymore."

    "Noan, we''re still friends, right?"

 Chapter 47 Ill give you a big reward

    Noan did not lift his head. He slowly stood up, brushed off the dust on his body, and then turned to walk inside the house.

    "Noan!" Caleb shouted, "Are you blaming me?"

    Noan suddenly stopped just as he stepped through the main door. He sighed and asked, "Am I supposed to be grateful to you after you betrayed me?"

    "I betrayed you?" Caleb scoffed, his tone laced with contempt. "Noan, that was your mistake. If you hadn''t exposed the food pills, I wouldn''t have known, Hawke wouldn''t have known, and you wouldn''t have become his target."

    "Ah!" Noan let out a long sigh. "So if I choose to be a good person, that makes me a fool?"

    Caleb snorted disdainfully. "Huh! And what if I told you that''s exactly the case?"

    Noan said nothing more. He stepped inside the house and closed the door behind him.

    Caleb frowned. His expression shifted several times before settling into an eerie calmness.

    He glanced at the gray flag fluttering atop Noan''s house, then turned toward the firmly shut door.

    After a moment, he turned and walked away.

    Caleb had only gone a little over a hundred meters when he saw three figures at an intersection.

    Hawke stood in the front, with two subordinates behind him. Behind them, a rhinoceros with a burning horn stood still.

    The fire on the rhino''s horn illuminated the surrounding area.

    Upon seeing Caleb approach, Hawke hurried forward, lowered his head, and said, "Boss."

    "Uhm." Caleb nodded slightly and asked, "How many pills?"

    "Thirty in total," Hawke answered honestly. "One pill can keep us full for a day, which means we couldˇŞ"

    "No," Caleb immediately cut him off. "Store them for now. We will use regular food and only resort to the pills in emergencies. Understood?"

    Hawke did not question further. He immediately tucked the pills into his pocket.

    "Boss!" Hawke suddenly spoke up. "Why are we bothering with this tedious plan? Wouldn''t it be easier just to kill him and take all the food pills instead of putting on this meaningless act?"

    "I suspect he still has a lot of food pills. We just need toˇŞ"

    "You think everything is that simple?" Caleb suddenly spoke, cutting off Hawke''s words.

    Hawke frowned at that, his eyes filled with confusion. "What do you mean, boss?"

    "Huh!" Caleb snorted before saying, "Forget how many food pills he still has. Just the fact that he has a method to transport those pills from the city to this place is already valuable enough to keep him alive."

    Noan knew that Zhisse was angry on his behalf because of what had just happened. He gently patted its head and said, "Don''t worry. Everything is within my expectations."

    He wasn''t a fool. When he handed the food pills to Caleb, he had already anticipated betrayal.

    Two possible scenarios could unfold.

    The first: Caleb would use this secret to threaten him, forcing him to supply food pills continuously. Otherwise, he would expose Noan''s secret.

    In a place where food was so scarce, that would make him the enemy of every other lord.

    The second: Caleb would trade this secret with Hawke for certain benefits.

    After all, Noan had only given him three pills. After three days, Caleb would still have to find more food.

    That was precisely why he could use this secret to gain additional benefitsˇŞor, more accurately, to buy himself more time to search for food in the forest or near the river.

    However, upon seeing Caleb return without a single injury on his face and how he spoke, Noan realized somethingˇŞCaleb seemed to be on the same side as Hawke.

    Perhaps he was Hawke''s subordinate, pretending to be an ordinary lord oppressed by Hawke to gather more information for him.

    Even though Hawke looked down on and humiliated him, Noan wasn''t too angry.

    This was exactly what he wanted.

    To make his enemies lower their guard against him. Then, when they least expected itˇŞkill them immediately. That was Noan''s plan.

    However, he wasn''t foolish enough to be careless and assume that Hawke only had a single heroˇŞthe Rhinoceros Beast from earlier.

    After all, Hawke was a high-ranking lord. He definitely wouldn''t have just one hero.

    If Hawke had more than one D-rank hero, things would become even more difficult.

    Noan was alone. It was as if he were walking on thin iceˇŞone misstep, and he would plunge into an icy abyss with no end.

    Besides, he had deliberately exposed his possession of the food pills because he wanted to gauge the true value of food in this region.

    More importantly, he wanted to observe the attitudes of the other lordsˇŞespecially the group led by Hawke.

    Noan smiled and asked, "Zhisse, did you mark the bag earlier?"

    Krit! Krit!

    Zhisse, still clinging to his shoulder, immediately nodded, its expression practically saying: Praise me, Master!

    Noan stroked its head with his finger, his voice soft. "Tomorrow, I''ll give you a big reward."

    Krit! Krit! Krit!

 Chapter 48 Evolution

    Zhisse cried excitedly, and Noan found this spider quite amusing.

    "Alright, keep watching them, but don''t get too close. If you sense any danger, come back, understand?"

    Krit! Krit!

    Zhisse raised one leg to its forehead like a military salute. Then, it climbed up the wall and blended into the shadows.

    Although Zhisse was only a rank F+ hero, its tracking abilities were so exceptional that even a rank D or D+ hero would have difficulty detecting it. After all, Zhisse was a spiderˇŞit could move without making a sound.

    Naturally, it could also traverse any terrain, even hanging its large body upside down from the ceiling without falling. Additionally, its silk carried a special magical energy that allowed it to mark its prey.

    For this reason, Noan utilized this unique ability to let Zhisse track Hawke''s group. He needed to determine how many people were in their party, how many heroes they had, and the ranks of those heroes. Only with that information could he devise a proper battle strategy.

    After Zhisse departed, Noan opened his system panel. Upon leveling up, based on what he had learned at the Academy, he had unlocked a new function: construction.

    However, at the moment, he couldn''t collect any resourcesˇŞnot even food supplies. Moreover, the construction function was locked and temporarily unavailable.

    That was rightˇŞthe system indicated that this function was only temporarily locked, not permanently disabled. This meant that he could use it in the future, or perhaps specific conditions needed to be met to activate it.

    Noan wasn''t in a rush, as he still had many resources. Aside from drinking water and medicinal food, he also had a significant stock of energy crystals.

    For the time being, resource management wasn''t something he had to worry about.

    Noan stroked his chin, thinking to himself: Materials like stone, wood, and similar resources might have to wait until I leave this area.

    Earlier that morning, Noan had sent Zhisse into the forest to scout.

    The good news was that there didn''t seem to be any particularly strong zombies in the forest. Most of the zombies there were animal-type, though there were also human zombiesˇŞlikely former lords who had perished while exploring the area.

    The bad news was that among those zombies were heroes who had once belonged to the fallen lords but had now turned undead.

    Although their strength wasn''t overwhelming, they still posed a significant threat.

    Another bad news was that the forest lacked edible plants or resource collection points.

    It was just a place full of zombies.

    Noan shook his head, deciding not to dwell on it any further. He planned to wait until tomorrowˇŞby then, once he had enough monsters and heroes, he could act more freely.

    He pulled out a sleeping bag and drifted into slumber. Around him, Skeleton Shielder and the other skeletons remained on guard.

    After all, skeletons didn''t tire or require sleep, which allowed Noan to rest with peace of mind.

    ...

    Somewhere else.

    Inside a small wooden house by the river, small torches dimly illuminated the room.

    At that moment, Hawke sat on a chair, one leg crossed over the other, arms folded across his chest, leaning slightly back. His face was filled with frustration.

    "Did Big Bro just scold you?" A burly man entered the room, followed closely by an equally massive Orc.

    Hawke frowned and said, "If you think that mouth of yours is useless, I can help stitch it shut."

    "Hahaha..." The man laughed heartily. "Come on, don''t be so grumpy."

    "Huh!" Hawke snorted in disdain and gritted his teeth. "That bastard is pissing me off, but Big Bro won''t let me make a move on him."

    After confirming that no one was within a 100-meter radius, she conjured a veil of darkness and led the group into the depths of the Darkwood Forest.

    Now, only Noan and Zhisse remained in the room.

    Zhisse climbed onto Noan''s shoulder, using one of its small, sharp legs to lightly touch his lips, which were still flushed red from Vylyss''s relentless teasing.

    Noan gave a wry smile. "Don''t worry, I''m fine."

    He gently patted Zhisse''s head, asking, "Have you pinpointed their location?"

    Zhisse nodded and let out a few sounds.

    Noan listened closely, instantly understanding the situation.

    After all, Zhisse was a hero summoned by him, and as such, they shared a special connection. Even though the spider couldn''t speak human language, Noan could still grasp the meaning behind its signals.

    Zhisse''s message was simple: it had tracked Hawke''s location, and he had met someone else.

    However, Zhisse couldn''t relay the details of their conversationˇŞonly the fact that the person Hawke had spoken to was not Caleb.

    Noan frowned, a sense of unease creeping into his thoughts. But he quickly pushed the matter aside and smiled. "Yesterday, I promised you a reward. Do you want to claim it?"

    Krit! Krit!

    Zhisse raised its two front legs and waved them excitedly, clearly delighted.

    "Good!"

    Without delay, Noan initiated his daily monster summoning.

    Ever since he had leveled up to Lord Rank 1, his summoning capacity had increasedˇŞhe could now summon up to 20 Skeletons per day.

    Additionally, there was a 5% chance of summoning a Skeleton of a higher rank than F.

    He could summon up to 40 Skeletons, with two daily summoning sessions.

    Unfortunately, neither the duplication effect nor the high-rank summons triggered this time, leaving him slightly disappointed.

    Just like yesterday, he ended up with 40 F-rank Skeletons.

    After using 39 of them for fusion, he successfully created 13 F+ rank Skeletons.

    He then decided to use six of them as materials to help Zhisse evolve.

    "Zhisse, are you ready?"

    Krit! Krit!

    Zhisse cried, placing one leg on its forehead in a military-like salute, its gaze full of seriousness and determination.

    Noan found it amusing. Zhisse''s expressions and gestures were incredibly livelyˇŞalmost human-like despite being just a spider.

    He chuckled and then gave the command. "Begin fusion for Zhisse."

    [Ding! Do you wish to use six F+ rank Skeletons as evolution materials for Zhisse?]

    "Accept!"

    [Ding! Evolution process initiating...]

 Chapter 49 Raito - food reserve??

    At this moment, countless hexagonal magic symbols enveloped Zhisse, forming a structure resembling a honeycomb.

    The light radiating from it gave Noan a mystical and divine sensation as if he were about to witness a miracle unfold before his eyes.

    [Ding! Evolution successfully. You received Assassin Spider - Rank E.]

    The honeycomb-like shell, composed of numerous intricate magic symbols, gradually faded away, revealing a small spider within.

    Noan noticed that Zhisse had grown in size and shrunk to about the size of a tennis ball, which left him puzzled.

    However, upon recalling its nameˇŞ"Assassin Spider"ˇŞNoan immediately felt reassured.

    If its body were too large, it would be inconvenient for tracking and assassinations. Its small size was not an issue as long as it possessed great power.

    Noan opened Zhisse''s status panel and began to examine its details.

    ...

    Name: Assassin Spider

    Rank: E

    Level: 1

    Description: The Assassin Spider possesses a small body yet wields immense power. Notably, its silk can transform into lethal weapons.

    With its tiny physique, it excels in tracking and has an exceptional assassination capability. Even D-rank monsters find it difficult to detect its presence.

    ...

    Noan looked at the status panel, slightly disappointed that Zhisse was not a mutated monster.

    If it had been, its power would have been far greater than this.

    However, this was still fine. He still had the opportunity to strengthen Zhisse even further.

    This was only the beginning.

    Krit! Krit!

    Zhisse crawled onto Noan''s hand, settling neatly in his palm.

    At this moment, Noan could see its body.

    It was only the size of a tennis ball, but the patterns on its body had completely vanished, replaced by a sleek black skin.

    However, this skin was rather peculiar. When Noan moved it into the shadows, it became completely invisible to his eyes.

    He would have thought it had disappeared if he hadn''t felt Zhisse nudging its head against his palm.

    It was truly born to be an assassin.

    Still, Noan smiled, knowing he had also gained something valuable.

    He raised his hand, and a thread thinner than a strand of hair shot out from his fingertip. Naturally, he could control it at will.

    With a flick of his wrist, the thread instantly wrapped around a wooden pillar three meters away. Then, he yanked it back sharply.

    Whoosh!

    Even now, it is the same.

    Seeing the look of anticipation on Noan''s face, as if he were grasping onto a newfound hope, sent a thrilling shiver through Raito''s body.

    It wouldn''t be surprising if Raito turned out to be some kind of sadist.

    "Shh!" Raito signaled for Noan to stay quiet before speaking hushedly, "Keep your voice down. Let''s head to the square first, and then I''ll find you later to discuss the plan in detail, alright?"

    Noan quickly nodded, his expression filled with genuine excitement. "Uhm! I understand."

    "But... thank you. I thought no one would dare stand up against Hawke."

    "Huh!" Raito scoffed with disdain. "He''s only relying on a D-rank hero. If we unite, I believe we can take him down."

    Noan nodded repeatedly. "You''re right! I''ll do my best."

    As he spoke, he reached into his pocket and pulled out two food pills, offering them to Raito. "Here... I only have a few left."

    Raito''s eyes gleamed at the sight of the food pills.

    Although he wasn''t lacking in supplies, no one would ever refuse extra foodˇŞespecially in such a barren and desolate place.

    Here, the more food one had, the greater their chances of survival.

    A twisted grin spread across Raito''s face, revealing his sharp, gleaming white teeth. The expression reeked of perversion.

    He extended his hand, took the two food pills, and immediately tucked them into his pocket.

    "Hahaha... What''s your name?"

    "Noan!" he replied.

    "Alright, from now on, I''ll help you as much as possible." Raito chuckled, patting Noan on the shoulder. "Let''s go. You head to the square firstˇŞI''ll come later. If we go together, Hawke''s group might notice us."

    Noan nodded. "You... you go first. I need to prepare a little."

    Raito didn''t think much of it, simply waving Noan off before leaving.

    As Noan watched Raito''s figure disappear around the corner, the expression on his face instantly changed.

    At that moment, Zhisse crawled under his coat, moving close to his ear and making a small sound.

    Krit!

    Hearing this, Noan furrowed his brows, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. But just as quickly, his expression returned to normal.

    "These people... do they think I''m some naive pacifist they can easily manipulate?"

    Krit! Krit!

    Zhisse uttered two sharp cries, waving its legs wildly as if declaring that it could easily eliminate that young man.

    Noan shook his head and gently stroked its head with his index finger. "Don''t be hasty. Even though the monster he brought is only Rank E, we must be cautious."

    Zhisse visibly showed dissatisfaction, its tiny body slumping onto Noan''s shoulder as if exhausted from waiting.

    Noan found it amusingˇŞZhisse''s expressions were even more vivid and varied than those of Urlgan and Urlgug.

    "Don''t worry, I promise you''ll get the chance to turn that bastard into your personal food reserve."

 Chapter 50 The Giant Cage

    Zhisse was overjoyed, its front legs flailing as if eager to engage in battle immediately.

    Noan looked towards the remaining Skeletons. After using six F+ rank Skeletons, he still had seven left. Including the one that remained from the previous day, he had eight F+ rank Skeletons.

    At this moment, his remaining forces consisted of two F-rank Skeletons, eight F+ rank Skeletons, and one E-rank Skeleton.

    Lacking sufficient materials, he had no intention of continuing the fusion process but instead left these Skeletons to guard the territory.

    As for Noan, he took Zhisse and the Abyss Cube, which was currently a bracelet and headed to the plaza.

    ...

    In the Gloomy Forest, Vylyss led the monsters summoned by Noan and began clearing out the zombies in the area.

    For them, this task posed no challenge at all.

    The forest was infested with zombies, most of them animal-type.

    From rabbits and deer to tigers and wolves... all had turned into zombies.

    They even encountered a zombie bear. However, none of these creatures could withstand the overwhelming power of Vylyss and Urlgan.

    It was crucial to understand that even in the "Anomaly Point," Vylyss and Urlgan were among the strongest, capable of taking down a Zombie Hunter.

    Because of this, they were like two bosses stepping into a beginner''s village.

    The ordinary zombies in this place were no match for them.

    They had been incredibly powerful before, and after being upgraded to level 1 by Noan, their strength had increased exponentially.

    In fact, Vylyss did not need to fightˇŞUrlgan slaughtered the zombies effortlessly, like a lone wolf among a flock of sheep.

    Vylyss sat upon a chain suspended between two rifts in the air.

    With her legs crossed and one hand resting on her chin, she wore an expression of laziness and boredom as she watched everything unfold.

    "Lady Vylyss." At that moment, Urlgug approached, bringing Urlgan along.

    Upon seeing them, Vylyss responded, "Is it done already?"

    "Yes." Urlgug bowed and respectfully replied, "Within a five-mile radius, I can guarantee there are no remaining zombies."

    Standing behind Urlgug, UrlganˇŞdespite his massive physiqueˇŞwore an expression of confusion, a stark contrast to the rage and bloodlust he displayed in battle.

    He scratched his head, looking at Urlgug with puzzlement as if silently questioning why he was showing such reverence toward Vylyss.

    Urlgug, however, had no intention of explaining further. He acted with such respect toward Vylyss because he understood that she was Noan''s woman.

    Since Noan was his master, Vylyss was naturally his mistress.

    The mere fact that Noan had entrusted Vylyss with leading them to establish a separate base here was proof that she had assumed that role.

    Vylyss, of course, understood Urlgug''s thoughtsˇŞand naturally, she relished it.

    Urlgug retrieved a small cloth bag as he spoke, "Lady Vylyss, these are the energy crystals I''ve collected."

    Something so simple and obvious, yet he still couldn''t grasp it.

    It made Urlgug worry that one day, Urlgan might be tricked by someone.

    This isn''t good! I need to keep an eye on this idiot. If someone deceives him, that''s one thing. But if he gets manipulated into betraying Master, that would be disastrous.

    The thought sent a chill down Urlgug''s spine, and he always decided to keep Urlgan within sight.

    Urlgan had disappeared once before, and when he returned, he had almost attacked Master.

    Even though it wasn''t intentional, it proved how easily he could be deceived due to his naive nature.

    Urlgug furrowed his brow and said, "From now on, you stay right next to me. Understood?"

    Urlgan didn''t understand, but he could only nod.

    No matter how strong he was, Shamans held an extremely high status in the High Orc tribe.

    Because of that, Urlgan didn''t dare argue and simply nodded in confusion.

    ...

    At the plaza.

    Though it was called a plaza, the place was rather simple. It was merely an open field, with a makeshift platform over a meter high constructed from branches and wooden planks standing in the center.

    Noan had explored the surrounding area and discovered it was enclosed by tall, ominous mountains.

    The easiest way to leave this place was through a path leading eastward from the plaza.

    That path led to a canyon, with cliffs towering over a hundred meters on either side. Deep within the canyon, there seemed to be some creature far more terrifying than zombies standing guardˇŞno one had ever made it through.

    However, this was merely speculation, as no one had ever successfully left this region.

    Why?

    From what Noan had heard from the surrounding lords, the path leading to the canyon was blocked by an invisible wall.

    No matter their methods, they couldn''t break through that unseen barrier.

    Some groups had tried to take an alternate routeˇŞclimbing over the mountains.

    However, that path was even more perilous. The forest was teeming with beast-type zombies, far stronger than human-type zombies.

    There were even numerous D-rank zombies lurking in the woods.

    Considering that all the lords here were only F-rank or E-rank, a D-rank zombie was a nightmare to them.

    Even if their strength was on par, the infectious nature of the zombie virus meant that a single woundˇŞno matter how smallˇŞcould become a fatal injury.

    Because of this, no one dared to risk venturing into the Gloomy Forest.

    In the end, they were all trapped here.

    To put it more accurately, this place was nothing more than a giant cage, and they were pitiful beasts locked inside.

 Chapter 51 The Tax of the Weak

    Noan looked around and noticed quite a few people perched on the high branches surrounding him. Their expressions held a hint of disdain mixed with arrogance.

    If Noan wasn''t mistaken, those people were likely part of the same group as Hawke, and they were overseeing those present.

    In this area, he could roughly count more than 120 Lords. While this number wasn''t overwhelmingly large, it wasn''t insignificant either.

    Moreover, new Lords would appear every now and then, suggesting that the number of Lords in this region would only continue to grow.

    "Line up!" Suddenly, a young man''s voice rang out.

    GRAOO!!!

    Along with the shout, a familiar roar echoed through the air.

    Noan turned toward the source of the sound and immediately saw Hawke''s subordinates walking ahead. Hawke followed behind them, riding atop a monstrous creature resembling a rhinoceros, its single horn ablaze with fire.

    Seated upon the beast, Hawke exuded an overwhelming arrogance, as if the entire world were mere dogs while he alone was the only human.

    His gaze swept across the crowd before finally landing on Noan.

    The moment Hawke''s eyes met his, even though it lasted only a second before Hawke looked away, it was enough to make Noan uncomfortable.

    He knew what Hawke was likely thinking. However, today was different from yesterday.

    Now, Noan had the strength and the beasts necessary to stand against Hawke. Even so, he wasn''t in a rush to make a moveˇŞhe wanted to ensure a 100% chance of victory.

    He didn''t want any mistakes or unexpected situations to arise.

    In his previous life, back on Earth, Noan had read countless novels.

    The protagonists in those stories were always full of pride, constantly challenging those far beyond their level despite their own weaknesses.

    Of course, the protagonist always wonˇŞbut the battles were always brutal. Even in victory, they paid a steep price.

    After that, the protagonist would inevitably be hunted down by the survivors or encounter even greater troubles.

    Noan, despite being isekai''d into this world, possessed an SSS-rank talent. He was, without a doubt, the protagonist of this world.

    However, he was not an idiot, nor did he have an IQ in the negatives. Even a protagonist had to be cautious with every actionˇŞif one became too arrogant, not even God could save them.

    Hawke, of course, did not stare at Noan for too long. His gaze shifted toward Raito, then to Caleb.

    Standing amidst the crowd, Caleb looked worried and terrified, like a rabbit caught in the gaze of a wolf.

    However, when he realized Hawke was looking at him, he slightly nodded.

    Seeing Caleb nod, Hawke no longer paid him attention and ordered his subordinates, "Take roll. Check the numbers."

    "Listen up!" Hawke''s voice suddenly interrupted Noan''s thoughts. "I know you''re all starving. That''s why I''ll allow you to go to the nearby river and the safe zones of the forest."

    "After all, we''re all in the same areaˇŞI don''t want to see you die."

    The crowd reacted with disbelief, followed by overwhelming joy.

    In the modern world, food is the easiest thing to come by.

    People had access to it so effortlessly that they had forgotten its importance.

    Now, in this new territory, they were faced with hungerˇŞsomething they had never expected to endure in their lifetimes.

    Hunger clouded their judgment, and their minds instantly shifted when Hawke mentioned food.

    Instead of anger or resentment, the crowd''s emotions shifted into gratitude.

    "However..." Hawke noticed their hopeful expressions and sneered internally. "I will divide you into groups so that you can take turns searching for food."

    "Of course, no group can have more than five people. The entry fee for a group will be twice that of an individual."

    "Additionally, you must pay a taxˇŞhalf of the food you collect. Understood?"

    Upon hearing this, the crowd became ecstatic and repeatedly thanked Hawke.

    At that moment, Noan realized that Hawke had successfully taken control of the Lords'' mindset.

    Yet, he did not feel particularly upset about Hawke''s methods. After all, this was a world without laws. Here, the strong dictated the rules.

    The weak had no choice but to wait for the mercy of the powerful.

    On the surface, Hawke seemed excessive. After all, resources in this area should be free for anyone to exploit.

    But they were so weak that Hawke''s group wrapped them around their fingers, treating them like a pack of dogs to be toyed with.

    After enduring constant oppression, even the smallest favor could make them feel grateful and relieved.

    Noan noticed that a few individuals who had initially harbored rebellious intentionsˇŞthose whose eyes had been filled with hostilityˇŞbegan to waver.

    Their eyes flickered with hesitation as if they were unsure if resisting was the right choice.

    Caleb''s gaze fixated on Noan through the sea of people, filled with confusion.

    After all, no matter how strong someone''s mind is, they will still be affected by the "FOMO effect" to some degree.

    But when Caleb saw Noan''s expressionˇŞcompletely devoid of emotion, with only a hint of skepticismˇŞhe finally realized that Noan was far from ordinary.

    ''Tsk!'' Caleb clicked his tongue inwardly. ''No matter how stable your mindset is, you''re still just an F-rank Lord.''

 Chapter 52 Moral?

    Noan sat on the ground, checking information on the system while Hawke began dividing the group according to their assigned numbers. He wasn''t particularly interested in the process.

    Krit!

    Suddenly, Zhisse''s voice rang outˇŞa faint sound, but enough for Noan to hear.

    He frowned, glancing toward the distance, about ten meters away. Amidst the crowd, his gaze met Caleb''s.

    Noan looked at him for just a second before dismissing him entirely.

    After all, Noan had already decided that Caleb wasn''t a friend, so there was no need to pay him any attention.

    Suddenly, Caleb stood up and moved to Noan''s side, asking worriedly, "Noan, are you still mad at me?"

    "Is it because I let slip that you had food, and now you''re treating me like this?"

    Caleb deliberately spoke louder, as if wanting everyone to hear.

    "Food?"

    At that, the crowd''s attention shifted to Noan, their murmurs growing.

    "He has food?"

    "Didn''t you hear what that young man just said? He has food. Could he have gone into the forest to pick fruits?"

    "Or maybe he caught some fish from the nearby river. As long as you pay a small fee, you can fish, though you still have to pay a tax afterward."

    "A small fee? Do you even know how much ''a small fee'' is? It''s ten F-rank crystals per entry into the river or forest. And after gathering food, you still have to give up half of it as tax. You call that a small fee?"

    "Compared to starving to death, that price is a bargain. Didn''t you hear what Hawke just said? To save costs, we can move in groups. The fee is doubled, but a group of five can enter togetherˇŞthat''s a great deal."

    "So Hawke''s group isn''t entirely ruthless. At the very least, they''re giving us a chance to survive."

    "That''s right."

    Hearing the growing interest of the people around them, Caleb raised his voice even further.

    "I know having food supplies is supposed to be a secret, but we''ve all been thrown into this dead land together. We need to stick together if we want to survive."

    "You have the ability to bring food supplies here, yet instead of sharing, you hide it away for your own use."

    "Don''t you feel ashamed?"

    "Damn it!"

    A young man jolted in shock, quickly standing up. "What did you just say? He can bring food supplies here?"

    Caleb saw the man who had spoken and nodded. "That''s right. He has plenty, yet he refuses to share and keeps it all for himself."

    "Why should I help you?"

    "YouˇŞ" Caleb was about to say something, but Noan cut him off.

    "Why don''t you take a look at your own reflection in a puddle of piss and see if you''re even worthy of my help?"

    "The same goes for all of you. Don''t throw that ridiculous moral nonsense, thinking you can make me feel guilty or ashamed."

    "Are we close? Why the hell should I help you?"

    "Yes, I have plenty of food supplies. I already gave half of it to Hawke and Caleb. If you want any, go ask them for it."

    "As for me, I won''t give you a damn thingˇŞnot even a grain of sand."

    Caleb''s expression twisted in anger as he shouted, "Noan, stop slandering me! You only gave me three pieces of food. How could I have enough to share with everyone else?"

    "And besidesˇŞcan you really stand there and watch everyone starve to death? You have to understand that..."

    "Noan!"

    Again, Caleb''s voice was cut off as Noan spoke coldly, "And what does that have to do with me?"

    The chilling tone sent a shiver down Caleb''s spine. At that moment, he felt that Noan''s gaze wasn''t that of a human but a bloodthirsty beast.

    Caleb was the hidden leader of Hawke''s group, the one pulling the strings from behind the scenes. He reveled in the feeling of having everything in the palm of his hand.

    That was why he always looked at others with the gaze of a god, a ruler above all.

    But now, standing before a mere rank F lord, he felt something he had never experienced beforeˇŞfear.

    At that moment, it wasn''t Noan who was trapped in the crowd''s grasp. No, it was Noan who had the entire situation in his hands.

    ''No!'' Caleb roared in his mind. ''This is just an illusion! How could he possibly intimidate me?''

    He tried to calm himself, to reassert his control. He wanted to speak, to say something, but to his horror, he realized he had nothing to say.

    "What''s wrong? Cat got your tongue?" Noan smirked, a mocking glint in his eyes. "Do you all want to fight me? Ah! I almost forgotˇŞI''ve only been in this area for one day. I still have two days of protection."

    "If you want to attack me, kill me, or destroy my territory, you''ll just have to shut up and wait for two more days."

    That was right. Every newly arrived lord was granted a three-day protection period under the System''s shield.

    It was the very reason why Hawke and Raito hadn''t acted yet. They were simply waiting for the right moment.

    Hearing this, the crowd burned with frustration, their faces flushed red with anger, yet they were powerless to do anything.

    Caleb gritted his teeth. "Noan, don''t think you''re safe. They may not be able to kill you, but teaching you a lesson? That''s a different story."

    Noan''s smirk vanished. His gaze, filled with nothing but scorn, locked onto Caleb.

    "You''re welcome to try."

 Chapter 53 Tiger Silence for Predator

    Caleb furrowed his brows, his eyes filled with anger and irritation.

    In the past, even when he had to exist among high-ranking lords, he lived safely thanks to his intelligence and ability to manipulate others.

    More precisely, he knew how to parasitize high-rank lords.

    That was also why no one dared to challenge or look down on him.

    But today, he encountered Noan.

    Noan not only provoked him and belittled him but also emanated a murderous aura as if he wanted to kill him.

    Caleb clenched his fists tightly but could not let his anger consume his mind.

    "Noan! Aren''t you afraid that everyone here will gang up on you? You should know that..."

    Noan sneered and cut off Caleb''s words: "Like I said, you can try. If you can''t, then don''t waste your breath."

    "You bastard!"

    Suddenly, a young man shouted and stepped forward, grabbing Noan by the collar.

    "You think I don''t dare to hit you?"

    He raised his hand without hesitation and punched straight at Noan''s face.

    However, the moment his arm swung up, it abruptly halted midair, trembling slightly but unable to move downward.

    "What''s wrong?"

    Noan smirked. "Can''t hit me?"

    "You bastard! What the hell did you just do?"

    The young man roared in fury. He felt something incredibly strange, like countless invisible threads bound his arm, suspending it in the air.

    Seeing the young man unable to throw his punch, the crowd grew impatient and annoyed.

    "Oy! Can you hit him or not? If you can''t, step aside and let me do it!"

    "That''s right! What''s the point of acting tough? In the end, you''re just a coward. If you''re not going to do it, let me!"

    "Damn it! I thought he would teach that bastard a lesson, but in the end, he''s just another spineless fool."

    The crowd erupted in anger, shouting and cursing at the young man.

    However, Caleb was differentˇŞhe felt that something was off.

    He furrowed his brows, staring at the young man''s arm, which remained suspended in midair, his eyes filled with confusion.

    However, when Caleb looked at the young man''s face, he didn''t think the man was acting.

    Then what exactly was happening?

    "You bastard! You... you..."

    The young man began to panic, but all he could do was curse at Noan because his hero had remained back at his domain.

    That''s right. Whenever a gathering was held, everyone had to leave their heroes and soldiers behind at their domains.

    Everyone turned their heads and saw the young man from before collapsed on the ground, unconscious.

    Amidst the crowd''s distraction, Caleb had already slipped away.

    Hawke glanced at Caleb, then left his subordinates to continue organizing groups to search for food while he quietly followed behind him.

    Inside the wooden house, Caleb sat motionless in his chair, his expression so dark and murderous that it sent shivers down Hawke''s spine.

    "Boss!" Hawke finally spoke. "Do you want me to kill him?"

    Caleb cast a cold, disdainful glance at Hawke.

    "Is there nothing else in your head?"

    "He holds a great secret. If we don''t extract that secret from him, his death is meaningless."

    "Besides, he still has two days of protection. What can you do besides hitting him? And if he chooses to hide in his domain indefinitely, what then?"

    Hawke lowered his head, his jaw clenched, frustration boiling inside him.

    However, he couldn''t direct that frustration at CalebˇŞhis leader.

    Instead, all his resentment turned toward Noan.

    "Then in two days, we''ll bring our heroes, crush his domain, and turn him into our slave."

    Caleb shook his head and sighed. "Are you stupid? What if he decides to fight to the death against us? Even if he dies, he might never reveal that secret, and in the end, we''d gain nothing."

    "Then what should we do?" Hawke shouted in frustration. "Boss, are we just going to endure this? The other lords will think we''re nothing but cowards!"

    "When that happens, they''ll unite to overthrow us. Boss, you don''t want that day to come, do you?"

    Caleb nodded slightly. "You think I haven''t considered that possibility? But... are you certain that bastard is just a Rank F Lord?"

    "Huh?!" Hawke looked puzzled at Caleb''s question. "Boss, why are you asking that? His entire territory is filled with Rank F Skeletons. That means he''s a Rank F Lord. There''s no mistake about it."

    Indeed, the rank of a lord''s soldiers would always match the rank of the lord. A Rank F Lord could only summon Rank F monstersˇŞno higher, no lower.

    This was an unchangeable rule, which lords relied on to gauge each other''s rank.

    Caleb frowned. "I just find it strange. His confidence is more like that of a high-rank lord. And besides... what he did earlier was bizarre."

    "How did he suspend that kid in midair so easily?"

    Hawke laughed. "Boss, you''re overthinking it. I bet he just staged the whole thing with someone helping him act."

    "If not, maybe his hero was nearby, using magic to pull it off."

    Caleb shook his head. "No! If any magic energy had been used, my hero would have sensed it and warned me."

    "Boss, you''re worrying too much," Hawke chuckled. "If you trust me, then leave him to me."

    "I promise, once his protection period expires, I''ll bring you his headˇŞand his secret."

    Caleb glanced at Hawke. He didn''t know where Hawke got such confidence, but he had no better plan.

    In the end, he nodded. "Fine! I''ll leave this to you. Don''t disappoint me."

    Hawke''s lips curled into a cruel smile. He bowed slightly, his voice brimming with certainty.

    "Yes, Boss."

 Chapter 54 Hawke and Raito

    Returning to the domain, Zhisse crawled outside, resting on Noan''s shoulder, expressing anger by continuously flailing its two legs.

    Krit! Krit! Krit!

    "I know you''re angry," Noan said. "However, we don''t know enough about our opponent yet, so we can''t act recklessly."

    "Although I''m stronger, they have more people. Besides... I have a feeling that Hawke isn''t their leader."

    Indeed, Noan found it very strange. Even though Hawke acted arrogantly and could issue orders to those around him, Noan sensed that Hawke was merely trying to make everyone believe he was in charge.

    Of course, no one doubted it. But... Noan couldn''t shake the feeling that something was off. It felt as though Hawke was not the true leader but just a small pawn obeying orders from someone else.

    ''Could there be a higher-ranked lord than rank E in this place?''

    However, Noan immediately dismissed that thought. The gap between ranks and levels was simply too vast.

    Even the difference between rank E and rank D was enormous. He could recall an example from a duel he had witnessed at the academy.

    Both contenders were at level 4, but once the battle began, the disparity became evident.

    Before the hero of the rank D lord had even appeared, the rank E lord was already on the verge of defeat.

    And once the hero of the rank D lord entered the fray, just a single hero alone was enough to annihilate the rank E lord.

    That was why rank and level were the two defining factors of a lord''s strength and status.

    In a region filled with only rank E and rank F lords like this one, the appearance of a rank D lord would be no different than a phoenix among a flock of chickens.

    Noan didn''t believe such a person would remain silent until now because they would have the power to dominate every lord present.

    But if a rank D lord was truly here and still lurking in the shadows, that would be extremely dangerous.

    That was why Noan needed to be even more cautiousˇŞhe couldn''t afford to act recklessly.

    At the very least, he had to find out if someone was backing Hawke. If not, then this would be easy to resolve.

    ''Right now, to uncover the truth, Zhisse is my only option for secretly tracking Hawke.''

    ''If I evolve Zhisse to rank E+ or even rank D, it would be much easier for it to infiltrate the enemy''s base.''

    Noan wasn''t in a rush. Currently, he has two summoning chances per day. That was why he was confident that he could evolve Zhisse to a higher rank within the next two days.

    Why wasn''t he using Vylyss? Because she had a more important mission.

    ...

    In the afternoon, within the Gloomy Forest.

    "Are you going to let him handle this?"

    A woman stepped forward from the darkness. She was somewhat beautiful, but her eyes carried a cunning sharpness that made others uneasy.

    "What do you think I should do? I can''t handle this aloneˇŞI need Raito''s help."

    "This mission is too important. As long as we extract that secret from the brat''s mouth, I can kill him."

    "But you saw it tooˇŞhe seems determined to take that secret to his grave. So, we''ll have to use a different approach."

    The woman scoffed. "Resorting to trickery and manipulation? Are you sure that''ll work?"

    "I don''t know, but the chances of success are high. Raito has infiltrated multiple lord factions beforeˇŞI trust he can get it done."

    "It''s just... I worry that he''ll betray me once he gets the secret."

    "Hahahaha..." The woman suddenly laughed aloud. "Then once this is over, we can always..."

    She didn''t finish her sentence. Instead, she gestured across her neck, mimicking a blade slicing through.

    Hawke glanced at her, about to say something, when suddenly, a deafening explosion shook the air.

    BAM!

    A violent shockwave blasted through the area, causing the wooden house to tremble violently as if it was about to collapse.

    "What the hell was that?" Hawke''s face was pale with fear, but he didn''t dare move. Just as startled, the woman sat frozen on the ground, her previous arrogance replaced by a look of distress as she glanced at Hawke, almost as if pleading for reassurance.

    However, the shaking soon subsided, and silence returned.

    Hawke and the woman remained motionless, straining their ears for any sign of danger.

    They slowly rose to their feet and stepped outside after confirming that nothing else was happening.

    Hawke narrowed his eyes toward the distance, frowning. "It looks like something just exploded in the Gloomy Forest."

    In the direction he was staring, a massive cloud of dust billowed into the sky, blanketing a vast area. The scene resembled the aftermath of a meteor crashing into the earth.

    His gaze shifted to the one-horned rhino in front of the wooden house.

    The beast lay motionless, its head pressed to the ground, body trembling slightly as if it had just sensed something utterly terrifying.

    Hawke suddenly recalled stories from other lords who had ventured into the forest.

    The Gloomy Forest was teeming with bizarre zombies, some so powerful they defied comprehension.

    He was now certain that the explosion had been caused by a high-level zombie.

    ''This is terrifying.'' Hawke thought to himself. ''Just how powerful must that creature be to cause such a catastrophic blast?''

 Chapter 55 Zhisse??!!

    In the evening, Noan was sitting inside the house when he suddenly heard a knock on the door.

    He frowned, thinking, "Could it be that those lords have decided to come here to ask for food and medicine?"

    He was certain that after what he had said, those people wouldn''t dare come looking for him anytime soon.

    On the contrary, he wasn''t worried about any lord attacking him, not even Hawke.

    At the moment, he still has the system''s protection. If they wanted to fight him, that was possible, but killing him was impossible.

    Previously, he endured and let Hawke beat him because he wanted peace to develop in silence.

    But if he were ever pushed to the brink, he would retaliate.

    Krit! Krit!

    Suddenly, Zhisse appeared, chirping twice. It repeatedly waved its front legs as if trying to say something.

    Seeing its expression, Noan frowned, nodded, and said, "I understand."

    After speaking, he stood up and walked toward the door.

    He saw a tall, burly man standing before him when he opened it.

    "Hahaha... greetings!" Raito held a torch in his hand, laughing as he spoke. Behind him stood an Orc that Noan had seen earlier that morning.

    "You came to get more food and medicine?" Noan frowned as he asked.

    "Ah! You''ve got it wrong. That''s not my intention." Raito quickly said, "Do you think I''m the greedy type?"

    Noan crossed his arms. "Then what do you want?"

    Raito chuckled, "Hahaha... this morning, you also heard about the lords who fled, right?"

    Noan nodded.

    Seeing Noan remain silent and expressionless, Raito felt a little awkward.

    "Well..."

    "You want my help in finding them?" Noan immediately stated Raito''s intention, making him flinch.

    "Ah! That''s right, hahahaha... That forest is quite dangerous, but there are also many things inside that would surprise you."

    "Hm?!" Noan frowned. "Are you saying... there''s a treasure inside?"

    "Exactly." Raito nodded. "Well, not exactly a treasure, but the truth is, the forest holds several valuable things, including food. That''s why the other lords all want to venture in."

    "However, there are also zombies inside. That''s why I think we could work together."

    "Give me a reason," Noan said. "Collaboration is possible, but I need a reasonable justification."

    Raito stared at Noan, feeling increasingly irritated. This brat was becoming more difficult to deal with, completely different from this morning.

    ''You bastard! Just wait until you enter the Gloomy ForestˇŞlet''s see if you can still keep that arrogant attitude then,'' Raito cursed inwardly.

    However, his expression remained unchanged as he quickly said, "Although the forest is dangerous, it also contains many treasures. If we work together, we won''t have to worry about the zombies anymore."

    "You help me find the other lords, and I''ll help you find the treasure. If we succeed, we split it evenlyˇŞhalf for you, half for me."

    "Besides, I can show you a secret area where you can gather food."

    Noan shook his head, deciding not to dwell on it any longer. He spoke to Zhisse in a soft voice, "Tomorrow, I''ll have another gift for you. After that, I need you to watch Hawke and Raito for me, alright?"

    Krit! Krit!

    Zhisse immediately raised its front legs as if assuring him that it would complete the mission without fail.

    Noan smirked in amusement. But just as he stepped into his room, a hand reached out from the shadows and grabbed his shoulder.

    Startled, he barely had time to react before he was pulled backward.

    Soft, warm cushions pressed against his head, carrying a seductive and intoxicating scent.

    Noan instantly realized who was embracing him. "Vylyss, when did you get back?"

    Vylyss pouted, a hint of sulking in her expression. "Master, did you forget about me?"

    "That''s... of course, I didn''t forget you. I''m just slightly surprised you came here to see me."

    "Huh!" Vylyss huffed. "If I hadn''t come, you wouldn''t have remembered me, would you?"

    "No, what are you even talking about?" Noan sighed, feeling a headache coming on.

    Vylyss had been getting more and more clingy lately. Sometimes, even if they were apart for just a few hours, she would act like they hadn''t seen each other in months.

    Krit! Krit! Krit!

    Suddenly, a strange sound echoed. Zhisse had climbed onto Noan''s head, its expression furious as it waved its front legs frantically.

    Vylyss found this odd.

    Zhisse was just a spider monster, so why did it give off such an unusual presence?

    Normally, low-rank monsters that weren''t humanoid had very basic intelligence. There was no way they should be capable of such complex expressions.

    However, Vylyss didn''t think too much about it. After all, the time she could spend "enjoying" herself with her master was limited, so she had no interest in dwelling on unsolvable matters.

    "Get lost!" Vylyss swung her hand, and four chains instantly shattered the space around them, hurtling toward Zhisse.

    However, Zhisse was incredibly quick. It shot silk to the ceiling and swung itself up, vanishing into the darkness.

    Holding Noan tightly in her embrace, Vylyss frowned and said, "You think you can use the darkness against me? Even in ten thousand years, you''ll never defeat me."

    As soon as she finished speaking, she pointed her finger toward the dark corner of the room.

    The chains began to move, slithering like serpents toward the direction she had indicated.

    Clang! Clang!

    The metal clashing echoed through the air, followed by a strange cry.

    Krit!!!

    Zhisse let out a furious screech as it was ensnared by Vylyss''s four chains, suspended mid-air like a cocoon, with only its head exposed.

    Vylyss licked her lips and smiled. "Let me show you how humans ''enjoy'' themselves."

    With those words, she conjured a layer of darkness beneath them, then pushed Noan down.

    Seeing what was unfolding before its eyes, Zhisse uttered another furious cry.

    Krit!!!

 Chapter 56 who am I?

    "The invisible wall?" Noan frowned and asked.

    It was midnight. After two hours of ''fun'' with Vylyss, she held Noan in her arms and recounted what she had seen earlier that afternoon.

    "So, the explosion this afternoon was..."

    "That''s right, Master." Vylyss couldn''t conceal it and said, "I tried using magic to destroy it, but it seemed not to react at all."

    "In other words, neither physical force nor magic can affect that invisible wall."

    "I also researched because I thought it might be a magical seal. However, there were no signs of magical energy or traces indicating that humans created this wall."

    "Because of that, everything has reached a dead end. But Urlgug is leading everyone to investigate whether there is another path or some way to bypass this invisible wall."

    Noan furrowed his brows, murmuring, "Could this place be a cage?"

    He recalled countless theories he had heard or read back in that cityˇŞabout how the System was created by a transcendent being or a civilization far more advanced than humanity.

    They would force humans to fight until they found the strongest ones, who would then serve that superior civilization.

    Because of this, Noan suspected that the sudden change in the training format for Lords was the will of the civilization that had created the System.

    Noan shook his head, unwilling to think further. After all, he was still too weak, and there was no need to concern himself with such a massive issue.

    "Alright, if you and the others can''t find another way to leave this place, try to find a safe location to establish a new base."

    "Understood, Master." Vylyss spoke as she pulled Noan tightly into her chest.

    Noan: "..."

    Oy! I''m having a serious conversation here! Fine, I''ll let it slide this time since it''s so soft and fragrant.

    Inside Noan''s mind, foolish thoughts surfaced, but in the end, he still ''endured'' the softness and allure of Vylyss.

    Krit! Krit!

    Zhisse''s furious cries echoed, its body swinging like a breaker ball.

    "Huh!" Vylyss snorted disdainfully, flicking her hand lightly, making the chains tighten again.

    KRIT!!

    Zhisse let out a pained shriek. Seeing this, Noan spoke gently, "Alright, don''t do that."

    "Huh! It dared to break the romantic atmosphere I created! I haven''t killed it only because it''s your creature, otherwise..."

    Noticing Vylyss''s sulking expression, Noan found it somewhat amusing.

    Of course, Vylyss obeyed him, waving her hand to loosen the chains slightly.

    Zhisse no longer howled but used its six eyes to glare at Vylyss, its gaze filled with fury and resentment.

    Krit! Krit!

    A low growl came from Zhisse''s mouth as if it were cursing Vylyss. However, the sound was too faint for either Vylyss or Noan to make out.

    Naturally, Vylyss paid no mind to Zhisse. Instead, she gently stroked Noan''s hair and whispered, "Master, the night is still long... shall we ''enjoy'' ourselves a little more?"

    His internal organs also became more robust, functioning more efficiently. Any toxins lingering in his system were incinerated, turning into smoke that drifted out of his body.

    After a while, his body gradually stabilized. Noan clenched his fist, sensing that his strength had now reached seven times greater than an ordinary person''s.

    He raised his arm, watching as his fist became encased in black scalesˇŞsimilar to Urlgan''s skinˇŞbefore he threw a punch.

    BAM!

    The shockwave exploded with a deafening sound, like the detonation of fireworks.

    Noan stared at his fist, slowly focusing on the power surging within him.

    ''This is terrifying,'' he thought. ''Right now, I''m only a Level 1 Lord, yet my strength has already reached this level. If I reach Level 4 and obtain a Class of my own, my power will ascend to an entirely new realm.''

    Noan forced himself to suppress the arrogance stirring inside him.

    He refused to let this small achievement make him forget that, in the end, he was still just an F-rank Lord.

    One must remember that countless beings were far stronger than him out there.

    For that reason, he refused to be complacent.

    Keng!

    At that moment, a sound like shattering glass echoed, followed by the sight of a spider radiating an eerie black glow, hovering in midair.

    [Ding! Congratulations! Zhisse has successfully evolved into Dark Tri-Spider ¨C Rank D (Mutated)]

    ...

    Name: Zhisse ¨C Dark Tri-Spider

    Rank: D (Mutated)

    Level: 1

    Description:

    The Dark Tri-Spider not only possesses unparalleled assassination and tracking abilities, but it also wields a variety of magical powers.

    Additionally, it has an exceptional capacity for learning.

    The silk of the Dark Tri-Spider is of immense value and can craft clothing and weaponry. This silk provides a certain degree of resistance against physical and magical attacks.

    ...

    ''Where... is this place?''

    Zhisse slowly opened its eyes and saw a young man standing before it, his face filled with joy.

    ''Ah! That''s... my Master. He evolved me again?''

    ''Wait! This stream of memories... what is this?''

    ''Who... who am I?''

    ''Ah! That''s right! I''m a Spider.''

 Chapter 57 Youre really an idiot

    Zhisse began to recall memories from her past life.

    She had once been one of the most terrifying beings in a completely different world.

    But because she had too many enemiesˇŞand was ultimately betrayed by those closest to herˇŞshe became the target of numerous powerful factions collaborating to eliminate her.

    Even though she had reached an almost supreme level of power at that time, in the end, she was still mercilessly slain.

    Her soul was imprisoned within a lighthouse, forced to illuminate the Sea of Souls. She would remain there until the energy in her soul was completely depletedˇŞat which point, she would truly perish, turning to dust and vanishing from existence.

    After over a thousand years, with only a sliver of energy left to maintain her existence, an invisible force suddenly pulled her from the lighthouse.

    At that moment, her mind was engulfed in darkness. When she awoke, she found herself reborn as a spider.

    A lowly creature could easily be crushed beneath someone''s foot.

    Her consciousness had not fully awakened then, so she only had a few vague and fragmented memories.

    But now, her mind had become much clearer, allowing her to think like a normal human.

    Yet, deep within her mind, an image of Noan lingeredˇŞalong with a special connection she could never break.

    ''My head... it hurts so much!'' Zhisse thought. ''What was my name again? It''s been too long... I can''t even remember my own name anymore.''

    ''Ah! My name now is Zhisse. Master gave me that name. It''s a good name, I suppose. After all, I''m just a spider. I don''t need a grand name.''

    ''Master? Wait! Why am I calling him Master? In my past life, I was a terrifying existence! Anyone who laid eyes upon me would kneel before me! Why am I calling that brat my master?!''

    ''Damn it! I should kill him!''

    Suddenly, Noan shivered as he felt a surge of murderous intent enveloping his body.

    He turned his head and looked at ZhisseˇŞonly to see her staring at him with her six wide-open eyes, her expression somewhat... foolish.

    Moreover, Noan didn''t believe that Zhisse would ever harbor murderous intent toward him.

    After all, heroes summoned by a Lord would never betray their master.

    Furthermore, once any hero or monster underwent Almighty Fusion and received the Evolution mark, betrayal was simply impossible.

    ''My head... why does it hurt so much?''

    ''I... I must be loyal to Master. But why am I having these thoughts?''

    ''I feel so sleepy... I... I want to sleep.''

    Moments later, all six of Zhisse''s eyes blinked, her once-conflicted expression replaced by a foolishly content look as she stared at Noan.

    Instantly, she leaped onto his shoulder, rubbing her head against his.

    Krit! Krit! Krit!

    Zhisse chirped excitedly, waving her front two legs as if overjoyed.

    Noan chuckled and shook his head. Maybe I just imagined that earlier.

    The more he looked at Zhisse, the more satisfied he felt. Not only had she skipped past rank E+ and reached rank D, but she had even evolved into a Mutant form.

    "Can you defeat that Rock Rhino from before?" Noan suddenly asked.

    Zhisse immediately stood upright on her two hind legs, placing her remaining four on her hips in a stance full of arrogance and confidence.

    "This place is..."

    "Hahaha... a special location for a fun event," Raito said with a grin.

    "A fun event?" Noan frowned. "What do you mean?"

    Raito burst into laughter, his smile filled with malice. "Hahahaha... you really are stupid, Noan. I didn''t expect you to fall into my trap so easily."

    "I had planned to use multiple tricks to lure you here, but who knew you''d be dumb enough to walk right into it alone?"

    "What the hell are you talking about?" Noan frowned, slowly backing away, his face showing a trace of concern.

    "Don''t worry. If you tell me the secret of how you managed to bring food supplies to this new territory, I''ll let you ''enjoy yourself'' a little before you die."

    As Raito spoke, he unfastened his belt. With nothing to hold them up, his leather pants slipped down, revealing a pair of bright red shorts underneath.

    "You''re quite good-looking, you know. Originally, my target was Hawke, but I can''t ''enjoy'' him just yet."

    "Although you''re just plain waterˇŞnot as fine as wineˇŞyou can still be used to quench my thirst."

    Noan''s face twisted in disgust.

    This bastard was completely deranged. NoˇŞhe had always been a depraved monster.

    "What are you trying to do?" Noan shouted. "Don''t you already have a secret food collection area? Why would you need my secret too?"

    "Hahaha... you really are stupid, Noan." Raito laughed maniacally. "Human greed knows no bounds. Even though I already have a hidden area to gather food, I want more."

    "Think about itˇŞif I controlled all the food distribution in this region, how much power would I have?"

    "You... you''re not afraid of Hawke?" Noan quickly countered. "He has a rank-D monster! If he finds out you control the food supply, he''ll kill you!"

    "Hahahaha... do you think I''m afraid of him?" Raito sneered through clenched teeth. "He only has one rank-D monster and two rank-E monsters. If we were to fight truly, he wouldn''t stand a chance against me."

    "However... I don''t want Big Brother to find out about this either. That''s why... hahahaha... Noan, if you die here today, no one will ever know what happened."

    "No one will ever learn your secrets... or mine."

    Noan instinctively took a step back as if preparing to flee.

    But Raito, as if anticipating his thoughts, smirked and spoke, "Are you trying to run? If you dare take off, I''ll have my soldiers wipe out your territory."

    "Ah! By now, they''ve probably already surrounded your domain. With a single command, they''ll turn your land into ashes."

    "You..." Noan gritted his teeth, his face contorted with rage.

    "That''s right!" Raito burst into a manic laugh. "Hahahaha... look at me with those eyes! It excites me, Noan! Hahahaha!"

    "You...."

    "Hahahaha..."

    Suddenly, Noan started laughing, causing Raito to frown in confusion.

    "What the hell are you laughing at?"

    Noan took a deep breath, suppressing his emotions before looking directly at Raito.

    "I''m laughing because... you''re an idiot."

    "What?!"

 Chapter 58 The death of Raito and Hawke

    Hawke rode on the Rock Rhino at noon, standing near the Gloomy Forest.

    This place was secretive because reaching it required passing through Hawke''s "Toll Station" and then traveling another two miles into the forest.

    "Strange!" Hawke frowned, muttering to himself. "Raito promised to bring that bastard here by noon. Why hasn''t he shown up yet?"

    It was already noon, and the sun was directly overhead, but there was still no sign of Raito.

    A sense of unease crept into Hawke''s heart. He wasn''t worried about Noan defeating RaitoˇŞthat was impossible.

    It was well known that Raito was a Rank E lord who had reached Level 2, whereas Noan was merely a Rank F lord, at most capable of reaching Level 1.

    Moreover, Raito possessed an E+ rank hero. He could easily emerge victorious even if he faced five Rank F lords at once.

    Hawke truly feared that after obtaining Noan''s secret, Raito would keep it to himself and betray him.

    In this barren land, having a food supply was enough to determine the fate of countless lords.

    "Tsk! How long does that bastard plan to keep me waiting?" Hawke muttered impatiently under his breath.

    Rustle! Rustle!

    Suddenly, a sound came from the bushes opposite him as if someone was hiding within.

    Hawke frowned and barked, "Who''s there?!"

    "It''s me!" Raito emerged from the bushes.

    Seeing Raito''s body covered with a few wounds, Hawke frowned and asked, "What happened? Where''s that bastard?"

    Raito snorted in frustration and grumbled, "Damn it! I should be the one asking you that."

    "What do you mean?" Hawke asked, puzzled.

    "You told me he was just a Rank F lord, right?" Raito dusted himself off as he walked closer to Hawke.

    "That''s right," Hawke replied with a frown.

    "Damn it! That information was wrong. He''s a Rank E lord, Level 1."

    "Impossible!" Hawke immediately refuted. "I saw his soldiers myself. Just a few SkeletonsˇŞhow could he possibly be Rank E?"

    "How the hell should I know?" Raito shouted in frustration. "He suddenly summoned a Rank E hero! I nearly got killed by him!"

    "Luckily, I brought all three of my heroes with me. Otherwise, I would''ve been dead."

    Hawke found it hard to believe, but seeing the fresh wounds on Raito''s body, the lingering traces of blood, and the anger on his face, he began to believeˇŞat least somewhat.

    However, Hawke only trusted Raito to a small extent. He couldn''t completely rule out the possibility that Raito had learned the secret, killed Noan, and was now pretending that Noan had escaped.

    "You didn''t chase after him?" Hawke asked suspiciously.

    "Chase him?!" Raito yelled. "He ran into the Gloomy Forest! Do you think I have a death wish?"

    "You know about that explosion, don''t you? How the hell do you expect me to chase him in there? I''m not an idiot."

    Hawke was still skeptical, but Raito had stopped right before him and spoke impatiently. "Help me out here. Take me into the Gloomy Forest to find that brat."

    He wasn''t worried about Raito ambushing himˇŞafter all, Raito only had a single Rank E High Orc with him, which posed no real threat to Hawke.

    As they ventured about two miles into the forest, an unsettling feeling began creeping up on Hawke.

    It wasn''t the gloomy atmosphere of the forest that disturbed himˇŞit was his instincts warning him that something terrible was about to happen.

    Hawke gazed deeper into the woods, where darkness thickened like a black mist, obscuring his vision.

    Frowning, he was about to command his Rock Rhino to turn back when Raito, who had been silent all this time, suddenly spoke.

    "You''re planning to turn back?"

    Hawke frowned. "That''s right. He may have escaped in another direction. There''s no need for us to waste our time here."

    "Hahahahaha..." Raito suddenly burst into laughterˇŞa chilling, eerie sound that only amplified the growing sense of dread within Hawke.

    "What the hell are you laughing at?"

    "Hahahaha..."

    "Shut up! Right now!" Hawke barked.

    Raito looked at Hawke and smirked. "Sorry, but you can''t leave."

    "What do you mean? IˇŞ"

    Clang! Clang!

    Before Hawke could finish his sentence, the sharp sound of metal clashing echoed through the air.

    In the next instant, countless chains shot out, binding him and his heroes tightly, suspending them in midair.

    He was startled, his face filled with terror as he frantically looked around. At that moment, he realized that the chains binding him had pierced through the very fabric of space around him.

    Just what kind of monster was powerful enough to do something like this?

    Hawke''s fear deepened when he saw that his other heroes were also tightly bound, completely immobilized.

    Panicked, he shouted, "Raito! What the hell are you doing? Let me go! If you don''t, the Boss won''t spare you!"

    Raito stared at Hawke for a moment. Then, without warning, he closed his eyes and collapsed onto the ground as if he had lost consciousness.

    "Raito! Raito!" Hawke screamed, his voice laced with confusion and fear. The situation was so bizarre that he had no idea what to do next.

    Suddenly, he felt the chains tightening around him.

    "What the hell?! No! IˇŞmmph... umph..."

    Before he could finish his cry, another chain shot forward, piercing straight through his throat.

    His eyes widened in horror as he struggled desperately, but it was all in vain.

    Hawke could feel his life force slipping away, his fear so overwhelming that he wet himself.

    But it didn''t matter. The chains continued their merciless assault, killing him and his heroes alike.

    In the end, he never found out whoˇŞor whatˇŞhad killed him, nor did he understand why he had to die.

    All he could do was carry that confusion into the depths of hell.

 Chapter 59 Master, you dont have the right to refuse

    After Hawke and all of his heroes perished, a woman emerged from behind a tree.

    She had long black hair, bat-like wings on her back, and a blood-red dress.

    Yes, it was Vylyss.

    She glanced at Raito, who lay motionless on the ground, then waved her hand. Instantly, a chain pierced through his head.

    Of course, he had no idea why or how he had died.

    Vylyss closed her eyes, and a gentle breeze radiated outward from her as its center.

    A moment later, she opened her eyes and said, "Master, there is no surveillance magic present. Everything is safe."

    At that moment, from the shadow of a large tree, a dark veil slowly dissipated, revealing Noan''s figure.

    He stood up and walked toward Vylyss, his gaze shifting between Hawke''s corpse and Raito''s.

    Seeing that both were dead, he nodded in satisfaction.

    Suddenly, two glowing orbs appeared above the bodies of Hawke and Raito. They immediately flew toward Noan''s hand, leaving him puzzled.

    Then, a system notification appeared in front of him.

    [Ding! Congratulations! You have successfully killed a Rank E+ Lord. You have obtained a Rank E+ Lord Crystal.]

    [Ding! Congratulations! You have successfully killed a Rank E Lord. You have obtained a Rank E Lord Crystal.]

    [Ding! The special ability of the talent ''Almighty Fusion'' activated.]

    [If you collect 500 Rank F Lord Crystals, you can evolve your Lord rank to Rank E.]

    [Note: When your Lord rank increases, ''Almighty Fusion'' will gain additional functions.]

    Noan was startled as he read the system notifications.

    He had never expected that his Lord rank could also be upgraded through the talent of Almighty Fusion.

    Rubbing his chin, he thought, " So that means ''Almighty Fusion'' doesn''t allow me to fuse monsters, but also lets me increase my Lord rank.

    He took a deep breath, feeling that this talent was simply too terrifying.

    And, of course, once again, Noan felt reassured that his decision to keep the secret of his SSS-rank talent was right.

    Setting aside the fact that it could elevate his Lord rank, the mere ability to evolve heroes and monsters made countless people crave it.

    If he had enough resources, even a Rank F monster could be upgraded to Rank SS.

    A talent that could shatter all limits and rules like this simply should not exist.

    Noan understood the saying, "An innocent man carries guilt for possessing a treasured gem."

    In this world, if you were stronger than others, they would grow jealous and seek to drag you down into the abyss simply because they couldn''t stand the thought of someone else standing above them.

    Noan looked at the two glowing orbs in his hands, unsure where to store them.

    "Master, what are you looking at?"

    She gently set Noan down, and he stepped forward.

    But after only a few steps, he was abruptly stopped by an invisible wall.

    Indeed, this wall was truly invisible. If he hadn''t collided with it, he wouldn''t have realized its existence.

    Noan extended his hand and tapped against it, yet no sound was produced. He frowned.

    It felt as if the wall absorbed all the force of his impact.

    "How far does it extend?" Noan asked, his brow furrowed.

    Vylyss tilted her head, placing a delicate finger on her lips, before replying softly, "This place is quite large, but I believe the wall completely encloses the entire area."

    "There aren''t any gaps?"

    "Well..." Vylyss sighed and said, "There are truly no openings. Even after Urlgan dug more than ten meters deep, he couldn''t find its end."

    "I also tried flying up as high as possible, but the limit is 1,000 meters above groundˇŞI couldn''t go any higher."

    Hearing this, Noan nodded, realizing this place was a massive cage.

    The question now wasˇŞhow could he escape?

    Would everyone be transported back to the city after thirty days? No, he doubted it would be that simple.

    More likely, something even more terrifying would happen after those thirty days. By then, he would need to be fully prepared to defend himself.

    Returning to the present, Noan looked at Vylyss and asked, "What about the canyon? Can you get out that way?"

    Vylyss shook her head. "Impossible. This invisible wall also blocks the entrance to the canyon."

    Noan frowned, feeling a bit frustrated. Did he have to explore further down the other two paths?

    "Alright, have everyone search the area. If anything unusual happens, report it to me first. Don''t act recklessly," Noan instructed.

    "Most importantly, you need to keep yourself safe, understand? If you encounter danger, escape immediatelyˇŞdon''t take unnecessary risks."

    Hearing this, Vylyss felt a warm sensation in her heart. She gazed at Noan''s face, a playful glint flashing in her eyes as she decided to tease him a little.

    "Master, since there''s no one around and no zombies in sight, shouldn''t we take a moment to enjoy the scenery?"

    Noan: "..."

    I''m being serious here, and all she''s thinking about is that?!

    He sighed and shook his head. "No, IˇŞack!"

    Before he could finish speaking, Vylyss had already pinned him to the ground, her soft hands caressing his face.

    A seductive fragrance filled his nose, clouding his thoughts and making it hard to stay rational.

    Vylyss smiled wickedly, like a hungry wolf gazing at a clueless little rabbit.

    "Master, you don''t have the right to refuse."

    Noan: "..."

 Chapter 60 Weaving Heavenly Spider

    After spending the entire afternoon "sightseeing" with Vylyss, he dragged his exhausted body back to his domain.

    It should be noted that his current strength had increased to seven times that of an ordinary person, yet he still couldn''t "defeat" Vylyss. That alone was enough to understand just how powerful Vylyss was.

    Upon returning home, he was not at all surprised to see five young men wrapped up like small cocoons on the ground, with only their heads exposed.

    However, the moment they saw Noan, their faces immediately filled with worry and fear. Fortunately for them, the silk threads had bound their mouths so tightly that they couldn''t make a single sound, only writhing on the ground like helpless worms.

    Noan''s expression remained eerily calmˇŞso calm that it was terrifying.

    At that moment, Zhisse suddenly appeared, crawling onto Noan''s shoulder and gently rubbing its head against his cheek.

    Noan responded by lightly scratching its head with his fingers. Naturally, Zhisse enjoyed this very much, lying still to savor the sensation.

    ''What the hell is this?'' Zhisse cursed inwardly. ''Why does this feel so good?''

    ''This isn''t right! I am the "Weaving Heavenly Spider"! Even the Dragon Clan trembles at the mention of my name! How dare he treat me so disrespectfully?''

    ''AAA!!! I can''t resist! What the hell is happening to me?!''

    Of course, Noan had no idea what Zhisse was thinking. His gaze remained fixed on the five men lying on the ground, his eyes filled with a murderous aura that sent shivers down their spines.

    When he had left his domain earlier, he had already known that some nearby lords were planning to take advantage of his absence to seize control of the territory.

    That way, even if Noan managed to escape, Raito could still use his domain to threaten him.

    A perfectly crafted plan.

    If Noan had remained ignorant, still a weak and powerless lord, he would have been pushed to the brink of death by now.

    Fortunately, Noan was neither weak nor a fool.

    "Vylyss!" Noan suddenly called out.

    From the darkness, a stunning woman emerged.

    She was breathtakingly beautifulˇŞso perfect that the five men present were momentarily mesmerized. But the moment her eyes gleamed with a pink light, their minds were clouded, and they fell completely under her spell.

    Seeing this, Noan turned to Zhisse and said, "Untie them."

    ''Huh! Do you think I''ll just obey your command? I am... AAA!! Why can''t I control my own body?''

    ''You foolish spider! Have you sunk so low that you must submit to the orders of a mere human?''

    Though Zhisse cursed internally, Noan did not hear a word of it. And despite its internal struggle, Zhisse did not resist.

    On the contrary, it felt an inexplicable joy in following its master''s command. It was as if it was completely unaware of the presence of "another Zhisse" hidden deep within its mind.

    The silk threads unraveled. The five men, now hypnotized by Vylyss, had lost all ability to resistˇŞjust like Raito earlier that morning.

    Noan began his interrogation. "Does anyone other than you know about this plan?"

    "No, Master," they all answered in unison.

    Noan continued, "Did anyone see or hear of your arrival in my domain?"

    "No."

    Hearing this, Noan was reassured. He then waved his hand, signaling Vylyss to proceed.

    As Vylyss was about to say something more, Zhisse suddenly appeared, waving its legs as if ready to attack her.

    Krit! Krit! Krit!

    Zhisse let out a series of threatening cries, making it clear that it truly intended to strike.

    Vylyss, however, merely scoffed in disdain and flicked her hand.

    Clang! Clang!

    Countless chains materialized, instantly binding Zhisse in midair, exposing only its head.

    ''What the hell? A Succubus? How can a Succubus use the "Hell Chains"? And even combine it with spatial magic?!''

    ''Wait! That Succubus is only at Rank D-Peak! Impossible! Unless... she''s a Royal Succubus?''

    ''No, that''s not right either. Even a Royal Succubus only reaches Rank D+. They can''t use "Hell Chains" or spatial magic like this one does.''

    ''Ah! Wait! What the hell are they doing?!''

    ''AAA!! My eyes... You''ve defiled my eyes!''

    ''Damn you! You sleep with a filthy Succubus and still dare to call yourself my master?! I curse you! May you be forever impotent! May that Succubus drain you dry and leave you to die in agony!''

    Of course, Noan and Vylyss had no idea about the thoughts of "the other Zhisse." They were too preoccupied with enjoying the comfort and elasticity of their new bed.

    Vylyss, like a serpent, slithered onto Noan''s body, her long tongue tracing a path from his neck to his chest, then lower.

    ''AAA!! What the hell is she doing?!'' Zhisse cursed internally. NoˇŞthis wasn''t Zhisse. This was "another Zhisse."

    More precisely, within Zhisse''s body, there were two soulsˇŞone belonging to the real Zhisse and the other to a terrifying entity that had perished long ago.

    As Vylyss used her tongue to "serve" Noan, "the other Zhisse" felt its eyes had been thoroughly contaminated.

    Ah! Not just one pair of eyesˇŞthree pairs. With multiple eyes, it could clearly witness everything without a single blind spot.

    ''Dear heavens! Why must I endure this?'' Zhisse fumed internally. ''You brought me back to life, but why must you taint my eyes like this?''

    ''I can''t even resist! I''m trapped in this foolish spider''s body, forced to follow that brat around like a loyal pet!''

    Zhisse felt utterly humiliated. In its previous life, it had devoted itself to cultivation, finding joy only in growing stronger. It had never once interacted with a man.

    Even at the time of its death, the legendary "Weaving Heavenly Spider," feared by even the Dragon Clan, had remained pure and untouched.

    Thus, the scene before it was incomprehensible and bizarreˇŞso much so that it couldn''t help but look down on Noan and Vylyss as nothing more than two lustful beasts in heat.

    Here, two people were enjoying themselves while one suffered in silent disgust. But elsewhere, someone was even more frustrated than Zhisse.

    At that moment, in a small wooden cabin by the stream, all the members of Hawke''s group had gathered.

    Of course, they weren''t here to meet Hawke. They were here to meet their true leaderˇŞCaleb.

    "You''re saying Hawke and Raito haven''t appeared today?"

    "That''s right," a woman answered. "Since early this morning, I haven''t seen him, nor have I received any messages from him or Raito."

    Caleb furrowed his brows, a troubling thought forming in his mind.

    ''Could it be... they''ve already discovered Noan''s secret and betrayed me?''

 Chapter 61 New function - Storage

    However, Caleb immediately dismissed that thought.

    Why?

    Because Lords were bound to their territories. Even if they tried to flee, their domains would remain behind.

    If their territory was destroyed, they would only become Free Lords, and their heroes would have a high chance of betraying them. Naturally, they would also lose their ability to summon monsters.

    Therefore, the likelihood of Raito and Hawke betraying him was nearly zero.

    Then why had Raito and Hawke disappeared? And was there a connection between the two?

    Caleb fell into deep thought. The others around him dared not speak, merely waiting in silence.

    After a while, Caleb finally spoke. "Who was the last person to see them?"

    Silence.

    Even the woman who had seen Hawke the previous day remained quiet.

    The whole situation was too strange. She had no idea what happened to Hawke and Raito, but she suspected they had betrayed Caleb.

    However, if she spoke up, she might also be labeled a traitorˇŞand Caleb would undoubtedly punish her.

    That was why she chose to stay silent.

    Caleb scanned the room, his sharp gaze growing even more intense as he noticed no one intended to answer. His brow furrowed deeper.

    A timid voice suddenly called out as he was about to speak again.

    "Boss!"

    Caleb turned toward the speakerˇŞa young woman who seemed slightly nervous. He didn''t know much about her, but she must have been part of the group if she was present here.

    "I... I saw Hawke."

    Hearing this, Caleb''s frown deepened. "Where did you see him?"

    "This morning," the girl stammered. "I was leading the second group of lords to harvest food supplies when I saw Hawke riding a rhino, heading deep into the forest."

    "I... I asked him where he was going, but he looked at me as if he wanted to kill me. That''s why I... I could only remain silent."

    Caleb frowned. Though the girl''s words were convincing, he wasn''t quick to trust her.

    It was clearˇŞCaleb was highly intelligent and extremely cautious. Unlike Hawke and Raito, he wasn''t the type to act impulsively or make rash decisions.

    Perhaps that was why he had become the true leader of this group.

    "You said Hawke was riding a Rock Rhino and headed deep into the Dark Forest, correct?"

    Hearing Caleb''s question, the girl trembled slightly, then nodded. "Yes."

    "Was Raito with him?"

    She shook her head. "I... I didn''t see Raito."

    Caleb pondered over her words, his mind connecting the pieces. However, he remained silent for a moment before speaking again.

    "Do you understand what will happen if you lie to me?"

    The girl immediately fell to her knees, her body trembling. "Boss, I... I wouldn''t dare lie to you. I did see him go into the Dark Forest... I just... I just don''t know where he was headed."

    Caleb observed the fear in her expression, and his trust in her grew slightly.

    After all, a person might be able to control their facial expressions, but they could never completely hide the truth in their eyes.

    "Good. I''ll investigate this matter myself."

    However, even though he wasn''t particularly exhausted, he still lay lazily on the mattress, reluctant to get up.

    Krit! Krit!

    Suddenly, Zhisse crawled onto his chest, looking utterly pitiful. All eight of its legs clung tightly to him as if refusing to let go.

    Noan immediately recalled how Zhisse had been strung up on the ceiling by Vylyss the previous night, forced to witness their entire "joyous affair." A trace of embarrassment flickered across his mind.

    ''Wait!''

    A thought suddenly struck him.

    ''Zhisse is just a spider. It probably doesn''t even understand what happened between me and Vylyss.''

    ''Yes, that must be it. It''s probably just sulking because Vylyss left it hanging from the ceiling all night.''

    With that realization, Noan felt much more at ease, no longer embarrassed by the fact that Zhisse had been present for everything.

    Zhisse remained sprawled across his chest, nuzzling against him as if unwilling to move.

    Finding this behavior somewhat adorable, Noan simply hugged it, letting it rest however pleased.

    ''AAAH!! Get your filthy hands off me! You vile, depraved, disgusting human!''

    The second soul within ZhisseˇŞthe one Noan was unaware ofˇŞ(from now on referred to as "Zhisse the Second") shrieked internally.

    She had witnessed, in excruciating detail, exactly what Noan''s hands had done to Vylyss the previous night. The mere thought of those same hands touching her now made her stomach churn with nausea.

    In her memories, Succubi were nothing more than vile, lowly creaturesˇŞmere tools for men''s carnal pleasure.

    And for that reason, Zhisse the Second believed that any man who willingly touched a Succubus was equally filthy and despicable.

    However, the most frustrating part was that Zhisse couldn''t resist.

    Even though she felt utterly nauseated and disgusted, this body was controlled by the other Zhisse.

    To make matters worse, that fool of a spider was deliberately acting spoiled, clinging even tighter to NoanˇŞalmost making Zhisse the Second die a second time from sheer fury.

    Meanwhile, Noan casually opened his system interface, and to his surprise, he noticed a new category labeled "Storage".

    Curious, he tapped on it. Immediately, a grid with nine separate slots appeared before him.

    He saw five Rank F Lord Crystals, one Rank E Crystal, and one Rank E+ Crystal.

    Noticing a "?" icon in the corner of the Storage menu, he clicked on it to read the description.

    [Storage: Can only store items related to Lords. To upgrade the Storage, you must use the talent ''Almighty Fusion'' and 10 Rank D Energy Crystals.]

    A satisfied smile spread across Noan''s face.

    When he saw the second line, he knew this was a unique ability only he possessed.

    Seeing Noan''s smug expression, Zhisse the Second seethed in silent rage.

    ''Eww!! So disgusting! I swear, I want to rip that smirk off his face!''

    Oblivious to her inner fury, Noan focused on analyzing this new ability, carefully considering its potential.

    He quickly realized this function could be the key to developing his territory.

    BAM! BAM!

    Suddenly, loud knocks echoed at the door.

    Noan frowned. He instantly recognized who it was.

    ''So... he''s arrived earlier than I expected.''

 Chapter 62 Zhisse surprise

    Noan opened the door and saw Caleb standing outside. He frowned and asked, "What do you want?"

    Caleb no longer bothered with pretense and got straight to the point. "Did you kill Hawke and Raito?"

    Hearing that question, Noan''s frown deepened. "They''re dead? Hahahaha, I knew none of you would meet a good end."

    "And if I did kill them? What could you do to me?"

    Seeing the crazed expression on Noan''s face, Caleb immediately dismissed his suspicions.

    Initially, he doesn''t want to believe that Noan can kill Hawke and Raito.

    After all, Hawke was a Rank E+ Lord, while Raito was a Rank E Lord. Regardless of levels, the fact that Hawke possessed a Rank D Hero was enough for him to rule over this entire region.

    Of course, that assumed Caleb had no interest in taking that throne. Otherwise, Hawke would have undoubtedly offered his position to Caleb with both hands.

    "Then, where was the last place you saw him?" Caleb continued questioning.

    Noan''s expression turned impatient. He crossed his arms, looking like he was about to punch Caleb. "Why should I tell you?"

    "Haven''t you humiliated me enough already? My life is this peaceful now because of you. No one dares come near me anymore. No one wants to befriend me. Should I be thanking you for that?"

    Caleb frowned, his expression tinged with contempt. "If you tell me that secret, I''ll let you join my group."

    "You already know Hawke was this place''s so-called ''Boss''. But let me be honest with youˇŞmy position was equal to his. I simply never cared to let others know."

    "If you reveal that secret to me, I''ll guarantee your safety. And, of course, you''ll be granted free access to the resource collection zonesˇŞno one will stop you."

    "Huh!" Noan scoffed, his anger flaring as he snapped, "Do you think I''m a dog? You can just leash me and drag me around as you please?"

    "Caleb, I don''t care who you are. Based on everything you''ve done, you and I are already standing on opposite sides."

    Caleb frowned and said, "Noan, we''re both men. There''s no need to be so stubborn. There are far more important things to do in this world. Is it worth throwing away your future potential over a single secret?"

    Noan said nothing and slammed the door shut before turning back inside.

    Caleb sighed and shook his head before walking away.

    Beside him, a young man hesitated momentarily before asking in a low voice, "Boss, why didn''t we just capture him? If we took him and used his territory to threaten him, would he still refuse to reveal that secret?"

    "Why bother bringing that useless piece of trash into our group?"

    Caleb cast a contemptuous glance at the young man. "You''re just like HawkeˇŞonly capable of looking at people with a shallow perspective."

    "Even though he''s just a Rank F Lord, that doesn''t mean he''s easy prey. If we forced him into a corner, he''d rather die than let us take his secret."

    "Keeping him alive for a little longer is more beneficial to us than killing him off too soon."

    Yes, Caleb had already thought of another angleˇŞif Noan refused to reveal the secret, then at least one person in this region could provide food and medicine.

    If necessary, Caleb could exchange energy crystals for supplies.

    After all, this region was barren, and there was no way to predict if the resource storage areas would run dry.

    Having a stable food source was always better than relying on something unreliable.

    Not to mention, food pills were a hundred times more efficient than ordinary food.

    ''But something is strange. Why is this brat still fine after sleeping with a Succubus? Shouldn''t he be showing symptoms of having his life force drained?''

    Even though Zhisse the Second found it odd, she didn''t dwell on it too much.

    After all, to her, anything related to that disgusting affair was beneath her.

    Thinking too much about it might taint her own mind.

    Meanwhile, Noan began summoning his troops.

    Today was another day where the double summon rate boost didn''t activate.

    Yesterday, he used six Rank E Skeletons to evolve Zhisse.

    That meant today, he wouldn''t be able to evolve it any further.

    However, many monsters still needed evolutionˇŞbut there was one major problem.

    Heroes could evolve by consuming other materials.

    But soldiers were different. He needed to have the exact same type of materials to perform a fusion.

    The troops he had left were all mutated variantsˇŞsuch as Skeleton Hunters, Swordmasters, and Shielders.

    For example, if he wanted to evolve a Skeleton Hunter, he would need three additional Skeleton Hunters of the same type to perform the fusion.

    That was extremely difficult, as mutated monsters were rare and didn''t appear often.

    Noan shook his head and stopped thinking about it. Instead, he began fusing all the Skeletons he had.

    One by one, the Skeletons rapidly vanished, merging into stronger formsˇŞcausing Zhisse the Second''s six eyes to widen in sheer disbelief at what she was witnessing.

    "What the hell?!"

    She couldn''t help but curse.

    "What kind of freakish ability is this?!"

    "He... he can fuse Skeletons together to create stronger ones?"

    "Is there even a talent or skill in this world that allows such a thing?! Could it be... that I evolved because of him?"

    Although her consciousness had awakened late, she retained some fragmented memories about her evolution.

    At first, she assumed that Noan had simply used some rare magical item to evolve her.

    But now, what she witnessed completely shattered her understanding of the world.

    In her past life, Zhisse had lived for over 1,000 years.

    That wasn''t considered long, but it wasn''t short, either.

    In that time, she had clawed her way from being as weak as an insect to becoming a terrifying entity that even the Dragon Clan feared.

    And yetˇŞthroughout all those yearsˇŞshe had never encountered any kind of ability that allowed monsters to be fused together to create stronger ones.

    It was absurdˇŞcompletely defying the fundamental principles of this world.

    Yet, that impossible phenomenon was happening right before her eyes.

 Chapter 63 We overthrow Caleb

    The rank of any monster was fixedˇŞif it were to change, it would require some kind of immense power or extremely rare artifact.

    In the past, Zhisse had used countless methods to evolve herself, which was why she had gained such terrifying power, enough to make the Dragon Clan tremble in fear.

    For this reason, she understood evolution''s difficulty more than anyone else.

    Each evolution was filled with excruciating pain, and the mortality rate exceeded 90%.

    Only after enduring countless evolutions and experiencing unbearable suffering did Zhisse reach the terrifying level she once had.

    But now?

    Noan had casually performed a few simple motions, not even using magic, yet he could fuse Skeletons together to create a stronger monster.

    She also recalled how, every time she evolved under Noan''s influence, there was no pain at all. Instead, it had felt incredibly soothing, as if the warmth and gentleness of the entire world was embracing her.

    Zhisse felt as if the world had gone insane.

    If such a simple evolution talent existed, why had she suffered so much in her past life just to evolve?

    Though she still found Noan useless and even filthy for sleeping with a Succubus, she could not deny that his talent was something she deeply craved.

    If someone possessed such an ability, what need was there for training?

    Why bother searching for fortuitous encounters or rare medicinal herbs?

    They had to lie down, be lazy, and wait for Noan to evolve them.

    At that moment, Noan realized that, despite successfully fusing his Skeletons, no mutated versions had appeared, leaving him frustrated.

    He opened his information panel and saw that to evolve Zhisse, and he needed six Rank D materials.

    But at the moment, after scraping together everything he had, he only possessed two Rank D Skeletons.

    He let out a sigh.

    However, he wasn''t in a rush.

    After all, his ''Almighty Fusion'' talent wasn''t going anywhere.

    If he didn''t have enough materials today, he simply had to wait until tomorrow.

    Seeing Noan''s disappointment, Zhisse the Second felt utterly confused.

    "Why is he disappointed?" Zhisse the Second simply couldn''t understand.

    Anyone who possesses such an extraordinary talent should always wear a proud, arrogant smile on their face.

    Yet, after fusing all his Skeletons, Noan''s face was filled with frustration and dissatisfaction.

    With a wave of his hand, he sent the remaining Skeletons to guard the territory, then carried Zhisse onto the bed, planning to nap.

    After all, he had spent the entire night ''fighting'' with Vylyss, and although he wasn''t exhausted, he still wanted to rest for a while.

    He had no idea when Vylyss would come looking for him again, so he needed to ensure his stamina was always at full capacity.

    "AAA!!" Zhisse the Second screamed internally. "Let me go! You filthy, depraved, disgusting human!"

    "Huhuhu... He has tainted me!"

    However, neither Noan nor Zhisse noticed something outside the window.

    Perched on a tree branch, a one-eyed crow was silently watching them.

    A creature like this was extremely strange in a desolate land filled with nothing but zombies.

    But after observing Noan''s house for a moment, the crow flapped its wings and flew deep into the Dark Forest.

    Its body merged into the shadows before disappearing completely.

    ...

    At the "Anomalous Point".

    No, more precisely, at Noan''s territory within the Anomalous Point.

    A bewitching figure, exuding an aura of deadly danger, sat atop the roof.

    Her seductive body was wrapped in a black cloak, and her lips painted a deep shade of violet, made her look exceptionally unique, adding to her mystique.

    Yes, this was Isabell.

    If the region remained leaderless, chaos would consume everything.

    Once they learned that Hawke and Raito were gone, the other Lords would grow confident, band together, and attempt to overthrow Caleb''s group.

    That was why, immediately after leaving Noan''s territory, Caleb declared himself the new King of the region.

    Of course, he had to prove why he deserved itˇŞby revealing his Rank D+ Hero to the public.

    Hawke had been feared just for having a Rank D Hero.

    Now that Caleb had shown up with a Rank D+ Hero, any thoughts of betrayal or rebellion were crushed.

    ...

    Meanwhile, Noan couldn''t care less about any of this. He was simply focused on resting.

    Elsewhere, three men were having a conversation.

    If one looked closely, one of them was the young man who had been with Caleb earlier that morning.

    He cursed angrily at the other two.

    "Damn it! I don''t understand why the Boss won''t let us deal with that bastard!"

    One of the others spoke up.

    "The Boss has a point. If we push him too far, he might take that secret to the grave rather than reveal it."

    "Tsk! I know that," the first man spat. "But does that mean we''re supposed to stand back and do nothing?!"

    "I feel the same way. The more I look at him, the more he pisses me off. Damn it!"

    "I think... we should just capture him."

    "Wait! Aren''t you worried that the Boss will find out andˇŞ"

    "Relax!" The young man who had been with Caleb that morning grinned viciously.

    "Hawke and Raito are gone. Now is the time to prove we''re just as capable as those two bastards."

    "As long as we extract the secret from that piece of trash Noan, the Boss will trust us and put us in charge of this entire region."

    The other two exchanged glances.

    It made sense.

    "What are you all talking about?"

    A voice suddenly rang out, followed by a young woman approaching them with a smile.

    "Can I join in?"

    "Anna?!"

    The young man frowned. "What do you want?"

    "My goal is the same as yours," Anna smirked.

    "I want to get the secret out of that bastard."

    "However," she continued, her smile unwavering, "the disappearance of Hawke and Raito is still a mystery. It might even be connected to him."

    "That''s why we need to be carefulˇŞat the very least, we shouldn''t end up drowning in our own trap."

    The three men looked at each other before turning back to Anna.

    "Then... what do you suggest we do?"

    "It''s simple."

    Anna shrugged, her smile never fading.

    "We gather as many people as possible, leave him no openings to fight back."

    "And once we have the secret?" One of them asked.

    Anna''s smile widened.

    "Then we kill Noan."

    "Or better yet..."

    "We overthrow Caleb."

 Chapter 64 The Resource Storage Center

    The three of them were startled by Anna''s words, filled with hatred, and could only remain silent.

    But after a moment, a young man spoke up: "Oy! You''re joking, right?"

    "What? Are you really willing to be his dog?" Anna glanced at the young man, her voice full of contempt.

    "That..." He hesitated.

    Indeed, who would willingly be someone else''s dog in this world? He only submitted to Caleb because he was weaker than him.

    If he had the ability, he would have overthrown Caleb and become the king of this territory.

    However, he simply didn''t have the power to do so.

    In reality, he was just an F+ rank lord. He didn''t even possess a single E+ rank monster or hero.

    The strongest hero under his command was only rank E, but compared to Caleb''s D+ rank hero, his was an insignificant ant.

    "You won''t succeed in sowing discord among us." Another young man suddenly spoke up.

    Anna snorted disdainfully: "You don''t even want to be his dogs yourselves. What''s the point of pretending to be united?"

    "You''re only loyal because you don''t have the ability to overthrow Caleb. But what if you did?"

    "That''s enough!" the young man snapped. He frowned and told Anna, "I''ll pretend I never heard a word you said. Get lost!"

    Anna glanced at the three young men. Their expressions were a mix of excitement, anxiety, and fear.

    She shook her head. "A bunch of cowards."

    With that, she turned and walked away.

    The three of them watched her retreating figure, then muttered under their breath, "What the hell is that bitch thinking? There''s no way we could overthrow the boss, right, Adrian?"

    Adrian was the same young man who had accompanied Caleb that morning. However, he didn''t seem to hear what the other was saying. Instead, he remained silent, his head lowered as if deep in thought.

    "Adrian!" the young man shouted.

    "Huh?" Adrian jolted. "Did... did you just call me?"

    "Adrian! Do you want to overthrow the Boss?" The two young men asked in fear. "You have to understand how powerful he is. We''re just weaklings."

    "Of course, I know that. You don''t need to warn me," Adrian replied. However, a seed of betrayal had already been planted deep in his heart.

    ...

    After summoning and fusing the Skeletons the next day, he took advantage of the early hours before dawn to slip away.

    Naturally, no one would notice his departure thanks to Vylyss using the veil of darkness to conceal him.

    Noan wanted everyone to think that he was still inside his territory.

    This time, he didn''t bring Zhisse along; instead, he traveled with Vylyss because Zhisse would stay behind to guard the domain.

    Upon entering the Dark Forest, Vylyss carried him for over twenty miles before stopping at a fork where three narrow paths branched off.

    Immediately, several zombie birds emerged, surrounding them.

    Vylyss furrowed her brows and murmured coldly, "Trash!"

    She swung her hand, and countless chains pierced through the air, instantly shattering the already decayed bodies of the creatures.

    The chains didn''t go to waste eitherˇŞthey wrapped around the energy crystals and flung them toward Vylyss.

    The zombies below heard the noise and looked up, but they couldn''t fly. All they could do was stand motionless, staring at Vylyss and Noan.

    At that moment, Noan spoke: "Vylyss, if we were to fight, could you wipe out all these zombies?"

    Vylyss looked down. The 5,000 zombies resembled a vast swarm of ants covering a large area, a sight that would make anyone shudder.

    "Master, if they were all just regular zombies, I could easily eliminate them. However..." Vylyss hesitated slightly before admitting, "D-rank zombies are among them. I can''t take them all down with my current energy level."

    Hearing that, Noan nodded. "I understand."

    "MasterˇŞ"

    Noan immediately cut her off. "No need!"

    He had already guessed what she was about to say, so he responded before she could continue. "These zombies appear to be in a stable state. If we disrupt that balance, it will surely lead to big trouble."

    "Just leave them be. We just need to fly past them."

    In truth, Noan had another reason for not wanting to provoke the horde.

    It wasn''t because he cared about the other Lords, but because if the zombies went berserk, they would attack the creatures in the food forest.

    Noan could sense that he was currently the strongest person in this region. That food forest would belong to him in the future, and he had no intention of ruining his own resources.

    Even though he was tempted to have Vylyss destroy these zombies and then upgrade his ''Storage'' function, his rationality thankfully kept him from making that mistake.

    Vylyss nodded and carried him further away.

    Of course, they were frequently ambushed along the way by zombie birds, but those creatures were no match for Vylyss.

    After flying for more than ten minutes, Noan and Vylyss finally arrived at another forest.

    This time, they chose to walk rather than fly.

    Noan remained cautious. He followed a narrow path, continuing deeper into the forest.

    After walking another two miles, he finally saw a fenced-off area made of steel mesh, containing three small houses built from wood, with roofs made of dried grass and straw.

    "The Resource Storage Center," Noan murmured excitedly. "Even though it''s only a level 0 Resource Storage Center, it''s more than enough."

    From what he had learned at the academy, Resource Storage Centers were classified from level 0 to level 7.

    Level 0 was the lowest, containing only three basic resourcesˇŞwood, stone, and foodˇŞwith a relatively small supply.

    In this barren region, this place was nothing short of paradise.

    Looking around, Noan realized that no one seemed to have discovered it yet.

    Perhaps he was the first to set foot here.

 Chapter 65 Mutant Hunter!

    "Master!" Vylyss suddenly spoke.

    Noan followed her gaze and saw a zombie Hunter standing on a high branch, watching them.

    However, this zombie Hunter differed from the one he had encountered at the ''Singular Point.''

    "That is... a Mutant zombie Hunter!" Noan immediately recognized what kind of zombie it was.

    Its outer skin had transformed into a layer of metallic scales, its razor-sharp claws reflecting the light. Its body was slightly larger than a normal zombie Hunter, reaching up to 2.5 meters in height.

    Noan frowned because an ordinary zombie Hunter had already reached Rank D-Peak, and a Mutant Hunter was likely approaching Rank C or had already reached it.

    At this moment, Vylyss frowned and said, "I''m sorry, Master. When I arrived, I didn''t detect it. Now, it suddenly appearedˇŞthis is my fault."

    Noan shook his head. Of course, he didn''t blame Vylyss, as he knew this was simply the defense mechanism of the ''Resource Storage Center.''

    Every area like this had a guardian monster, and the higher the center''s level, the stronger the guardian.

    Vylyss did not have the ability to harvest resources within the Center, so its defensive mechanism had not been activated.

    But the moment a Lord appeared. Naturally, the mechanism would trigger, and the guardian beast of this place would emerge.

    However, one thing puzzled Noan... Based on the exterior of the Center, this was only a Level 0 facility, so why was a Mutant Hunter guarding it?

    Mutant Hunters should only appear if this were a Level 3 or 4 CenterˇŞor perhaps even higher.

    But Noan had no time to think or seek an answer.

    "Vylyss, can you win?"

    Vylyss frowned, then answered honestly, "I will do my best."

    Hearing this, Noan knew that Vylyss''s chances of victory were not high. She said that because she wanted to preserve at least a little of her pride.

    Suddenly, countless diamond-shaped magical symbols appeared and interlocked, forming a dome that enveloped the entire area.

    Seeing this, Noan immediately realized it was too late, even if he wanted to escape.

    [Ding! Activating defense system.]

    [Ding! Activating hidden quest: Eliminate the Guardian ¨C Zombie Hunter (Mutant)

    Reward: ???

    Failure: Death.]

    Even if the system hadn''t stated it outright, Noan knew what awaited him should he fail.

    The only issue was... he didn''t have the opportunity to bring Urlgan. If he had, his chances of winning this battle would have been much higher.

    "I''m sorry, Master," Vylyss said with remorse.

    Noan shook his head. "It''s not your fault. And besides, there''s no need for guilt. Right now, the most important thing is figuring out how to defeat it."

    Suddenly, his bracelet split into four parts, transforming into gloves and boots wrapped around his hands and feet.

    Intricate purple luminescent patterns flickered across the gloves, exuding an aura of mystery.

    Vylyss abruptly sensed an overwhelming power emanating from them.

    What was bizarre, however, was that this power carried an evil and divine presence, as if an ancient gaze from the depths of time was piercing through existence, staring directly at her.

    Vylyss shuddered, but fortunately, the sensation lasted briefly before vanishing entirely.

    She quickly regained her composure, dismissing it as an illusion conjured by her imagination.

    Noan, on the other hand, felt nothing. His eyes remained locked onto the Mutant Hunter, and his nerves wound as tightly as guitar strings.

    Suddenly, the Mutant Hunter vanished, startling him.

    Noan frowned, uncertain what to do as the battle unfolded beyond his combat capabilities.

    Suddenly, the Abyss Cube detached itself from his hands and feet, transforming into a firearm affixed to his left hand.

    "What the...?" Noan was startled. It was the first time he had seen the Abyss Cube act independently, assembling into a different weapon without his command.

    However, he suddenly recalled the silk-shooting ability he had inherited from Zhisse.

    He had inherited physical power, magical abilities, and unique traits from his creatures.

    It was just that these abilities weren''t as powerful as when used by the original monsters.

    Raising his hand, Noan felt the Abyss Cube seamlessly merge with his palm. Then...

    BANG!

    The Mutant Hunter was mid-swing, its razor-sharp claws slashing toward Vylyss''s head when a streak of light shot forward at an incredible speed.

    Clang!

    Vylyss flinched as the light collided with the Mutant Hunter''s claws, deflecting them from their deadly trajectory.

    She seized the opportunity, instantly summoning countless chains wrapped around the Mutant Hunter and yanking it higher.

    A massive magic circle materialized before her, and from within it, a giant black hand emerged, rocketing forward with immense force.

    BAM!

    The impact sent the Mutant Hunter hurtling backward, its body smashing through towering trees, snapping them like twigs.

    Thick and dense dust erupted into the air, obscuring Noan''s vision.

    But Vylyss did not stop. With a swift motion, she conjured a shadowy veil that transformed into a long spear.

    The Dark Spear was wrapped in several chains, emanating a terrifying aura of destruction.

    At the same moment, three magic circles appeared straight before her, each glowing with a different hue.

    "Dark Spear!"

    Vylyss''s voice rang out as she hurled the spear. It shot through the three magic circles, absorbing their energy and amplifying its destructive power exponentially.

    Whoosh!

    The spear became a streak of black light, hurtling straight toward the spot where the Mutant Hunter had fallen.

    BAM!

    For an instant, everything turned black and white, and thenˇŞsilence.

    In the distance, Noan saw a glowing sphere of light slowly expanding, growing larger and larger until its radius exceeded a hundred meters.

    Without waiting for a command, the Abyss Cube transformed into a shield, positioning itself in front of Noan.

    Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

    Gale-force winds surged through the battlefield. Thankfully, the shield formed by Abyss Cube absorbed the shockwave, protecting him.

    Then came an ear-piercing explosion. The ground trembled violently as if the world itself was collapsing. Trees were uprooted and flung away like mere leaves in a storm.

    Dust filled the entire space.

    As Noan opened his eyes, he saw the Mutant Hunter right before him.

    In that brief moment, he realized... his life was about to end.

    And thenˇŞ

    A shadowy figure appeared between him and death.

    "Vylyss?!!"

 Chapter 66 Gatekeepers Trial

    The claws of Mutant Hunter slashed down, but Vylyss''s chains immediately ensnared them. However, as soon as she pushed Noan away, the chains were severed.

    Whoosh!

    A sound like a blade slicing through flesh rang outˇŞVylyss''s arm was cut off by Mutant Hunter.

    It didn''t stop there. The creature grabbed one of Vylyss''s wings and tore it from her back.

    "AAA!!" Vylyss screamed, her voice filled with pain and despair.

    Noan, at that moment, went mad. He charged at Mutant Hunter, and the Abyss Cube suddenly transformed into a sword in his grip.

    The blade slashed downward, but Mutant Hunter was much faster than Noan and easily dodged the attack.

    Noan didn''t stop. The sword in his hand swiftly morphed into a bow.

    He pulled the bowstring taut, energy forming into an arrow, and then...

    Whoosh!

    The wind howling through the air echoed as the arrow was loosed, shooting toward Mutant Hunter with the speed of a bullet.

    Clang!

    However, the arrow struck its body and instantly dissolved into countless light particles, leaving no mark on its flesh.

    BAM!

    Mutant Hunter''s foot stomped on the ground, causing an explosion as its body launched forward like a cannonball, heading straight for Noan.

    Noan raised his hand, and the Abyss Cube immediately transformed from a longbow into a shield.

    He held the shield before him, but in the next moment, an immense force slammed against it. Unable to withstand the impact, he was sent flying backward.

    BAM!

    His body crashed into a tree before finally coming to a halt. He fell to the ground, coughing up a mouthful of blood, his face pale as if drained of all life.

    At that moment, Noan felt utterly hopeless.

    He never imagined that he would have to fight against a monster that had surpassed rank D-Peak in a place like this.

    Even more unexpected was that, despite both him and Vylyss becoming significantly stronger than before, they still ended up defeated here.

    Noan wanted to stand up, but Mutant Hunter had already appeared before him, and then...

    BAM!

    "Ack!" Noan spat out another mouthful of fresh blood after Mutant Hunter''s foot struck his stomach.

    The kick was so powerful that it sent him flying backward again, only stopping when he crashed into the protective dome.

    Noan lay motionless on the ground, feeling as if his stomach had just been shattered.

    Right now, let alone standing upˇŞeven breathing was an excruciating task.

    Blood streamed from his nose, mouth, and ears like flowing rivers. He could even feel his life force flickering like a tiny candle in a raging storm, ready to be extinguished at any moment.

    Mutant Hunter suddenly appeared before Noan again, its claws raised high, poised to strike down at his head.

    Clang! Clang!

    Just as his life was about to be cut short, countless chains suddenly materialized, wrapping tightly around Mutant Hunter''s body.

    Noan''s eyes widened in shock as he turned toward Vylyss.

    At this moment, her body was drenched in blood, especially the areas where her arm had been severed and where one of her wings had been torn from her back.

    Vylyss gritted her teeth, her remaining hand glowing with an enigmatic purple light as if desperately trying to hold onto his life force.

    Mutant Hunter struggled violently, but the chains were not so easily broken this time.

    But what stood out the most was her face.

    She was breathtakingly beautiful.

    So beautiful that Noan found himself unable to breathe.

    It was so beautiful that he felt such a thing could not exist in this worldˇŞonly in myths and legends.

    Yet beneath that beauty lay an overwhelming sorrow and pain so profound that Noan felt as if he might weep.

    "Who... who are you?" Noan asked.

    The woman slowly opened her eyes.

    BAM!

    When Noan gazed into them, it felt like his mind had been struck by lightning. A sharp pain exploded in his head, his thoughts spiraling into chaos, and his body trembled uncontrollably.

    However, the sensation didn''t last long. A few seconds later, he began to stabilize.

    When he opened his eyes again, he saw that his body was surrounded by a swirling purple mist, as if it were shielding him.

    Noan lifted his head and once again looked at the woman. This time, the previous overwhelming sensation was gone.

    The woman''s lips moved as if she were trying to say something. Noan furrowed his brows, straining to hear, but no sound reached him.

    Seeing his confusion, a hint of disappointment flashed across the woman''s face. ThenˇŞdarkness engulfed everything.

    Noan suddenly noticed a distant speck of light in the endless black void.

    He ran toward it.

    The closer he got, the larger the light became.

    It had grown to the size of a sun in mere moments, engulfing him and the entire space in radiant brilliance.

    ...

    Noan slowly opened his eyes, realizing that the light he had been chasing was a ray of sunlight shining directly onto his face.

    He took a long breath and sat up, discovering his body no longer ached. Every wound he had sustained had completely healed.

    "This..." Noan found it unbelievable. He clearly remembered being beaten to the brink of death by Mutant Hunter. How was he now fully recovered, as if nothing had happened?

    "Ah! Vylyss!"

    The moment her name flashed through his mind, Noan immediately looked up and saw her lying in the distance, surrounded by a pool of blood. Without hesitation, he ran toward her.

    "Vylyss!" Noan gently lifted her into his arms, cradling her against his lap. "You... you..."

    Vylyss slowly opened her eyes. Her face was pale, drained of all color like a severely anemic patient, yet a satisfied smile still adorned her lips.

    "Ah! Master, you''re safe," she said, her voice weak and breathless.

    "Stop talking! I''ll find a way to help you," Noan said anxiously.

    Even though she was in excruciating pain, Vylyss felt warmth fill her heart at his words.

    "Master, don''t worry. I only lost an arm and a wing," she said, exhaustion weighing down her voice. "It''s just... a pity... that I might be useless to you from now on."

    "Master, will you abandon me?"

    Noan didn''t answer. Instead, he pulled her tightly into his embrace, his heart aching so much that it made breathing hard.

    "Master..." Vylyss could no longer hold back her emotions, letting tears stream down her face like flowing rivers.

    "Don''t even think about escaping from me!" Noan frowned, his voice firm.

    "Hahaha... Master, you still want to keep me even after I''ve become like this? You really are a pervert," she teased weakly.

    "Shut up!" Noan scolded, but there was no anger in his voice.

    [Ding! Congratulations on overcoming the ''Gatekeeper''s Trial.'' You have received a special treasure chest.]

 Chapter 67 Fallen Believer

    Noan was startled when he saw the notification from the System.

    "The Gatekeeper? Could it be... I killed the Mutant Hunter?" Noan felt a deep sense of confusion.

    But there was one thing he could be certain ofˇŞhe couldn''t kill the Mutant Hunter.

    "Could it be that girl?" Noan recalled the dream from earlier.

    He tried to remember her face, but no matter how hard he tried, he couldn''t.

    In his memory, her face was shrouded in a thick mist, obscuring the upper part completely.

    Yet, when he looked at the blood and the shattered remnants of the Mutant Hunter''s outer skin, he knew for sure... The Mutant Hunter was dead, but not by his hand.

    However, that no longer mattered. The most important thing was that he and Vylyss were safe. More than that, they had somehow completed a hidden mission.

    At that moment, another notification appeared.

    [Ding! Because you are the first to complete the hidden mission of the ''Chaotic Zone,'' the ''Treasure Chest'' has been upgraded to a ''Legendary Treasure Chest.'']

    [Ding! Because you completed the hidden mission alone, you have been awarded an additional ''Resource Center Key.'']

    [Ding! You have received the ''Pioneer'' medal, which has been placed in ''Storage.'']

    [Ding! Would you like to announce this achievement to the entire ''Chaotic Zone''?]

    A series of notifications startled Noan. The rewards were abundant, but...

    He lowered his head and looked at Vylyss lying in his arms, his heart aching as if stabbed by a blade.

    "No!" Noan suddenly muttered in his mind. "There must be something among these rewards to help me heal her."

    That''s right. He had received a ''Legendary Treasure Chest.'' Surely, there would be something inside that could be useful for Vylyss.

    He took a deep breath and softly said, "Vylyss, trust me. I will definitely heal you."

    Vylyss, upon hearing his words, nodded slightly. Her eyes were half-closed as she rested her head against his chest as if it were the safest and most peaceful place in the world.

    She said nothing, yet she trusted him completely. From the moment she appeared, she had witnessed the miracles he had brought forth.

    Noan had not only shattered her perception but also proven that as long as he remained alive, he would one day stand among the lords of this world.

    After all, the ability to fuse and evolve monsters was something no one else possessed.

    Such power was believed to belong only to the gods, yet Noan wielded it.

    Even if he failed to restore her, she wouldn''t mind.

    Vylyss believed in himˇŞbelieved in him. Even if she could no longer fight, she was willing to resign herself to being nothing more than his plaything just to remain by his side.

    A gentle, contented smile suddenly graced her lips as if she had found the ultimate truth that defined her existence.

    Noan, however, was different. He had no interest in Vylyss''s thoughts. His only concern was whether the ''Legendary Treasure Chest'' would grant him what he needed right now.

    "Hide notifications!" Noan commanded. This was the first thing he needed to do.

    She couldn''t speak, her lips lost in the depth of Noan''s kiss. But tears continued to fall.

    This time, however, they were not tears of pain.

    They were tears of happiness.

    She was just a Succubus. No matter how powerful, her potential had always been limited.

    Using something as priceless as the Rainbow Crystal on a Succubus was nothing short of extravagantˇŞlike throwing a chunk of gold into the sewers.

    And yet, Noan had done it. He had given her this chance to recover and retain her complete form.

    Even without the binding contract of Lord and Hero, Vylyss swore to herself that she would never allow something like today to happen again.

    "Master, I will protect you. I swear... I will protect you."

    "Forever by your side. Forever loving you..."

    Vylyss whispered silently in her heart, closing her eyes and letting herself melt into this intoxicating moment.

    The Rainbow Crystal slowly sank into her chest, disappearing completely.

    At that instant, a divine and majestic energy erupted.

    Simultaneously, a dark and insatiable force also emerged.

    Two opposing energies, each carrying completely different essences, surged into Vylyss''s body.

    It was strangeˇŞthese two conflicting forces should have clashed and repelled one another, and yet they intertwined seamlessly.

    They began to fuse slowly, forming a massive energy sphere within Vylyss''s body.

    Guided by the power of the Rainbow Crystal, a stream of radiant energy carrying seven colors intertwined with a swirling black-and-white force seeping into every part of her being.

    Noan pulled away from Vylyss''s lips, his eyes widening as her body radiated an intense glow.

    He flinched instinctively, but when he saw her wounds healingˇŞher severed arm and torn wings slowly regeneratingˇŞhis heart filled with joy.

    "Ack!"

    Suddenly, a surge of energy erupted, sending Noan flying backward over five meters.

    He steadied himself with effort, his gaze locking onto Vylyss, who now hovered mid-air, enveloped in those strange, conflicting energies.

    Then, countless magical symbols materialized, weaving together to form a cocoon around her.

    Noan could no longer see her, as the layers of magical runes were so dense that they wrapped around her like countless layers of fabric.

    However, he wasn''t worried. He knewˇŞVylyss was evolving.

    Patiently, he waited beside her.

    More than an hour passed before a system notification appeared before him.

    [Ding! Congratulations! You have successfully evolved Vylyss and she becomes ''Fallen Believer'' - Rank B.]

 Chapter 68 Resource Center and Pioneers Medal

    Noan saw the announcement and was startled, his eyes filled with disbelief.

    Rank BˇŞwhat did that even mean?

    Of course, Noan knew exactly what Rank B represented. In a region dominated solely by Rank F and Rank E lords, a Rank B hero was akin to a king, an overwhelming existence that no one could overthrow.

    Any lord who possessed a Rank B hero would immediately be placed into the Federation Government and the Empire''s key development program.

    That alone was enough to understand the significance of a Rank B hero.

    Leaving potential aside, just in terms of raw power, a Rank B hero was already of paramount importance.

    "This isn''t good!" Noan jolted, quickly trying to calm himself. "I can''t be arrogant. I must restrain myself."

    He took a deep breath, forcing himself to regain composure.

    To say he wasn''t feeling arrogant would be a lie. Owning a Rank B heroˇŞanyone would feel so proud that their eyes would only look to the heavens.

    Noan was just an ordinary person, and his thoughts were simple.

    However, the recent lesson about the Mutant Hunter had sobered him up considerably.

    Even with a Rank B hero, he still needed to be cautious. He could not afford to be arrogant, nor could he afford to boast.

    While Vylyss had not completed her evolution, Noan opened her status screen to check.

    ...

    Name: Vylyss

    Class: Fallen Believer

    Level: 0

    Rank: B

    Description: Surpassing even a Succubus, Vylyss is capable of receiving the blessings of both the Goddess of Desire and the Goddess of Purity.

    She is a Disciple, but she has fallenˇŞyet both goddesses still wish to claim her.

    She stands between the boundary of darkness and lightˇŞshe is a Fallen Disciple.

    Note: To evolve Vylyss, 15 Rank B materials are required.

    ...

    Noan found Vylyss''s description unusually abstract. Normally, the descriptions of monsters would clearly outline their strengths and weaknesses.

    But Vylyss''s description was strangeˇŞjust a few lines imbued with poetic language, nothing more.

    As he was still struggling to comprehend, a violent gust of wind erupted, sending him flying toward the cocoon, which was formed from countless magical sigils.

    Noan: "..."

    It was as if he already knew what fate had in store for him. That''s why he didn''t resist.

    From within the cocoon, a hand as flawless as if it had been sculpted by a master artist extended outward, grasping his wrist before pulling him inside.

    ...

    Two hours later, the cocoon vanished.

    Vylyss emerged wearing a black dress, her wings behind her now perfectly restored.

    Most notably, her skin had become even softer, carrying a faint rosy hue that exuded an irresistible allure.

    Her eyes shimmered, revealing two pink heart-shaped pupils that glowed with a dazzling light.

    Just below her navel, exactly 10 centimeters down, was the heart-shaped sigil Noan had seen before.

    Now, that sigil had transformedˇŞits colors split between black and white, with a radiant pink at the center.

    There was no way they could breach the Resource Center anytime soon.

    That meant Noan still had time to develop.

    Now that he had Vylyss, a Rank B hero, he could focus all his resources on evolving Zhisse, pushing it to a higher rank.

    Once he had two Rank B monsters, everything would become much easier.

    Vylyss would protect the Territory, while Zhisse would guard the Resource Center.

    Why was he keeping Vylyss by his side instead of Zhisse?

    Any man would understand why.

    Even if he had to provide Vylyss with "Milk" every day, at least living with a stunning beauty was far preferable to cohabiting with a giant spider, right?

    Noan stepped inside the Resource Center, sighing as he saw three small houses.

    Although it was called a "Center", it was nothing more than a small area with three shabby buildings.

    Without the System''s notification, he wouldn''t have even believed that this place was truly the Resource Center.

    ...

    Resource Center

    Level: 0

    Description: Every day, this place produces 100 units of wood, 100 units of stone, and 100 food pills.

    Upgrade Requirement: 1,000 Rank F Energy Crystals (Higher-rank energy crystals can be used as substitutes).

    ...

    Noan thought for a moment and decided not to upgrade the Resource Center. Instead, he used all the energy crystals he had just obtained from the Legendary Treasure Chest to level up Vylyss.

    After her evolution, her level had reset from Level 1 to Level 0, but that didn''t concern him.

    A Level 1 Rank D-Peak and a Level 0 Rank B were worlds apartˇŞthe difference was as vast as the Moon and the Sun.

    Because of that, the number of energy crystals needed for Vylyss to level up was astronomical.

    Almost all the energy crystals he possessed were dedicated to Vylyss''s progression.

    However, he set aside 10 Rank D Energy Crystals to upgrade the ''Storage'' function.

    [Ding! The ''Storage'' function has been successfully upgraded. It can now store additional types of resources.]

    Noan saw that his Storage, which initially had 9 slots, had expanded to 99.

    Each slot could stack up to 999 units of the same type of item.

    This meant he could store 99 types of resources, each occupying a single slot.

    While Vylyss was absorbing energy crystals to level up, Noan started using Storage to collect resources.

    [Ding! Resource collection is in progress. Please wait one hour for completion.]

    While waiting, Noan checked the items he had received from the system rewards after completing his mission.

    His attention was particularly drawn to the Pioneer''s Medal, which is currently stored in ''Storage''.

    ...

    Name: Pioneer''s Medal

    Rank: ???

    Description: The effects of this item are activated even while stored in storage.

    Increases the strength of the Lord and all heroes and soldiers under their command by 20%. Reduces physical and magical damage taken by 20%. Weakens zombie-type monsters by 20% when near heroes, soldiers, or the Lord carrying this medal.

 Chapter 69 Space Magic!

    Noan was stunned as he read the effects of the Pioneer''s Medal.

    Was this really an item meant for him?

    The "Increases the strength of the Lord, Heroes, and Soldiers under their command by 20%" effect alone drove the entire world insane.

    For low-rank Lords, this ability wasn''t too overwhelming.

    After all, 20% of 10 was only 2.

    However, what if a high-rank Lord''s strength was 100 or 1,000? The 20% increase would be exponentially more powerful than for someone with only 10 strength.

    Moreover, this medal didn''t just increase strength.

    It also reduced physical and magical damage by 20% and weakened zombies by 20% when they were near the Lord or their troops.

    This Pioneer''s Medal was nothing short of a divine artifact for high-rank Lords.

    If news of its existence spread, it would undoubtedly trigger a massacre.

    Of course, Noan wasn''t foolish enough to flaunt it to the world.

    Fortunately, thanks to the Storage function, he didn''t need to wear the medal on his person for its effects to activate.

    Now, his attention shifted to Lord Points.

    He had 500 Lord Points, just enough to upgrade his Lord Rank.

    [Ding! Would you like to spend 500 Lord Points to upgrade your Lord Rank?]

    "Yes!" Noan agreed without hesitation.

    Right now, he was only Rank F.

    If he didn''t increase his Lord Rank, he would still need an extremely long time to gather the necessary materials for his heroes'' evolutions even with the Almighty Fusion talent.

    [Ding! Your Lord Rank has been successfully upgraded to Rank F+!

    To advance further, please spend another 500 Lord Points.]

    [Ding! Your talent ''Almighty Fusion'' has gained a new function.]

    Two notifications appeared, filling Noan with excitement.

    Finally, he had upgraded his Lord Rank. Now, he no longer had to worry about the overwhelming amount of materials needed to evolve his Heroes or Mutant Soldiers.

    Even though he had only advanced from Rank F to Rank F+, that alone was already a massive improvement.

    Previously, he needed three Rank F Skeletons to fuse into one Rank F+ Skeleton.

    Now, instead of summoning Rank F Skeletons, he could summon Rank F+ Skeletons directly.

    Suppressing his excitement, Noan proceeded to check the new function added to his Almighty Fusion talent.

    ...

    Talent: Almighty Fusion

    Rank: SSS

    Description 1: You can fuse three soldiers of the same rank to create a higher-ranked soldier.

    Description 2: You can use multiple high-rank soldiers to increase the rank of a hero you have summoned.

    Description 3: Any soldier or hero that has undergone Fusion will receive the ''Evolution'' Mark.

    ''Evolution'' Mark: When soldiers or heroes receive this mark, their overall strength increases by 10%. The more units with the ''Evolution'' Mark, the stronger the Lord becomes.

    Description 4: Unlocks the ''Clear'' function.

    Vylyss seemed to sense his thoughts and immediately spoke up. "Don''t worry, I can send you back in an instant."

    "Hm?!"

    Noan looked at her in confusion.

    Vylyss didn''t explain. Instead, she simply placed her hand on his shoulder, and suddenly, a surge of energy wrapped around his body.

    What happened next, Noan wasn''t sure.

    For a brief moment, he saw the space around him twist and distort as if reality itself were a piece of fabric being bent and stretched.

    And then, in the blink of an eye, everything snapped back to normal.

    Noan found himself standing inside his Territory.

    Krit! Krit!

    Zhisse, who had been clinging to the ceiling, was so startled by Noan''s sudden appearance that she almost fell to the ground.

    ''AAA!! Damn it! That scared the hell out of me!''

    Zhisse''s second consciousness cursed internally.

    ''What the hell?! How did he suddenly appear inside the room?!''

    ''Wait a minute... That was... Space Magic?! No way! There''s no way a useless human like him can use Space Magic!''

    Her gaze quickly shifted.

    ''Huh?! Why is that filthy Succubus even stronger now?!''

    ''Not just twice as strongˇŞher rank actually increased to Rank B?!''

    ''What the hell is happening?!''

    Zhisse''s second consciousness was so shocked that she mentally gapedˇŞnot that she had a real mouth to drop open anymore.

    But this only emphasized how truly stunned she was.

    In just one day, a mere Rank D-Peak Succubus took a giant leap and became a Rank B existence.

    And more than thatˇŞZhisse had seen something else.

    ''Wait a minute! Why does she have three different energy sources inside her body? And more importantly, why aren''t they repelling or attacking each other? Instead, they seem to be coexisting and even supporting one another!''

    Zhisse felt as if she had just discovered an entirely new continent.

    This must have been what Columbus felt when he stumbled upon America.

    She had to know that having three different energies within a single body was completely unheard of. Even more shocking was the nature of these energies.

    Two of them were opposites:

    The white energy radiated holiness, divinity, purity, and righteousness.

    The black energy was the complete opposite, filled with negativity, darkness, and corruption.

    And then... there was the pink energyˇŞneither holy nor corrupt. It brimmed with love and desire, a force entirely separate from the other two.

    Usually, just putting these energies near each other would cause a violent clash, an uncontrollable explosion.

    Yet right now, they existed inside Vylyss''s body in perfect balance.

    Not only that, but they were actively supporting each other, making her even more powerful.

    But the most unbelievable part?

    Vylyss had just used Space Magic!

 Chapter 70 Could it all end here?

    Zhisse remembered her past life. At that time, she had reached a nearly supreme level in this world.

    Yet, she had many regrets, especially regarding spatial magic.

    She could learn but not use it because she lacked the innate talent for spatial magic.

    If she had been able to wield spatial magic, she could have wiped out all her enemies in that battle and ascended to the highest level of this world.

    But unfortunately, she could not use that kind of magic, and because of that, she was killed.

    When she woke up, she found herself inhabiting the body of a spider.

    However, the most crucial thing was... Vylyss now possessed something that Zhisse had once yearned for and never obtained.

    ''How strange!'' Zhisse thought to herself. ''Could it be that the filthy Succubus girl has some other hidden mystery to her identity?''

    She recalled that even before Vylyss had evolved to rank B, she had already been able to use ''Infernal Chains,'' piercing through the space around her with those chains.

    That proved that Vylyss''s spatial talent had not just recently appearedˇŞshe had possessed it for a long time.

    ''Tsk!'' Zhisse clicked her tongue inwardly. ''A Succubus is still a Succubus. So what if she has spatial talent? She still can''t fully harness its potential.''

    ''Even after evolving to rank B, she can only use it for movement. She has no idea how to optimize her spatial abilities to turn them into a power to strike fear into others.''

    ''I''ve already decided. Someday, when I gain enough power to break that brat''s contract, I will make him my slave.''

    ''Huh! Since he possesses the talent for evolution, I''ll just sever all his limbs and lock him in the basement.''

    ''Whenever I need to use him, I''ll have him help me evolve, and then I''ll throw him back into the basement.''

    ''Noan, don''t blame me for being cruelˇŞit''s because you dared to stain my eyes.''

    Noan suddenly shuddered, feeling a chill of fear as if someone wanted to kill him.

    ''How strange!'' Noan thought to himself. ''Could it be that someone is plotting to kill me?''

    Although he had no idea who it might be, he knew he had to stay cautious.

    The lesson that the Mutant Hunter had taught him was still fresh in his mind.

    Noan shook his head, looked at Vylyss, and asked, "Can you leave this place using teleportation?"

    He didn''t care why a Succubus like Vylyss could use spatial magic. The stronger she was, the safer he would be.

    Vylyss tilted her head, thought momentarily, then said, "I''ll try it."

    As soon as she finished speaking, she vanished. But a few seconds later, she reappeared, her face showing clear frustration.

    "Master, I can''t leave this place," Vylyss pouted. "Every time I try to teleport out of this area, I just end up right next to that invisible wall from before."

    Noan nodded in response, not feeling the slightest bit disappointed.

    After all, this was the answer he had expected. He had only wanted to test it out for himself.

    It seemed that the System''s rules could not be broken.

    "Let''s go." Caleb didn''t believe it. He stood up, furrowing his brows, and said, "I want to see this horde of zombies for myself."

    Hearing this, Adrian nodded and immediately led Caleb to the location.

    By the time they arrived, the night was approaching. However, Caleb''s face was even darker than the sky.

    Seeing the swarm of zombies moving like a colony of ants, Caleb shuddered, goosebumps rising all over his skin.

    The stench of rotting corpses filled the entire area, blanketing it in an overwhelming, nightmarish atmosphere.

    Combined with the encroaching darkness of the evening, the eerie and chilling surroundings made Caleb want nothing more than to leave this place as quickly as possible.

    "Boss, what should we do?" Adrian finally spoke up.

    Caleb swallowed hard, but the putrid smell from the zombies nearly made him vomit.

    "They''re not moving?" Caleb suddenly noticed something odd and immediately asked.

    "Ah! That''s right," Adrian replied. "They seem frozen in place, not moving, not making a sound."

    Caleb frowned deeply, sensing something extremely strange.

    A sudden thought struck him, and he immediately said, "It seems like they''re waiting for something. Could it be..."

    He considered a highly likely possibilityˇŞthat these zombies were related to an event that would unfold in the future.

    Even if it wasn''t immediate, Caleb was certain that neither he nor any of the lords in this area could withstand the full force of this zombie horde when the time came.

    It was terrifying to think aboutˇŞamong the zombies before him, there were numerous Lickers and even Tanker Zombies of rank D and Hunter Zombies of rank D+.

    Even though Caleb was the strongest lord in this region, he only had one rank D+ hero and one rank D hero under his command.

    The only fortunate thing was that the zombies seemed to remain frozen, unable to attack the lords in the area just yet.

    Taking a deep breath, Caleb said to Adrian, "Let''s head back."

    Adrian quickly nodded. This place was horrifyingˇŞhe no longer wanted to stay here.

    Caleb didn''t return to the wooden house but instead returned to his territory. At this moment, he had lost his usual composure, replaced by fear and anxiety.

    Hawke and Raito had vanished, the two individuals with immense combat power.

    Perhaps... they were already dead.

    Losing two of his greatest allies, Caleb had now discovered an enormous zombie horde, ready to attack the lords at any moment.

    However, he couldn''t run. An invisible wall enclosed this placeˇŞno one could leave, and no one could enter.

    Resist?

    Could he even resist? A swarm of zombies and countless Lickers, Tankers, and Hunters...

    Forget about 100 LordsˇŞeven if there were over 1,000 Lords in this place, they would still struggle to withstand that monstrous horde.

    Caleb let out a long sigh, muttering, "Could it all end here?"

 Chapter 71 It really fun?

    Three days later.

    Vylyss had not returned to the Resource Storage Center because she claimed that she could now use spatial magic after advancing to rank B.

    She could traverse it in seconds despite the distance being over 100 miles.

    Moreover, she had set up a special spatial magic around the areaˇŞanyone approaching would become trapped in a maze-like space.

    Noan, of course, had nothing to say about it. He could only let Vylyss stay by his side.

    However, he hadn''t paid much attention to Vylyss''s body over the past three days.

    Instead, he had dedicated himself to rigorous training.

    Naturally, his sparring partner was Vylyss.

    Rather than training within his territory, he went to the area near the Resource Storage Center. Since no one could enter that place, and it was vast and open, it was an ideal battleground.

    After three days, Noan realized that while he possessed many abilities, none were exceptionally strong or outstanding.

    The only thing he had was a physical strength that was eight times greater than that of an average person.

    But even that wasn''t enough.

    Noan knew that his enemies weren''t just other lords but also terrifying monsters.

    The Mutant Hunter he had faced before was merely the prelude to a greater challenge.

    According to the system''s explanation, Mutant Hunter had been at rank D-PeakˇŞon par with Vylyss in rank, yet it had already reached level 3, whereas Vylyss had only been at level 1 at the time.

    When ranks were equal, the deciding factors became species and level.

    Vylyss, despite being a Mutant, was still a Succubus, a race specialized in magic.

    Meanwhile, the Mutant Hunter possessed immense strength, unmatched speed, and an instinct for combat that far surpassed hers.

    A one-level difference might seem insignificant, but when applied to Vylyss and the Mutant Hunter, it was like the gap between the moon and the sun.

    That was why Vylyss''s defeat had been completely expected.

    Now, Noan was training relentlessly to strengthen his combat abilities alongside the Abyss Cube.

    He believed that one day, he would have to fight alone when no monsters or heroes were left by his side.

    Resting beneath a tree, Noan browsed through the remaining items in his Storage.

    He still had a Territory Blueprint, a Random Blueprint, an NPC Summoning Card, and a one-time upgrade for the Resource Storage Center.

    However, he had yet to use any of these.

    The Territory Blueprint would alter the structure of his domain. If he used it now, other lords would notice the changes, which could bring him even more trouble.

    The Random Blueprint was also something he didn''t want to use just yet. His territory was overcrowded, and he had no space to accommodate another structure.

    Finally, there was the one-time upgrade for the Resource Storage Center, which he also chose not to use.

    For now, he could upgrade the Resource Storage Center with energy crystals.

    However, as its level increased, the resources required for further upgrades would increase exponentially.

    A two-meter-high wooden wall replaced the outer fence.

    The three simple wooden huts inside had transformed into a corridor connecting four houses together.

    Its size had expanded from 400 square meters to 1,000 square meters.

    Just as Noan was about to step inside and inspect the Resource Storage Center, Vylyss spoke up.

    "Master, someone is looking for you. It appears to be Caleb."

    Because Vylyss could use spatial magic, her protective spells surrounded Noan''s territory.

    When anyone approached his domain, Vylyss could instantly detect and identify their presence.

    Noan nodded, then immediately headed back to his territory with Vylyss.

    The furniture had become far more refined inside his home, thanks to Zhisse''s expert weaving and carving abilities.

    It could be said that Zhisse was like a master craftsman, using its razor-sharp silk threads for carving and weaving.

    With them, it even created a full sofa set and woven new clothing for Noan.

    The only issue was that all these clothes were pure white and no other colors.

    Noan sat on the large sofa, and as soon as he did, Zhisse crawled onto his shoulder, happily rubbing its small head against his face.

    He responded by stroking its head gently with his finger.

    The second Zhisse was drowning in despair. She wanted to curse at him but was powerless to do so.

    She had thought that Noan would assign her some dangerous, highly classified mission or have her participate in epic battles.

    In the end... all she could do was work as a craftsman.

    Not only that, but other Zhisse enjoyed itˇŞspending entire days in the forest searching for suitable materials, weaving fabric, and crafting furniture.

    ''Damn it! I am the Weaving Heavenly Spider, not some mere craftsman!''

    ''AAAA!!!!''

    Inside, the second Zhisse screamed in frustration, but in the end, she could only suffer in silenceˇŞbecause no one could hear her.

    However, the only consolation for her was...

    Noan hadn''t abandoned her.

    He had evolved her to rank D+ in an incredibly short time.

    In the past, reaching this rank had taken her more than 200 years, enduring countless agonizing trials and life-threatening situations.

    At times, she had even felt that she was teetering on the edge of death.

    But now, in just a few short days, she had already reached rank D+ˇŞmaking everything she had once suffered feel utterly pointless.

    ''But...''

    The second Zhisse suddenly glanced at the other Zhisse, who was happily weaving a new piece of fabric.

    A thought crept into her mind.

    ''Why... does weaving actually seem kind of fun?''

 Chapter 72 What do you mean?

    Noan, of course, had no idea what Zhisse was thinking. Seeing Zhisse happily weaving fabric, he assumed that this must be what it loved the most.

    Looking at Zhisse at this moment, he couldn''t associate it with the name "Assassin Spider" that the System had displayed.

    Noan smiled gently, patted Zhisse''s head, and signaled Vylyss to hide.

    He didn''t let her open the door; instead, he had Skeleton Shielder do it.

    Standing outside was Caleb, his eyes shadowed like a panda''s, his expression filled with worry and exhaustion.

    He was no longer as composed as before.

    Beside him stood a creature resembling a block of stone but shaped like a human.

    For some reason, an uneasy feeling stirred in Caleb''s heart.

    It should be known that he was an E+ rank lord, and the hero accompanying him was D+ rank.

    In this region, it wouldn''t be wrong to say that he was practically the kingˇŞso long as Noan did not appear or challenge him for the throne.

    Of course, Caleb had no idea how powerful Noan truly was. He only felt a vague sense of anxiety about coming here.

    Shaking his head, Caleb tried to dismiss that emotion. He refused to believe that a mere F-rank lord like Noan could pose any threat to his safety.

    Especially when he brought his D+ rank hero along.

    Krit!

    The wooden door creaked open, and the sight inside startled Caleb.

    The one who opened the door was not Noan, but a skeletonˇŞor more precisely, a Skeleton monster.

    However, this Skeleton was different from ordinary ones. It wore light armor, and in its hand, it held a massive shield crafted from the bones of some unknown beast.

    Its eye sockets burned with two blue flames, and Caleb could even sense the danger emanating from its gaze.

    Caleb instinctively stepped back as his intuition warned him that the creature before him posed a threat to his life.

    The Golem standing behind him immediately moved forward, shielding him as if to protect him.

    However, the Skeleton Shielder seemed indifferent to Caleb''s reaction.

    It simply stepped aside and extended a hand, gesturing for Caleb to enter.

    Caleb found the scene both perplexing and unsettling. He couldn''t believe that a Skeleton existed in this place, which could make him feel fear.

    It should be known that most Skeletons were only rank F, with the occasional mutated ones reaching rank F+.

    Yet, never before had Caleb heard of a Skeleton that could wear armor, wield a shield, and, most strikingly, exude such a terrifying aura.

    This was the first time he had ever experienced such a feeling.

    "Could this Skeleton be a Mutant that has surpassed rank F+ and reached rank E?" Caleb thought.

    But he quickly shook his head, dismissing the idea as soon as it surfaced.

    "Leave your hero outside. You may enter."

    Noan''s voice rang out from inside the house.

    Caleb gritted his teeth. He was deeply unsettled.

    His hero had just been knocked down by the Skeleton Shielder, and now he was being restrained by a Skeleton wielding a sword.

    If he obeyed Noan''s command, there was a chance he wouldn''t make it out aliveˇŞespecially after everything he had done to Noan.

    As Caleb hesitated, the Skeleton Swordsman pressed its blade slightly deeper, just enough to slice a small cut on his neck, causing fresh blood to trickle down.

    A shiver ran down Caleb''s spine. Panicked, he shouted, "I understand! Stop! Stop!"

    He exhaled in relief when he felt the blade ease back slightly.

    "YouˇŞwait outside!" Caleb immediately ordered his Stone Golem.

    Naturally, the Golem possessed little intelligence and could only follow commands.

    Upon receiving Caleb''s order, it stood up and remained motionless, like an ordinary rock.

    "Is that enough for you now?" Caleb frowned, his voice laced with irritation.

    Noan did not reply, but the Skeleton Swordsman lowered its blade and gestured for Caleb to enter.

    Caleb rubbed his neck. The cut still bled, still stungˇŞbut he dared not complain or show his anger.

    Everything he had witnessed today had completely overturned his understanding of the world.

    Taking a deep breath, Caleb glared at the Skeleton Swordsman. However, like the Stone Golem, it remained frozen in place.

    He swallowed hard, attempting to steady himself, then stepped inside.

    As he pushed open the door, he first saw Noan, arms crossed over his chest, leaning back comfortably on a plush white sofa.

    Caleb was genuinely surprised. He hadn''t expected to see such a lavishly furnished room, pure white and exuding luxury, in this place.

    However, he had more pressing matters and quickly ignored his curiosity.

    He moved toward the seat across from Noan, about to sit downˇŞ

    But Noan''s voice cut through the air. "Did I give you permission to sit?"

    Caleb stiffened, his expression darkening with anger as he glared at Noan. "What do you mean by that?"

    Noan let out a mocking chuckle. Of course, he already knew why Caleb had come looking for him.

    He had his Mutant Skeletons "welcome" Caleb precisely to send a warningˇŞto make it clear that he was not the weak little lamb Caleb had thought him to be.

    His sharp gaze pierced into Caleb like twin blades as he spoke, his voice ice-cold.

    "You came here to beg me for something. Then act like someone who''s begging."

    "Don''t stand before me with that arrogant attitude."

 Chapter 73 Afraid of dying

    Noan''s words were like knives piercing through Caleb''s pride.

    His face flushed red with fury, and his fists clenched tightly.

    This was a mockeryˇŞblatant, undisguised contempt.

    "Angry?" Noan tilted his head slightly, a derisive smile playing on his lips.

    Why was he taking such a risk? Because he already knew exactly what Caleb had.

    Thanks to Zhisse''s surveillance, Noan had a precise understanding of the number of soldiers and heroes Caleb possessed.

    He even knew their exact ranks.

    Zhisse had also attached tracking silk to Caleb''s heroesˇŞif Caleb made any suspicious move, Noan could kill him instantly.

    Just because Caleb was a Level 3 Lord didn''t mean Noan couldn''t take him down.

    After all, Caleb was only an E+ rank Lord. If Noan used his full strength, eliminating him would be effortless.

    Although his Mutant Skeletons were only ranked D, Level 1, the surplus Skeletons from the past three days had become a source of reinforcement for them.

    That was why the Skeleton Shielder had easily knocked down a rank D+, Level 3 Stone Golem.

    In other words, the power of his rank D Mutant Skeletons had now surpassed that of the Stone Golem.

    Beyond that, he still had Zhisse.

    And more importantly, he still had Vylyss and Urlgan.

    His two most formidable forces had yet to reveal themselves. If they did, the battle between him and Caleb would be a one-sided slaughter.

    Another reason for Noan''s confidence was that he knew precisely why Caleb had come to him.

    Yet despite that, Caleb still carried himself with arrogance, issuing commands rather than humbly requesting aid.

    Caleb finally understood his place as he looked at Noan''s mocking and disdainful expression.

    When he saw the Skeleton Shielder easily knock down his Stone Golem, Caleb knew that Noan was anything but simple.

    Taking a deep breath, Caleb slowly unclenched his fists before speaking, "I came here to propose a collaboration."

    "Not interested. You can leave." Noan yawned lazily, then waved his hand dismissively, signaling him to go.

    Caleb frowned, his anger flaring up. But he forced himself to suppress it. Slowly, he lowered his head and softened his tone, "Please... I need your help."

    "Hahaha..." Noan suddenly chuckled. "Caleb, you seem to be misunderstanding something. I''m just an F-rank Lord. How could I possibly be qualified to collaborate with you?"

    "Besides, do you really think that after everything you''ve done, I would accept working with you?"

    Right now, he was only an F+ rank Lord. More than anyone, he desired to accumulate enough points to evolve further.

    However, things couldn''t be rushed or approached with a one-dimensional mindset.

    "What if the next event requires forming a team? If I''m the only one left alive, wouldn''t I fail before the event even begins?"

    "Don''t think I''m overanalyzing this. After seeing that zombie horde, I''m confident that my judgment isn''t far off, even if not entirely accurate."

    "Besides, this place needs a manager. Someone to act as a representative when any issues arise. And without a doubt, Caleb is the perfect candidate for that role."

    "I have no interest in getting involved in such troublesome matters. That''s why I let him live."

    Vylyss tilted her head slightly before stepping closer to Noan. Then, she sat on his lap, wrapping her arms around his neck.

    "Master, what did you mean when you told him to bring a gift?"

    Noan smiled, his finger lightly tapping the high, delicate bridge of Vylyss''s nose. "If he wants to beg for my help, he must bring something of value."

    "Heh?!" Vylyss was a bit surprised. She chuckled and asked, "Will he understand?"

    "Of course!" Noan explained. "He''s brilliant and cautious. He''ll definitely understand what I meant."

    "Is he smarter than you, Master?"

    Hearing her question, Noan nodded slightly. "That''s right. I am not an all-knowing being. It''s only natural that there are people smarter than me."

    "It''s just... I am stronger than him. And that''s why I hold the upper hand."

    Vylyss pouted in dissatisfaction. "No way! How could he possibly be smarter than you?"

    Noan simply shook his head and chuckled, offering no further explanation. He knew exactly where he stood, and he was well aware of his own level of intelligence.

    Was he brilliant? No.

    Was Caleb intelligent? Without a doubt.

    Fortunately, Caleb was only an E+ rank Lord. Otherwise, he would be a perilous existence.

    The mere fact that Caleb had suppressed his rage despite Noan''s blatant mockery was enough to prove how dangerous he was.

    The most dangerous people weren''t those who flaunted their wealth or strength but those who remained silent.

    We never truly know how powerful or resourceful they areˇŞuntil we start digging into them.

    Vylyss, still sulking, rested her head against Noan''s chest. She softly asked, "Master, then why did he come to see you?"

    Noan stroked her silky hair, inhaling the soothing scent on her body. "He''s afraid."

    "Afraid?" Vylyss looked puzzled. "Afraid of what?"

    Noan smirked. "Afraid of dying."

 Chapter 74 Anna and Caleb

    Cheng!

    Wild grass covered the ground outside Caleb''s territory, and nameless, useless trees grew densely together.

    The atmosphere in the territory was dim and eerie, as towering trees and thick vines blocked out most of the light, making the place resemble a miniature version of the Dark Forest.

    Inside the house, the sharp sound of something shattering rang out. In the otherwise silent space, the noise was even more piercing.

    "Dammit!" Caleb roared with all his might, his voice filled with fury and madness.

    Fortunately, each Lord''s territory was more than a hundred meters apart, so no one could hear him.

    His scream carried nothing but rage and insanity. Never before had he felt fear or bowed his head to anyone.

    Even if he were to submit, it would only be to those stronger than himˇŞthose of a much higher rank.

    Even if a rank D Lord stood before Caleb, he wouldn''t necessarily lower his head.

    Yet today, a mere rank F Lord had humiliated him, forcing him to bow and unable to fight back.

    In a rage, Caleb began destroying the furniture in his house.

    He and his Stone Golem had handcrafted the furniture. Though crude and unsightly, at the very least, it was functional.

    After all, when they arrived in this place, all Lords had to start from scratchˇŞno furniture or tools to aid them in daily life.

    And yet, in his fury, Caleb shattered everything he had painstakingly built with his own hands.

    For the first time since becoming a Lord, he was consumed by such uncontrollable rage.

    "Dammit!" Caleb bellowed again.

    After venting his anger, he collapsed onto the ground, his face exhausted.

    At last, he began to calm down.

    Wiping the sweat from his forehead with his sleeve, he recalled everything he had witnessed that day.

    Ultimately, he had no choice but to accept it as the truth.

    No matter how unbelievable those things were, he had to believe themˇŞbecause he had seen them with his own eyes.

    High-rank Skeletons, wielding enough power to defeat his rank D+ Stone Golem.

    And beyond that, Noan possessed some kind of monstrous entity, something so powerful that it could easily kill him.

    At this moment, Caleb realized how foolish he had been to provoke Noan.

    And he realized just how overconfident he had become, daring to prance around in front of Noan, believing himself to be the strongest.

    Sitting on the ground in despair, Caleb felt like a complete fool, while this entire region seemed like a massive circus.

    And who was the audience? None other than Noan.

    "Caleb?!"

    A voice suddenly rang out from outside the door.

    Click!

    Some even had unique abilities that strengthened their monsters beyond normal limits.

    "No way!" Caleb shook his head again, dismissing the idea. "No matter how strong a talent is, it can''t enhance a rank F monster to the point where it can defeat a rank D+ level 3 monster."

    He let out a weary sigh. Once again, everything led to a dead end.

    He simply couldn''t understand how Noan had obtained such powerful monsters.

    "Caleb!" Anna suddenly spoke up. "Why did you go to meet Noan? Did something happen?"

    Caleb didn''t hide anything from her. With another sigh, he said, "Do you remember the zombie horde I told you about before?"

    Anna nodded, staying silent, waiting for Caleb to continue.

    Caleb continued, "The zombie horde is growing larger. Previously, their numbers were around 5,000, but now they have risen to nearly 6,000."

    "If this continues, their numbers will reach an unimaginable level. If they attack this region, I fear no one will survive."

    "But the number of Lords in this area has also increased significantlyˇŞover 200 people. Are you saying we still can''t win?" Anna asked, confused.

    Caleb shook his head. He knew that Anna didn''t fully understand the sheer horror of the zombies.

    But he did. He knew just how terrifying they could be.

    Forget about their numbers or the existence of rank E and D zombies. Just the fact that they carried the zombie virus was enough to illustrate their true horror.

    If a Lord commanded troops made up of Skeletons or Golems, then perhaps they wouldn''t need to worry about this issue.

    But imagine what would happen if a Hero got even the smallest woundˇŞjust a scratch. That alone would be enough to turn them into a zombie.

    And once they became zombies, they would transform into tireless, fearless killing machines.

    "Even with so many Lords, they''re all just rank E and F. How could they possibly resist an army like that?" Caleb said, exhaustion in his voice.

    "Then why did you seek out Noan?" Anna asked. "Even if he is a rank D Lord, against a horde of that size, he wouldn''t be able to do anything either."

    Caleb shook his head. "I don''t need him to fight. I need his ability to bring food from outside into this region."

    "You mean..." Anna still didn''t fully grasp Caleb''s intent.

    "It''s simple," Caleb explained. "If he can bring food from outside, he might also be able to bring in other things."

    "If he can bring in monster cardsˇŞeven just rank E onesˇŞit could be the key to overturning this battle that we are certain to lose."

    "But..."

    Caleb didn''t finish his sentence. Instead, he let out a sigh.

    Anna''s expression shifted slightly, her eyes flickering with an odd emotion.

    "Caleb, didn''t he say you had to bring him a gift when you meet him again?"

    Caleb frowned, puzzled. "That''s right. Why?"

    "Caleb, don''t you understand what he meant?" Anna suddenly smiled.

    Her smile was strange, but Caleb didn''t overthink it.

    After all, Anna had been with him for a long time. She was someone he trusted completely, so he never doubted her.

    Anna continued, "What Noan meant was... you need to bring something that interests him in exchange for that secret."

 Chapter 75 This was a gift

    Anna''s words were like a lighthouse, illuminating the path for a man lost in the vast seaˇŞjust like Caleb.

    "Ah! You''re right. Why didn''t I realize that?"

    Caleb suddenly spoke, but then his brows furrowed. "But... everything we have, he already has. And even what we don''t have, he still possesses."

    He wasn''t wrong. Everyone in this place started on equal footing, and no one could receive external aid.

    However, while they struggled with food shortages, Noan somehow brought food capsules from outside.

    On top of that, Noan had high-rank monsters strong enough to defeat Caleb''s Stone Golem.

    Because of this, Caleb had no idea what he could offer in exchange.

    At that moment, Anna''s eyes suddenly flickered with a strange pink light. It was faint, barely noticeable, and vanished within an instant.

    Anna smiled. "Caleb, don''t you already have two things? If you use them to trade, I''m sure it will work."

    Hearing her words, Caleb immediately thought of two items he had obtained while exploring the region.

    At the time, he had discovered a place resembling an ancient tomb and found a small chest inside.

    Within the chest were a blueprint and a small pouch containing three gemstones, each resembling dried drops of blood.

    However, what troubled him was that he had no idea what those three gemstones did, nor did he understand the function of the architectural blueprint in his possession.

    Because of this, he wasn''t sure whether these two items were valuable enough to exchange for Noan''s secret.

    "Caleb!" Anna spoke again. "Try it. If it doesn''t work, I can help you find something else to trade."

    Caleb nodded slightly at her words, but deep down, he wasn''t convinced it would succeed.

    ...

    The next morning.

    Noan did not leave his territory today because he knew someone would come to see him.

    However, he was not particularly concerned about that matterˇŞhis attention was focused on something else.

    Earlier today, after summoning and fusing new troops, he had successfully evolved Zhisse to rank D-Peak.

    However, he encountered a new problemˇŞhe could not further evolve Zhisse to rank C.

    In front of him, a system notification appeared, explaining the issue.

    [The rank of the Heroes/Monsters you possess cannot exceed rank D. Please increase your Lord rank to D to own rank C Heroes/Monsters.]

    Seeing this, Noan frowned. His thoughts immediately turned to Vylyss, who was already a rank B Hero.

    The system seemed to have anticipated his thoughts, and another notification soon followed.

    [Vylyss has used ''Rainbow Crystal''ˇŞan item that allows Heroes to break through rank limitations without being restricted by the system.]

    Noan let out a sigh. Whether he liked it or not, he had to accept this reality.

    ...

    Name: Noan

    Lord Rank: F+ (12/500)

    Level: 1

    Owned Structures: Resource Storage Center (Level 1)

    Talent: Almighty Fusion

    Noan: "..."

    A strange feeling crept into him.

    This wasn''t the first time the system had given him exclusive abilities.

    What did it mean? Was his system somehow different from everyone else''s?

    Noan didn''t want to dwell on it too much. No matter how much he pondered, he wouldn''t find an answer.

    Besides, if the system wasn''t trying to harm him, that was enough for now.

    At that thought, a certain image flashed through his mindˇŞthe chained giant woman in the dark void.

    Though he couldn''t see her face clearly, he somehow knew she was smiling.

    But the feeling lasted only for a fleeting moment before vanishing completely.

    Noan took a deep breath and shook his head.

    Right now, he was still too weak.

    When he became stronger, fate might allow him to cross paths with her again.

    ...

    After leveling up to Lord Rank 2, aside from gaining a new function and increasing his physical capabilities, Noan felt a new energy emerge.

    It was mana.

    Although the amount was small, it slightly increased his mana reserve limit.

    Just as he was about to test his new strength, there was a knock on the door.

    Hearing this, Noan smirked.

    "Vylyss," he said with amusement, "it seems your pawn is finally taking action."

    "Of course!" Vylyss chuckled seductively before retreating into the shadows, vanishing from sight.

    Just like yesterday, a Skeleton Shielder opened the door.

    Caleb entered, still accompanied by his Stone Golem, but after yesterday''s experience, he had it wait outside this time.

    Stepping into the room, he found Noan exactly as he had been the day beforeˇŞsitting leisurely on the white sofa, his expression indifferent.

    Caleb gritted his teeth, lowered his head slightly, and said, "Yesterday, I came too hastily and didn''t bring a proper gift. Today, I''ve brought a small token of sincerityˇŞI hope you''ll accept it."

    He took out a small cloth pouch and an architectural blueprint from his belongings.

    Noan waved his hand, and a Skeleton Swordsman stepped forward, taking both items from Caleb''s hands before placing them on the table in front of Noan.

    However, Noan didn''t even glance at the offerings. Instead, he spoke in a calm voice, "Very well. I have received your gift. Now then, why have you come to see me?"

    Caleb''s mouth fell open in shock. He suddenly felt as if he had been tricked.

    "You... you just accepted my gift... YouˇŞyou tricked me!"

    Seeing Caleb stammering in frustration, Noan found the situation somewhat amusing.

    "Caleb, don''t falsely accuse me," Noan said with a smirk. "When did I ever deceive you? You willingly brought me a gift, didn''t you?"

    Caleb shuddered. A cold chill ran down his spine.

    At that moment, he realizedˇŞhe had just played the fool.

    This was a gift, not a bargaining chip for Noan''s secret.

 Chapter 76 Youre so wicked

    Caleb knew Noan had deceived him, but more precisely, he had deceived himself.

    However, Caleb could not swallow his anger.

    Clenching his fists tightly, his eyes burned with fury as he glared at Noan. "You should know that no matter how strong you are, you will not have a favorable outcome when facing me."

    "Moreover, I can rally other lords to attack you. If you think carefully, tell me your secret; otherwise..."

    Hearing this, Noan burst into laughter. "Hahaha... Caleb, it seems you still don''t understand your current position."

    "Do you really think you and those useless lords can defeat me? And even if you manage to kill me, then what? How will you deal with that massive horde of zombies afterward?"

    Caleb, upon hearing this, naturally understood what Noan meant. After all, Nolan possessed quite a number of high-ranking monsters or perhaps an overwhelming power.

    If a battle truly broke out, even a single shield-bearing Skeleton, which had once defeated his Stone Golem, would be enough to annihilate many lords.

    Even if they could defeat Noan, they would have little strength to fight against the zombie horde.

    Taking a deep breath, Caleb spoke. "Noan, since you know that zombie horde, I won''t hide it from you."

    "If we cooperate, we might still have a chance to survive. Otherwise, we will not gain any advantage if that zombie horde invades this region."

    "What if I say ''no''?" Noan showed Caleb no respect, his face expressing disdain and indifference.

    "You..." Caleb shouted in anger.

    But Noan continued, cutting him off. "If, back then, you had remained an ordinary person and stayed by my side as a friend, perhaps you wouldn''t have to worry so much now."

    "You were the one who pushed this relationship into the fire. Do you think what you''ve done is something I can easily forgive?"

    Caleb clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white, his face flushed with rage. "Noan, I admit I was wrong, but now is not the time for you to bring that up just to humiliate me."

    "We are facing danger. Do you know how many rank E and D zombies are in that horde?"

    "I don''t care!" Noan immediately retorted. "Caleb, let''s get one thing straight... You and the others are the ones in danger, not me."

    Noan''s confidence came from a thorough investigation.

    In this region, no one had the power to defeat him. If Caleb wanted to accomplish that, he would need to gather more than fifty Lords.

    However, would those Lords truly follow his command?

    It was well known that under Caleb''s rule, many Lords had already formed secret alliances to overthrow him.

    Of course, Caleb was aware of this, but he refused to reveal his weakness and instability for Noan to see.

    Besides, even if Caleb could rally fifty Lords to attack Noan, the chances of victory were nearly zero because Noan still had VylyssˇŞhis most powerful asset.

    With Zhisse and Vylyss at his disposal, Noan possessed extensive region knowledge. He even knew the precise strength of each Lord.

    That was the source of his confidence.

    However, he didn''t rush to indulge in the sweetness before him. "Alright, give the order to Urlgug to stop hunting zombies."

    "Heh?!" Vylyss tilted her head in confusion. "Master, if we stop hunting zombies, how are we supposed to gather enough energy crystals to level up?"

    Noan shook his head. "We don''t need to level up for now. Instead, we should let the zombies remain a looming threat to the other Lords."

    Vylyss instantly grasped Noan''s plan and chuckled in amusement. "Master, you mean... you want to push the Lords in this region to the brink, and then..."

    "That''s right," Noan said with a smile. "If I help them now, they won''t be grateful. Instead, they''ll see it as something natural."

    "But if I wait until they are on the brink of death until they are completely cornered, then my help will truly hold meaning."

    "For now, there''s no need to continue hunting zombies. I''ll find another way to gather energy crystals."

    "Besides, have you found a place to establish our base yet?"

    "Ah!" Vylyss immediately recalled the matter and replied, "Yes, but the place is a bit eerie. Master, do you want to take a look?"

    Noan gave a slight nod. However, before leaving, he wanted to check Caleb''s blueprint and bag.

    [Ding! You have obtained the architectural blueprint ''Combat Simulation Room.''

    Description: A facility that simulates combat, allowing Lords and Heroes to train.

    The ''Combat Simulation Room'' can mimic any type of monster or Lord.

    Construction requirements: 1,000 units of wood, 1,000 units of stone, 100 units of iron, 1,000 rank F energy crystals.]

    [Ding! You have obtained an unidentified crystal of unknown origin. It cannot be appraised at the moment.]

    After placing both items into ''Storage,'' two notifications from the system appeared.

    The'' Combat Simulation Room'' caught Noan''s attention the most.

    However, he didn''t have enough resources to construct it.

    "Looks like... I need to gather more resources."

    Even though Noan owned the ''Resource Storage Center,'' its production speed couldn''t keep up with his consumption rate.

    In a day, it could only produce 200 units of wood, 200 units of stone, 200 food capsules, and 50 rank F energy crystals.

    Suddenly, a thought struck NoanˇŞhe could plunder resources from other Lords.

    "Seems like I can''t keep hiding forever," Noan furrowed his brows, deep in thought.

    Vylyss did not interrupt him, patiently waiting.

    After a while, Noan spoke. "Vylyss, take Urlgug and Urlgan into the food forest."

    Vylyss immediately understood what Noan intended and smirked. "Master, do you want us to wipe them all out, or should we leave some survivors?"

 Chapter 77 Monster??

    "Don''t kill too many," Noan said, his face remaining indifferent. "Leave a few alive to spread the message to the others."

    Vylyss smiled. However, at this moment, that smile was filled with killing intent and an icy coldness that would terrify anyone who saw it.

    Even Zhisse and the second soul shuddered at the sight of that smile.

    Vylyss lightly kissed Noan''s lips before laughing and saying, "As you command, my Master."

    Immediately after, she completely vanished into a stream of black smoke.

    Noan took a deep breath. He knew that if he wanted to grow, he couldn''t keep hiding like this forever.

    The resource production speed of the ''Resource Archive Center'' was too slow.

    He had no other way to gather more resources except by plundering them from other Lords.

    Although he was cowardly, he was by no means a good person.

    He was neither a God nor a Hero; he had no obligation to serve anyone.

    He would live for himself.

    Yes, he was selfish and greedy and was fine with that.

    If others wanted to be heroes, he didn''t care.

    The second Zhisse looked at Noan, feeling somewhat puzzled.

    She had thought Noan was nothing more than a fool who only knew how to indulge in the filthy body of that Succubus.

    But she hadn''t expected that, when necessary, Noan could be even more cruel than anyone else.

    Zhisse sighed internally. ''It seems that if I ever regain control of this body, the first thing I must do is kill this brat.''

    At first, she had intended to sever Noan''s limbs and imprison him in the basement, forcing him to use his innate talent to help her evolve.

    But after witnessing his ruthless nature, she decided to kill him first.

    If, during the imprisonment, Zhisse were to let Noan escape with his terrifying talent, he would surely return for revenge.

    At this moment, Zhisse attempted to move and slightly wiggled her two front legs.

    However, it was just a faint twitch before stopping again.

    The remaining Zhisse was puzzled, not understanding why her front legs had moved, as she was unaware of the second Zhisse inside her body.

    ''Tsk!'' The second Zhisse cursed internally. ''I can only take control of the front legs briefly. It seems I''ll need to wait a little longer.''

    However, she wasn''t in a hurry.

    After all, Noan was completely unaware of her existence. If he continued evolving Zhisse, there would come a time when the second Zhisse could seize full control of the body.

    At that moment, Noan suddenly shivered, feeling as though someone wanted to kill him.

    But he shook his head, dismissing the thought, and mused, ''It''s probably Caleb. He wants to kill me.''

    ''After all, I humiliated him to that extent and tricked him so badly.''

    However, Noan wasn''t afraid. He already had all the necessary information on Caleb. Even if Caleb risked everything, there was no chance of him winning.

    Noan stopped thinking about it and ordered: "System, summon a hero."

    [Ding! Please wait a moment.]

    He let out a sighˇŞMalrik truly talked too much.

    "I''ll assign you a different task. You will follow Vylyss''s orders."

    Noan decided to hand Malrik over to Vylyss. He didn''t have enough energy crystals or materials to evolve or level up Malrik.

    Letting it follow Vylyss was the best choice for now. At the very least, he wouldn''t deal with the headache.

    ...

    In the afternoon, at the Food Forest.

    This forest had no official name, but because it was abundant with fruits and small animals, people simply called it the Food Forest.

    This place was quite large and always teeming with food. Even those who failed to hunt small animals could still find edible fruits or mushrooms.

    "Hahaha... Look at this!" A thin young man shouted excitedly. "I just found a huge mushroom!"

    As he spoke, he lifted a mushroom as big as his head, proudly showing off his achievement.

    "Tsk!" A woman accompanying him scoffed in annoyance. "No matter how big a mushroom is, it''s still just a mushroom. It only fills your stomach but has no real nutritional value."

    "This..." The young man scratched his head awkwardly upon hearing that.

    Another girl spoke up, "Alright! Even if it just fills our bellies, that''s enough. After all, this is a barren regionˇŞhaving food is already a blessing."

    "She''s right," a slightly chubby man added. "As long as we have enough to eat, that matters. Alright, let''s try to gather some more fruit and head back. We shouldn''t stay here for too long."

    "Tsk!" The woman from before clicked her tongue again. "No matter how much we gather, we''ll still have to give half of it to those damn bastards. What''s the point of trying so hard?"

    "Don''t say that. Even if we have to give them half, we still have the other half. We''re not as strong as them, so we have no choice but to endure."

    That was right. This group was the third team of the day sent into the forest to gather food.

    "AAAA!!!"

    Suddenly, a scream rang out, startling them. In fear, the thin young man exclaimed, "What the hell was that? Did you guys hear that scream?"

    The woman who always complained was also frightened. "I... I heard it, too. It sounded like it came from over there."

    "Could it be that zombies attacked the other groups?"

    "Impossible! This place is very safe. How could zombies attack here?"

    "That''s right. The other groups all said that as long as we don''t leave the boundaries of this forest, we won''t be attacked by zombies."

    "Then what the hell was that scream just now?"

    Everyone fell silent, a sense of unease creeping into their hearts.

    "AA!!"

    Suddenly, another scream echoed, making them jump.

    This time, the scream was closerˇŞmuch closer.

    They turned their heads and looked into the distance. There, a young man was running towards them, his body covered in fresh blood, his face filled with sheer terror.

    "AA!! No! No!" He saw the group standing before him, but he didn''t careˇŞhe kept running with every ounce of strength.

    The group wanted to call out, to ask what had happened, butˇŞ

    BAM!

    At that moment, a dark shadow appeared behind the young man, and then... a deafening explosion rang out.

 Chapter 78 Are you afraid?

    The young man was struck by something, causing his body to explode into a shower of blood instantly.

    Flesh and blood splattered everywhere, even reaching those standing more than ten meters away.

    Silence... A silence so profound that everyone present could hear their breathing.

    At this moment, they could see that the dark figure was a monstrous creature over two meters tall, its outer skin as black as metal.

    Two sharp fangs curved upward, and it gripped a spiked club weighing more than two hundred kilograms in its hand.

    Even from a great distance, they could feel the overwhelming danger and the chilling presence of death emanating from it.

    "AAA!!!"

    No one knew who screamed first, but the crowd immediately broke into a frantic escape as soon as the cry rang out.

    Yes, the monster they had just witnessed was none other than Urlgan.

    To him, these Lords were no different from ants, while he was the giant towering over them.

    After evolving to Rank D-Peak and being further strengthened by Noan using the remaining Skeletons, Urlgan''s power had increased by more than 20% compared to before.

    Additionally, thanks to the artifact ''Pioneer''s Medal,'' Urlgan and the other monsters under Noan''s control received another 20% boost in strength.

    It could be said that Urlgan''s power had now reached an utterly terrifying level.

    Watching the terrified and panicked crowd flee, Urlgan''s eyes remained emotionless.

    To him, those weaker than him were mere insects. Just as humans kill ants without guilt or sorrow, he feels nothing in this moment.

    Without hesitation, Urlgan lunged toward the fleeing people, swinging the spiked club in his hand.

    BAM!

    Instantly, the frail young man''s body was smashed into a gruesome mix of blood and flesh.

    "AA!!!"

    The girl who often complained fell to the ground when the young man''s blood splattered onto her face.

    Panicking, she frantically wiped her eyes with her sleeve, but as soon as she looked ahead, she saw Urlgan.

    His massive figure, the terrifying aura, and the breath of death emanating from him made her tremble so violently that she wet herself.

    "No... no..." she stammered, trembling, "Please... please... don''t kill me... please..."

    Urlgan tilted his head slightly, swung the club in his hand, and...

    BAM!

    A series of explosions echoed, and the forest again sank into silence.

    Urlgan glanced around. Seeing that only one survivor remained, he turned and left.

    The fat man sat on the ground, trembling like a dog before a lion.

    He frowned and asked, "How many people have died so far?"

    "As of now, seventeen people have died. They were members of three different Lord groups, who entered the food forest in turn, along with three of our members," the young man reported. "Only one person survived."

    Caleb wasn''t surprised at all; in fact, he found this completely natural.

    After all, many people were thereˇŞone lucky survivor wasn''t unexpected.

    Caleb stroked his chin, deep in thought.

    ''If that monster is an Orc, then this isn''t too difficult,'' Caleb thought.

    If it had been a zombie, the spread of the virus could have threatened the survival of this entire region.

    But if it was an Orc, he didn''t have to worry about that.

    "I understand!" Caleb nodded and said, "Gather the thirty strongest Lords to follow meˇŞwe''re going to kill that monster."

    "Boss!" Another person spoke up. "Are you planning to attack it?"

    "Are you afraid?" Caleb frowned.

    "No!" The young man grinned and laughed, "Hahaha... I''ve been feeling bored lately, so I want to fight for a change."

    "Me too," another person added. "We''ve been here for so long without a proper battle. Now that we have the chance, we have to seize it."

    "It''s just a monster. Even if it''s Rank D, there''s no way it can stand against such many Lords."

    Seeing everyone''s confidence, an inexplicable sense of unease crept into Caleb''s heart. It was like a massive hand pulling strings behind the scenes.

    However, he quickly dismissed the thought, thinking he was being overly suspicious.

    If someone could control such a terrifying monster, they would have emerged and become this region''s ruler.

    Besides, this area was filled only with Rank F and Rank E Lords. Caleb refused to believe that someone with overwhelmingly superior strength would appear here.

    Could it be Noan?

    No, Caleb didn''t believe itˇŞhe didn''t want to believe it.

    After everyone left, Anna remained behind. She approached Caleb and gently asked, "Caleb, are you worried?"

    Caleb took Anna''s hand, frowned, and said, "You don''t need to come with me. Just stay here at home."

    "I must face an incredibly powerful monster this time, but don''t worry."

    "No matter how strong it is, as long as we gather the Lords, killing it will be easy."

    Caleb reasoned that he wasn''t wrong. The intelligence of most wild monsters was low, making them easy to trap.

    That was why he felt so confident.

    He believed that as long as he prepared adequately, even if that monster was Rank D or even D+, it wouldn''t be able to defeat them.

    Moreover, Caleb refused to believe that even with the combined strength of over thirty Lords, they couldn''t take down a mere Rank D monster.

    He was convinced that with the Lords'' power and intellect, they could still emerge victorious even if the monster was Rank C.

 Chapter 79 DEFEND! NOW!

    Anna nodded and said, "However, I think you shouldn''t take too many people with you, and you don''t need to be the one to fight."

    Caleb was puzzled. "Why?"

    "Caleb..." Anna gently explained, "I''m afraid this might be a trap. What if it''s all fake?"

    Caleb frowned. "Impossible! Would they dare to deceive me? And what would be the purpose of that?"

    "Of course, to lure you out of your territory. Then, they would work together to kill you."

    Hearing Anna''s words, Caleb suddenly shuddered. He began piecing the events together and realized she might not be wrong.

    He knew that while he was strong, not every Lord feared him.

    On the contrary, he knew that many Lords had secretly allied, forming small factions to eliminate him.

    However, he possessed a Rank D+ hero and a Rank D hero, so he never paid much attention to those weaker Lords.

    But what if this was a trap?

    What if one of his subordinates was planning to betray him?

    A chill ran down Caleb''s spine as he envisioned a perfectly laid-out scheme.

    They could have fabricated a false story to lure him to the food forest, where they would ambush him.

    That forest was far from his territoryˇŞso far that even if he managed to escape, it would take him a long time to return.

    And if multiple Lords surrounded him, no matter how strong his heroes were, they would eventually be overwhelmed.

    Cold sweat trickled down Caleb''s forehead, yet he didn''t feel hot. Instead, an icy dread seeped into his bones.

    Gripping Anna''s hand tightly, he took a deep breath and said, "Thank you, Anna. If not for you, I would have walked right into a massive trap."

    "Anna, what do you think I should do now? I can''t just retract my orders and ignore the rumors about a monster appearing in the food forest. I have to go there to verify the truth."

    Anna chuckled and said, "Caleb, you''re usually so smartˇŞwhy are you being so foolish now?"

    Caleb didn''t feel embarrassed by her words. Lately, too many things had happened, leaving him no time to rest.

    His exhaustion had directly affected his emotions and thoughts, making it difficult for him to analyze everything carefully.

    "It''s very simple," Anna said. "You don''t need to take so many Lords with youˇŞhalf that number is enough."

    "If they plan to betray you, you''ll still have a higher chance of winning or at least escaping."

    "If there truly is a terrifying monster in that forest, you don''t need to fightˇŞjust observe from a distance."

    "The more Lords that die, the fewer threats you''ll face in the future."

    "But..." Caleb frowned. "Won''t too many Lords dying cause a problem?"

    "Hahaha..." Anna suddenly smiled. "Caleb, those Lords are dying because the monster killed them. It has nothing to do with you."

    "Ah! That''s right." Caleb looked as if he had been enlightened, a ruthless grin spreading across his face. "You''re right. The monster killed themˇŞit has nothing to do with me."

    "Thank you, Anna. I''m lucky to have you by my side."

    "But reality is far crueler than their fantasies."

    "While I don''t fear those insects, even ants can bite an elephant to death if there are enough of them. That''s why we must always be cautious. Understand?"

    Adrian gave a thumbs-up, admiration written all over his face. "Boss, you are brilliant."

    "I''ve always been brilliant," Caleb replied with a frown.

    Adrian scratched his head, a bit embarrassed, but internally, he felt relieved.

    If he had followed Anna''s suggestion earlier and joined the group plotting against Caleb, he would likely be among those under Caleb''s suspicion now.

    "Boss..." Adrian hesitated before deciding to speak up. "Did you know that there''s a traitor among us?"

    "Hm?!" Caleb shot him a sharp look, making Adrian tense up.

    "I... I only found out by chance," Adrian stammered nervously.

    "Who?"

    "It''s Anna!"

    Caleb nearly laughed but managed to restrain himself, instead adopting a slightly irritated expression.

    "I know," he said. "But we need to wait a little longer."

    Of course, he knewˇŞbecause Anna was his spy. He had placed her there to uncover any traitors plotting against him.

    At this moment, Caleb could officially remove Adrian from his list of suspected traitors.

    Adrian was about to say something else when a strange noise interrupted them.

    Crack! Crack! Crack!

    "Boss, did you hear that?" Adrian asked anxiously.

    Caleb frowned, remaining silent as he peered into the distance. Then, he suddenly shouted, "Everyone, prepare for battle!"

    A cloud of dust rose in the distance as if a massive tree had just fallen.

    He wasn''t sure if it was the monster, but it was better to be safe than sorry.

    Whoosh!

    A gust of wind suddenly swept past Caleb, sending chills down his spine and making his skin crawl.

    "What the hell?!" An ominous feeling surged through him, prompting him to position the Stone Golem directly in front of him as a shield.

    "Boss!" Adrian shouted in fear.

    Caleb''s eyes widened at the sight before him.

    A treeˇŞyes, a treeˇŞmore than ten meters tall and over two meters thick was hurtling toward them at the speed of an arrow.

    "DEFEND! NOW!"

    BAM!

 Chapter 80 Help!

    Caleb hadn''t finished his sentence, and the other Lords hadn''t yet realized what was happening when a massive tree trunk hurtled toward them.

    The trunk flew straight at them, lying horizontally and stretching over ten meters. The monsters the Lords had brought along were all low-rank creatures with extremely poor reflexes, which meant...

    Boom! Boom! Boom!

    The trunk was like an enormous steamroller, crushing the feeble monsters beneath its weight. Unable to escape in time, two unlucky Lords were also turned into nothing more than a bloody mess.

    Caleb and Adrian were fortunate to stand further away and thus remained unscathed. However, they were still terrified, immediately retreating backward.

    "Don''t be afraid!" Though he himself was deeply shaken, Caleb still shouted, "Spread the soldiers out! Don''t let that monster attack in clusters."

    Caleb was rightˇŞif they kept their troops grouped, all it would take was another thrown tree like the last one, and the casualties would be devastating.

    If they didn''t act now, even without seeing the monster, they might all be dead before it revealed itself.

    The other Lords were only F-rank at best, with the highest among them being E-rank. Their combat experience was minimal, leaving them clueless about what to do.

    Seeing the chaos unfolding, Caleb frowned. "Are you all idiots? Give orders to your troops! Use your voices!"

    Hearing this, the Lords immediately followed Caleb''s command.

    However, their lack of battle experience made their actions clumsy and uncoordinated.

    Whoosh!

    A sharp gust of wind sliced through the air. Caleb saw another massive tree trunk, no smaller than the previous one, hurled toward them.

    "MotherfˇŞ!" Caleb couldn''t hold back his curse. "What the hell is going on?!"

    At that moment, a sense of panic gripped him. He hadn''t even caught a glimpse of the monster''s form, yet nearly a tenth of the Lord''s soldiers had already been wiped out.

    If this continued, they would all be dead before the monster appeared.

    "Hurry! Hide behind the bigger trees!" Caleb shouted.

    He didn''t care whether the other Lords heard him or not. Without hesitation, he turned around and searched for cover first.

    Seeing Caleb running, Adrian immediately followed him.

    The Stone Golem ran behind, shielding Caleb, who was lucky enough to find a large rock to hide behind.

    From their cover, Caleb and Adrian peeked out and saw that the other Lords were hastily retreating with their troops, having already accepted defeat before even engaging in battle.

    At that moment, a sudden gust of wind swept through, carrying a massive cloud of dust toward them.

    The dust engulfed everything in an instant, thick like fog, obscuring all vision.

    NoˇŞit wasn''t just about losing sight of the path ahead. They could see nothing within a mere three to five meters in front of them.

    Caleb and Adrian were no exception. They, too, were swallowed by the thick dust.

    Caleb grimaced, pulling up his sleeve to cover his nose, trying to block the dust from invading his lungs.

    "What the hell is happening?" he cursed under his breath. "Could all of this be the work of that monster?"

    If his suspicion was correct, then that monster was far too intelligent.

    Terrifying strength, overwhelming combat abilities, and the ability to set up such a massive trapˇŞthere was no way that creature was just Rank D or lower.

    It had to be at least Rank C.

    Clenching his teeth, Caleb felt the fear inside him swelling. Every intuition of his being screamed at him to run, to escape this place as fast as possible.

    But he knew blindly running in this situation would only bring death faster.

    Suddenly, he saw a dark figure slowly moving toward him. His body tensed, his heart pounding violently in his chest.

    Caleb wanted to say something, but his lips quivered uncontrollably, unable to produce a single sound.

    Adrian, on the other hand, didn''t even dare to look. Without hesitation, he turned and fled, vanishing into the thick fog of dust.

    "MotherfˇŞ!" Caleb cursed, unable to hold back his frustration.

    However, he no longer had time to worry about Adrian.

    The shadowy figure was getting closer, and with each step, Caleb felt his fear intensify.

    Swallowing hard, he immediately gave the order, "Stone Golem! Attack!"

    The Stone Golem, standing beside the large rock, sprang into motion. It lunged at the shadow, raising its massive fist.

    "Help...!"

    Suddenly, just as the figure came within five meters of Caleb, he could see it clearlyˇŞa Lord, limping, covered in blood, with one arm severed, as if a wild beast had bitten it off.

    "Stop!" Caleb ordered.

    But it was too late.

    BAM!

    The Stone Golem''s fist smashed straight into the Lord''s head, instantly reducing it to a gory explosion of blood and white brain matter that splattered everywhere.

    Caleb stood frozen, his face as pale as a sickly patient suffering from severe blood loss. His body trembled uncontrollably.

    He could feel the warmth of the Lord''s blood and flesh sticking to his skin.

    Taking a deep breath, he accidentally inhaled the thick, metallic scent of blood mixed with dust, causing him to cough violently.

    Gritting his teeth, he forced himself to regain even a sliver of composure before giving his next order: "Golem, stay by my side."

    The Stone Golem, an emotionless machine, obeyed without hesitation.

    Caleb crouched behind the rock, shaking. All he wanted was for the dust to clear so he could escape this nightmarish place.

    Ten minutes passed.

    The explosions had stopped.

    The screams had faded into nothingness.

    An eerie silence blanketed the battlefield.

    It was so quiet that Caleb could hear his breath, his heartbeat pounding violently in his chest as if it were trying to break free from his ribcage.

    Then, suddenly, he felt the sky darken.

    Looking up, he saw a sight that made him forget even the thought of running.

    It wasn''t the sky turning dark.

    The massive creature was standing before himˇŞso colossal that it blocked out all the light.

 Chapter 81 Almighty Territory

    Up close, Caleb realized the monster before he stood over 2.5 meters tall. Its skin was pure black, as if forged from the hardest metal.

    Its eyes glowed an eerie purple, and two razor-sharp fangs curved upward, adorned with faintly glowing magical symbols that shifted and twisted along their surface.

    Caleb could feel the breath of death right beside him.

    This was a truly terrifying creature. It wasn''t even movingˇŞstanding there and staring at him was enough to instil overwhelming fear.

    His breathing grew ragged, and sweat dripped from his forehead, yet all he could feel was an icy chill.

    Whoosh!

    Urlgan''s breath hit him like a gust of wind, forcing Caleb''s head to tilt back slightly.

    Urlgan raised its spiked mace high, ready to crush Caleb instantly.

    Whoosh!

    The air splitting rang again from the bloodstained mace as it swung down with maximum force and speed.

    In this brief, fleeting moment, Caleb felt regret.

    Yes, regret.

    He regretted ever coming here.

    He regretted not running away when he had the chance.

    But regret was meaningless now.

    There was no time left.

    All he could do was wait for death.

    Whoosh!

    Suddenly, just as the mace was about to make contactˇŞless than five centimetres from his faceˇŞit stopped.

    The wind from the halted weapon brushed against his skin, sending a jolt of terror through his entire body. His heart skipped a beat.

    Urlgan furrowed its brow, withdrew its weapon and turned away without sparing Caleb another glance.

    It vanished into the dense fog of dust.

    Only when Urlgan was completely out of sight did Caleb regain some clarity.

    "I... I''m still alive?"

    He murmured to himself, but the fear gripped him so tightly that he remained frozen, unable to stand.

    "I''m still alive... I''m still alive..."

    Caleb sat motionless, struggling to suppress his trembling.

    After a while, as the dust settled, he hastily fled, bringing the Stone Golem with him.

    Why hadn''t he ordered the Stone Golem to attack that monster?

    Because he was afraid.

    So afraid that he couldn''t even speak.

    So afraid that he couldn''t even move.

    Right after that, a three-dimensional map appeared before him.

    No, calling it a map wasn''t quite accurate.

    It was a sandbox model.

    However, at the moment, the sandbox model displayed nothing but an empty plot of land and a small house with all essential functions.

    What stood out was that the sandbox also indicated its total areaˇŞ9,000 square meters.

    ''So my new territory will expand to 9,000 square meters?'' Noan thought.

    Currently, his territory is only 40 square meters. It would become massive if it expanded to the size displayed in the sandbox.

    ''That will attract attention...''

    Noan frowned. Although he wasn''t afraid of other LordsˇŞsince, at present, he was the most powerful existence in this regionˇŞhe couldn''t predict whether stronger Lords would emerge in the future.

    Initially, he assumed that the blueprint would only slightly alter the structures within his territory. But in reality, it expanded his land significantly.

    Perhaps... he needed to be more cautious and delay constructing his new territory.

    While examining the sandbox, he suddenly noticed a small question mark (?) at the bottom of the interface.

    Clicking on it, a detailed information panel appeared:

    [Almighty Territory: Once construction is completed using the sandbox, the new territory will be automatically built.

    After that, you will have the ability to either conceal or reveal the new territory''s appearance.

    If you choose not to display the new look of your territory, a magical illusion barrier will cover the area, preventing others from noticing any changes.

    The new territory will also be protected by a shield strong enough to withstand a full-power attack from a Rank C Level 2 monster.]

    Reading the description of the Almighty Territory, Noan let out a sigh of relief.

    With this, he no longer needed to worry about attracting unwanted attention.

    He immediately began designing his territory using the sandbox.

    Calling it construction wasn''t accurateˇŞthis felt like a base-building game.

    All he had to do was select the buildings available and place them inside the sandbox model.

    However, for now, he could only build walls, roads, and landscape elements for the territory. As for structures, the only available building was the Main House for the Lord.

    Noan left nine empty zones around the area to place future buildings. He then constructed roads connecting these zones and added a central plaza.

    Luckily, the Almighty Territory granted him three invaluable assets that would make other Lords green with envy, perhaps even desperate to the point of madness.

    These were the Eternal Water Pool, Farmland, and a residential area with five houses for inhabitants.

    Eternal Water Pool: A 20-square-meter pond, 2 meters deep, providing an endless clean water supply. Farmland: Usable for agriculture, with an initial area of 1,000 square meters. Farmer Houses: Residential homes designed for the territory''s inhabitants. Each house had full amenities and could accommodate two people (x5 houses).

    At this moment, Noan truly realized how lucky he was to have obtained the Legendary Treasure Chest.

    With these resources, even if he couldn''t venture outside, he could survive in this barren region for an extended period.

    It was important to note that most Lords could only obtain drinking water from the nearby riverˇŞand access to that river was controlled by Caleb''s group.

    Food and water shortages aren''t too severe, but over time, scarcity becomes more apparent.

    At some point, chaos would be inevitable.

    And when that time came, violence and brutality would reveal themselves in their purest form.

 Chapter 82 I wont disappoint you

    If Noan hadn''t obtained the Omnipotent Territory Blueprint, he would have inevitably been dragged into the whirlpool of war.

    But now, things were different.

    He could live comfortably and far from conflict thanks to his new territory and the Resource Storage Center.

    What if other Lords targeted him? There was no need to worry.

    The information on the sandbox model had already confirmed that his new territory would have a protective shield capable of withstanding a full-power strike from a Rank C Level 2 monster.

    That meant his territory would remain untouchable as long as Rank C monsters didn''t appear.

    And in a region dominated by Rank F and E Lords, there was no chance of a Rank C monster existing.

    Even if such a creature did appear, Vylyss alone would be enough to eliminate it.

    Noan felt that everything he had was enough to lead a secluded life. If he lacked resources, he could eliminate other Lords and seize their supplies.

    Moreover, he could collect Lord Crystals to evolve his Lord Rank after killing Lords.

    It was safe to say that his current life was easy.

    While the other Lords were drowning in a hellish battlefield of blood and suffering, he was living in paradise.

    Returning to the sandbox model, Noan decided to reduce the number of empty zones for future buildings to five, allocating more space for residential areas, farmland, and the Eternal Water Pool.

    After more than an hour, he finally completed the sandbox layout.

    "System, begin constructing the new territory."

    [Ding! Do you confirm the current sandbox model?]

    "Confirm."

    [Ding! Territory construction has begun. Estimated completion time: 24 hours.]

    Noan nodded lightly. He wasn''t in a hurryˇŞwaiting while relaxing sounded just fine.

    After all, he had already killed more than 30 Lords.

    He had no intention of slaughtering any more.

    Zhisse was happily perched on Noan''s shoulder, weaving something with its silk.

    Meanwhile, the second Zhisse sighed upon seeing Noan lazing around.

    ''This brat... He was diligent for a few days, and I thought he had changed.''

    ''In the end, he''s just returned to his true nature. Well, it doesn''t matter if he''s useless. As long as he evolves me, I don''t need to care about him.''

    With that, her focus shifted back to weaving fabric. However, she didn''t realise that she was slowly influenced by Noan and the real Zhisse, making her lazier and more inclined to seek a comfortable life.

    ...

    At noon, Caleb finally reached the safe zone.

    He didn''t stop, though utterly exhausted, his entire body drenched in sweat, soaking through his clothes.

    Still, he forced himself to keep running until he reached his territory.

    As soon as he stepped inside, Caleb collapsed, panting heavily.

    At last, he felt a little safer.

    Lying on the cold ground and staring at the ceiling, he felt confused.

    Caleb nodded. "Aren''t you afraid that if it takes over the food forest, we''ll starve to death? And what if it threatens the safe zone? If it attacks this place, then..."

    "Hahaha..."

    Anna suddenly laughed. "Caleb, since when did you become this cowardly?"

    Caleb fell silent, lowering his head, unable to find an answer.

    Anna continued, "Caleb, if that monster could attack this zone, don''t you think it would have done so long ago? Why would it wait until now or until you entered the forest?"

    "Besides, we still have the river. At the very least, we have enough food and water in the short term."

    "During this time, we can figure out how to deal with that monster. And besides... some of the other Lords have already captured a few animals from that forest, haven''t they?"

    Caleb nodded. "That''s right. You mean..."

    "Hahaha... You''re getting a bit smarter." Anna chuckled. "We can try raising those animals. I refuse to believe the System''s rules would force all Lords into a dead end."

    "You''re right."

    Caleb felt a sense of relief. Anna made a valid point.

    How were Lords supposed to live if the System had decided to eliminate all paths to survival?

    But it didn''t.

    They still had the river, which provided clean water and seafood.

    "Thank you, Anna." Caleb held her hand tightly, his face filled with gratitude.

    He realized that if it weren''t for her, despair might have already swallowed him.

    "And besides..." Anna continued, "The ones who died were those other Lords, not you. So why should you be worried?"

    "The more Lords that perish, the easier it is for you to control this region. When the survivors remain loyal to you, any newcomers will naturally be influenced by the mindset of those who have already been here."

    "You''re right, hahahaha..." Caleb''s confidence returned, and he laughed. "The fewer Lords, the easier it is to manage. Anna, what do you think about even more Lords dying?"

    "That would benefit you," Anna replied, furrowing her brows. "However, you should be a bit careful."

    "We shouldn''t rush things. After all, a cornered dog will always bite back."

    "We should take our time. Besides, we don''t even need to kill them ourselves, and we must not take the resources from the territories of the fallen Lords."

    "Why?" Caleb frowned. "Are we just going to leave all those resources for others to take?"

    "Yes." Anna smiled. "Caleb, if we loot the resources of the dead Lords, the survivors will realise that we''re the ones pulling the strings behind all of this."

    "That''s why we should act like we know nothing. Their supplies aren''t even significant enough to be worth the risk."

    "You''re right," Caleb smirked. "Good! Sixteen Lords have died today. I should probably come up with a reason to tell everyone."

    "Hahaha..." Anna laughed. "Just warn them that a monster lurks in the food forest. Then, simply allow everyone to enter and leave freely."

    "Those who are foolish or desperate enough will die on their own.

    When hunger sets in, they won''t need us to deceive themˇŞthey will willingly walk into the forest themselves."

    Hearing this, Caleb burst into laughter.

    "Hahahaha... Anna, I''m realizing just how wicked you are."

    "Huh!" Anna pouted. "I''m only doing this for your sake."

    "Ah! I understand, and I won''t disappoint you. Hahahahaha..."

 Chapter 83 Noan is chilling

    The next day, the atmosphere in the area became even heavier.

    Caleb declared that the monster within the food forest was extremely powerful, and no one could defeat itˇŞnot even himself.

    Because of this, he decided to grant everyone the freedom to enter the forest. Whoever could gather food would depend entirely on their abilities. However, Caleb would not care whether they lived or died or offered them any protection.

    Meanwhile, Caleb blocked the entrance to the river, and everyone was still required to abide by the existing rules. However, the toll to access the river was slightly reduced.

    Upon hearing this, though fear gripped many, a few reckless individuals still saw this as an opportunity to obtain more food.

    Some did not believe Caleb''s words, thinking he was merely trying to scare them.

    Of course, Caleb did not care whether the Lords believed him.

    If they entered the forest, their survival would depend entirely on their skills and luck.

    If they lived, they were fortunate enough to avoid encountering the monster. If they died, all the betterˇŞit would reduce the number of Lords in the area, making them easier for him to manage.

    After all, new Lords would be sent daily to this region, so losing a few would not affect him in the slightest.

    Naturally, he also needed to reassure his subordinates. This matter was far too seriousˇŞif his men grew uneasy, they might betray him.

    While chaos raged outside, Noan''s Domain remained peaceful.

    From the outside, Noan''s territory was a simple, small house. But only upon stepping through the main door would it reveal an entirely different space.

    At that moment, he was seated on a cushioned chair woven by Zhisse, while above him, a Skeleton held an umbrella to shield him from the sun.

    His domain was now vastly different from before, having expanded many times.

    All around were beautiful flowers and lush grass, creating a sense of tranquillity for anyone who saw it.

    In the distance, five men and five women had begun sowing seeds and planting trees. Some were even building a small pen to raise rabbits and deer.

    Their appearances bore a certain resemblance to being siblings.

    Indeed, they were the NPCs that Noan had summoned using the NPC Summoning Card.

    Although these NPCs had no combat abilities, they were proficient in many professions, particularly farming and crafting.

    The female NPCs could cook and raise animals, while the male NPCs possessed construction skills. Their abilities were flawless, leaving Noan with no doubt about their capabilities.

    And, of course, their loyalty was absolute.

    Outside, the Lords struggled with food and water, forced to take risks to secure sustenance.

    However, Noan lived an incredibly relaxed life in this place, as if the outside world were a hellscape, while this place was a paradise.

    Though he still had two architectural blueprints left unused, he was in no hurry.

    After all, he lacked the necessary materials for construction at the moment, so he could only wait.

    "Master!"

    Suddenly, a Skeleton clad in a black cloak rushed toward him before kneeling by his side, sobbing as he spoke.

    "Master, Urlgan doesn''t like me."

    Malrik''s voice was filled with grievance and pain. "He even used a club to hit me. Thankfully, I ran fast enoughˇŞotherwise, he might have smashed me to death."

    "Ah, no! I''m already dead. But if I hadn''t run quickly, this skeleton of mine would have been shattered to pieces."

    "Master, you must seek justice for me! He is so rude. Orcs are crude creaturesˇŞI don''t think he will be as loyal to you as I am."

    ''Alright, thinking too much won''t do any good. For now, I should just enjoy this time. When I evolve to a higher rank, I''ll find a way to break the contract later.''

    At that moment, Vylyss appeared.

    As usual, she sat on Noan''s lap, wrapping her arms around his neck. In a seductive voice, she whispered, "Master, do you miss me?"

    Noan: "..."

    He felt an intense headache coming on. He had just dealt with Malrik, and now Vylyss had appeared.

    Sometimes, he thought having monsters like Caleb''s Stone Golems wouldn''t be so bad.

    They followed orders without talking back, and, most importantly, they couldn''t "drain" him dry every day.

    "Alright!" Noan sighed. "What do you want? Just say it."

    "Master..." Vylyss pouted, her expression full of playful sulkiness. "You''re so cold."

    "Vylyss, not today. You already drained me dry yesterday. If we continue, I might die."

    "Hehehehe..." Vylyss giggled at his words. "Master, don''t worry. I know how to control myself."

    Noan: "..."

    If you knew how to control yourself, you wouldn''t have drained me dry in the first place.

    Last night, he had genuinely felt like he was on the verge of deathˇŞalmost knocking on heaven''s door.

    It was terrifying. It was dangerous.

    He had thought that, lately, he had grown stronger and could last longer.

    But he never expected that after evolving to Rank B, she would become even more monstrous than before.

    In just two hours, he had completely surrendered, unable to go on any longer.

    Zhisse the Second, who had been seriously weaving fabric, saw the scene unfold and immediately grew furious. She cursed internally:

    "Huh! You two degeneratesˇŞI curse you with impotence! May you never do filthy things again!"

    "Master," Vylyss continued, "do you want me to kill everyone who enters the forest?"

    Noan frowned at her words and shook his head. "No need. Let them harvest some food. But from time to time, we should make them pay a price."

    "For example... if five people enter the forest, only three or four should make it back."

    "Hehehe..." Vylyss giggled mischievously. "Master, you''re so wicked."

    As she laughed, her wet, serpentine tongue slithered along Noan''s neck.

    Zhisse the Second, witnessing the scene, immediately cursed both Noan and Vylyss as shameless creatures before turning her focus back to her work.

    The first time, she had been thoroughly disgusted.

    The second time, she was still disgusted.

    The third time, though still repulsed, she didn''t want to care anymore.

    "Master, would you like me to eliminate some of the zombies in the forest?"

    "You mean the 5,000 zombies behind the food forest?"

    "Hahaha..." Vylyss chuckled seductively, bringing her lips close to his ear as she whispered, "Master, their numbers have already grown to more than 6,000."

 Chapter 84 New Boss - Austin?

    Noan wasn''t particularly surprised at this news. He stroked his chin, thinking momentarily before asking, "Can you take care of those zombies?"

    "Hahaha..." Vylyss laughed charmingly as she traced circles on Noan''s chest with her fingertip. "Master, this task is really difficult."

    "But you''re already Rank B, Level 1," Noan frowned. He had a feeling she was up to something.

    "Master... even though I''m Rank B, Level 1, you know just how many zombies there areˇŞmore than 6,000," Vylyss pouted. "Besides, among them are quite a few Rank D zombies. It won''t be easy."

    Noan sighed. "You... Fine, I don''t need you to kill all of them. Just take out enough so I can collect 1,000 Rank F energy crystals."

    "Master, those zombies act as a horde," Vylyss said as if this were an impossible task. "If I attack even a single one, the entire swarm will berserk."

    Noan lowered his gaze to see Vylyss resting her head against his chest, acting as if she truly wanted to carry out his orders but simply wasn''t capable.

    But Noan knew exactly how terrifying her strength was.

    Ultimately, he sighed and said, "I''ll reward you after you''re done."

    "Oh! Really?" Her reaction, however, was completely unexpected. "Master, I want your reward, but... this is a difficult task."

    "One night," Noan said.

    "Hehehe..." Vylyss giggled seductively. "Master, even though this is a tough job, I will do my best to complete it."

    "I''ll gather the required energy crystals within four days."

    After saying that, she gently kissed his lips before vanishing into a wisp of smoke.

    "Master!" Suddenly, Malrik called out, "I can alsoˇŞ"

    "Shut up!"

    Malrik sat back down, sulking as he drew circles on the ground.

    ...

    Two days later, while Region 27 had not yet fallen into chaos, certain groups of Lords had begun showing signs of rebellion against Caleb.

    However, they knew Caleb''s overwhelming strength well, so they didn''t dare act too openly.

    Even so, their efforts to recruit members for an uprising against him were blatantly obviousˇŞeven a blind man could see it.

    While food remained sufficient, the rapidly increasing number of Lords had made organising fishing teams and water collection at the river more difficult.

    From an initial count of 200 Lords, the population swelled to 250 within two days.

    Fortunately, Caleb was strong and intelligent enough to maintain order, preventing the region from descending entirely into anarchy and war.

    However, a new force had emerged, threatening this fragile balance.

    At another domain, Adrian stood before a blond-haired man, his head bowed, his face full of fear and anxiety.

    Not to mention, the number of loyal subordinates he had was still limited, making the conflict even more difficult.

    He wasn''t foolish enough to believe that just because he had a single Rank D-Peak Hero, he could easily become the ruler of this place.

    Austin decided that the best action for now was to stockpile food while quietly rallying more Lords to his side. Once they had gathered enough forces, they could overthrow Caleb together.

    That way, his chances of winning would be much more significant.

    At that moment, Austin suddenly asked, "You said there''s a terrifying monster in that forest?"

    "That''s right," Adrian quickly replied. "That day, only Caleb and I made it backˇŞeveryone else was killed."

    "That''s also why Caleb no longer cares much about that forest. He''s allowing anyone to enter freely but won''t guarantee anyone''s safety."

    "Lately, many people have been venturing into the forest out of desperation for food. But out of every ten who enter, only five or six return."

    Austin frowned and asked, "Did you see this monster yourself?"

    Adrian scratched his head awkwardly. "Well... I... I didn''t see it. But from what others have described, it''s a High Orc with skin as black as metal."

    "Its strength is overwhelmingˇŞwhether it''s a Hero, a monster, or even a Lord, they all explode into chunks of meat the moment its spiked club lands on them."

    Hearing this, Austin''s expression grew puzzled.

    From what he knew, High Orcs typically had green or red skinˇŞhe had never heard of a black-skinned High Orc before.

    Moreover, no matter how strong a High Orc was, it should only be Rank D+ or, at most, Rank D-Peak.

    But it would undoubtedly fall even if it were Rank D-Peak, facing an onslaught from such a large number of Lords.

    However, Adrian''s account contradicted everything Austin knew.

    "You''re certain there''s only one of them?" Austin asked suspiciously.

    "Absolutely!" Adrian answered immediately. "Everyone who made it back alive told the same story. It seems that the forest only has that one monster."

    Austin stroked his chin, finding the situation more and more bizarre.

    "Big Brother, do you want to kill that monster?" Adrian suddenly asked. "You have a Rank D-Peak Level 2 beastˇŞI believe you could take it down."

    "If you succeed, that entire food forest will belong to you."

    Hearing this, greed stirred in Austin''s heart. However, he wasn''t a fool.

    He had survived this long because he had experienced many thingsˇŞand faced many dangers.

    Because of that, he trusted his instincts. Something about this forest monster felt off. His gut told him that acting recklessly would be a grave mistake.

    "No need to rush!" Austin said with a smirk. "We don''t know its exact rank or level. If we charge in blindly, we could suffer unnecessary losses."

    "Instead, we should first meet with this region''s so-called ''Big Brother''. Besides, I''m quite interested in that kid, Noan."

    "Is it true that he can bring food into this area from the outside?"

 Chapter 85 Is this Noans territory?

    At this moment, Noan also encountered a problem when a notification board appeared before him.

    [Ding! You can no longer use Skeletons as materials to enhance the strength of your monsters and heroes.

    To continue, please level up or evolve your monsters.]

    ''So, this is the limit,'' Noan thought to himself.

    He had used all the Skeletons he had summoned as materials to strengthen his Mutant Skeletons and heroes. However, once their strength increased by around 20%, they could no longer grow any stronger, and this notification appeared.

    Of course, Vylyss and Malrik were exceptions. Those two were like bottomless pitsˇŞno matter how many Skeletons Noan used, their strength did not increase even by 1%.

    Because of that, he decided to stop enhancing their power and instead focus on strengthening his other monsters.

    But now, everything had reached its limit. As a result, Noan began considering fusing the Skeletons he had summoned to their highest possible level.

    If he could create Mutant Skeletons, that would be great. If not, he could still possess a D-Peak rank Skeleton army.

    It was enough to make him smile, even in his sleep.

    Owning a single D-Peak rank monster was enough to become king in this area. But what if he possessed an entire army?

    Even if he had to face a D-rank lord or even a C-rank one, he would still be able to win.

    Now that he had reached Lord Level 2, he could summon 30 F+ rank Skeletons daily.

    However, since he owned two territories, he could summon twice that amount, meaning he could summon 60 F+ rank Skeletons in a single day.

    The number was enormous, but he was left with only two D-rank Skeletons after fusing them.

    Noan wasn''t too worried. If he could evolve his Lord Rank to rank E, the Skeletons he summoned would be rank E instead of F+.

    "If I could choose a class for Skeletons, that would be great," Noan muttered.

    Currently, the Skeletons he summoned were mostly warriors, wielding only swords and small shields.

    If he could decide the class of the Skeletons, he could create an army that could both attack and defend.

    However, Noan was in no rush. At the moment, he could level up, and he could also evolve his Lord rank.

    As long as he had enough time, he believed that he wouldn''t need to worry about his safety even if people discovered his secret.

    "Master!"

    At that moment, a female NPC approached him, lowered her head, and said, "Someone has come to see you."

    "Hm?!" Noan frowned and asked, "Who?"

    "Master, it''s a man named Caleb."

    Hearing that, Noan nodded and said, "Let him in."

    But now, what in the world was Caleb witnessing?

    If the girl earlier hadn''t explicitly stated that this was Noan''s territory, Caleb would have thought he had somehow wandered into paradise.

    "Please, follow me," the female NPC said.

    Her voice brought Caleb back to his senses, and he immediately continued walking behind her.

    The further he went, the harder it became to believe what he saw.

    Even though he hadn''t spotted a single monster in the area, he couldn''t shake the feeling that an unseen pair of eyes was watching his every move.

    Caleb swallowed hard and was led by the female NPC to an area that left him even more in disbelief.

    Noan was reclining on a long chair beside a small pond. Caleb had no idea where the water came from, but he could see it continuously flowing out of the pond into small channels, spreading like a miniature river system.

    At that moment, Noan lazily reached out for a wooden cup beside him and took a sip of fruit juice, making Caleb feel a twinge of envy.

    While he and the other lords outside were racking their brains over food shortagesˇŞsome even on the verge of inciting a rebellion against himˇŞNoan was here, completely relaxed.

    "Skip the nonsense. Get to the point."

    Suddenly, Noan spoke, but he didn''t even look at Caleb. He remained lying on the chair, eyes half-closed, basking in the sun.

    Caleb took a deep breath, organized his words, and said, "Noan, I need your help."

    Noan remained silent, his eyes still shut.

    Seeing this, Caleb clenched his teeth, then pulled out a card from his pocket and added, "Of course, I''ll pay you."

    At that, Noan barely opened his eyes, glancing at the card in Caleb''s hand before closing them again. "What could trouble the overlord of this region so much that he has to seek help from a worthless, insignificant lord like me?"

    Caleb, of course, caught the mocking undertone in Noan''s words, but he had no time to care.

    Frowning said, "Lately, many new lords have arrived in this area. You know that, don''t you?"

    Noan gave a slight nod, saying nothing.

    Just because he stayed in his territory didn''t mean he was unaware of what was happening outside.

    Zhisse and Vylyss had already gathered all the intelligence in the region for him.

    He knew exactly how many lords there were, their strengths, how powerful their heroes were, and even how much resources each possessed.

    After Zhisse evolved to D-Peak rank and reached her limit in strength enhancement using Noan''s excess materials, she developed the ability to use her silk for audio storage.

    Yes, that''s rightˇŞNoan had the idea for Zhisse to weave her silk into a medium capable of storing sound, like a vinyl record.

    Thanks to this, he now knew nearly every secret in the region.

    Caleb continued, "Then, you must know of someone named Austin, right? He''s threatening my life."

 Chapter 86 The first person Ill kill is you

    After listening to Caleb recount everything that had happened, Noan was not surprised.

    After all, over the past two days, he had already known what Caleb had been through.

    Despite possessing a D-Peak ranked hero, Austin only had that one hero at such a level. His other heroes were, at most, ranked E+.

    Moreover, Austin was not a fool. He feared that if he underestimated Caleb too much, he would " capsize in a ditch." Because of that, he chose to wait.

    Austin wanted to gather more food and subordinates to increase his chances of victory when confronting Caleb.

    However, yesterday, Caleb and Austin ran into each other in the food forest.

    Of course, Noan was well aware of this. He even ordered Urlgan not to attack them, just to observe what would happen when they met.

    As expected, Caleb and Austin clashed.

    Although the battle only lasted a few minutes, they knew they were equally strong, with neither having the upper hand.

    However, their thoughts about the encounter were completely different.

    Caleb was worried because Austin''s monster was ranked D-Peak but only reached level 2.

    If that monster reached level 3, Caleb would undoubtedly be defeated.

    Austin had the same thought, which made him even more confident and, in his heart, look down on Caleb even further.

    Caleb felt that not only his position but also his life was in danger.

    Especially since the other lords had long been displeased with himˇŞif even one of them stepped up to lead them, they would likely overthrow him immediately.

    Caleb pondered throughout the night and ultimately decided to seek out Noan.

    That''s rightˇŞhe didn''t understand why Noan came to his mind, but he knew that the only one who could save him now was Noan.

    Why?

    Because of two reasons.

    First, Noan possessed a secret that allowed him to bring food and medicine from the outside into this area.

    The second reason was that Caleb had witnessed the power of the monsters under Noan''s command.

    Although he didn''t know their exact levels or ranks, the fact that they could effortlessly defeat his Stone Golem meant they could at least overpower Austin''s monster.

    For this reason, Caleb decided to seek out Noan and plead for his help.

    "If you help me eliminate Austin, I promise you won''t suffer any losses," Caleb said.

    "This is a Territory Transfer Card. It allows you to relocate your territory to another area. In times of crisis, it could save your life."

    "Moreover, I can make you the king of this region. I will use all my strength to help you govern this place."

    Caleb spoke, his eyes filled with anxiety as he looked at Noan.

    However, Noan remained to lie still, his eyes not even opening, as if he were asleep.

    Noan pondered for a moment before answering, "No need. Besides, when are you going to start working?"

    As he spoke, he squeezed Vylyss''s soft peaks, making her let out sensual, pleasure-filled moans.

    "Mm... Master, just a little longer... mm..." Vylyss gasped, her face flushed as if she could no longer wait.

    ...

    Three days later, at Austin''s territory.

    At this moment, ten Lords had gathered outside his territory, accompanied by many of their soldiers and heroes.

    Seeing this scene, Austin nodded, feeling a sense of satisfaction and vanity swelling within him.

    "Is everyone here?" Austin asked.

    Standing beside him, Adrian nodded and replied, "Boss, everyone is gathered here. They are all ready to follow your orders."

    A flattering smile appeared on Adrian''s face, his eyes filled with excitement.

    However, he hesitated momentarily before speaking again, "Boss, we''re just attacking an F-rank Lord. Do we need to bring so many people?"

    Austin glanced at Adrian with disdain and sneered, "You are an idiot."

    Although Adrian felt anger rising, he forced a fawning smile and lowered his head. "Boss, I''m truly an idiot. How would I understand your grand intentions if you don''t explain?"

    "Huh!" Austin snorted. "Even though we''re only attacking an F-rank Lord, this time, I want all the Lords in this region to witness my strengthˇŞto see who is truly capable of leading them."

    "Besides, I want to crush any lingering fighting spirit from Caleb''s group."

    "Wow!" Adrian feigned admiration. "Boss, you''re truly brilliant."

    "Of course!" Austin laughed loudly. "That''s why I''m your boss."

    "Let''s head to the square so that everyone can see us. And you, on the way there, make sure to tell everyone that they should join me. If not, then in the future, if anything happens, I won''t protect them."

    "Yes! Yes! Boss, don''t worry! I will do my best!" Adrian nodded eagerly. His tail would probably wag like a fan if he had a tail.

    "Wait!" Just as Adrian was about to leave, Austin suddenly spoke. "First, go to that brat Noan''s place. Tell him that if he surrenders and reveals that secret to me, I will protect him until the upcoming event ends."

    "If not... Hahahaha... then he should just prepare to die."

    "Uh..." Adrian was startled and quickly asked, "Boss, why go through all this trouble? We could just go there and destroy his territory. At that point, wouldn''t he have no choice but to reveal the secret?"

    SLAP!

    "Ack!"

    Austin suddenly slapped Adrian across the face, making him cry out in pain. "Boss, youˇŞ"

    "You motherf***er! How stupid can you be?" Austin roared in anger. "If that brat were so easy to crack, Caleb would''ve already forced the secret out of him long ago. Why else would he still have to scavenge for food in the forest?"

    "I''m sorry, Boss, I... I..." Adrian stammered, still in shock from the sudden slap.

    "If you keep running your mouth, the first person I''ll kill is you."

 Chapter 87 Adrian and Austin

    Adrian was startled upon hearing that and quickly left. He feared that if he lingered any longer, Austin might kill him.

    He ran to an intersection, resting his hand on a tree as he panted heavily.

    Turning his head, Adrian saw neither Austin nor anyone else following him. He felt a sense of relief, but at the same time, a lingering frustration gnawed at him.

    "Damn it!" he cursed under his breath. "Why the hell are that bastard Caleb and Austin so alike?"

    "That bastard Noan is just an F-rank lord. Is there any need to fear him that much? If we attack and destroy his territory, wouldn''t he be forced to reveal that secret?"

    Adrian couldn''t understand why Caleb and Austin both refused to kill Noan. Did they truly believe that Noan could hold out to the point of taking his secret to the grave?

    He didn''t buy it. Noan was just a kidˇŞhow could he have that much courage?

    The more Adrian thought about it, the angrier he became. He gathered some heroes and soldiers before heading toward Noan''s territory.

    ...

    Adrian arrived at Noan''s domain twenty minutes later, bringing a group of Goblins and one or two Orcs.

    Looking at the simple wooden gate, Adrian sneered with disdain.

    "Just an F-rank lordˇŞwhat''s there to be afraid of?" he muttered. "Hah! If Caleb and Austin won''t kill you, then I will. Once I get your secret, those two bastards will have no choice but to kneel before me, begging for food."

    The thought of that scenario made Adrian grin greedily. He raised his hand, signaling the two Orcs to begin breaking down the door.

    Yes, he hadn''t come here to negotiate. He had come to kill Noan, take his secret, and use it for his benefit.

    He would no longer have to bow his head to anyone when that time came. He wouldn''t have to worry about food shortages ever again.

    BAM!

    An Orc swung its wooden club, smashing it against the door. Strangely enough, despite the door''s simple and frail appearanceˇŞone that seemed like it would shatter with a single kickˇŞit remained standing after the heavy strike.

    "Hm?!" Adrian frowned and shouted, "Have you not eaten anything? Hit it harder!"

    It was true that these monsters hadn''t eaten all day, which made them feel a bit fatigued.

    However, no matter how tired they were, they should still be able to break down a mere wooden door.

    The two Orcs, unknown for their intelligence, exchanged confused glances before resuming their assault.

    BAM!

    BAM!

    BAM!

    The relentless pounding echoed through the air, yet the door remained motionless, without a crack.

    "MotherfˇŞ!" Adrian cursed, unable to hold back his frustration. "What the hell are you all doing? You can''t even break down a damn wooden door?! Why do I even keep you around?!"

    As he yelled, he smacked both Orcs on the head. They didn''t get angry, only looked even more puzzledˇŞafter all, their intelligence was pitifully low.

    Adrian stomped toward the door and kicked it with all his might.

    BAM!

    However, during that encounter, Caleb had witnessed firsthand the terrifying power of the Lava Lizard.

    Even though his Stone Golem was a Rank D+, Level 3 creature, it wouldn''t have been able to withstand a prolonged fight.

    But this time was different.

    Austin wouldn''t stop the battle like he did in the forest.

    Right now, Austin wanted to put on a show for the other Lords hereˇŞto make them witness his power and understand who truly deserved to be king of this region.

    "Austin!" Caleb gritted his teeth and said, "You should remember thisˇŞif you truly go through with this fight, even if you win, the outcome won''t be in your favor."

    "Your soldiers and heroes will suffer losses. How will you rule this region, then? How will you fend off the strength of the other Lords?"

    Austin smirked. "You don''t need to worry about that. All you need to know is... from today onward, I will be the king of this place. As for you, just hide inside your house and stay out of my sight."

    "You..." Caleb seethed with rage, but then he took a deep breath, trying to suppress his fury. He knew full well that if they fought now, he would undoubtedly lose.

    A Rank D-Peak hero was not an ordinary monster. Even though the difference between Rank D+ and D-Peak seemed small, the actual gap in power was immense.

    "Big brother, why are you wasting your breath on that bastard?" At that moment, a young man standing behind Caleb suddenly shouted, "Let''s just fight together! I refuse to believe his monster can defeat all of us!"

    He spurred his black rhino forward, charging straight at the Lava Lizard.

    "Wait!" Caleb shouted urgently.

    But it was too late.

    The moment the young man closed the distance, the Lava Lizard opened its mouth and spat out a sphere of molten lava.

    He had no chance to dodge because the attack was launched at point-blank range. The sphere of lava struck him dead-on.

    "AAA!!!" A bloodcurdling scream rang out, filled with agony and despair.

    The molten lava acted like a terrifying acid, burning through both the young man and his beast.

    In less than a minute, only a few charred remains of the young man and his rhino lay on the ground, still smoldering. The surrounding heat was so intense that no one dared to approach.

    A Lord had perishedˇŞjust like that.

    Even more terrifying was that no one had ever seen Austin give the command. The entire execution had been carried out by the Lava Lizard of its own accord.

    "Oh! My apologies!" Austin laughed loudly. "Hahahaha... I thought your subordinate would be stronger, but he was just too weak in the end. Couldn''t even last a minute."

    "Caleb, it seems... you are unworthy of ruling this region."

    Caleb clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white, his face burning with anger. His subordinate had been killed, yet he didn''t dare to make a moveˇŞbecause he feared defeat.

    His followers were furious as well, but more than anything, they were disappointed.

    Seeing Caleb tremble in fear, they could only shake their heads before stepping back, leaving him alone.

    His subordinates were never truly loyal to him; they had followed him for personal gain.

    But now, after witnessing someone far stronger, they had no hesitation in abandoning Caleb.

    Perhaps some of them felt a twinge of guilt or shame. But when they saw Caleb cowering in fear, that guilt instantly vanished.

 Chapter 88 Noans territories were attacked

    Caleb watched as everyone retreated, leaving him standing alone. A surge of anger and despair welled up inside him.

    Though he had always been cautious and never truly trusted his subordinates, at the very least, he had ensured they had full stomachs while other Lords struggled to find food.

    And yet, in the end, these bastards didn''t stand by him. Instead, when they saw him show a hint of fear, they discarded him without hesitation.

    Austin didn''t bother waiting for Caleb''s response. Laughing, he said, "Alright, you look just like a stray dog right now, and I have no interest in beating a dog. After all, I''m a kind person. So, I''m willing to give you a chance."

    "When I return, I expect you to bring all your resources here, kneel until nightfall, and maybe then... I''ll let you live."

    Caleb gritted his teeth, but a particular phrase in Austin''s words caught his attention. His brows furrowed as he asked, "When you return? Are you planning to find that monster in the forest?"

    His assumption wasn''t far-fetched. He didn''t believe Austin had gathered such a force just to intimidate him.

    "Hahaha... I''m not an idiot," Austin laughed. "You brought even more Lords than I did and still couldn''t win. Do you think I''d make the same stupid mistake?"

    "I simply want to meet a certain boy hiding a very interesting secret."

    Upon hearing this, Caleb immediately thought of a young man with a lazy demeanorˇŞyet someone who still managed to terrify him.

    That''s right.

    It was Noan.

    "Noan?" Caleb murmured.

    Austin waved his hand dismissively. "You don''t need to know too much. Just do as I say."

    "I don''t know if you''re pathetic or just plain stupid. A terrifying secret was right before you, yet you chose to stay silent."

    "If I had arrived here at the same time as you, do you think you''d still be standing here today?"

    "How long do you think that kid can keep his secret hidden?"

    "Today, I''ll show you how easily a true king can handle this situation."

    Hearing this, Caleb simply shook his head with a chuckle before sitting down on the ground. Smiling, he said, "Austin, I know you''re very confident. In that case, I''ll wait here."

    "...What do you mean?" Austin frowned, his gaze turning sharp with a hint of killing intent as he looked at Caleb.

    However, Caleb seemed unbothered by his expression. He simply smiled faintly and said, "If you can extract the secret from Noan or even eliminate him, I won''t just hand over all my resources to youˇŞI''ll even willingly become your slave."

    Austin''s expression immediately darkened with suspicion. A thought crossed his mind: Could there be a reason why Caleb failed to uncover that kid''s secret?

    Or... is Caleb just trying to scare me?

    Despite his doubts, Austin decided to believe that Caleb was merely bluffing.

    After all, before moving, he had already gathered extensive intelligence. He knew that Noan was merely an F-rank Lord.

    Following their previous conflict, Noan had retreated into his territory, never stepping outside.

    "MotherfˇŞ!" One of the young men cursed. "Who does he think he is?"

    "Enough," a woman interjected. "We should figure out how to join Austin''s group."

    "That''s right. You all saw Austin''s strength for yourselves. He has a Rank D-Peak heroˇŞCaleb is no match for him."

    "Tsk! If I had known this day would come, I would have joined Austin much sooner."

    "Well, it''s not like we''ve missed our chance. We''re all Rank E LordsˇŞAustin will definitely accept us."

    "But... something feels off. Why does Caleb believe Noan could pose a threat to Austin?"

    "Are you stupid? He''s just trying to scare Austin. If Austin actually manages to extract that kid''s secret, he''ll become unstoppable."

    "Exactly! He''ll have the strongest power in this region and the ability to bring in food and medicine from the outside."

    "Ugh! I''m starting to regret ever serving that bastard."

    ...

    Of course, Caleb didn''t care about the murmurs behind his back. He only cared about one thing.

    Between Noan and Austin, who would win?

    As he neared Noan''s territory, he gestured for his Stone Golem to hide before climbing up a tall tree to get a better view.

    In the distance, Austin''s voice rang out loudly: "I know you''re inside. I''ll give you ten seconds. If you don''t come out, I''ll destroy your territory and turn you into my slave."

    Silence...

    Not a single response came after Austin''s words as if Noan''s domain was completely deserted.

    "Tsk!" Austin clicked his tongue in annoyance and began counting.

    "10... 9... 8... 7... 6... 5... 4... 3... 2..."

    "You have one last chance, Noan. Don''t make me angry, or the consequences will be devastating."

    Silence was the only reply.

    "MotherfˇŞ!" Austin swore in frustration. "Break down the door and drag that bastard out here!"

    "Leave it to me, boss!" A young man grinned as he led a unicorn forward. "When it comes to breaking structures, my unicorn is a professional!"

    "Hurry up!" Austin snapped, not in the mood for pointless chatter.

    The young man flinched and quickly commanded his unicorn to charge at the wooden gate.

    However...

    BAM!

 Chapter 89 It would be me

    The unicorn stomped on the ground, leaving hoofprints behind. Each of its steps sent dirt and rocks flying into the air.

    It lowered its head, aiming the longhorn forward like a drill.

    However...

    BAM!

    A loud collision rang out. Contrary to everyone''s expectations, the wooden door remained completely intact. Instead, the unicorn''s horn shattered instantly.

    "What the hell?" The unicorn''s master witnessed the scene, his eyes nearly bursting with rage.

    One had to understandˇŞthis was the hero he had summoned, the strongest hero he possessed.

    Even though it was only rank E, its horn could pierce through concrete walls over 20 cm thick.

    But now?

    An ordinary wooden door had destroyed the unicorn''s horn, spilling blood all over the ground.

    The unicornˇŞno, now it was just a regular horse without a hornˇŞcollapsed on the ground, letting out agonized cries.

    "Damn it!" Seeing his hero in such a miserable state, the young man was furious. But simultaneously, he feared Austin would see his incompetence and kick him out of the group.

    One had to knowˇŞAustin was like the sun at its peak, and anyone who became his subordinate was guaranteed a bright future.

    "Get lost!" Austin''s voice was icy as he shouted.

    Hearing this, the young man''s face turned red with anger, but he didn''t dare defy Austin. Instead, he vented his fury on the horse lying in a pool of its blood.

    BAM!

    BAM!

    He kicked the horse repeatedly, cursing, "Damn it! I thought your horn was so tough, yet you couldn''t break through a simple wooden door."

    "Useless piece of shit! Why the hell do I even need you? Raising you has been nothing but a waste of my food!"

    "Did you not hear what I said?" Austin''s voice was icy. "Get lost!"

    The young man, terrified, scrambled away in a hurry, abandoning his monster, which was on the verge of being claimed by death.

    "Tsk!" Austin clicked his tongue in frustration. "Useless!"

    He wasn''t a foolˇŞhe could tell something abnormal about that door.

    Waving his hand, he ordered, "Climb over the wall! Drag him out here for me!"

    "Yes, Boss!" his subordinates responded in unison.

    Immediately, a group of men controlling various monsters began approaching Noan''s territory.

    However, an invisible barrier stopped them when they tried to touch the surrounding walls.

    "Boss!" Another young man spoke up. "There''s something strange about this placeˇŞit feels like an invisible wall is shielding it."

    Austin frowned and walked up to the entrance of the territory, stretching out his hand.

    Just as the subordinate had said, his palm didn''t even reach the physical wall before it collided with an unseen force.

    Austin narrowed his eyes and threw a punch at the invisible barrier.

    BAM!

    The lucky ones had the magma splash onto their limbs or non-vital areas.

    The unlucky ones had it land on their heads, faces, or other critical parts.

    The once-proud invaders, who had arrived brimming with arrogance, fled in panic, screaming in sheer terror.

    Austin, protected by the Magma Lizard, remained unscathed. But his subordinates weren''t as fortunate.

    Seeing the chaos unfold, Austin was driven to the brink of madness. His eyes, bloodshot and frenzied, looked as if they would start bleeding at any moment.

    He hadn''t even caught sight of Noan yet, and his entire force had already been thrown into disarray. His men were retreating, one after another.

    If word of this got out, how could he continue to reign as king in this territory?

    Yet, despite his fury, Austin had no idea how to break through the invisible barrier.

    Not only did it block attacks, but it even had a ''counterattack'' mechanism.

    Grinding his teeth, Austin felt both enraged and humiliated. He had assumed that since Caleb could freely enter and exit Noan''s territory, there was nothing to be wary of.

    But he had been wrong.

    Perhaps Caleb and Noan agreed, allowing him to move in and out so effortlessly.

    Recalling Caleb''s smug attitude when he left, Austin was now sureˇŞCaleb must have known about the protective dome surrounding Noan''s territory. That was why he had acted so arrogantly.

    "You bastard!" Austin cursed, his voice dripping with venom. "Damn it! Caleb, once I''m done dealing with that wretch, you''re next!"

    "If I don''t tear you into a hundred pieces and feed you to my Magma Lizard, then I''m not worthy of being called a man!"

    Watching his subordinates flee, Austin felt no concern.

    Ants, no matter how many, were still just ants.

    If these men died, he could always find new ones.

    Their deaths were of no consequence to him. It was even beneficialˇŞhe could wipe out those Lords'' territories and seize whatever resources they left behind.

    What truly mattered was uncovering Noan''s secret.

    If he could obtain it, he would control a stable food supply. Even if the resources in the forest and the river eventually ran dry, he could still thrive.

    Moments later, bodies littered the ground, and many of the monsters the Lords had brought with them had perished under the might of the molten rain.

    At this moment, everyone could see the sheer disparity between an ordinary monster and a Rank D-Peak.

    Just one attack had wiped out every monster and Lord present.

    However, that magma sphere had been launched at Noan''s territoryˇŞit wasn''t even aimed at them.

    The outcome would have been far more catastrophic if Austin truly targeted them instead.

    Perched on a high tree branch some distance away, Caleb remained unaffected by the magma.

    Watching Austin''s subordinates burn alive, he was inwardly ecstatic, with a deep sense of satisfaction.

    And yet, simultaneously, an icy fear gripped his heart.

    He hadn''t expected Noan''s territory to be protected by such an unfathomable invisible barrier.

    Once again, Caleb inwardly sighed in relief.

    ''What a stroke of luck. If I had chosen to stand against Noan back then... the one standing there today, burned and humiliated, wouldn''t be AustinˇŞit would be me.''

 Chapter 90 Adrian was dead

    Yes, if Caleb still thought that Noan was easily bullied if Caleb had not been cautious enough, he would have been killed by Noan without even realizing it.

    Caleb let out a sigh of relief. At this moment, he understood clearly that as long as Noan remained within his territory, Austin could not kill him.

    Moreover, even if Austin could somehow break through the invisible wall protecting Noan''s domain, defeating him would still be a formidable challenge.

    Suddenly, the Lava Lizard charged toward the invisible wall.

    BAM!

    Its head slammed against the wall with a resounding impact. The ground trembled slightly, and ripples spread across the surface of the invisible barrier, even more than when the molten sphere had struck it earlier.

    However, the concentric waves on the wall disappeared after a few moments, and nothing further happened.

    After all, the Lava Lizard was merely a rank D-Peak level 2 monster, while the protective dome over Noan''s territory could only be breached by a rank C level 2 creature.

    The difference between rank D-Peak and rank C was so vast that it hardly needed to be explained.

    However, Austin seemed to have gone mad. He refused to stop until the barrier was broken.

    His subordinates lay scattered on the ground, some even dead, yet he paid them no heed.

    His mind was consumed by fury. At this moment, he only wanted to shatter the invisible wall before him.

    Rustle! Rustle! Rustle!

    Suddenly, a sound like rain echoed through the air, followed by droplets falling from above.

    "Rain?!" Austin frowned, sensing something eerie about these raindrops.

    He stretched out his hand, letting the droplets land on his palm. But within seconds, a pool of blood had formed there.

    "Blood?! What the hell?"

    Austin looked up, and the sight before him nearly caused him to faint.

    Above him, numerous spider cocoons had turned crimson, their tightly wrapped contents squeezed so forcefully that fresh blood gushed out continuously, forming a rain of blood.

    Austin shuddered, fear gripping him so tightly that his legs trembled uncontrollably.

    Even though he had no idea what was happening, his instincts screamed at him to runˇŞif he didn''t, he would die.

    However, Austin''s arrogance far outweighed the warning from his intuition.

    "Goddamn it!" he gritted his teeth and roared. "Do you think a cheap trick like this will make me afraid?"

    "Burn it all down for me!"

    The Lava Lizard obeyed immediately, spewing molten lava into the sky.

    The moment the others saw this, they shouted in terror.

    "No! Boss, stop!"

    "Boss! Are you trying to kill us all?"

    "Run! He''s lost his mindˇŞhe wants to kill everyone!"

    "Damn it! Hurry! Don''t let the lava hit you!"

    From a distance, Caleb was also startled by the scene. Even though he was over a hundred meters away from Austin, seeing the streams of lava erupting from the lizard''s mouth, he feared that the impact radius would far exceed a hundred meters.

    Without hesitation, he leaped down from the tree branch and fled even farther, accompanied by the Stone Golem.

    Caleb was luckyˇŞfar luckier than Austin''s subordinates.

    Before they could even attempt to escape, the molten streams struck the blood-soaked cocoons, triggering an explosion.

    Austin howled until his throat felt like it was about to tear apart, but still, no one answered him.

    "Boss... save me..."

    Suddenly, a familiar voice rang out, making him freeze.

    He spun around and saw a young man wrapped inside a massive spider silk cocoon, hanging upside down with only his head exposed.

    What was even more horrifying was that the young man had lost one of his eyes, his mouth was void of teeth, and blood streamed endlessly from his empty eye socket and his lips like twin rivers.

    "Adrian?!" Austin gasped.

    He recalled that earlier, he had sent Adrian here to persuade Noan to surrender, but there had been no response from Adrian.

    At the time, he hadn''t cared about it. But now, seeing Adrian''s wretched state, a chill ran down his spine.

    Austin suddenly felt as if an enormous, unseen hand was manipulating everything.

    And heˇŞhe was nothing more than a fool, dancing in a circus for someone else''s amusement.

    "Boss... save... save me..." Adrian used every ounce of his remaining strength to plead with Austin.

    The chances of Austin saving him were so slim that it was almost impossible.

    But still, Adrian tried.

    Because... he had already fallen into utter despair.

    Hanging upside down, he had witnessed everythingˇŞhow Austin had led his subordinates here and how, one by one, they had all been devoured by the raging inferno.

    He never imagined that Noan would be this terrifying.

    Noan hadn''t even shown himself, yet all of Austin''s subordinates had perished.

    Austin himself was now howling in desperation like a madman.

    "Get lost!"

    Austin had already been furious beyond measure. The sight of Adrian made him flinch for only a moment, but that moment quickly passed, and all his rage poured down on him.

    After all, Adrian had given him the information about Noan, who had assured him that Noan was nothing more than a cowardly rank-F lord.

    Austin had been cautiousˇŞhe had gathered extra intelligence on Noan. And yet, in the end, he had walked straight into this massive trap.

    His fury boiled over as he swung his leg and kicked Adrian in the face.

    "No!" Adrian screamed as he saw Austin''s foot flying toward him. And thenˇŞ

    BAM!

    Adrian''s already battered face took another blow. He lost consciousness instantly, his breathing weak, on the brink of death.

    "Goddamn it! I wouldn''t be in this mess if it weren''t for you!"

    BAM!

    BAM!

    BAM!

    Austin didn''t stop. Like a madman, he threw punch after punch at Adrian''s face.

    After a while, he finally stopped, panting heavily, his fists trembling.

    Adrian''s face was no longer recognizable. It was nothing but a mangled, bloody mess.

    Adrian was dead.

 Chapter 91 Malrik and Zhisse

    Watching Adrian die, Austin felt neither regret nor worry.

    After all, this place was completely isolated, devoid of laws or police. Even if he killed someone, there would be no punishment.

    This place was like a jungleˇŞthose who were weak would be the first to perish.

    Though his anger had somewhat subsided, an unbearable discomfort still lingered within him.

    Surrounded by a sea of flames, he remained unperturbed. He could leave this place safely if he mounted the Magma Lizard.

    But... he didn''t want to leave like this. Doing so would mean admitting defeat to that bastard Noan.

    If that happened, how could he ever hold his head high again? How could he claim the throne of this place?

    "Noan! Get out here!" Austin bellowed in fury, his eyes blazing red as if they were about to spew fire.

    "Oy! Calling my master''s name like that is extremely rude, you know?"

    Suddenly, a strange voice echoed through the air.

    It sounded like multiple people speaking at once, their voices distorted through an old cassette player, then twisted into something nightmarishly eerie.

    Austin''s gaze darted around, searching for the voice''s owner, but it felt like it had been spoken directly into his mind.

    "Kekekeke... Foolish human, when you dared to stand against my master, your fate was already sealed."

    The voice rang out again.

    At that instant, the scattered embers on the ground suddenly converged, forming a bizarre magical circle.

    Austin flinched at the sight, instinctively taking cover behind the Magma Lizard while keeping his eyes locked on the fiery formation before him.

    Then, without warning, the flames composing the magic circle turned an eerie shade of blue.

    Even though it was broad daylight, and the surrounding blaze only made this place brighter than the rest, an oppressive darkness began to creep in.

    Indeed, the flames surrounding this area continued to burn, even showing signs of spreading deeper into the forest opposite.

    Yet, in this one place, the space grew eerie and dark, making the blue flames appear even more bizarre and shrouded in mystery.

    "Who''s there!?" Austin''s voice trembled slightly.

    Even though he had a D-Peak Rank 2 hero by his sideˇŞhis greatest pride and the very thing he relied on to rule this regionˇŞupon hearing the strange voice and witnessing the eerie blue flames, fear seized him instantly.

    However, he refused to let his opponent know he was afraid, so he forced himself to shout.

    "Come out! Stop acting so mysterious!" Austin bellowed. "Do you think this will scare me?"

    Explore more adventures at My Virtual Library Empire

    "You''re wrong! Here, my monster is the strongest! You''re hiding in your domain like a turtle, relying on a few magical artifacts to shield yourself!"

    Suddenly, a gust of wind arose.

    Austin should have felt nothing but warmth in a space brimming with fire and heat. Yet, at this moment, he felt coldˇŞbone-chillingly cold.

    But even the Magma Lizard shuddered, fear seeping into its very being. It was an instinctual terrorˇŞits soul itself was trembling.

    Still, when it heard Austin''s command, it immediately obeyed, opening its maw, preparing to spew molten lavaˇŞ

    ˇŞbut before it could, countless silk threads shot forth.

    The threads, unaffected by the flames, remained unscathed despite the Magma Lizard''s burning heat. They wrapped around its four legs and its mouth with unnatural ease.

    Everything happened in an instant.

    Austin barely had time to register the flashes of movement before his mighty Magma Lizard was completely cocooned, bound tightly in silk, leaving only its head exposed.

    Its mouth was sealed shut, preventing it from unleashing its deadly lava.

    No matter how violently it struggled, the Magma Lizard could not escape the threads ensnaring it.

    Kekekeke...

    Krit! Krit! Krit!

    The eerie laughter of Malrik intertwined with Zhisse''s piercing cries, blending seamlessly with the sinister sea of flames surrounding them.

    Austin''s fear deepened.

    These two dark entities were about to tear him apart, limb by limb.

    "You... what do you want? I... I amˇŞAck!"

    Before Austin could finish his sentence, countless silk threads instantly bound him.

    Malrik observed the scene and spoke in an indifferent tone.

    "Don''t kill him. The master still wants him alive."

    Krit! Krit! Krit!

    At that moment, Malrik suddenly pulled out a thick black tome, raising it effortlessly with one hand.

    The book opened independently, its pages flipping rapidly until stopping at a particular section.

    Immediately, the surrounding flames transformed into light streams, flowing directly into the book''s pages.

    Within minutes, the infernal blaze that had engulfed the entire area vanished completely, leaving behind only piles of ashes and charred, unrecognizable corpses.

    Malrik snapped the book shut and waved his hand. A gust of wind surged outward, sweeping through the desolate land. The burned remains, reduced to brittle cinders, scattered into dust, disappearing entirely.

    "Kekekeke... The surroundings must be kept clean. Otherwise, it will affect the master''s mood."

    "Tsk! At the very least, you should plant some grass or trees. Otherwise, this place will look like a barren wasteland."

    "Ah! A wasteland? If the master wills it, I could turn this place into a true domain of death."

    "Kekekeke... The Kingdom of DeathˇŞsounds rather grand, doesn''t it?"

    Krit! Krit! Krit!

 Chapter 92 You have one more chance

    Malrik spoke, and Zhisse eagerly agreedˇŞthey seemed like old friends as if they had known each other for years.

    In the distance, Caleb watched the scene unfold, paralyzed with fear.

    He had no idea what that talking skeleton was.

    He had no idea what that giant spider was.

    But he knew one thing for certainˇŞNoan had summoned those monsters.

    Their power was terrifying.

    The moment they appeared, they had completely subdued Austin.

    Killing Austin and his monster would have been one thing, but controlling them? That was far more difficult.

    And yet, the skeleton and the spider had done it effortlessly.

    What did that mean?

    It meant that Caleb was nothing more than a clown, dancing around like a fool.

    At this moment, Caleb no longer wondered why Noan was so powerful.

    He only felt regret.

    YesˇŞregret so overwhelming that he wanted to go back in time and slap himself.

    Why had he chosen to oppose Noan?

    Why had he done things that made others despise Noan, pushing Noan and himself to opposite sides?

    If only he had stayed silent.

    If only he had remained Noan''s friend.

    Perhaps he would be under Noan''s protection right now, enjoying safety and food.

    Perhaps he could have even used Noan''s power to become the ruler of this place.

    Even if he couldn''t be king, he wouldn''t have to fear being bullied or betrayed.

    But in this world, there was no medicine for regret.

    And now, it was too late.

    Caleb turned to leaveˇŞ

    ˇŞbut before he could take a step, a massive spider appeared before him, its presence unnoticed until this moment.

    Krit!

    Zhisse gazed at Caleb with an innocent expression.

    But to Caleb, that face was nothing short of a nightmareˇŞa monster from a horror film.

    "Ack! YouˇŞAAA!!!"

    Caleb screamed.

    But his scream was swiftly silencedˇŞ

    ˇŞbecause he was wrapped in silk and transformed into a cocoon in the blink of an eye.

    ...

    Caleb hurriedly shook his head and said, "No! No! I just came to watch, I had no intention of doing anything."

    "I swear, I only came here to watch."

    Caleb was afraid that Noan would think he had come with the same purpose as Austin, so he immediately explained himself.

    Austin was startled when he saw Caleb so terrified. He never thought that someone who had once opposed him and stood against him would now act so cowardly in front of an F-rank lord like this.

    However, the flames of fury had already consumed his mind. Because of that, he didn''t think about the Skeleton and the giant spider from earlierˇŞhe only wanted to kill Noan.

    Noan looked at Caleb, then sighed and said, "I can let you go, but you must offer something of equal value to your life."

    "This..." Caleb furrowed his brows, anxious, unsure of what he could use to exchange for his life.

    He deeply regretted his decision. Why had he chosen to come here just to watch Austin being tormented by Noan?

    "I... I can be your subordinate and obey your every command. I swear... I will never betray you," Caleb quickly offered.

    "Hahahaha..." Austin, standing nearby, immediately laughed and said, "Caleb, you are such a coward. That bastard only relies on a few magical items to intimidate us."

    Stay connected with My Virtual Library Empire

    "If we join forces, I''m certain we can easily kill that brat."

    Caleb broke into a cold sweat, feeling even more terrified, and immediately distanced himself from Austin.

    Austin ignored Caleb. He didn''t believe that Noan could truly possess those two terrifying monsters.

    One must know that the System''s rules cannot be broken.

    This area was meant for E-rank and F-rank lords only, which meant the highest-ranked monsters they could summon would be at most D-Peak rank.

    But a monster that could so easily defeat his Lava Lizard could not possibly be D-Peak rankˇŞit had most likely reached rank C.

    He refused to believe that an F-rank lord like Noan could summon a C-rank monster.

    That had never happened before, neither in the past nor the foreseeable future.

    Austin assumed that Noan must have some magical item that temporarily allowed him to wield the power of higher-ranked monsters.

    Of course, such items were usually for one-time use only.

    That was why Austin remained confident.

    Noan, of course, could guess what Austin was thinking just by looking at his expression.

    "You have one chance to explain," Noan said softly, emotionlessly.

    "Explain?!" Austin spat on the ground and then shouted, "Goddammit! You think thatˇŞ"

    BAM!

    Before Austin could finish his sentence, a shield-wielding Skeleton appeared, immediately grabbing his head and slamming it into the groundˇŞright where he had just spat.

    It didn''t stop there. The Skeleton Shielder then rubbed Austin''s face against the spit-covered spot.

    "AA!! Let go of me! Damn it! AAA!!!" Austin screamed in agony.

    After a while, when the area was clean, the Skeleton Shielder finally released Austin.

    But by then, his face was covered in blood from the excessive friction against the ground. The fresh blood dripping from his face made him look even more miserable.

    "I don''t have time for your nonsense. You have one more chance."

    Austin shuddered. He looked at the Skeleton Shielder, then at Caleb, kneeling on the ground, and finally, at Noan.

    At that moment, his mind had cleared significantly, and he realized that from the very beginning, he had been wrong.

 Chapter 93 Two slaves

    However, because he was too arrogant, relying on the Lava Lizard ranked D-Peak, he thought he was the strongest in this area, and no one could match his power.

    Therefore, he could not accept the existence of someone stronger than him. No, more precisely, he did not want to believe it.

    Now, the truth was right before his eyes. If he continued to resist Noan, he would truly be a fool.

    Austin trembled slightly, then, following Caleb''s lead, he slowly knelt, his expression filled with reverence and fear.

    Your next journey awaits at My Virtual Library Empire

    Recalling the Skeleton monster and the giant spider from earlier, Austin felt so terrified that he wanted to cry.

    Just how powerful were those two monsters to be able to control his creature so effortlessly?

    Furthermore, who was Skeleton, standing beside him and holding a shield? That Skeleton had appeared so quickly that he hadn''t even noticed, and then...

    Austin did not want to remember that moment anymoreˇŞit was too humiliating, a black mark in the history of his life.

    But since when had the Skeleton become this powerful?

    A Skeleton in a black cloak, a Skeleton holding a shield, a giant spider... Just how many terrifying monsters did Noan still have?

    Austin didn''t know. The only thing he knew was that he was no match for Noan.

    Noan didn''t even consider him an opponent. From beginning to end, without even needing to show himself, he could push Austin into despair, causing many lords to meet their demise.

    At this moment, Caleb glanced at Austin, his face full of disdain.

    You were so arrogant before, weren''t you? Then why are you copying me now, kneeling like this, looking just like a dog?

    Ack! No, I am not a dog because at least I know my limits.

    Caleb thought, then looked toward Noan, waiting for his decision.

    Noan took another sip of fruit juice, then said, "Tell me, what can you offer that would make me interested enough to let you live?"

    Caleb and Austin trembled.

    Caleb now truly had nothing left. The items he once considered special he had already handed over to Noan.

    At this moment, Caleb suddenly remembered something and hastily said, "Noan! No, big brother Noan, before this, I gave you a card, and you said that in a moment of crisis, you could save me once, right?"

    Noan looked at him with an intrigued gaze. "That''s right. Are you planning to use that promise now?"

    "Yes! Big brother Noan! I want to use that promise." Caleb hurriedly responded.

    "Good! And what about you, Austin?" Noan glanced at Austin.

    Hearing the exchange between Caleb and Noan, Austin immediately realized there had been some sort of agreement between them.

    More precisely, Caleb had given Noan some kind of item, ensuring that Noan would save him if he were in danger.

    Austin quickly said, "Big brother, I... I can become your subordinate. I can help you with many things. Please... don''t kill me."

    His voice trembled as he spoke, his eyes filled with terror as though he were facing a bloodthirsty monster.

    Noan glanced at Caleb, then at Austin, before smirking.

    "Very well. I''ll give you a chance," Noan said, raising his hand. The ''Servitude Pact'' function was activated.

    Immediately, a notification panel appeared before Caleb and Austin.

    [Ding! Lord Noan wishes to sign a slave contract with you. Do you accept?]

    Seeing the notification panel, Caleb and Austin''s faces turned pale, then ashen, like the color of ash.

    Caleb quickly spoke up, "Big brother, I... you... you already agreed to let me live. Why do you want to turn me into a slave?"

    Noan said nothing, his gaze toward Caleb carrying a hint of killing intent.

    Caleb shuddered in fear and hurriedly said, "I''m sorry, I... I just don''t understand."

    Noan sneered. "The choice is yours. You''re free to leave if you don''t sign the contract."

    Austin and Caleb exchanged glances. They both understood that, despite Noan''s words, they could really walk away from here without agreeing to become his slaves.

    The answer was no.

    Leaving this place would bring consequences they both knew all too well. That was why, in the end, Caleb and Austin had no choice but to accept Noan''s demand.

    Seeing them comply, Noan smiled and said, "Don''t worry. Aside from your lives being in my hands, you will still retain your territories."

    "In other words, you will still be Lords. You simply... must be loyal to me."

    Caleb and Austin felt a faint sense of relief upon hearing this.

    According to system information, the slave contract''s function only took effect if a Lord''s territory was destroyed. Because of that, they had assumed Noan would destroy their lands.

    However, if the contract worked even while their territories remained intact, they still had a chanceˇŞhowever slimˇŞto regain their freedom.

    That chance was nearly nonexistent, but it was still better than certain death.

    In the end, Caleb and Austin chose to sign the slave contract with Noan.

    [Ding! The slave contract has been successfully signed. You now own two slaves.]

    Lord Caleb: Level 3, Rank E+. Lord Austin: Level 2, Rank E+.

    As Noan looked at the system panel, he saw that by selecting their names, he could access further details, including the resources they owned, their troops, heroes, and more.

    He smirked, then waved his hand, signaling for the female NPC to leave.

    Caleb and Austin could feel it at that momentˇŞtheir lives were now held in someone else''s hands. If Noan willed it, they could die at any moment.

 Chapter 94 Envolve the Lord Rank

    Caleb and Austin both sighed. However, regret came too lateˇŞthere was no such thing as a medicine for remorse in this world.

    Because of that, all they could do was pray that one day, Noan wouldn''t suddenly feel irritated and kill them.

    A moment later, the female NPC from earlier returned, holding two small pouches and handing them to Caleb and Austin.

    They both felt confused as they took the small pouches from her hands.

    "Those are nutrient pills," Noan said. "Each pouch contains fifty pills. If you run out, come to me, and I''ll provide more for you."

    "Even though you are my slaves, I will not treat you unfairly."

    "If you do your jobs well, I will reward you. Of course, if you dare to betray me or try to hide anything from me, the consequences will be terrifying."

    Austin and Caleb shuddered but still felt pleased as they received the pouches.

    What was the thing they lacked the most in this area? Aside from energy crystals, it was food.

    But now, with just a wave of Noan''s hand, he had immediately given each of them fifty nutrient pills. That was enough to sustain them for an entire month.

    Overjoyed, Austin and Caleb immediately bowed and said, "Thank you, Big Brother."

    "Don''t call me with that ridiculous nickname. Call me Master."

    Hearing Noan''s words, Austin and Caleb quickly changed their form of address. "Yes, Master."

    Noan continued, "I don''t have any tasks for you, so just carry on as usual."

    "Do whatever you want. Whoever was king before can continue being king. But you must not reveal any information about me. Understood?"

    Caleb and Austin, of course, understood what Noan intended. They immediately lowered their heads and replied, "Understood, Master."

    "Good! Now get lost!" Noan waved his hand dismissively.

    Seeing this, the two of them quickly stood up. However, instead of running away immediately, they carefully backed away. Only when they had put enough distance between themselves and Noan did they turn and sprint away.

    The main gate opened, and Caleb and Austin left Noan''s domain. As soon as they saw the scene before them, they were startled.

    A raging fire had just ravaged this placeˇŞcorpses had been scattered everywhere. But now, all that remained was a barren expanse of land and a heap of ashes. There was no trace of fire or any bodies left behind.

    Even the corpses of the monsters the fallen lords had brought with them had disappeared without a trace.

    Caleb shuddered, the fear in his heart growing stronger.

    He feared that one day, he would end up like those fallen lordsˇŞvanishing without leaving any evidence of his existence.

    On the other hand, Austin was so shocked that his mouth hung open. But he knew what should and shouldn''t be said.

    Neither he nor Caleb wanted to linger here any longer, so they hurriedly ran away.

    Once they had put enough distance between themselves and Noan''s territory, Austin finally stopped, turned to Caleb, and asked, "What do you plan to do next?"

    Caleb shot Austin a contemptuous glare. "Damn it! It''s all because of you that I got dragged into this mess. If not for you, would I have ended up as Noan''s slave?"

    "You''ve got some nerve saying that!" Austin snapped angrily. "You idiot! Do you think that if I hadn''t attacked him, he would have let you go?"

    Caleb couldn''t find a way to refute that because Austin was right.

    Even if Austin hadn''t attacked Noan, so what? Noan had more than enough power to wipe them out. Today''s events would have happened regardlessˇŞthe only difference would have been that they''d unfolded at a slightly slower pace.

    Caleb looked at Austin. Both of them let out a heavy sigh, feeling utterly exhausted.

    At that moment, Caleb suddenly spoke up. "Even though we''re now Noan''s slavesˇŞno, I mean, now that we''re Master''s slavesˇŞthings aren''t as bad as I thought."

    He immediately corrected his form of address. After all, he was already Noan''s slave, so calling him Master wasn''t wrong.

    Moreover, Caleb was extremely cautious. He feared that Noan still didn''t fully trust them and had sent that Spider monster from earlier to keep an eye on them.

    Hearing Caleb''s words, Austin frowned and asked, "Are you saying..."

    "My meaning is very clear," Caleb explained. "We''ve been struggling with the issue of food, haven''t we? But as Noan''s slaves, we can have our Master provide it for us."

    "Besides, you and I no longer need to fight against each other. At this point, it doesn''t matter who rules this place anymore." Enjoy exclusive adventures from My Virtual Library Empire

    "We''re already on the same boat. From now on, we must focus on stabilizing and developing this territory."

    Austin asked, "Do you think this is what we should be doing?"

    "Of course!" Caleb responded. "You heard Master yourselfˇŞhe doesn''t want to show himself, nor does he want to rule this place. That means he has no interest in being King."

    "Moreover, Master had the power to wipe out all the Lords here. So why didn''t he?"

    Austin seemed to grasp something and immediately said, "You mean... NoanˇŞah, no, MasterˇŞdidn''t want to eliminate the other Lords because he wants to develop this place, right?"

    "Exactly." Caleb nodded. "That''s why I think, even if Master didn''t explicitly say it, his goal is to establish a stable and sustainably growing territory."

    "How are we supposed to announce this?" Austin asked. "Do we just tell everyone that we''ve joined forces and want to develop the area?"

    Caleb stroked his chin, furrowed his brows, then said, "No! We''ll keep things exactly as they are."

    "People will continue to believe that we''re still at odds, but in reality, we''ll work together. That way, we''ll be able to identify any traitors within our ranks."

    "Once we''ve purged the traitors, we''ll have a group of truly loyal subordinates. That will be much better for us."

    "Brilliant!" Austin exclaimed immediately. "I never thought you were this smart."

    Caleb: "..."

    "But..." Austin''s excitement faded as he sighed, "My subordinates are nearly all dead. If I go back now, I doubt anyone will trust me anymore."

    "Are you stupid?" Caleb shouted. "All we need to do is this... then this..."

    "Wow!" Austin''s eyes lit up like he had just discovered a New World.

    He looked at Caleb and gave him a thumbs-up. "Damn! You really are smart."

    Caleb: "..."

    "Of course I''m smart. You just never realized it."

    ...

    Inside Noan''s territory.

    At this moment, he was lying on his familiar chair, basking in the sunlight with a lazy expression, resembling a lounging cat.

    Noan recalled how, in the past, he had always needed to act with extreme caution. He would surely end up "capsized in the ditch" if he didn''t.

    However, things were different now.

    Although he remained careful, he no longer had to worry as much as before.

    His confidence stemmed from his power. If he didn''t possess enough strength to dominate Caleb and Austin completely, then right now, he would be drenched in nervous sweat instead of enjoying such leisure.

    This once again reinforced Noan''s understanding of how much power benefited him.

    However, in this battle, what surprised him the most was Malrik.

    Even though Malrik talked too much and had an eccentric personality, he was undeniably strong.

    Despite being only an E-rank Skeleton at level 0, he carried an aura so powerful that even a Rank D-Peak level 2 monster terrified him.

    The word "Legend" in Malrik''s name seemed to hold a very special meaning.

    That was also why evolving Malrik required far more conditions than other monsters.

    "Master ~"

    At that moment, a seductive voice rang out. Vylyss appeared, dressed in a flowing white gown that revealed her flawless waist and long, sculpted legsˇŞan artwork of perfection.

    She immediately threw herself into his arms, clinging to him like a serpent.

    "Master, I have completed my mission," Vylyss said with a playful smile, her fingers tracing delicate circles on Noan''s chest.

    Noan wrapped his arm around her waist, his hand greedily savoring the softness of her perfectly proportioned figure.

    So soft, so elasticˇŞthe balance of muscle and flesh was so perfect that he found himself entranced.

    "Is this enough?"

    "Hehehe..." Vylyss chuckled and pulled out a pouch filled with energy crystals. "Master, here we have over 1,000 F-rank crystals, 40 E-rank crystals, and 2 D-rank crystals."

    "Ah! You even killed a D-rank zombie?" Noan asked in surprise.

    "Uhm!" Vylyss nodded lightly. "There were too many of them anyway. Killing a few won''t make much difference."

    Hearing how casually Vylyss spoke about it, Noan couldn''t help but recall when he first arrived at the ''Singularity Point.'' Back then, even E-rank monsters had posed a serious threat to him.

    He had struggled against the Zombie Hunter and the Zombie Tanker, his life as fragile as a candle flickering in a storm.

    And when he had faced the Mutant Hunter, he had come so close to death. He would have perished if not for that mysterious woman saving him.

    But now, things were different. Vylyss could effortlessly slaughter D-rank zombiesˇŞas quickly as crushing an ant beneath her foot.

    Noan shook his head, dismissing those thoughts. He leaned in and softly kissed Vylyss''s lips before taking the pouch of energy crystals in his hand.

    Opening the System interface, he gave a single command:

    "Envolve the Lord Rank."

 Chapter 95 Rank E Landlord

    [Ding! Would you like to pay 500 F-rank crystals to evolve to Lord rank?]

    "Agree!"

    [Ding! Evolution process beginning.]

    Suddenly, Noan felt something extremely strange happening to his body.

    Vylyss, noticing the change, did not disturb him. Instead, she immediately soared into the sky, raising both hands.

    At that moment, a protective dome formed from darkness instantly enveloped Noan''s entire domain.

    Noan''s body was undergoing an inexplicable transformationˇŞmore precisely, it was glowing.

    His body radiated a blinding light while countless energy streams from the surroundings surged into him as if he were a black hole.

    Noan felt no discomfort. On the contrary, he felt as if he were soaking in a hot spring, with every cell in his body in utter relaxation.

    He could also sense a surge of magical energy flooding him, significantly expanding his energy reserves.

    The light emanating from his body shot up like a pillar into the sky.

    Fortunately, Vylyss''s shadow dome shielded the area, preventing anyone from witnessing what was happening inside.

    Zhisse, who was happily weaving fabric in the distance, immediately took notice of Noan. Its front legs twitched excitedly as though brimming with joy.

    The second Zhisse, however, had an entirely different reaction. She stared in disbelief at the unfolding scene.

    ''Impossible!'' The second Zhisse''s mind reeled. ''Is he... evolving? That''s not possible! This can''t be happening!''

    Zhisse felt as though her entire understanding of the world had been upended. How could a human evolve their innate talent?

    Only monsters could evolve their natural abilities, and even then, it was an exceedingly rare occurrence, requiring vast amounts of resourcesˇŞincredibly scarce.

    Some of these materials only emerged once every hundred years.

    Others took millennia to appear.

    That was precisely why monsters could rely on these rare resources to evolve.

    However, humans were different. They couldn''t evolve using resources because they relied on summoning and commanding monsters to fight on their behalf.

    This was the balance of Nature.

    There were rare cases where humans could evolve their rank, but such occurrences were so infrequent that they were almost nonexistent.

    Moreover, the conditions for human evolution were even harsher than those for monsters.

    If humans could evolve their rank as easily as monsters, then this world would have fallen completely under their control.

    Zhisse was certain that Noan possessed no materials capable of helping him evolve his rank.

    ''Could it be... he''s using his innate talent?'' Zhisse recalled Noan''s unique abilityˇŞhis talent allowed him to fuse monsters to create higher-ranking creatures.

    She remained silent, observing what Noan had done to achieve his evolution.

    At that moment, the 500 F-rank energy crystals surrounding him gradually crumbled into dust as every last ounce of energy within them was absorbed by Noan.

    The radiant pillar of light emitted from his body slowly dimmed before disappearing entirely.

    Noan stood still, savouring the surge of power coursing through him.

    Suddenly, he raised his hand. Abyss Cube transformed into a firearm, seamlessly connecting its components to his arm.

    A loud explosion followed.

    BAM!

    A streak of light shot out from the gun''s barrel, moving with the speed of a bullet, leaving behind a brilliant trail in its wake.

    The beam of light surged beyond Noan''s domain, ascending into the sky before vanishing.

    Noan nodded in satisfaction.

    His strength had increased once againˇŞnot just his physical power, but his magical energy had also expanded significantly.

    If before, his magic reserves were like a small puddle, then now, they had become a small pond.

    What he had just tested was Silk Bullet. Of course, with his heightened physical and magical power, combined with the support of Abyss Cube, the attack had grown even more formidable.

    Now, his Silk Bullet had truly become a projectile. Though it still wasn''t strong enough to kill a D-rank monster, it could now injure one at the very least.

    [Ding! Congratulations on successfully evolving to Lord rank, reaching rank E.]

    [Ding! Your talent ''Almighty Fusion'' has gained a new function. Please check your status panel for details.]

    [Ding! The Skeleton you summon daily is now guaranteed to be rank E.]

    Seeing that his talent had gained a new function, Noan was overjoyed and immediately opened his personal status panel.

    ...

    Name: Noan

    Lord Rank: E (0/500 E-rank crystals)

    Level: 1

    Owned Structure: Resource Storage Center (Level 1)

    Innate Talent: Almighty Fusion (SSS)

    Heroes: Abyss Cube (D), Vylyss (B), Zhisse (D-Peak), Malrik (E)

    Experience tales at My Virtual Library Empire

    Soldiers: Skeleton (F+)

    Mutant Soldiers: Skeleton Hunter (D), Skeleton Swordsman (D), Skeleton Shielder (D), Urlgan (D-Peak), Urlgug (D+)

    Innate Talent: Almighty Fusion

    Rank: SSS

    Description 1: You can fuse three soldiers of the same rank to create a higher-rank soldier. Description 2: You can use multiple high-rank soldiers to increase the rank of a hero you have summoned. Description 3: Any soldier or hero that has undergone ''Fusion'' will receive the ''Evolution'' mark.

    ''Evolution'' Mark: When soldiers or heroes receive this mark, their abilities increase by 10%.

    The more soldiers and heroes possessing the ''Evolution'' mark, the stronger the lord will become.

    Description 4: You can utilize leftover materials from fusion to enhance the strength of other monsters. Description 5: You can merge all skills you possess to create a higher-tier skill.

    ...

    Noan''s eyes lit up excitedly when he saw the new function under ''Description 5.'' He had lacked a truly powerful skill, and now this function had appeared at just the right time.

    He had always inherited a fraction of the power from the monsters he fused, but it was only a minuscule amount.

    It was like comparing a grade-schooler to a university studentˇŞthe enormous gap.

    That was why this new function of ''Almighty Fusion'' felt like an oasis in the desert for someone like him.

    Without hesitation, he commanded, "I want to fuse all the skills I currently have."

    After all, none of his current skills were overwhelmingly powerful, so he wanted to create a highly effective and versatile skill.

    [Ding! To fuse all your existing skills, you must consume 1,000 F-rank crystals.]

    Seeing the notification, Noan let out a sigh. He would put the skill fusion on hold for nowˇŞthere was no rush.

    What excited him even more was that the soldiers he summoned daily would now be guaranteed to be ranked E. That was another significant step forward.

    This meant that he could create several D+ rank Skeletons every day, and the probability of summoning mutant Skeletons would also increase.

    Noan nodded in satisfaction.

    He had already been the strongest lord in this region, but now that he had reached rank E, even if all the lords in the area joined forces, they wouldn''t be able to defeat him.

    NoˇŞdefeating him wasn''t even an option.

    As long as the protective barrier around his domain remained intact, no one in this region could even launch an attack against him.

    At this moment, Noan felt almost secure. Of course, he still maintained his usual cautious approach to everything.

    Moreover, he grew stronger with each passing day.

    Even if the increase was small, as long as he continued improving dailyˇŞespecially since he could now evolve his lord rankˇŞit was only a matter of time before he became truly invincible.

    The only question was whether he had enough time to develop his full potential.

    "Master!"

    Vylyss suddenly hugged him from behind, her voice dripping sweetness and excitement.

    "Congratulations on evolving successfully. Hehehe..."

    Krit! Krit!

    Zhisse suddenly appeared, crawling onto Noan''s shoulder, its eight legs moving rapidly as if dancing.

    Seeing them so cheerful, Noan felt even happier. Life wasn''t so bad after all.

    But once the moment of joy passed, he knew he couldn''t afford to be arrogant. He immediately asked, "Vylyss, can you wipe out all the zombies outside the Food Forest yourself?"

    Vylyss tilted her head and replied, "I can, Master. However, I will need many energy crystals to sustain the battle. Although those zombies aren''t strong, their sheer numbers are overwhelming. That''s why I''ll need a lot of energy to fight until the end."

    "Master!"

    Malrik suddenly approached him, excitement radiating from his face. He swung his arms wildly as if overwhelmed with enthusiasm.

    "I! I alone am enough to annihilate them all!"

    "Master, trust me! In the name of darkness and shadow, I shallˇŞ"

    "Enough! Enough!"

    Noan clutched his forehead, feeling a headache coming on.

    However, Malrik''s words made him suspicious. "You''re saying... you can exterminate all of those zombies?"

    "Kekekeke..." Malrik chuckled darkly before speaking.

    "Master, if you help me evolve to rank D, I guarantee that you will be safe as long as a B-rank monster doesn''t show up."

 Chapter 96 Upgrade the Resource Storage Center.

    Noan stroked his chin upon hearing that. Though he knew that Malrik had the potential to evolve, it didn''t mean he had the necessary resources to facilitate that evolution.

    One had to understand that Malrik also needed a vast amount of energy crystals besides the required materials. Evolving him from rank E to E+ alone would consume up to 1,000 rank F crystals.

    If this were an "Anomaly Point," evolving Malrik would be a simple matter. However, this was a barren region. The food supply here was barely sufficient for all the lords, let alone having an abundance of energy crystals.

    Even though Noan now possessed the "Resource Storage Center," he could only collect about 50 rank F energy crystals daily.

    If Vylyss hadn''t gone hunting for more, he might not have even been able to evolve his Lord rank yet.

    Though Noan wasn''t worried about resources or food, the waiting process exhausted him.

    More importantly, he needed many resources to construct additional buildings and upgrade his monsters.

    Of course, he could always eliminate all the lords in this area and seize their resources.

    However, doing so would turn this entire region into a dead zone. Besides, he had no idea what future events the System had in store, so he didn''t want to engage in excessive killing.

    But... killing a few disobedient ones occasionally wouldn''t hurt.

    In a flock of chickens, slaughtering a few each day was just routine.

    Noan sat down in his chair, tapping his fingers on the table, his expression deep in thought.

    Vylyss remained silent, obediently standing by his side, waiting.

    "If we use everything at our disposal, what''s our winning probability?"

    Vylyss said, "Master, as long as I, Urlgan, Malrik, and Zhisse fight, the probability of victory is 100%."

    Noan slightly nodded at that response but didn''t completely believe it.

    It wasn''t that he doubted VylyssˇŞit was that he feared unforeseen variables during battle, such as the appearance of zombies like the Mutant Hunter, whose strength was abnormally superior.

    Such occurrences could significantly disrupt his plans and even endanger his heroes.

    "What is the current number of zombies?"

    Vylyss immediately responded, "Even though I have killed many, the zombies are appearing at an alarming rate. Their numbers have already surpassed 6,000, including five rank D zombies, and there is even one rank D+ zombie."

    Noan furrowed his brows upon hearing this. Although he knew that the overall level of these zombies wouldn''t exceed level 1, he still had to be cautious.

    Indeed, most zombies were level 1ˇŞthis was how the world was designed.

    Zombies could not level up, except for mutated ones like the Mutant Hunter.

    However, there was always the possibility that an unforeseen, bizarre zombie might emerge.

    For this reason, he was unwilling to take unnecessary risks. He wanted to let the other Lords fend off the horde first. If, in the final moments, they failed to hold their ground, he would step in.

    Noan believed the System wouldn''t simply wipe out all the Lords here.

    After all, there were quite a lot of them. If the System had intended to exterminate them, it would have done so.

    That meant this was merely an event, and the Lords would surely have some means of surviving it.

    "Vylyss, Malrik!" Noan commanded. "Monitor the movements of the zombie horde carefully. If anything unusual happens, report it to me immediately. Understood?"

    "Yes, Master!" Vylyss and Malrik responded in unison.

    "Zhisse." Noan turned to Zhisse and continued, "Increase the webbing within the safe zone. In addition, I want you to set up some webs inside the Dark Forest."

    Krit! Krit!

    ''Stop giving me orders,'' the second Zhisse grumbled internally. ''I just want to weave fabric. Who the hell do you think you are making me work? Gru! Gru!''

    Although the second Zhisse was disgruntled, she had no control over her body and could only sigh in frustration.

    Once everyone had dispersed, Noan took a deep breath and muttered, "I''m still too weak. If I were stronger, I wouldn''t have to worry about any of the System''s events."

    He leaned back in his chair, basking in the sunlight, his mind occupied with countless thoughts.

    ...

    Four days later.

    During these past four days, Caleb and Austin had completely stabilized the region.

    Both Austin and Caleb agreed to use the monster in the food forest as the official explanation for the deaths of the Lords that Austin had taken away.

    They also realise that the black-skinned Orc in the food forest is undoubtedly Noan''s monster.

    Of course, they had no intention of revealing this fact. After all, they were already Noan''s slavesˇŞthe stronger Noan became, the more benefits they would reap.

    Though some Lords found the situation puzzling, none of them intended to investigate the deaths of those who had followed Austin.

    No one here was close to one another, and they certainly weren''t willing to risk confronting Austin over the deaths of strangers.

    Moreover, an event quickly made everyone forget about the missing LordsˇŞaccess to the food forest and the river was now unrestricted.

    On the surface, Caleb and Austin continued to act as if they were enemies. However, for the sake of the region''s collective benefit, they decided to establish agreements that would provide other Lords with a way to survive.

    The Lords were free to enter and exit the food forest and the river, but upon returning, they had to pay a tax of 20% of whatever they had gathered.

    Compared to the previous 50% tax and entry fees, a 20% tax was a minimal price.

    Naturally, none of the Lords voiced any objections. Their strength was nowhere near that of Caleb and Austin, so they had no choice but to remain silent and acknowledge the two as the rulers of this region.

    For the past two days, Caleb and Austin continued to appear as bitter enemies by day. But when night fell, they secretly met to discuss plans to stabilize further and develop the region.

    Over the past four days, Caleb had been visiting Noan''s territory daily to report on the region''s state.

    Although Noan had never demanded this, Caleb felt it was his duty. Moreover, he wanted Noan to see his unwavering loyalty and recognise him as a competent strategist.

    Noan did not stop him, allowing him to report on the situation and provide insights into how to develop the region further.

    Managing this area would have been like asking a blind man to read a book. But Caleb was differentˇŞhe was highly intelligent and possessed strong administrative abilities. Because of this, Noan let him handle matters freely.

    Another five days passed.

    Find your next read on My Virtual Library Empire

    By this time, Noan had gathered considerable resources to construct a new facilityˇŞthe Combat Simulation Room.

    However, there was a major issue: he lacked iron resources and did not have enough energy stones.

    Noan rubbed his chin, feeling a bit of a headache, as upgrading the Resource Storage Center required 1,000 rank E energy crystals.

    That number was enormous. In such a barren region, gathering 1,000 rank E crystals was nearly impossible.

    "System, how many rank E crystals can I exchange for a rank D+ crystal?"

    [Ding! 1 rank D+ energy crystal can be exchanged for 200 rank E energy crystals.

    1 rank D-peak energy crystal can be exchanged for 1,000 rank E energy crystals.]

    Noan: "..."

    "You only added that second part because you know exactly what I have, didn''t you?"

    His guess wasn''t wrong. He possessed a rank D-peak energy crystal, which he had obtained from the Mutant Hunter he had slain while seizing the Resource Center.

    He had originally planned to keep this crystal as an emergency resource, but it seemed time had come to use it.

    "Alright! You''re quite sly, System." Noan sighed, shaking his head. "Exchange the rank D-peak crystal for 1,000 rank E crystals."

    [Ding! Exchange successful. 1,000 rank E crystals have been placed in your Storage.]

    "Upgrade the Resource Storage Center."

 Chapter 97 Combat Simulation Room

    [Ding! Do you want to spend 1,000 F-rank energy crystals to upgrade the ''Resource Center''?]

    "Accept!" Noan did not hesitate and responded immediately.

    [Ding! Upgrade successful. You have received ''Resource Production Center'' Level 2.]

    ...

    Name: Resource Production Center

    Level: 2

    Description: Each day, this facility will produce 500 units of wood, 500 units of stone, 100 units of iron, 500 food pills, and 50 E-rank energy crystals.

    Each day, the Resource Center has a 20% chance to double the amount of resources you can receive and a 20% chance to produce D-rank energy crystals instead of E-rank ones.

    Upgrade Requirement: 5,000 E-rank energy crystals (Higher-rank energy crystals can be used as substitutes)

    ...

    Seeing the significant increase in daily resource production from the ''Resource Production Center,'' Noan was delighted.

    Especially since the facility had a chance to double its output and even upgrade the rank of the energy crystals it could produce.

    After contemplating momentarily, Noan decided not to use the ''Upgrade Card'' on the ''Resource Production Center.''

    "Maybe I should wait until it levels again," he murmured.

    To upgrade the ''Resource Production Center'' to Level 3, he needed 5,000 E-rank energy crystals, equivalent to 5 Peak D-rank crystals.

    That amount was still within Noan''s capabilities. However, what about after reaching Level 3? At that point, the required resources for upgrading would likely be enormous.

    When that time came, he would use the free upgrade card.

    Noan then took out the blueprint for the ''Combat Simulation Room.''

    "System, activate the Sandbox function."

    Immediately, a Sandbox appeared before Noan, resembling a miniature version of his Territory.

    When Noan threw the construction blueprint into the Sandbox, a notification panel appeared.

    [Ding! Construction blueprint detected - Combat Simulation Room. Do you want to spend 1,000 units of wood, 1,000 units of stone, 100 units of iron, and 1,000 F-rank energy crystals to build this facility?]

    "Accept!"

    [Ding! Please select a location to construct the new facility.]

    A small dome-shaped house suddenly appeared outside the Sandbox. Noan knew this was the ''Combat Simulation Room,'' so he used his hand to drag it into the Sandbox and placed it in an empty spot he had prepared in advance.

    [Ding! Do you want to construct the new facility at this location? Once built, you can move the facilities to the new position using the Sandbox.]

    "Agree!"

    Boom! Boom! Boom!

    At that moment, the ground trembled slightly, and in the distance, a dome-shaped building with an area of about 100 square meters emerged.

    Amid the classical-style garden, the structure stood out awkwardly, as its architectural style seemed to come from the future.

    Seeing that the new facility was now installed, Noan immediately approached it.

    Now, he could see that this building was truly something from the future.

    Its dome-shaped roof was composed of interlocking metallic plates, and its door was made of an incredibly sturdy alloy.

    [Ding! Each day, you have one chance to enter the ''Combat Simulation Room,'' where you can stay inside for 24 hours. However, 24 hours inside the ''Combat Simulation Room'' only equals one hour in real time.]

    Reading the notification from the System, Noan nodded.

    Although the time inside was somewhat limitedˇŞonly 24 hoursˇŞat the very least, he could enter this place once a day.

    Moreover, even if he spent 24 hours inside the ''Combat Simulation Room,'' only one hour would pass in real-time.

    "Open the door!"

    When Noan finished speaking, the alloy door automatically slid open, revealing a space of darkness.

    Noan felt no fearˇŞafter all, this was his facility. How could he possibly encounter danger here?

    The moment he stepped inside, the door shut behind him, and another notification panel appeared. Stay connected through My Virtual Library Empire

    [Ding! You can choose the environment and monsters for training. Any injuries sustained in this world will not affect the real world. Even if you die here, you will be instantly revived.]

    Seeing this notification, Noan was startled. He had not expected the ''Combat Simulation Room'' to have such an incredible function.

    If the notification was true, he could freely experiment with anything within this space.

    At this moment, Noan realized that the cost of constructing the ''Combat Simulation Room'' had been far too cheap.

    "Set the environment to plains, generate 1,000 zombies."

    [Ding! Initializing environment and simulating enemies.]

    Immediately, the surrounding darkness faded away, replaced by a vast grassland. The sun hung high in the sky, casting warm rays over the field, while a cool breeze swept past Noan''s body.

    All his senses told him this was a real world, not a mere simulation.

    At that moment, 1,000 zombies appeared in the distance and charged toward him.

    Noan grinned and leapt into battle.

    ...

    Meanwhile, deep within the Gloomy Forest, Caleb and Austin moved together, accompanied by the Stone Golem and the Lava Lizard trailing behind them.

    "You found another cave?" Caleb frowned and asked.

    Austin immediately nodded. "That''s right. Yesterday, I planned to enter the Gloomy Forest to hunt some zombies, but then I heard the sound of a landslide and rushed over to check."

    "When I got there, I saw a massive cave, but there seemed to be something inside."

    "I didn''t want to take any risks, so I returned to tell you and bring you along for the exploration."

    Hearing this, Caleb frowned and said, "Oy! You didn''t report this to the Master? Why are you telling me instead?"

    "Are you stupid?" Austin replied, irritated. "We don''t even know what''s inside that cave yet, so why bother the Master?"

    "I think we should investigate first. If we find something strange, we can report it to the MasterˇŞit won''t be too late."

    Caleb nodded in agreement. "You''re right."

    About thirty minutes later, they arrived at a large cave. The entrance was more than three meters wide and over two meters tall.

    The forest was already gloomy, so they saw nothing but pitch-black darkness when they looked into the cave.

    A sudden chill ran down Caleb''s spine.

    Naturally cautious, he immediately asked, "Oy! Do you think this cave isn''t dangerous?"

    "Of course!" Austin replied confidently, laughing. "This zone is meant for E- and F-rank Lords. How could there be a monster stronger than Peak D-rank here, right?"

    Caleb found this reasoning logical but suddenly recalled something and said, "Have you forgotten about the Master? He''s already surpassed Peak D-rank by a huge margin."

    "Ack!" Austin was momentarily at a loss for words. Embarrassed, he chuckled. "Well... hehehe... the Master is a special case. I don''t believe another is being here stronger than us besides him."

    Caleb: "..."

    Internally, Caleb cursed. He knew Austin was overly confident, but this level of arrogance was something he hadn''t seen before.

    Still, since they had already made it this far, there was no reason to turn back.

    After thinking it through, Caleb admitted that Austin''s words weren''t entirely wrong.

    Perhaps Noan was just an exception. After all, this was a territory meant for F- and E-rank LordsˇŞhow could there possibly be monsters stronger than Austin''s creatures?

    Without further words, Austin commanded the Lava Lizard to ignite a flame bright enough to illuminate the surroundings, then stepped forward alongside Caleb into the cave.

    The cave was spacious, and the further they walked, the more it seemed to slope downward.

    A growing sense of unease swelled within Caleb.

    "Austin, don''t you feel like something terrifying is getting closer?" he asked urgently.

    Austin tilted his head to look at him, his face filled with disdain. "Are you seriously this much of a coward? It''s just a cave. There''s probably nothing special at the end, so why are you so scared?"

    "I... I just..."

    Bruhh!

    Suddenly, a gust of wind blew from deep within the cave, rushing upward and carrying an eerie coldness that made them shiver.

    "Austin!" Caleb shouted in fear. "Turn back! Hurry! I can feel something monstrous down there!"

    Austin, however, was unfazed. He chuckled and said, "You''re such a coward. It''s just a gust of wind. That means there''s probably another entrance at the end of this cave."

    "Come on, this cave might lead us out of this barren region."

 Chapter 98 Vylysss power - Mysterious cave

    At the same time.

    "Heh?! The Master isn''t sunbathing?"

    Vylyss had just returned to the territory, intending to report on the situation in the Zombie Zone to Noan.

    That''s rightˇŞthe area where zombies had been created in preparation for the upcoming event. Noan had decided to name it the Zombie Zone.

    At that moment, a female NPC informed her that Noan was busy and couldn''t meet with her.

    "Hm... where is the Master?" Vylyss frowned and asked.

    The female NPC respectfully bowed her head and then pointed toward a dome-shaped structure that resembled half an egg resting on the ground.

    "Ah! A new facility?" Vylyss''s eyes gleamed with intense curiosity, and she immediately flew toward the peculiar building.

    "Hm..." She circled the structure, feeling puzzled. She had no idea how to enter since she couldn''t use spatial magic to slip inside.

    She also couldn''t break the door open, so all she could do was wander around, searching for a way in.

    But after searching for a while, Vylyss still couldn''t find an entrance, so in the end, she had no choice but to wait outside obediently.

    Thirty minutes later, Noan emerged, his expression slightly disappointed.

    Read exclusive content at My Virtual Library Empire

    "Master ~"

    When Vylyss saw Noan, she immediately lunged at him, wrapping her arms tightly around him, greedily inhaling the masculine scent on his body.

    "Mm... so nice..." Like a lazy cat, Vylyss nestled against Noan''s chest, rubbing herself against him with no intention of letting go.

    Noan chuckled, shaking his head. "What''s the matter?"

    "Nothing, I just missed you a lot, Master," Vylyss whined. "It''s been two days since we last slept together. Master, I can''t take it anymore."

    Noan gently stroked Vylyss''s head. "No need to rush. I have something really interesting. Do you want to see it?"

    Hearing this, Vylyss lowered her gaze, glancing down at the lower part of Noan before smirking greedily.

    "Hehehe... Master, of course, I want to see it."

    Noan: "..."

    Are you serious right now?

    He shook his head and said, "That''s not what I meant. I was talking about this house."

    "Heh?!" Vylyss tilted her head in confusion, glancing toward the entrance. All she could see was pitch-black darkness, unable to discern anything inside.

    "Let''s go!"

    To prevent Vylyss from getting any strange ideas, Noan quickly pulled her inside and began explaining the purpose of the house.

    After hearing Noan''s explanation, Vylyss was amazed by how incredible the place was.

    To demonstrate, Noan immediately set the environment to the same one they had encountered during their first battle with the Mutant Hunter.

    In an instant, the surrounding space transformed into a dense forest, and a Mutant Hunter stood ten meters away.

    "Ah! That''s... the monster from that day."

    "That''s right."

    Seeing Vylyss''s surprise, Noan continued explaining, "You can choose to level up the simulated monsters or increase their numbers."

    Vylyss''s eyes lit up with excitement.

    In this place, no matter how much damage she took, even if she died, it wouldn''t affect reality.

    This was the ultimate training groundˇŞno place in the world was better than this.

    Noan grinned and said, "Try fighting that monster first."

    Vylyss pouted, her eyes filled with disdain.

    She might have been wary of that monster when she was only a Peak D-rank Succubus.

    But now things were differentˇŞshe was a Fallen Believer at B-rank. How could that creature possibly pose a threat to her?

    "Master, you''re underestimating me too much. That monster is no longer capable of threatening me."

    "Hahaha..."

    Noan laughed loudly but said nothing. Instead, he began operating the system panel.

    In an instant, the single Mutant Hunter multiplied into ten.

    "Is this enough?"

    "Perfect!"

    Vylyss''s eyes gleamed with excitement, and the next moment, she lunged into battle.

    Noan stood to the side, observing. According to the System''s notification, the Mutant Hunters were nearing C-rank, with all their stats well-balanced.

    That was what made Mutant Hunters so terrifying.

    He had thought ten would be enough to challenge VylyssˇŞbut he had been wrong.

    Vylyss wasted no time. When she raised her hand, countless chains pierced the surrounding space, shooting straight toward the Mutant Hunters.

    The creatures moved swiftly, their speed astonishing.

    However, the chains were different from before. The Mutant Hunters were fast, but the chains were even faster.

    A dark energy enveloped the chains, carrying a terrifying power that could even tear through space itself.

    Clang! Clang!

    There was no intense battle. The fight ended in an instant.

    In less than a minute, all ten Mutant Hunters were annihilated.

    Vylyss retracted her chains, hovering in mid-air. With an arrogant expression, she looked at Noan and said, "Hehehe... Master, give me more. This isn''t enough."

    Noan smirked and said, "Then let''s raise their rank."

    Immediately, ten more Mutant Hunters appeared.

    However, Vylyss could tell right away that these were completely different from the ones before.

    "Vylyss, be careful. These Mutant Hunters are all C-rank, Level 1."

    Vylyss was slightly surprised but quickly engaged in an even fiercer battle.

    Despite the increased difficulty, a few minutes later, she emerged victorious once again.

    Noan frowned, then continued adjusting the simulation. He wanted to see exactly where Vylyss''s limit was.

    Soon after, a single B-rank Mutant Hunter appeared.

    The sheer killing intent it emitted was so overwhelming that Noan himself felt fearˇŞeven though he knew it was only a simulation and wouldn''t attack him.

    Vylyss''s expression turned deadly serious as she clashed with the B-rank Mutant Hunter.

    This time, the battle was truly brutal.

    The ground was completely overturned, trees shattered into splinters, and the landscape was utterly destroyed.

    At one point, Noan saw Vylyss appear almost like an angelˇŞgripping a black spear, a glowing white halo above her head, and her eyes radiating a brilliant pink light.

    Three sources of power, completely unrelated and even opposing in nature, somehow worked together, generating an unimaginably terrifying force.

    Vylyss threw her spear.

    The speed was so insane that Noan could only see a streak of black light lingering in the air.

    ThenˇŞBOOM!

    A deafening explosion erupted, and for a moment, the world seemed to split into two coloursˇŞwhite and black.

    The battle was over.

    The B-rank Mutant Hunter was dead.

    When he looked at the explosion''s aftermath, Noan felt an increasing sense of aweˇŞand perhaps even fearˇŞ.

    The blast had left behind a crater over 1,000 meters wide and more than ten meters deep.

    Was this Vylyss''s power?

    It was no different from a nuclear bomb in the form of a beautiful woman.

    Vylyss had already returned to her normal stateˇŞthis was the beauty of the Combat Simulation Room.

    There was no need to worry about fatigue, injuries, or even death. All she needed to do was focus on battle and training.

    However, the Combat Simulation Room had its limitations.

    First, it could not simulate monsters Noan had never encountered nor recreate battles between Lords.

    The second inconvenience was that it could only simulate combat. If a monster wielded weapons, the system could not replicate them.

    For example, if a Mutant Hunter had claws, the System could simulate them because they were a natural part of the creature.

    However, if it wielded a shield or a sword, the System could not generate those items, meaning that any weapons not inherently part of a monster''s body would not appear in the simulation.

    Despite these flaws, Noan was confident that he would eventually find a way to upgrade the facility and unlock even more advanced features.

    ...

    While Noan and Vylyss enjoyed exploring the Combat Simulation Room, Caleb and Austin continued their journey deeper into the cave.

    The further they went, the colder Caleb felt. The growing sense of unease inside him became nearly unbearable.

    "Austin, we''ve gone too far already," Caleb said urgently.

    Austin clicked his tongue in annoyance. "You''re seriously such a coward. We''ve only travelled about three miles. That proves this cave might lead us out of this barren wasteland."

    Caleb sighed. He knew he couldn''t convince Austin, so he had no choice but to follow him deeper inside.

    "Ah!"

    Suddenly, Austin stopped in his tracks and let out a surprised exclamation. "Look at this, Caleb!"

    Caleb raised his head and looked forward.

    What he saw was a massive stone gate.

    The gate stood five meters tall and over three meters wide, covered in intricate carvings depicting strange creatures.

    "That is..."

 Chapter 99 Save Austin

    In the afternoon, Noan lay on a chair basking in the sun. His mind was occupied with thoughts of Vylyss''s battle in the ''Combat Simulation Room.''

    After evolving to rank B, she acquired various energy sources, granting her power superior to other monsters of the same rank. Your journey continues at My Virtual Library Empire

    Because of that, her greatest limit was seven Mutant Hunter rank Bs.

    ''Perhaps it''s because the Mutant Hunter doesn''t originally belong to that rank. So even if I elevated it to rank B, it still can''t fully unleash its power,'' Noan thought.

    He wasn''t wrong. After all, the Mutant Hunter was only rank D-Peak at its peak, just on the verge of reaching rank C.

    However, it would forever remain a zombie. By nature, it could never compare to the monsters in a fantasy world.

    To give a basic example, the Mutant Hunter''s nature was rank D-Peak level 3, but it would undoubtedly lose when facing a Spirit of the same rank and level.

    Why?

    Because the essence of a Spirit was far superior to that of a Mutant HunterˇŞor, in other words, because of bloodline.

    A zombie''s bloodline... well, do zombies even have bloodlines?

    Meanwhile, the bloodline of a Spirit was incomparably noble, making them one of the legendary creatures.

    As for Vylyss, she had been just a Succubus before evolving into rank B - Fallen Believer.

    The Succubus bloodline was quite low. Even in the Demon Realm, they were considered a lowly demon species.

    Compared to the Mutant Hunter, she had no particular advantage. That was precisely why she had been so easily defeated by it.

    Suddenly, a strange thought crossed Noan''s mindˇŞwhat if zombies were considered Undead?

    Indeed, zombies, skeletons, and the Undead share many similarities.

    The most remarkable thing was that while these three types had almost no ability to evolve or level up, once they did, they exhibited a diversity unmatched by any other race.

    Moreover, these three races possessed a unique trait that no other race hadˇŞthe ability to transform the corpses of other creatures into one of the three undead types.

    Noan had once read in the academy''s library that while zombies were weak and incomparable to the races of the fantasy world, what if a dragon died and then became a zombie or an undead?

    A dragon that feared death knew no exhaustion and could fight until its body turned to dust.

    However, Noan had no idea how to turn the corpses of other races into undead or zombies.

    He stroked his chin, deciding not to dwell on it further. He could always explore the matter later.

    "Master!"

    Suddenly, a female NPC approached him, bowing her head. "Caleb has brought Austin here, begging you to save him."

    "Hm?!"

    ...

    Caleb entered Noan''s domain a while later, carrying Austin on his back. His face was pale, his entire outfit drenched in sweat.

    He hurriedly approached Noan, attempting to kneel, but his legs trembled from exhaustion, causing him to collapse instantly. Austin, whom he had been carrying, fell along with him.

    Lying on the ground, Caleb''s expression was a mix of fear and desperation as he stammered, "Master, please save Austin! He... he..."

    Noan did not look at Caleb. His eyes were fixed on Austin.

    Beneath Austin''s skin, countless thread-like veins pulsed, resembling the roots of a treeˇŞa clear sign that a parasite had infected him.

    "Where did you go?" Noan frowned and asked.

    Caleb then recounted everything about the mysterious cave.

    After coming into contact with a stone door, countless monstrous, worm-like creatures suddenly emerged, spewing a strange liquid onto them.

    Because he was cautious and had been walking behind the Stone Golem, Caleb had managed to avoid the substance.

    But Austin and his Lava Lizard were not as fortunate. Their arrogance had cost them, and they were completely covered in the mysterious fluid.

    A battle soon broke out between them and the giant worms.

    Though they managed to escape, Austin''s Lava Lizard couldn''t make it far and collapsed unconscious at the cave''s entrance.

    Caleb had the Stone Golem carry Austin while they fled.

    However, even the Stone Golem had been affected by the substance. The moment it exited the Dark Forest, it collapsed onto the ground.

    Ultimately, Caleb had no choice but to carry Austin on his own. In his desperation, he thought of Noan. That was why he had decided to come here for help.

    Truthfully, he didn''t know anyone else who could save them besides Noan. After all, he and Austin were the strongest ones hereˇŞwho else but Noan could help?

    Noan looked at Caleb, his gaze carrying a trace of respect.

    It was worth noting that Caleb and Austin were never close. They had once been enemies.

    Yet, after becoming Noan''s slave, when danger struck, Caleb still risked his life to save Austin, carrying him all the way here in search of help.

    Slaves could not betray their master, but there were no binding constraints between slaves themselves.

    What Caleb had done made Noan look at him differently.

    Noan opened the information panel. Under the ''Slaves'' section, Austin''s status was displayed as ''Parasitized by Ancient Worm.''

    He frowned, then called for Malrik and Vylyss. After all, they were his two strongest subordinates, and naturally, their knowledge was vast enough to recognize Austin''s condition.

    Malrik and Vylyss appeared immediately.

    By this time, Caleb had regained some of his strength. Seeing Malrik and Vylyss, he was startled.

    He knew Malrik and had once seen himˇŞwhen Austin attacked Noan''s territory.

    The impression Malrik left on him was still vivid, like a grim reaper emerging from a sea of flames.

    However, what shocked him even more was Vylyss.

    She was too beautifulˇŞso beautiful that Caleb found himself entranced, helplessly mesmerized by her appearance. His heart pounded faster like it was about to leap out of his chest.

    "Ack!"

    Suddenly, Caleb snapped out of his trance, startled to find Vylyss''s gaze locked onto him.

    He quickly lowered his head by instinct, not daring to meet her eyes.

    He didn''t know who she was, but judging by the wings, horns, and tail, it was clear that she was also a monster summoned by Noan.

    A slight sense of envy welled up within Caleb. Everyone else summoned hideous creatures, while Noan summoned a breathtaking beauty.

    In fact, Caleb even had the impression that this beauty was stronger than Malrik and that giant spider.

    However, that envy only lasted briefly before it disappearedˇŞhe had no right to be envious of Noan.

    Vylyss glanced at Austin, her brows furrowing, her eyes filled with discomfort and disgust.

    Noan, of course, noticed Vylyss''s expression and immediately asked, "Is something wrong?"

    Vylyss shook her head. "No, it''s just... Master, he carries an evil energy that makes me feel uneasy."

    Noan frowned, puzzled. Vylyss was a demonˇŞwhy would she feel uncomfortable around evil energy?

    "Kekekeke... Master, allow me to explain," Malrik let out a sinister laugh and said, "Vylyss may be a demon, but she is not entirely a demon."

    "To put it simply, the Succubus race does not worship evilˇŞthey worship extreme love and sexuality."

    "That''s why they feel uneasy around evil energy or even outright reject it."

    "Vylyss''s case is even more particular because she worships both the ''Goddess of Lust'' and the ''Goddess of Purity.'' This makes her extremely sensitive to evil energy."

    Hearing this, Noan gradually understood why Vylyss reacted the way she did. At the same time, he realized that Malrik was incredibly knowledgeable.

    Malrik stepped closer to Austin, stroking his chin as he muttered, "Tsk! Tsk! This is quite bad... He''s been parasitized by a mutated ''Desert Worm.'' The fatality rate is nearly 100%."

    "However, lucky for youˇŞyou''ve come to the right person."

 Chapter 100: Blood Clan

    "You are very fortunate to have met my Master. Of course, with my assistance, my Master can easily resolve your condition."

    "Human, you should learn to be grateful. After you regain consciousness, even if my Master''s slave contract does not bind you, you must still be loyal to him. Besides..."

    "Enough!" Noan pressed his forehead and snapped, "No need to say more. Just save him first."

    "Ack! My apologies, Master. Kekekeke..." Malrik chuckled awkwardly before pulling out a black book.

    He flipped through it momentarily, found a specific page, and placed his skeletal hand upon it.

    A black flame emerged, wrapping around Malrik''s hand.

    He waved his hand, and the fire transformed into countless black threads that instantly burrowed into Austin''s body.

    Noan could see the ''Desert Worms'' beneath Austin''s skin writhing violently as if they had encountered something terrifying.

    "Master..." While Malrik was helping Austin purge the Desert Worms, Vylyss whispered, "Do you really want to save these two?"

    Noan nodded at the question and asked Vylyss, "Have you thoroughly investigated the Gloomy Forest?"

    Vylyss immediately understood what Noan was referring toˇŞthe secret caves that Caleb and Austin had discovered.

    When they first arrived, Vylyss had conducted an extensive investigation. Even Urlgug had brought a group of Skeletons to search for anything unusual in the surroundings.

    Days passed, and they found nothing. Even when Vylyss used magic to sense the area, she couldn''t detect anything, leading her to believe there was nothing strange in the forest.

    However, as soon as Austin arrived, he discovered a cave within the Gloomy Forest, obtaining a mysterious key and several blood crystals.

    Now, Austin and Caleb had once again stumbled upon another peculiar cave. This made Vylyss question her search capabilities.

    "Master, do you doubt me?" Vylyss bit her lip, her face showing uncertaintyˇŞshe was beginning to doubt herself.

    Seeing Vylyss''s discomfort and embarrassment, he shook his head and said, "No, I was considering another possibility."

    "Heh?!" Vylyss was startled and quickly asked, "Master, do you mean...?"

    "Perhaps... it is because of the wheel of fate," Noan spoke somewhat abstractly, making it difficult for Vylyss to understand.

    In his previous life, back on Earth, he had read countless online novels. Naturally, he was familiar with many tropes involving protagonists.

    Others might search endlessly and find nothing, but the protagonist would always stumble upon countless treasuresˇŞsometimes even uncovering terrifying secrets.

    At first, he had considered killing Austin and Caleb, but after careful thought, he decided to spare them.

    Now, they had proven that his decision was correct.

    Although he did not believe Caleb and Austin were true protagonists, he knew some things related to fate were beyond comprehension.

    Another thought crossed Noan''s mindˇŞif he did not exist in this world, then Caleb and Austin would almost certainly be the dominant figures in this region.

    He was the anomaly, the variable that had disrupted the trajectory of the wheel of fate.

    Of course, Noan never considered himself a protagonist or a hero destined to save this world.

    No!

    He was just an ordinary person. Even though he possessed an SSS-rank talent, he had no intention of saving the world or becoming a hero.

    He only wanted to live for himself. Yes, he was selfish, greedy, and cowardly.

    Noan continued, "Don''t worry, I don''t blame you. I know you''ve worked hard. The caves that Austin and Caleb discovered might simply be tied to their fate."

    At this moment, Noan decided to let them live, believing they carried some kind of mission.

    If he killed them, the one who would have to bear that mission would be him.

    Of course, Noan had no desire for trouble, nor did he wish to be a hero.

    Austin and Caleb could fulfill their destinies, and Noan could still keep them under his control.

    Hearing Noan''s words, Vylyss felt warmth in her heart, believing he was trying to console her.

    After a while, Malrik finally exterminated the Desert Worms that had parasitized Austin''s body.

    Austin''s face looked more at ease now, though it remained deathly pale like that of an anemic patient.

    Malrik chuckled and said, "Kekekeke... I have purged all the parasites from his body. However, he is severely injured and will need a long recovery time."

    Upon hearing this, Caleb immediately bowed and quickly said, "Thank you, Master."

    "Caleb, this is your opportunity," Noan suddenly said. "If you kill him, you could become the strongest person in this region."

    Caleb clenched his teeth upon hearing those words, then bowed his head and said, "I''m sorry, Master. I cannot do it. Though he and I indeed had conflicts in the past, we are now both your slaves."

    "Besides, while Austin may be arrogant and somewhat reckless, he is not an evil person. If he stays alive, he could greatly use you."

    Noan nodded lightly, further confirming his thoughts.

    It seemed that Austin and Caleb truly carried some unknown mission.

    That was fine. It was of no concern as long as it did not interfere with him. If their mission made them stronger, then it was a good thing.

    This way, he would have two extremely powerful slaves loyal to him.

    Noan nodded again and took two small pouches from his ''Storage'' before tossing them to Caleb.

    "Inside each pouch are 200 F-rank crystals and 10 E-rank crystals. Use them wisely. I do not want my subordinates to be useless."

    Caleb was momentarily stunned before his expression turned to joy.

    For the first time, he felt that being Noan''s slave was not such a bad thing.

    In times of danger, Noan could save them. He even provided them with more resources than when they were free.

    Caleb suddenly recalled the time before he arrived in this region. Back then, he could barely gather around 100 F-rank crystals in an entire week.

    Reaching level 3 was only possible because he used ''Credit Points'' to purchase energy crystals in the City.

    But now, Noan had casually tossed them 200 F-rank crystals and 10 E-rank crystals. If these were taken outside, they would be considered an enormous fortune.

    Moreover, Noan was not weakˇŞon the contrary, he was so powerful that both Caleb and Austin felt utter despair in comparison.

    For that reason, Caleb no longer thought of being Noan''s slave as a misfortune. Instead, he felt incredibly lucky.

    "Alright! Take me to that cave."

    Hearing Noan''s command, Caleb''s mind snapped back to reality. He hurriedly grabbed the two pouches Noan had thrown at him and quickly responded, "Yes, Master."

    ...

    A short while later, Noan arrived at the cave entrance. There, the Stone Golem and the Magma Lizard lay motionless on the ground, having fallen victim to the parasite''s attack.

    Unsurprisingly, the Magma Lizard had been parasitized, but even the Stone Golem had been taken down.

    After all, a Stone Golem was nothing more than an animated mass of rock that followed commands. How could parasites have attacked it to the point of unconsciousness?

    Malrik explained that the ''Desert Worms'' could absorb energy to mature. Once developed, they could corrode the energy flow inside monsters, eventually leading to their complete demise.

    After helping Caleb remove the parasites from the two monsters, Noan instructed him to take Austin and leave first.

    Only after Caleb had completely left did Noan finally feel at ease, allowing him to focus all his attention on the monsters under his control.

    He had learned a valuable lesson from the Mutant Hunter before. Because of that, even though he had grown significantly stronger, he still maintained his cautious nature.

    Vylyss and Malrik led the way, while Urlgan and Urlgug stayed close by his side.

    As for Zhisse, Noan had initially considered bringing him along, but he realized that his territory needed a guardian. For that reason, he left Zhisse behind to oversee it.

    The Skeletons were also left behind to guard the territory. If there were a monster strong enough that even Vylyss couldn''t stop it, then bringing the Skeletons along would be pointless.

    He stepped into the cave, with Malrik and Urlgug using magic to illuminate the path.

    Suddenly, Malrik spoke, "Master, be careful. There is a strong presence of dark energy hereˇŞso dense that I can even sense traces of blood energy."

    "Blood energy? What is that?" Noan frowned, puzzled by the term.

    Malrik explained, "Master, I suspect this place may belong to the Blood Clan."

 Chapter 101: The Vampire Tribe - No, its the Blood Tribe

    Perhaps Malrik thought that Noan knew nothing about the Blood Tribe, so he immediately explained, "They are a tribe that uses blood as energy and food. You can also call them the Immortal Clan."

    "The Vampire Tribe?" Noan recalled a vague concept of the Blood Tribe.

    The books only mentioned that they were a tribe that fed on human blood, much like Vampires, and those who were bitten would become Half-Vampires.

    Malrik shook his head and continued to explain, "Master, Vampires are an entirely different race. They masquerade as the Blood Tribe to conceal their inferiority and the filthy deeds they have committed."

    "In reality, Vampires are just the Bat Tribe. They prefer darkness, fear sunlight, and die if they are stabbed in the heart or head. Most importantly, they enjoy sucking blood and spreading disease."

    "But the Blood Tribe is different. If Vampires are merely merchants pretending to be nobles, then the Blood Tribe is the true Royalty."

    "They are truly immortal, unafraid of sunlight. Naturally, they are very selective about their blood sources. They will choose someone they like rather than drinking just anyone''s blood."

    Hearing this, Noan was a bit surprised. He hadn''t thought that the Vampire Tribe and the Blood Tribe were so fundamentally different.

    "The Blood Tribe is very powerful, right?" Noan furrowed his brow and asked.

    Malrik nodded. "Indeed. Every member of the Blood Tribe is born at rank A and at least level 2. A normal member of the Blood Tribe undergoes one evolution upon reaching adulthood."

    "If they are lucky or possess a pure bloodline, they can reach a higher rank, like rank S, and at least level 8 or higher."

    "Much evidence suggests that the Blood Tribe can stand on equal footing with the Dragon Tribe."

    Hearing that, Noan took a deep breath, feeling that the Blood Tribe was formidable.

    Just how powerful was the Blood Tribe? Noan wasn''t entirely sure, but he knew exactly how powerful the Dragon Tribe was.

    If the Blood Tribe could rival the Dragon Tribe, they were not much weaker.

    "So, is this place where the Blood Tribe resides?" Noan asked in confusion.

    Malrik shook his head. "No, Master. I feel that this place is more like a tomb. However, just because it''s a tomb doesn''t necessarily mean that the Blood Tribe members buried here are dead."

    "As I said, the Blood Tribe is known as the Immortal Clan. They do not die. But if they encounter some issue that affects their life force, they have a way to resolve itˇŞhibernation."

    "Their slumber is very long, possibly ten years, a hundred years, or even a thousand years. That is why, when they sleep, other members build a tomb for themˇŞit is completely normal."

    Noan furrowed his brows and said, "So what you''re saying is that there might be members of the Blood Tribe here, but they are in a hibernation state, correct?"

    "That''s right." Malrik nodded.

    Noan took a deep breath, then said, "In that case, we don''t need to explore too much."

    "Heh?!" Malrik was puzzled. "Why, Master?"

    "You just said that the Blood Tribe is very strong, on par with the Dragon Tribe, right?" Noan said. "If they aren''t dead but only in hibernation, and our actions wake them up, we will surely be killed."

    Indeed, the Blood Tribe was incredibly powerful. If there were Blood Tribe members here, even Vylyss couldn''t save him.

    Noan was no fool. He didn''t believe that he could recklessly leap into a pit of fire just because he was the protagonist and still walk away unscathed.

    This was not a novel; every step he took was like stepping on thin ice. If he let his guard down, he would fall into the abyss instantly.

    Perhaps for many people, curiosity would drive them to continue exploring, or they would foolishly believe they could tame a Blood Tribe monster and become a ruler of a region.

    But Noan was different. He had the talent ''Almighty Fusion.'' Even without the Blood Tribe''s help, he could one day stand at the peak of this world.

    He could achieve that as long as he had enough time and resources. There was no need to risk stepping into the Blood Tribe''s tomb.

    "Alright, let''s head back." Noan immediately gave the order. He didn''t want to stay in this place for too long because his instincts told him it was dangerous.

    Malrik subtly moved his hand, his actions mysterious and unnoticed by anyone.

    Boom! Boom! Boom!

    Suddenly, the cave trembled violently. The sound of a collapsing rock echoed, startling Noan.

    A massive amount of earth and stone quickly sealed the cave entrance, leaving Noan confused, though he wasn''t too worried.

    Vylyss could use space magic so he could easily escape.

    However, Vylyss suddenly glanced at Malrik. The two seemed to share a silent understanding and subtly nodded to each other.

    Noan then said, "Vylyss, take us out."

    Vylyss closed her eyes and clasped her hands together, beginning to cast a spell. But... after a moment, she opened her eyes, her face filled with shame and confusion.

    Seeing Vylyss''s expression, Noan felt a tinge of unease. "What''s wrong, Vylyss?"

    "Master... I... I can''t use space magic."

    Hearing her words, Noan felt as if he had been struck by lightning.

    What did she just say? She couldn''t use space magic?

    "Are you joking? Why can''t you use space magic?"

    Malrik spoke up. "Master, this place seems to be sealed by some strange magic. Vylyss truly cannot use space magic."

    Noan''s heart sank. Vylyss was a rank B Hero. If something could completely suppress her space magic, it had to be at least rank A or higher.

    That meant...

    "Are you saying... that the Blood Tribe buried here has awakened?"

    Yes, only the Blood Tribe or the System could have the power to imprison Vylyss.

    But they were still in Zone 27, meaning Vylyss should have been able to use space magic freely.

    Now that she couldn''t use it, eliminating the System as the cause, the only reasonable explanation was the Blood Tribe.

    Malrik sighed and said, "Master, perhaps this is your destiny."

    Noan''s face darkened. He had been cautious from the start. He had brought all his strongest creatures when he found this mysterious cave.

    Even when Malrik mentioned that this place could be a Blood Tribe tomb, he immediately decided to leave.

    But everything spiralled out of his control. Just as he decided to leave, the cave entrance collapsed, and Vylyss lost her ability to use space magic.

    What did that mean? It meant he had no choice but to move forward and explore the tomb.

    Why didn''t he just dig his way back?

    Because he feared the cave would collapse further.

    The entrance had already caved in, which meant the structure was unstable and could collapse at any moment.

    Besides, he had walked over 3,000 meters in. How long would it take to dig that far out, even if the cave didn''t collapse?

    That was why he could only sigh and follow Malrik''s advice.

    "Alright, let''s keep moving forward. Everyone, be careful and be ready to fight at any time," Noan said tiredly.

    He felt like this was too much of a coincidence. Why hadn''t the cave collapsed before? Why had it only happened after he entered deep inside?

    Noan shook his head and sighed, then led the group deeper into the cave.

    After travelling another 2,000 meters, he saw the ancient stone gate that Caleb had mentioned.

    "Huh!" Suddenly, Vylyss rose into the air, swinging her hand. Countless chains emerged and stabbed into the ground.

    Moments later, the chains bound ten Desert Worms, pulling them out of the sand.

    Krit! Krit! Krit!

    The Desert Worms screeched in agony. They withered away like dried branches when they were pulled from the ground.

    The chains instantly tightened. A cracking sound echoed as the Desert Worms were crushed into countless fragments.

    "Master, there are no more Desert Worms here," Malrik said, bowing beside him.

    Noan nodded slightly, his eyes fixed on the stone gate ahead.

    Then suddenly, he realized something very strange.

 Chapter 102: The Blood Tribeâ€™s tomb

    The gate was made of stone, consisting of two arched doors over three meters tall.

    At the junction between the two doors, there were small holes. Noan countedˇŞseven in total, and their shapes reminded him of something.

    Noan took a Blood Crystal from his Storage and tried placing one into one of the holes.

    The moment the crystal was set in place, it emitted a strange, blood-red glow.

    Noan realized that the crystals Caleb and Austin had accidentally picked up were the keys to opening this gate.

    At that moment, Noan also confirmed his suspicionˇŞAustin and Caleb seemed to have been chosen by fate to bear some kind of mission.

    If Noan hadn''t existed, the two of them would have been able to unlock this gate using the blood crystals and enter.

    Perhaps inside, there would have been a destiny meant for them. However, Noan had now taken that opportunity.

    Noan shook his head, dismissing the thought, because he understood that he was merely an unpredictable factor.

    This chance was something fate had arranged for Austin and Caleb. If he seized it, he might be stepping into unknown dangers.

    But... Noan had no way back. He could only move forward.

    He signalled to his subordinates to prepare for battle, then continued placing the remaining Blood Crystals into the holes in the gate.

    All seven Blood Crystals were successfully inserted.

    Suddenly, fresh blood seeped out from within the crystals, slithering like serpents, spreading across the gate. The engravings on the stone door became even more eerie.

    Moments later, the entire gate was stained red. The carvings on its surface seemed to come to life as if creatures trapped within were waiting to awaken and escape.

    Noan shuddered, feeling as though the figures on the door were watching him. Their eyes carried an unfathomable amount of pain and the weight of endless time, all directed at him.

    Instinctively, Noan took a step back, drenched in cold sweat.

    In just one second, he felt like an hour had passed. The sheer discomfort and terror of being observed by those ancient beings nearly made him collapse.

    Boom! Boom! Boom!

    The two doors slowly parted, revealing a stone path in the middle, surrounded by an abyss so deep that only darkness could be seen. There was nothing else in sight.

    Fortunately, the stone path was over three meters wideˇŞenough for Noan and all his subordinates to walk on.

    Noan looked at his subordinates and said, "Let''s go. Stay vigilant, don''t let your guard down."

    Everyone nodded, their expressions serious. However, at that moment, Malrik discreetly signalled Vylyss.

    Vylyss noticed and gave a slight nod.

    Their actions were so subtle that no one noticed. Of course, Noan remained unaware.

    The group began moving inside, but something bizarre happenedˇŞonce Noan stepped beyond the threshold, he could no longer see anyone beside him.

    Startled, he turned around, but where the gate should have been, there was only an endless, terrifying abyss.

    Cold winds howled through, sending a chill through his body.

    The wind sweeping through the cracks produced haunting sounds as if someone was wailing.

    "Where is everyone?" Noan muttered, eyes filled with disbelief as he scanned his surroundings. No matter how hard he looked, the gate from moments ago was nowhere to be found.

    "What the hell is going on?" Noan shouted, stepping backˇŞonly to find that behind him was nothing but the endless void.

    Just seconds ago, his entire group had stepped into the tomb together. Now, they were gone, leaving him alone.

    Panic began to settle in Noan''s mind. He had never expected to find himself in such a situation.

    ...

    Outside, after everyone else stepped through the gate, they realized they were standing in the same open space as beforeˇŞbut the gate had vanished.

    "Master?!" Urlgug shouted urgently, looking around but finding no trace of Noan.

    "Stop searching!" Malrik spoke up. "Master has entered the tomb already. Kekekeke..."

    "You..." Urlgug''s eyes widened as a thought crossed his mind. He immediately roared, "You betrayed Master?!"

    Malrik: "..."

    "Urlgan, kill him! Avenge Master!" Urlgug ordered.

    Although Noan''s subordinates were loyal to him, their relationships with each other were different.

    Urlgug''s eyes burned with fury as he glared at Malrik. Urlgan, equally enraged, did not know why their master had disappeared, but if Urlgug said Malrik had betrayed him, he would certainly kill Malrik.

    "You... You misunderstand," Malrik quickly explained.

    "Then what was with that sinister laugh?"

    Hearing Urlgug''s accusation, Malrik felt genuinely hurt. That was just his normal laughˇŞhow was he supposed to change it?

    "Hahaha..." Suddenly, Vylyss chuckled. Her laughter was like the sound of silver bells, instantly silencing everyone. "Don''t blame him. He didn''t betray Master."

    "Ahh!!! My Lady!" Malrik immediately rejoiced. "As expected, you understand me better than anyone, just likeˇŞ"

    "Enough! Enough!" Vylyss hurriedly interrupted before Malrik could go onˇŞotherwise, he might continue talking until tomorrow.

    "Don''t worry," Vylyss continued. "This is Master''s fate. He must face what awaits inside the tomb."

    "But..." Urlgug was still confused and uneasy. "But you deceived Master."

    "If we hadn''t, he wouldn''t have confronted this great opportunity," Vylyss sighed. "Too many things have happened, making Master more cautious than ever."

    "If this continues, he will miss out on many opportunitiesˇŞmany things that fate has prepared for him. That''s why Malrik and I made this decision."

    "You don''t need to worry. Master will surely overcome this tomb. We just need to wait and trust him."

    Though Vylyss spoke confidently, she wasn''t entirely sure of her words.

    Was this tomb dangerous? Of courseˇŞit was extremely dangerous, especially since it was a Blood Tribe tomb.

    However, Malrik had explained that, according to the trajectory of fate''s wheel, if Noan did not claim this opportunity, he would face immense dangers in the future.

    He might even meet his death.

    At first, Vylyss had doubted Malrik''s words. But then Malrik had done something beyond her imagination.

    He used special magic to pull Vylyss into a unique space, allowing her to witness Noan''s horrifying fate.

    In that vision, Noan met a tragic death.

    All of it was because his rank in SSS talent had been exposed.

    After that, other Lords hunted him down, and the Empire and the Federal Government pursued him.

    At that time, he lacked the power to defend himself and was ultimately killed by the Emperor of the Empire, who used a special magic to extract Noan''s talent from his body.

    Given that Malrik was undoubtedly loyal to Noan, Vylyss had come to believe him.

    However, Malrik did not want Noan to learn about this vision. If Noan became aware of fate''s course, everything could change, making the future even more unpredictable and dangerous.

    That was why Vylyss decided to cooperate with MalrikˇŞto help Noan seize as many opportunities as possible.

    And among all opportunities, this tomb was a massive one. It could grant Noan enough strength to protect himself when real dangers arose.

    Of course, Vylyss still found Malrik mysterious. How did he know so much about fate''s wheel?

    Could it be that Malrik was some special existence she wasn''t aware of?

    Though puzzled, she chose not to dwell on it too much.

    After all, Malrik would never betray their master. And the stronger Malrik became, the safer Noan would be.

    Her only worry was... whether Noan could truly survive the Blood Tribe''s tomb.

 Chapter 103: That girl...

    Noan fumbled for a long while before finally accepting that he was the only one who had entered the Crypt.

    He sighed deeply, feeling fortunate that the Abyss Cube was still by his side. Without it, he truly had no idea how he would be able to fight.

    Noan walked along the stone path, moving forward. Every step he took was accompanied by a glowing spot emitting a blood-red light, illuminating a short distance ahead.

    He didn''t know how long he had been walking, but he had the strange sensation of still standing in the same place.

    Turning back, he saw only darkness, devoid of anything else. Enjoy new stories from My Virtual Library Empire

    Each time he passed one of the blood-red glowing spots, it would vanish immediately, giving him the illusion that he hadn''t made any progress.

    Noan frowned and raised his hand. The Abyss Cube instantly transformed into a torch, its flame fueled by his magical energy.

    The torch burned, but strangely, its light could not illuminate the surroundings.

    Finding this extremely bizarre, Noan launched a small fireball from the torch behind him.

    Whoosh!

    The fireball, about the size of a tennis ball, travelled no more than five meters before disappearing as if swallowed by the darkness.

    It didn''t fade graduallyˇŞit vanished instantly.

    Noan furrowed his brows, sensing that danger awaited him if he attempted to turn back.

    In the end, he decided to continue forward. Naturally, he stopped using the Abyss Cube as a torch since it provided no additional light, rendering it useless.

    He had no idea how much time had passed. Despite his physical endurance being far superior to an ordinary person''s, he could now feel exhaustion creeping into his legs.

    Just then, he noticed a staircase leading downward. Noan frowned, inwardly cursing whoever had built this crypt.

    If this place had monsters or traps, it would at least seem normal to him.

    But here, there was nothingˇŞjust an endless path forward with no clue as to what lay ahead.

    Nevertheless, Noan followed the staircase. Fortunately, he did not have to walk for long this time before arriving at a peculiar room.

    The four walls were adorned with countless carvings depicting different races, though most were humans.

    Two massive carvings of two women stood out, completely dominating the surrounding images.

    These two women seemed to represent two racesˇŞone human and the other monstrous.

    They faced each other in confrontation, but in the end, the woman representing the monsters and demons was defeated and imprisoned inside a coffin.

    "Ack!" Suddenly, Noan clutched his head, feeling a sharp, stabbing pain as though a needle was piercing into his brain.

    He knelt on the ground, his body wracked with agony so intense that he felt on the verge of passing out.

    A flood of information and images surged into his mind, chaotic and overwhelming. At that moment, he had no way to organize or comprehend them.

    But then, those images and pieces of information sank deep into his memory, becoming hazy as if shrouded in mist.

    Noan remained kneeling, his hands supporting his weight against the ground, panting heavily, sweat pouring down his face.

    He had the distinct feeling that a pair of eyes had just been watching himˇŞeyes filled with loneliness, pain, and despair. He could even sense the passage of an unfathomably long time within those eyes.

    When he looked up, he saw that the carvings on the walls had vanished, replaced by the image of a woman, her hands bound above her head in the shape of a ''Y.''

    "That''s..." Noan immediately recognized the image, recalling the mysterious woman he had once encountered during his battle with the Mutant Hunter.

    In mere seconds, the carving of the woman disappeared, leaving the four walls completely blank.

    Noan felt uneasy. Slowly, he stood up and approached the spot where he had just seen the carving of the bound woman.

    He reached out his hand, but then, as if remembering something, he hesitated, freezing mid-motion.

    In the end, Noan withdrew his handˇŞbecause he was afraid.

    Yes, at his core, he was cautious and wary. He feared that his actions might trigger something bizarre.

    Or worse, drag him into an endless cycle of trouble.

    That woman was too mysterious, too strange. Although she had once saved him, he knew she was entangled in terrifying secrets and enemies possessing a power that rivalled her own.

    At this moment, he was merely a rank E Lord. If he were to face Lords of higher ranks, his chances of survival would be almost nonexistent.

    How could he possibly have the right to step into a battlefield belonging to beings akin to gods?

    He must become a god if he ever wished to enter such a battlefield.

    Until then, he was nothing more than an ant, burrowing a hole in the ground, growing slowly and cautiously.

    At the same time, in a dark and eerie space, a woman, suspended in midair by chains, slowly opened her eyes.

    Her gaze seemed to pierce through space and time, carrying an unbearable weight of despair and sorrow, looking directly at Noan.

    A soft sigh escaped her lips.

    She parted her lips, and from within, a stream of white energy flowed out, shooting into the distance at an unfathomable speed.

    Back with Noan, he had intended to return to the staircase he had come down, but he suddenly realized that the exit had been sealed off without his knowledge.

    "What the hell?" Noan frowned, feeling puzzled.

    He recalled the moment when countless images and memories had flooded his mind, forcing him to kneel in pain, and realization dawned upon his face.

    Perhaps, while he had been overwhelmed by pain, the passage had been sealed.

    Sighing, Noan began searching the dark chamber for an exit.

    Suddenly, a beam of light appeared and surrounded his body.

    Everything happened too fastˇŞbefore Noan could react, the light had taken control of his body and guided him towards the wall.

    He struggled against it, but it was useless. He no longer had control over his own body.

    ''What the hell is happening?'' Noan screamed internally, his eyes widening in disbelief.

    His hand reached out, his finger lightly touching the wallˇŞnot of his own volition.

    At the point where his finger made contact with the wall, countless streaks of light began to spread outward.

    The glowing lines expanded and connected, forming the shape of a door.

    KRIT!!!

    The heavy door creaked open, revealing another cavern.

    This cave resembled an icy tomb, with sharp icicle-like spikes hanging from the ceiling like the fangs of a monstrous beast, seemingly ready to impale Noan at any moment.

    A freezing wind swept through, sending shivers down his spine.

    Cold... unbearably cold.

    So cold that even the slightest breeze felt like it could freeze him solid.

    The light surrounding his body suddenly grew brighter, and he gradually felt warmth returning, no longer overwhelmed by the cold.

    His body continued moving, stepping firmly on the ice-covered ground.

    After walking for a long time, he reached the end of the cave, where a massive frozen lake lay before him.

    At the lake''s centre, a towering pillar of ice stretched from the surface to the cavern''s ceiling.

    His body moved forward, stepping onto the frozen lake and approaching the ice pillar.

    As he drew closer, he finally noticedˇŞa girl was encased within the ice.

    Her long silver hair was mesmerising, shimmering like a waterfall reflecting the moonlight.

    Though frozen, her hair seemed as if it were caught in an eternal breeze.

    Her angelic beauty and her perfectly sculpted figure wrapped in a black and red dress made her appear even more regal.

    She was like a blood-red rose, beautiful yet covered in thornsˇŞcaptivating, yet capable of wounding anyone who dared to touch her.

 Chapter 104: Fate Holder

    Noan was somewhat surprised by the girl''s beauty encased in the ice column.

    Until now, this girl, Vylyss, and the woman chained in that dark space were the three most beautiful women he had ever seen.

    Suddenly, Noan reached out his hand, his fingertip gently touching the ice column.

    Noan swore... this was not an action he intended to take. But his body did not obey his commands, so he could only widen his eyes and watch as the inevitable unfolded.

    At the spot where his finger touched the ice column, a crack suddenly appeared.

    Then, that crack started spreading outward, like a spider web, enveloping the entire ice column.

    BANG!

    The ice column shattered a second later, and the frozen girl fell, landing precisely in his arms.

    The moment he and the girl touched, Noan''s consciousness was suddenly pulled into a strange space.

    This place was a white void, surrounded by floating geometric shapes. On these shapes were peculiar symbols and drawings.

    "Where is this?" Noan murmured. He realized he had regained control of his body and began exploring the bizarre space.

    He felt somewhat exhausted. Whether it was the crypt or this peculiar space, both made him feel drained, both physically and mentally.

    The crypt had forced him to walk for a long time, while this mysterious space showed no end despite being filled with light.

    Noan, feeling weary, plopped down onto the ground, with no intention of moving further. He had already walked too much today; if he continued, he feared he would collapse from exhaustion.

    "Don''t you want to see what lies at the end?"

    Suddenly, a voice rang out. It was a clear voice, carrying an air of authority like a queen''s.

    Noan didn''t know whose voice it was, but he was too tired to find out.

    "No. Why should I keep going? What''s the benefit?"

    "Hahahaha..." The voice laughed, clear and full of charm. "You are quite strange. But would you reconsider if I tell you what awaits at the end of this journey?"

    "No! Too lazy!" Noan waved his hand dismissively, showing that he wasn''t interested.

    "Hmm?!" The voice seemed intrigued and continued, "Why not? If the end holds something incredible that could make you the ruler of this world in the future, would you continue?"

    "No!" Noan almost didn''t need to think; he immediately replied, "You don''t need to deceive me. I don''t want anything. Can you send me back now?"

    "Hahahaha... how amusing." The strange voice laughed again, this time with a sense of delight. "I am telling the truth. If you continue, you will undoubtedly have the opportunity to compete for this world''s ruler position."

    "Oh! Earlier, you said I would become the ruler, but now you say I can compete for it. Do you think I''m a child?" Noan immediately retorted.

    "Alright, I am just an E-rank Lord. You don''t need to waste time trying to deceive me. Deceiving me wouldn''t bring you much benefit."

    "If you want to find someone to deceive, I can give you some names. Do you know Jankos? He''s a B-rank Lord. Deceiving him would definitely bring you great benefits."

    "Or maybe..."

    "You are truly entertaining, hahahaha... hahaha..." The voice laughed heartily again, this time with genuine amusement, laughing for over two minutes before stopping.

    "Do you really want to live like this forever?" the voice asked.

    Noan nodded. "Yes. Living like this is quite good. After all, being an E-rank Lord allows me to earn much money and enjoy a comfortable life."

    "In the future, I can marry ten wives and live happily ever after."

    Fifty percent of what he said was a lie, the other fifty percent was true. The life he sought was indeed leisure, but he had lied about having no desire to grow stronger.

    He knew this was a tremendous opportunity, and anyone in his place would undoubtedly seize it.

    However, Noan was different. He didn''t want this opportunity; he wanted to give it away.

    Why?

    He feared the trouble and complications it would bring.

    One must understand that the greater the opportunity, the greater the trouble and the greater the danger.

    If he accepted this opportunity, he would undoubtedly face countless troubles and life-threatening dangers awaiting him.

    Although the title of ''World Ruler'' sounded grand and dominant, he had no intention of risking his life for a mere fancy phrase like a flower in a mirror or the moon in the water. Enjoy more content from My Virtual Library Empire

    On the contrary, even if he didn''t take this opportunity, thanks to his SSS-rank talent, as long as he had enough time and resources, he was confident that he could evolve to the highest levelˇŞor even break past the current limits.

    That''s why he didn''t need to take unnecessary risks.

    "So, I will ask you one last time. Do you truly wish to give up this opportunity?" the voice asked again. "You must know, many people dream of having this chance. If you discard it, you will regret it."

    Noan shook his head. "No! No! I will never regret it."

    "Hahaha... very good! I really like your answer. Congratulations, you have passed the test."

    Noan: "..."

    "Wait! Didn''t you understand what I just said? I just said thatˇŞ"

    Before Noan could finish speaking, the symbols and drawings on the floating cubes around him suddenly surged towards him, fusing into his body.

    At the same time, in a dark space, the woman bound by chains hovering in midair exhaled a breath.

    "At last... the bearers of fate have all appeared."

    "It is time for you all to take the stage, Fate Holders."

    Elsewhere.

    Not a single blade of grass or tree could survive atop a towering mountain, where snow and ice covered the land year-round.

    Yet, at the peak of this mountain stood a simple wooden house.

    Before the house, a young man, around twenty years old, knelt on the ground.

    Strangely, he was bare-chested, wearing only a pair of shorts, seemingly indifferent to the terrifyingly frigid temperatures surrounding him.

    The biting winds did not make him shiver; instead, he remained as still as a rock, without the slightest movement.

    If not for the fact that he was still breathing, one might think he was already dead.

    After a while, the house''s door creaked open. Seeing this, the young man bowed his head respectfully, then stood up and stepped inside.

    The moment he entered, the door shut behind him, and the flickering candlelight dispelled the darkness.

    Before him sat a human skeleton on a cushion, draped in a red robe.

    "Master!" the young man bowed his head, his voice filled with reverence.

    "Alex, it is time for this world to tremble before you," a strange voice emerged from the skeleton.

    Immediately after, a crystal orb appeared before Alex, radiating an enchanting light.

    "With this, your Lord rank is no longer worth mentioning."

    Hearing his Master''s words, Alex immediately grasped the crystal orb. A system notification appeared before him.

    [Ding! Congratulations, Lord Alex has obtained the SS-rank talent - Devour.]

    Seeing the notification, Alex smiled in satisfaction.

    Then, he bowed deeply to the skeleton, his voice filled with sincerity and respect. "Thank you, Master."

    "No need to thank me," the skeleton continued. "If you ever have the chance, help him with what I told you."

    "Yes, Master."

    The skeleton disintegrated into countless dust particles when Alex finished speaking, scattering onto the floor.

    Witnessing this scene, he was unfazed, only lowering his head in gratitude and reverence.

    Then, he stood up, walked to the corner of the room, and retrieved a set of clothes prepared in advance.

    After dressing, he muttered, "System! Take me to the New Region."

    [Ding! Preparing for teleportation, please wait.]

    Though his expression remained unreadable, his eyes gleamed with excitement and pride.

    He murmured, "This world will tremble before my power."

    [Ding! Beginning teleportation to Region 27, please prepare.]

 Chapter 105: Soft, isnâ€™t it?

    In Area No. 3, at this moment, a blonde man with a handsome face was dressed in an exceptionally high-quality white outfit.

    He was seated on the back of a Golem, his eyes filled with excitement as he gazed at the glowing crystal orb before him.

    He could sense an immense power within it; his soul and mind told him that this crystal orb would elevate his strength to a new level.

    Yes, he was Jankos.

    Upon arriving in this new territory, Jankos was almost the strongest person in the area. Combined with his communication and leadership skills, he quickly became the king of this place.

    Not long ago, during a hunt to search for more energy crystals, he discovered an ancient tomb.

    Although Jankos found nothing useful inside the tomb, he did come across a peculiar crystal orb.

    Jankos had no idea what this crystal orb was or what it did, but his instincts told him clearly that it was extremely important to him.

    For that reason, he decided to keep the crystal orb with him and slowly uncover its purpose.

    Then today, out of nowhere, while he was resting, the crystal orb emitted a dazzling light, accompanied by a massive surge of energy.

    His soul and instincts screamed at him, urging him to absorb the energy within the crystal orb.

    Overjoyed, Jankos immediately placed his hand on the orb.

    At that moment, a tremendous wave of energy surged into his body.

    The crystal orb completely disappeared a few minutes later, and Jankos could feel his power increasing.

    He exhaled deeply, releasing a stream of white mist from his mouth and nose.

    Jankos clenched his fist, the sound of cracking joints ringing sharply.

    He approached a large tree over ten meters tall, its trunk more than two meters wide, and then threw a punch at it.

    BAM!

    Jankos'' fist appeared smaller than the massive trunk, but the entire tree trembled slightly upon impact.

    Withdrawing his fist, he observed the point of contactˇŞit now bore a small hole, surrounded by spiderweb-like cracks.

    Jankos grinned in satisfaction, his smile widening even further when a notification window appeared before him.

    [Ding! Congratulations, Lord Jankos, has successfully levelled up to Rank B-Peak.]

    "Hahahaha... hahahaha..." Jankos laughed wildly, his laughter echoing throughout his domain.

    Fortunately, this was his territory; if anyone else were here, they might have thought he had gone mad.

    "B-Peak... Hahahaha... B-Peak." Jankos laughed maniacally.

    Previously, he had unified the entire area with just a Rank B.

    Now that he had evolved to Rank B-Peak, was anyone left to challenge him?

    Jankos knew there were still people behind the scenes who resented seeing him as the ruler of this land.

    At that time, he was only a Rank B Lord, his strength limited, unable to face them all head-on.

    But now things were differentˇŞhe had evolved to Rank B-Peak.

    In a region filled only with Rank B Lords, he was truly the king, the absolute ruler of this land.

    Jankos turned his gaze toward his Stone Golems; their appearances had also changed.

    Molten lava now coursed through their joints, radiating an intense heat.

    The eyes of the Stone Golems were no longer dull as before; instead, they had transformed into two small, burning lava stones.

    Furthermore, Jankos'' Golem now wielded a massive stone mace, covered in countless flowing veins of lava.

    Jankos'' Hero Golem was once a diamond Golem, but now, instead of being massive and cumbersome, it had instantly shrunk to the size of a normal human.

    Its legs resembled two sharp spears, both pointed and razor-sharp. Its arms had transformed into two gleaming blades, so sharp that with just a single spin, it sliced through a thick tree easily.

    A tree with a diameter of more than two meters was cut cleanly, like a cake, before toppling onto the ground.

    "Hahahaha... hahahaha..." Jankos burst into laughter, his expression filled with madness and arrogance. "Let''s see who dares to oppose me now."

    Suddenly, Jankos thought of Lylia and Noan. Of course, his mind was primarily focused on Lylia.

    As for Noan? Hahahaha... A mere Rank F LordˇŞtrash.

    Even when Jankos was just Rank B, Noan was already garbage.

    Now that he had reached Rank B-Peak, Noan was even more worthless, not even comparable to an insect.

    Besides, Jankos could feel that B-Peak was not his limit; the surplus energy within him remained vast, like an immense reservoir.

    He speculated that he might be able to evolve once more in the future.

    "Hahahaha... Lylia, you once looked down on me, but when we meet again, you will know how much I love you."

    As Jankos spoke, his eyes gleamed with greed and desire, like a wolf staring at its prey.

    Meanwhile, back to Noan.

    At this moment, he could feel his physical strength increasing dramatically.

    Find exclusive stories on My Virtual Library Empire

    Additionally, the magical energy within him was growing stronger.

    If before it had been a small pond, now it had become a vast lake, growing at least ten times compared to before.

    [Ding! Congratulations, you have acquired a new ability - Destiny List.

    Description: This list allows you to identify individuals who carry the destiny of the world if they appear within your line of sight.

    Each ''Fate Holder'' possesses a fragment of Destiny. Only by eliminating them can you seize their Destiny Fragment.

    Obtaining a Destiny Fragment will grant you unimaginable rewards.]

    Upon reading the notification, Noan immediately felt despair.

    A Fate HolderˇŞjust hearing the name alone was enough to know that these individuals were far from ordinary.

    Each was an incredibly terrifying existence, possessing unparalleled power and talentˇŞtrue geniuses among geniuses.

    And who was he? Just a lucky person with an SSS-rank talentˇŞhow could he possibly stand against such monstrous beings?

    Noan felt like crying. He wanted to live a peaceful life, hiding away and growing stronger until he became invincible.

    However, all of his plans had been ruined by a single foolish decision.

    Noan deeply regretted it. He had no idea why he had been so eager to explore this cave. He could have just sent Vylyss and Malrik to investigate at that time instead.

    He sighed, feeling utterly hopeless and exhausted.

    Well, at least the only fortunate thing was that he possessed an SSS-rank talent. In this region, he probably wouldn''t encounter any Fate Holders.

    After all, this was an area meant for Rank F and E Lords. Noan doubted that a Fate Holder would appear here.

    "At least I''m in this small area," Noan muttered. "Looks like I still have a little more time to grow."

    His mind was soon pulled back to reality. At this moment, nestled in his arms was an unbelievably beautiful womanˇŞthe one who had been imprisoned in the ice column.

    Noan realized his hand was resting on a particularly soft spot. Instinctively, he squeezed it slightly, feeling a surge of excitement.

    "So soft..."

    Suddenly, the woman in his embrace furrowed her brows, then slowly opened her eyes.

    Her blood-red pupils locked onto his as if piercing straight into his soul, making his heart race.

    Her gorgeous face was just ten centimeters from his, making his heartbeat even more erratic.

    Then, out of nowhere, she tilted her head and gave him a devilish grin.

    "Soft, isn''t it?"

    Noan: "..."

 Chapter 106: Carlotta?!

    In another place.

    The Royal Palace of the Terith Empire. Continue reading on My Virtual Library Empire

    A woman sat on the golden throne inside the grand, majestic, and solemn council hall.

    A mist-like aura enveloped her, obscuring her face from view.

    Below her, numerous individuals knelt with their heads pressed to the floor, their expressions filled with reverence and fear.

    "If you have something to report, speak. If not, the court is dismissed." Her voice rang out, brimming with authority and divinity, making those kneeling tremble in fear.

    Suddenly, a man clasped his hands before him, bowing his head as he spoke. "Your Majesty, regarding the new territory... are we truly going to ignore it?"

    Though he could not see the Queen''s face, he could sense that his question had displeased her.

    "How do you expect us to intervene?" the Queen''s icy voice echoed. "That territory is a completely isolated world, separate from ours. Even if we wanted to interfere, there is nothing we can do."

    "You need not worry. Perhaps this is the perfect opportunity for the greenhouse flowers you have been nurturing to finally taste blood and brutality."

    Hearing this, the man sighed softly. His heart weighed with fatigue.

    "Besides..." The Queen continued, "You all... ack!"

    Suddenly, an unusual sound escaped her lips, like the startled gasp of a woman caught off guard by an unexpected touch.

    The Queen herself was taken aback. One hand covered her mouth, while the other clutched at her chest. Her expression was a mix of shock and fear. Her eyes widened to their limits.

    Fortunately, the mist shrouding her body remained intact. Otherwise, the court would have seen her peculiar reaction or, worse, the blush spreading across her faceˇŞan expression filled with vulnerability and allure.

    "Your Majesty..." Standing five meters away, the royal housekeeper furrowed her brows in confusion upon hearing the strange sound and immediately asked, "Is something the matter?"

    "No! Nothing... Um!" The Queen barely managed to respond before another strange, alluring sound involuntarily escaped her lips.

    By now, her face was burning red, as if it might burst into flames. Flustered, she hastily waved her hand, leaving behind only a single commandˇŞ"Court is dismissed." Then, she vanished.

    The royal housekeeper stood by, utterly perplexed.

    Nonetheless, she remained composed and professional. She turned toward those still kneeling and announced, "The Queen is feeling unwell. Please return. If there are any urgent matters, leave a message through the Emergency Communication System."

    With that, she, too, departed, leaving behind a hall full of puzzled individuals exchanging glances.

    Ultimately, they decided to leave as well. Since the Queen was no longer present, there was no point in staying.

    Outside the hall, the middle-aged man from earlier looked up at the sky and sighed deeply.

    "Lylia... I hope you are safe," he murmured.

    "Simon!" A voice suddenly called out. Another middle-aged man approached him with a smile and asked, "Are you worried about your daughter?"

    Upon seeing the man, Simon''s eyes flickered with displeasure, though he kept his emotions in check. He nodded lightly and replied, "Yes. After all, that is an unknown territoryˇŞlawless, filled with danger."

    "Hahaha..." The other man chuckled. "You needn''t worry. Your daughter is a Rank A Lord. Do you truly believe she would fall behind others?"

    Simon shook his head, unwilling to continue the conversation. He knew that no matter what he said, the other man wouldn''t understand.

    More importantly, he simply had no desire to speak with him. His eyes made it clear that he did not want to engage with this man.

    "I believe we should cooperate," the man said.

    Simon frowned. "Janky, the Queen has chosen not to intervene. There is no need for us to act meaninglessly."

    "I am indeed concerned for my daughter. However, as the Queen said, this may be the perfect opportunity for Lords to experience the brutality of the world."

    "Hahaha..." Janky laughed. "Simon, do you actually buy into that nonsense?"

    Simon''s expression darkened, his eyes tinged with irritation as he stared at Janky. "Janky, I know you want to tie my family to yours to put us on the same boat. However, let me remind youˇŞmy daughter has no interest in your son."

    "Their engagement was something my father and your father arranged on a whim. If I become the head of the family, I will immediately annul it."

    Hearing this, Janky did not appear angry. Instead, he smirked provocatively.

    "Hahaha... Simon, you are mistaken. Their engagement was set by our fathers. Even if they were not in their right minds then, we must still honor their decision."

    "Are you suggesting you would defy your father''s will? Remember, your current status is thanks to him. Without him, you would be nothing but a dogˇŞnot worthy of standing before me."

    "You..." Simon clenched his teeth in fury. However, he knew he was no match for Janky. Therefore, he chose to leave without another word.

    Janky watched Simon''s retreating figure, his eyes filled with cold malice.

    "Master!" A shadowy figure emerged behind Janky, frowning. "Shall I teach him a lesson?"

    "No need," Janky said with a grin. "He''s just a dog. If not for the fact that his daughter is still of use to me, I would have sent him to the underworld long ago."

    "Just wait a little longer. Once my son claims his daughter, then... I will show him what true hell looks like."

    Elsewhere, in her private chamber, the Queen sealed the room and erected a barrier, ensuring that no one could listen in or spy on her.

    She sat on her bed, both hands clutching her chest, feeling as if someone was groping her.

    "What the hell is this?" she snapped. "Why am I feeling this?"

    "Could it be... that wretched woman has broken free from my seal?"

    "No! I sealed her within eternal ice. I even destroyed the key to the tomb. There is no way anyone could rescue her."

    "But..."

    The Queen gritted her teeth, her face flushed red as if it were about to ignite. The sensation was too real; worse, it was happening right now, filling her with embarrassment and rage.

    "Ah... um... um..." Soft, seductive moans escaped her lips against her will.

    She struggled to suppress them, but it was futile.

    After a long moment of torment, the Queen collapsed onto the bed, sighing deeply in relief. She felt like she had just been swept into a storm of desire.

    Suddenly, her cheeks burned with embarrassment, and her body trembled as she noticed a dampness in her dress.

    Grinding her teeth, she burned her undergarments and dress to ashes, ensuring no one would ever know what had happened. Then, she changed into a new outfit.

    "Your Majesty, are you alright?" The royal housekeeper''s voice came from outside.

    Because she could not hear any sound from within, nor could she enter due to the barrier, she had no choice but to stand outside and wait.

    The Queen took a deep breath, forcing herself to regain composure. With a wave of her hand, she dismissed the barrier and said, "Enter."

    The housekeeper gently opened the door and stepped inside. Suddenly, she caught a faint, strange scent.

    It was slightly sour, slightly muskyˇŞreminiscent of...

    "What are you sniffing?"

    At the Queen''s sharp voice, the housekeeper immediately knelt. "Forgive me, Your Majesty."

    The Queen clenched her fists so tightly that her knuckles turned white. Her chest heaved with each breath.

    Of course, she was not angry at the housekeeper.

    She was furious at the woman she was thinking about.

    ''Carlotta! What the hell are you doing?!''

 Chapter 107: Are you pleased with this gift?

    The Queen inwardly cursed while the female steward, kneeling on the ground, trembled violently as if even breathing a little too hard would cause the Queen to burn her to ashes.

    After a moment, the Queen steadied her emotions again and furrowed her brows, saying, "Notify the Sages and tell them to make some preparations. I want to check if Carlotta''s seal has any issues."

    Hearing this, the female steward immediately bowed her head before leaving.

    The Queen took a deep breath, looking at the slightly damp spot in the middle of the blanket, feeling so ashamed she wanted to die.

    Without hesitation, she burned the entire bed to ashes while inwardly cursing: ''Carlotta, if I find out you did something strange, I will kill him and cut you into a hundred pieces.''

    ...

    At this moment, inside the Blood Clan''s crypt.

    Noan was startled when he saw the blood-red eyes staring at him. He instinctively wanted to pull his hand away, but the girl immediately tightened her grip on his hand.

    Just as she had said, her hand was very soft and highly elastic, but it sent a chill down his spine. Cold sweat broke out like a beast bared its fangs against his throat.

    However, the girl showed no intention of letting him go.

    She placed his other hand on her chest, allowing him to feel the softness of those two delicate mounds.

    Although they weren''t as large as Vylyss''s, they were incredibly supple, with perfect proportions that fit right into his palm.

    The girl''s face was flushed redˇŞwhether from embarrassment or excitement, he couldn''t tell.

    But judging by her expression, the excitement seemed to dominate, as she looked utterly delighted and greedy as if savoring the taste of desire.

    "You... um..." Noan was about to say something, but the girl had already pressed her lips against his.

    Oddly enough, despite her enthusiasm, her kissing skills were extremely clumsy. She even accidentally bit his lip, causing it to bleed.

    After a while, under the guidance of an experienced man like Noan, the girl improved, no longer hurting him.

    She straddled him, her thighs gripping his, constantly moving, rubbing against him in a way that made him feel a little strange.

    But by now, his mind had completely shut down, consumed by the raging fire of desire.

    After some time, she clung tightly to him, her body trembling slightly. He could feel a warm liquid soaking his thighˇŞwhat one might call ''Holy Water.''

    Their lips parted, their eyes met, both panting.

    Noan found that the strange girl before him now looked even more beautiful. Her flushed cheeks, watery eyes, trembling body, and warm, fragrant breath brushing against his face made him lose control.

    His hands moved to her shoulders as if about to remove her dress.

    "Huh!" Suddenly, the girl snorted disdainfully and punched him in the stomach.

    BAM!

    "ACK!" Noan''s eyes widened to the extreme as if they were about to pop out, his mind filled with shock and confusion.

    What the hell?! Just a second ago, they were passionately kissing, and the next, she punched him so hard it felt like his stomach had exploded.

    Noan had no way of knowing that this girl would hit him so mercilessly. Completely unprepared, his body flew backward, crashing against the cave wall.

    BAM!

    His body collapsed onto the ground, shards of ice scattering over him.

    Noan lost consciousness from the punch.

    Meanwhile, the girl smiled in satisfaction, her expression wild and mad as she muttered, "Catherine, are you pleased with this gift?"

    ...

    Time passed unknown. Noan slowly regained consciousness, realizing he was lying on a cold rock slab.

    "This is..." he murmured as if his head had been struck with a hammer.

    Besides that, his body ached all over, especially his stomachˇŞit hurt so much he couldn''t even stand.

    "You''re awake?" A clear voice rang out.

    Noan turned his head and saw a silver-haired woman sitting nearby. Her beauty was beyond measure, accompanied by an arrogant yet slightly insane smile.

    "You should be grateful I didn''t kill you, human," the arrogant girl said while tilting her head at him.

    Noan opened his mouth to speak, but his stomach hurt too much to say anything. In the end, he could only remain silent.

    "No need to speak. Get lost. I''ll come find you later," she said before biting her finger, letting a drop of blood fall into Noan''s mouth.

    At that moment, Noan felt his entire body enveloped in warmth, an indescribable sense of comfort washing over him.

    At the same time, he also felt incredibly drowsy. In the end... he closed his eyes, his consciousness sinking into darkness.

    ...

    "Master!"

    "Master!"

    "Perhaps the Master is unable to wake up for now."

    "Could it be that Master encountered danger?"

    "Don''t worry. Master''s soul and body are intact. His physical strength and magic power have increased significantly."

    "That''s right. There''s no need to worry. Perhaps Master is merely absorbing an enormous energy source."

    "So... what should we do?"

    "Let''s take Master back to the Territory."

    "But... didn''t you say before that you couldn''t use spatial magic in this place?"

    "Hahaha... I lied. Alright, let''s go quickly. We shouldn''t stay here any longer."

    Even though Noan was unconscious, he could hear everything happening around him.

    Of course, he heard exactly what Vylyss had just said, and deep inside, he felt like a clown.

    Not only had Vylyss deceived him, but the mysterious girl had also played him like a fool.

    Ah! Alright then. I''m just a clown anyway. Maybe I should get a Joker maskˇŞthat would look pretty cool.

    Time passed again, and Noan slowly woke up.

    Seeing the familiar ceiling, he knew he had returned to his Territory.

    Noan let out a long sigh, feeling as if everything that had happened was just a dream.

    However, he frowned, clenching his fists, realizing his strength had increased tremendouslyˇŞeven his magical power had reached a terrifying level.

    "Master?!" Vylyss entered the room and, upon seeing Noan sitting on the bed, she cheered, "Master, you''re awake?"

    Find exclusive stories on My Virtual Library Empire

    She rushed over, hugging him tightly, pressing her soft, ample bosom against him.

    However, at that moment, Noan gritted his teeth and said, "Vylyss, it seems I need to punish you a little."

    "Heh?!" Vylyss was startled. "Master, what... what are you saying? Why punish me?"

    "You think I didn''t hear what you said while unconscious?"

    Vylyss fell silent, realizing that Master had figured out the truth.

    "Master..." Vylyss pretended to be pitiful, rubbing her lips against Noan''s neck, her fingers sneaking under his shirt, tracing circles on his chest.

    "Don''t punish me, alright? I was only thinking of your well-being."

    Slap!

    "Um!"

    Noan''s hand landed on Vylyss''s rear. The softness and elasticity made him want to do it again.

    Vylyss let out a strange sound, both in pain and inexplicably excited.

    "Master..." Vylyss coiled around him like a snake, trying to wrap her entire body around his. "How do you want to punish me?"

    SLAP!

    "Uhm!" Vylyss whimpered, her watery eyes on the verge of tears. "Master, you''re so mean."

    She could feel a strange sensation spreading throughout her mind.

    A mixture of pain and excitement intoxicated her.

    That mysterious girl had teased Noan. Even though he had been unconscious, the fire of desire remained, so he let that fire burn Vylyss.

    Vylyss, of course, was delighted. Over the past few days, Noan had not slept with her, leaving her rather bored.

    Now, seeing her Master so fired up, she was equally thrilled.

    "Master, don''t be rough with me... I''m scared..."

    Vylyss pouted pitifully, like a small, helpless rabbit facing a great wolf.

    Noan: "..."

    He honestly didn''t know who the wolf and rabbit were.

 Chapter 108: Itâ€¦ was healing.

    Time passed, from night to morning.

    It wasn''t until the morning that the battle between him and Vylyss finally ended.

    At this moment, Noan looked at Vylyss with disbelief, then at that thing of his.

    Could he still continue fighting? Meanwhile, Vylyss had completely lost the battle earlier, lying exhausted on his lap, her face filled with satisfaction.

    What the hell was happening?

    Had he truly become strong enough to defeat Vylyss? Though he still had the desire to keep going, luckily, his urges were no longer as intense as when they had first begun.

    Noan took a deep breath and gazed at Vylyss with admiration, satisfaction, and enchantment.

    She rubbed her face against his thigh, happily saying, "Master, you''re so powerful. Since when have you become this strong?"

    "I even feel so full that I can''t take in anymore."

    Vylyss spoke while looking at that thing, still brimming with energy, showing no signs of exhaustion, and she couldn''t help but feel a bit reluctant.

    Even as a Succubus, she had never heard of any human being able to endure an entire night with a Succubus, let alone manage to ''defeat'' one.

    But now, things were different. After evolving into a Fallen Believer, she understood just how terrifyingly strong she had become.

    And yet, she had been defeated by her Master. It puzzled her.

    In fact, after the first time, she had completely let go, indulging herself without restraint, but in the end, she still lost.

    She wasn''t upset. On the contrary, she felt happy.

    Vylyss had evolved into a Fallen Believer, but her essence was still that of a Succubus.

    Although she no longer needed to absorb her Master''s ''milk'' as her main source of energy, she still liked it. She still enjoyed ''having fun'' with her Master.

    Of course, she also deeply savored the process of ''having fun'' with him.

    That was why the stronger her Master became, the happier she felt. Not only did he provide her with more ''milk,'' but he also satisfied her more.

    Most importantly, his ''milk'' contained a special energy that made Vylyss addicted, craving more.

    However, she already felt so full that she couldn''t take in anymore.

    Noan also found it strange. Even after fighting all night, from sunset to sunrise, he still didn''t feel tired.

    What was even more special was that he had only lost a small amount of energy, and naturally, he could sense that his energy would recover within a day.

    Noan gently slapped Vylyss''s butt, causing her to let out seductive moans.

    "Do you really know what''s inside that tomb?" Noan suddenly asked seriously, startling Vylyss.

    She bit her lip, lightly shook her head, and said, "Master, do you believe in fate?"

    Hearing this, Noan''s eyes were filled with disbelief.

    He had to admit, the phrase ''Fate'' had become a sensitive topic that could easily shake him.

    But... why did Vylyss bring it up now?

    "Master, you''ve started being overly cautious after all that has happened recently." Vylyss explained, "That tomb is indeed an opportunity meant for you, but I don''t understand why you kept rejecting it and refusing to go inside, so I had to trick you."

    After saying that, her face showed a hint of shame and guilt as she looked at Noan.

    Noan frowned. "How do you know that tomb is an opportunity meant for me?"

    "Master, it''s my intuition. That''s why I asked if you believe in Fate." Vylyss said, "Ever since I reached rank B, I''ve been able to sense many things, especially fate. That''s why when I saw the tomb, I immediately felt a deep connection between it and you." Stay tuned for updates on My Virtual Library Empire

    Vylyss had prepared an explanation in advance for Noan.

    She and Malrik had already discussed that they wouldn''t reveal the fact that Malrik could perceive the direction of fate.

    If their Master knew, his fate would definitely change, and at that point, even greater, more unpredictable dangers would descend upon him.

    Therefore, Vylyss had no choice but to lie to Noan. However, it was a harmless lie. In fact, it was beneficial for him.

    Previously, Vylyss had lacked sufficient strength, forcing Noan to be as cautious as he was now, which made her feel incredibly guilty.

    Even though she knew Noan had the potential to evolve into both a hero and a monster, the requirements for evolution were extremely strict.

    As a result, Vylyss understood that she would remain stuck at rank B for a long time.

    But Noan was different. Fate would guide him and make him stronger. Her mission was to help him seize those opportunities.

    Hearing this, the unease in Noan''s heart dissipated.

    In truth, he had already sensed that the tomb contained a great opportunity, but he feared the trouble and the dangers, which made him hesitate to reach out for it.

    Even though that opportunity would bring him complications, perhaps Vylyss was right.

    The wheels of fate had already begun turning, and he had no choice but to be drawn into its cycle.

    What he could do now was strive to grow stronger, while making every step he took with extreme caution.

    Fate HoldersˇŞsurely they weren''t ordinary people.

    Even if he possessed an SSS-rank talent, he still had to be on guard.

    Noan sighed, tapped the tip of Vylyss''s nose, and chuckled. "You tricked me like that, and an apology alone won''t be enough."

    "Heh?!" Vylyss suddenly realized what Noan meant and smiled seductively. "Master, you''re right. Let me show you just how sincerely I can ''apologize''."

    And so, next, she truly used her mouth to ''apologize'' to Noan.

    She ''apologized'' twice a row, consuming so much that her belly felt full before finally stopping.

    By noon, after resting, Vylyss helped Noan get dressed like a gentle, loving wife, her face radiating happiness.

    Noan summoned the soldiers for the day and then entered the ''Combat Simulation Room,'' choosing to face a Zombie Licker first.

    When the Licker appeared, he had no intention of using Abyss Cube but instead wanted to rely on his speed and physical strength to confront it.

    Of course, since this was the ''Combat Simulation Room,'' it wouldn''t matter if he got hit or even killedˇŞhe would simply revive.

    The battle began.

    The Licker lunged at Noan at its fastest speed. However, Noan found something strange.

    He wasn''t afraid of the Licker.

    What was odd was that... the Licker''s speed seemed incredibly slow to his eyes.

    That''s rightˇŞextremely slow, like a video played at 0.25x speed.

    Noan watched as the Licker''s tongue shot toward his head in slow motion.

    He tilted his head, effortlessly dodging the drill-like tongue, then swung his fist, punching the creature''s head.

    BAM!

    A loud explosion echoed as the Licker''s head instantly shattered, leaving Noan stunned.

    "What the hell?!" Noan couldn''t help but curse.

    He felt his fist had merely struck a cushion, yet the Licker''s head exploded into countless fragments.

    Looking at the lifeless Licker on the ground, its skull blown apart by his punch, Noan felt confused.

    ''Who am I? Where is this place?''

    Noan knew his physical strength had increased significantly, but compared to heroes or monsters, he should still be lacking.

    Yet using just his fist to shatter a Licker''s head was something that shouldn''t have been possible.

    Clenching his fists, still doubtful, he decided to test himself again.

    This time, Noan summoned two Lickers, but the result was the same.

    He effortlessly smashed their heads.

    ''Then let''s increase the number a bit.'' Noan frowned, deep in thought.

    He wanted to determine his limits, so he summoned ten Lickers.

    Still, he won easily without getting hurt, and he hadn''t even used Abyss Cube.

    Twenty Lickers.

    This time, it was a little tougher, but he still won. It only took slightly longer.

    Noan frowned and decided to summon a rank D Zombie Tanker.

    BAM!

    Noan punched the Zombie Tanker and felt a sharp pain in his fist, bringing tears to his eyes.

    However, the Zombie Tanker wasn''t in much better shape. Its face caved in from Noan''s punch, and it collapsed to the ground.

    Although it wasn''t dead, this alone was enough to prove just how terrifying Noan''s current strength was.

    A Zombie Tanker''s greatest asset was its defense, yet Noan could seriously injure it with his fists.

    Not just his physical strength, but his endurance and magical power had also improved significantly.

    Noan fought the Zombie Tanker, taking over fifteen minutes to defeat it.

    Of course, unlike before, this time, he was wounded by the Zombie Tanker''s claws.

    Noan planned to end himself so he could continue battlingˇŞafter all, in this space, even if he died, he would instantly revive in peak condition.

    But just as he thought about suicide, something strange happened to his wound.

    It... was healing.

 Chapter 109: Zombie Wave

    Indeed, that wound should have been infected, and then the zombie virus would have gradually taken over his body.

    However, what puzzled him was that his wound was healing astonishingly.

    Soon after, his injuries had completely healed, leaving no trace behindˇŞnot even the smallest scar.

    "This is..." Noan looked at his arm in confusion, then opened his personal information panel.

    ...

    Name: Noan

    Lord Rank: E (0/2,000 Lord Points)

    Level: 2

    Owned Constructions: Resource Storage Center (Level 2)

    Innate Talents: Almighty Fusion (SSS); Immortal (SS - Fake)

    Heroes: Abyss Cube (D), Vylyss (B), Zhisse (D-Peak), Malrik (E)

    Soldiers: Skeleton (E)

    Mutated Soldiers: Skeleton Hunter (D), Skeleton Swordsman (D+), Skeleton Shielder (D), Urlgan (D-Peak), Urlgug (D+)

    Innate Talent: Almighty Fusion (SSS)

    ...

    Nothing seemed out of the ordinary; everything was still the same.

    No! There was something specialˇŞhe had acquired a new SS-rank innate talent.

    Noan frowned and clicked on that talent to examine it more closely.

    ...

    Name: Immortal

    Rank: SS (Fake)

    Description: As long as you are not burned to ashes or have your head shattered, you can recover to your original state.

    Note: The energy within your body will affect the speed and effectiveness of your regeneration.

    This is a Fake talent inherited from the Blood Clan. You must obtain Blood Clan blood to maintain this talent.

    ...

    Seeing this talent, Noan''s eyes widened to the point where they almost seemed to pop out.

    Immortal... truly immortal.

    Even though it was labeled as "fake," the description provided by the System made Noan realize just how terrifying this ability was. Stay tuned with My Virtual Library Empire

    He could regenerate as long as he wasn''t incinerated or had his head destroyed.

    However, this talent had two major drawbacks: his energy level would affect the speed and extent of his regeneration.

    Most importantly, he needed the blood of a true Blood Clan member to sustain this ability.

    Noan took a deep breath, feeling utterly shocked by this revelation.

    With the Immortal talent, he no longer had to worry about infection, as his regeneration ability was almost certainly capable of eliminating the virus.

    ''If my body can eradicate the zombie virus, does that mean I''m also immune to other viruses and poisons?''

    A wild thought emerged in Noan''s mind. It had to be understood that even with humanity''s advanced technology and magic, they had still been unable to find a cure for zombie infections.

    That alone spoke volumes about how terrifying the zombie virus was.

    But if Noan could neutralize the zombie virus, did that mean he was also immune to all other toxins and viruses?

    With that in mind, Noan decided to experiment. Fortunately, he could generate various toxic fungi and other deadly poisons within the simulated space.

    After conducting his tests, Noan concludedˇŞhe was indeed immune to most poisons.

    However, the bad news was that he had no resistance to addictive substances.

    Certain hallucinogenic poisons still affected him, though their impact had significantly weakened.

    At that moment, Noan recalled the drop of blood given to him by that mysterious girl.

    ''Could it be because of that blood?''

    He felt almost certainˇŞ99% sureˇŞthat his body had undergone such a drastic transformation thanks to that drop of blood.

    He was even able to overpower Vylyss in bed.

    Excitement surged through Noan. He felt he had acquired the ultimate trump card to survive in this world.

    Noan continued testing his abilities, and when the time in the Combat Simulation Room finally ran out, he walked out with satisfaction.

    ...

    [Ding! Attention all Lords: the Zombie Wave event will begin in 48 hours.

    Number of zombies: 10,000

    Rewards will correspond to the number of zombies eliminated.

    Countdown begins.]

    ...

    Seeing the notification, Noan frowned. He had suspected an event related to the zombie horde would occur, but he hadn''t expected the number to be this large.

    Furrowing his brows, he called for Vylyss and had her take him to the zombie-infested area.

    Upon arrival, he gazed at the zombie horde, which resembled a massive swarm of ants, and felt a tinge of unease.

    Although he was not afraid of these zombies, the sheer number of them made even a cautious person like him shudder.

    Naturally, he didn''t linger too long. He and Vylyss quickly returned to his territory, where he sent her into the Combat Simulation Room.

    Observing Vylyss battle 10,000 zombies and taking more than four hours to eliminate them all left Noan somewhat surprised.

    "Vylyss, has your strength increased?" Noan asked, frowning in confusion.

    He clearly remembered that in a previous battle simulation against 6,000 zombies, Vylyss had taken a similar amount of time, but she had been completely exhausted afterward.

    This time, however, she only appeared slightly fatigued despite facing a larger number of enemiesˇŞincluding D, D+, and even D-Peak rank zombies.

    Vylyss stretched out her hand, gazed at her palm, then looked at Noan and said, "Master, it''s thanks to you that my strength has increased."

    "Huh?!" Noan tilted his head in confusion.

    "Hehehe..." Vylyss chuckled mischievously. "Master, even though I have evolved into a B-rank hero, my body still contains Succubus energy."

    "Because of that, I grow stronger when I sleep with someone I loveˇŞspecifically, you, Master."

    "The more I do that with you, the faster the three energy sources within me merge, allowing me to grow stronger at an accelerated pace."

    Hearing this, Noan immediately understood why she had become so powerful.

    Considering that he possessed the Immortal talent, Noan realized he had been "recharging" Vylyss, helping her become stronger and fuse her unique energy sources faster.

    ''Does that mean I need to "recharge" her more often in the future?'' Noan thought to himself. However, he wasn''t strictly opposed to the idea.

    After all, the process of "recharging" was quite enjoyable, and he was more than willing to indulge in it.

    Not only was it pleasurable, but it also made his woman strongerˇŞwhat could be better than that?

    Returning to the present, Noan furrowed his brows and decided to double the number of zombies to 20,000.

    "Vylyss, let''s try again," he said.

    Although the System had stated that the Zombie Wave event would contain only 10,000 zombies, what if the number suddenly increased?

    For that reason, he needed to prepare as thoroughly as possible.

    Better safe than sorry.

    Vylyss, understanding Noan''s cautious nature, went all out in battle.

    As expected, Noan''s suspicions were confirmed.

    It took Vylyss more than seven hours to wipe out the 20,000 zombies, and by the end of the battle, she was utterly exhausted, slumped on the ground, gasping for breath.

    Seeing this, Noan nodded in satisfaction. If Vylyss could handle 20,000 zombies alone, then he had nothing to worry about regarding the 10,000 zombies outside.

    Besides, he still had other powerful forcesˇŞZhisse, Urlgan, Urlgug, Malrik, the mutated Skeletons, and the entire Skeleton army.

    Of course, Noan himself could fight as well.

    By his estimation, even if he faced 30,000 zombies alone, he could still emerge victorious.

    However, Noan wasn''t foolish enough to act like a hero and single-handedly eliminate the Zombie Wave for everyone.

    Even if the event''s rewards were enticing, they didn''t mean much compared to his current talents.

    If he revealed too many of his secrets in this event, others would take notice of himˇŞand that would only bring trouble.

    That was something Noan wanted to avoid at all costs.

    Shaking his head, he stopped overthinking and gathered his heroes, sending them one by one into the Combat Simulation Room to practice against the Zombie Wave.

    As Noan leisurely basked in the sun that afternoon, Caleb came looking for him.

    He wasn''t surprisedˇŞafter all, with such a major event approaching, it would be strange if Caleb didn''t seek him out.

    "Master!" Caleb knelt before him, clearly anxious but trying to remain composed. "Have you seen the latest System notification?"

    Noan calmly replied, "I have."

    Caleb was startled by Noan''s collected demeanor. There wasn''t a trace of fear or worry on his face.

    ''Could it be... that Master truly doesn''t fear the 10,000 zombies out there?''

 Chapter 110: Zombie Wave (2)

    "Master, you... can you eliminate all the zombies out there?"

    Hearing Caleb''s question, Noan thought momentarily and then said, "No, I can''t."

    Caleb was momentarily confused. If Noan couldn''t eliminate the zombies, then why did he look so relaxed?

    Of course, Caleb didn''t believe Noan''s answer. He was certain that Noan had more than enough power to wipe out the zombie horde, so he showed no concern over this event.

    Caleb was sure of it. However, since Noan chose not to say anything, he wouldn''t press the matter. As long as he understood the truth, that was enough.

    "Master, do you have any way to help me get through this event?" Caleb asked tiredly. "Before, when Austin was with us and the zombie count was only 6,000, I was confident we could win."

    "But this time is different. Austin and his Lava Lizard are severely injured, unable to fight at full strength."

    "Additionally, the number of zombies has increased to 10,000. Master, I fear this area won''t be able to withstand the Zombie Wave."

    Noan remained lying down, not answering. Not daring to say more, Caleb waited in silence for Noan''s response.

    After a while, Noan asked, "How many Lords are currently in this area?"

    "Master, over 300."

    "Gather them all together and have them cooperate against the Zombie Wave." Noan said while tossing Caleb a small silk sphere about the size of a marble. "When things get critical, and you feel like you can''t hold on anymore, crush itˇŞI''ll help you."

    Caleb caught the sphere, sensing how fragile it was. He could break it with just a bit of force.

    Though Noan didn''t explicitly say, he would save him, just that single promise was enough to put Caleb''s mind at ease.

    He was already Noan''s subordinate. Even if Noan didn''t save him, he wouldn''t have the right to complain.

    Caleb bowed his head respectfully, saying, "Thank you, Master."

    Noan waved him off, signaling him to leave. Of course, before departing, Caleb had his Stone Golem bring Noan some resourcesˇŞjust a bit of wood, stone, and energy crystals.

    It wasn''t much, but it showed that Caleb was an intelligent man who knew how to curry favor with his Master.

    After leaving Noan''s territory, Caleb didn''t return to his own but headed to Austin''s instead.

    Of course, he moved in complete secrecy, ensuring that no one followed him. After all, in the eyes of others, he and Austin were enemiesˇŞthere was no way he could let anyone find out he was visiting.

    Sneaking into Austin''s domain, Caleb found Austin lying on a bed, his face as pale as a severely anemic patient. Caleb sighed.

    "How are you feeling?"

    Austin forced a weak smile. "I''m holding up. Luckily, Master was thereˇŞotherwise, I''d be dead by now."

    "Damn it! You realize how lucky you were?" Caleb couldn''t hold back his frustration. "If I had been as reckless as you, charging into that stone gate area, we both would have died!"

    "You... alright, fine..." Caleb wanted to say more but ended up sighing instead.

    Austin chuckled weakly. "Thanks... But about the Zombie Wave event, do you think Master will help us?"

    Caleb shook his head, then nodded again, looking exhausted. "Master said that if things get too dangerous, he''ll save us."

    "Ah! That means... even Master is wary of this event," Austin said, furrowing his brow.

    After all, 10,000 zombies were no joke. Among them were many D-rank zombies and higher.

    Even if all the Lords in this area banded together, it would still be a difficult battle.

    10,000 zombies versus 300 Lords. That meant each Lord would have to eliminate at least 33 zombies.

    For Austin in his prime, that wouldn''t have been an issue. His Lava Lizard could incinerate over 100 zombies with a single breath of molten lava.

    But now, things were different. Both he and his Lava Lizard were gravely injured and incapable of fighting properly.

    Even if they did fight, they couldn''t exert 30% of their usual power.

    That''s why Austin believed that no matter how powerful their Master was, he couldn''t single-handedly defeat 10,000 zombies.

    "What the hell are you saying?" Caleb frowned. "Do you know Master''s expression when I mentioned this event?"

    "Hm?" Austin looked confused. "What do you mean?"

    "Master doesn''t care. No, what I mean is... this event isn''t even worth his concern." Caleb explained. "I strongly feel Master isn''t afraid of the zombie horde outside. I think he could wipe them out entirely."

    "WHAT?!" Austin''s eyes widened in disbelief. "Are you joking?! That''s 10,000 zombies, including several D-rank and even D-Peak zombies!"

    "I know that." Caleb sighed. "Alright, if Master isn''t worried, all we can do is try our best."

    "I''ll gather all the Lords and start preparing for the event. If your condition improves by then, you should show up, too."

    "This is a major event. If you don''t appear, your subordinates will start doubting you."

    "I know." Austin responded irritably, feeling incredibly unlucky to have been injured at such a crucial time.

    Even if he couldn''t eliminate the horde, he could at least score some kills and earn rewards.

    In this barren region, every reward from the System was incredibly valuable, no matter how small.

    Caleb didn''t leave immediately but instead stayed to strategize with Austin for a while.

    ...

    Meanwhile...

    In a remote corner of Region 27, a small house stood.

    Inside, a young man with black hair, a firm jawline, and an aura of masculine determination sat in the center of the room.

    Yes, that man was Alex.

    When he arrived in this place, he saw the event notification. However, rather than worry, his face showed contempt and indifference.

    "Just a bunch of useless zombies," Alex muttered. Then, he commanded the System: "Summon soldiers."

    Immediately, a group of tiny goblins appeared before him, kneeling on the ground.

    But Alex didn''t bother checking their stats. Instead, he extended his hand, and a terrifying suction force radiated from his palm.

    A stream of white mist flowed out from the goblins'' bodies, rushing into Alex''s hand and fusing with his body.

    As the mist drained from them, the goblins shriveled up, their eyes rolling back.

    Moments later, they collapsedˇŞnothing more than dry husks.

    And then, their bodies crumbled into dust, scattering across the floor.

    Alex didn''t even glance at the corpses. He simply clenched his fists, feeling the newfound power surging within him.

    "Still not enough..." Alex murmured.

    "Summon a Hero!" He commanded the System.

    A High Orc appeared before him, kneeling respectfully.

    But even this High Orc met the same fateˇŞthe energy within it was completely devoured by Alex, turning its body into a pile of sand, just like the goblins before.

    Feeling a significant power boost, Alex finally smirked in satisfaction.

    ...

    BAM!

    BAM!

    BAM!

    Suddenly, a loud knocking came from the door, making him frown.

    Alex slowly walked toward the entrance.

    As the door swung open, he saw a young man with an arrogant expression, his hands in his pockets, staring at him.

    Behind him stood two other young men, their gazes filled with contempt as they looked at Alex.

    "Oy! You the new guy?"

    "Yes." Alex responded coldly, his eyes flashing with killing intent, causing the three men to shudder.

    They were used to dealing with new Lords, but this was the first time one had terrified them just by looking at them.

    "What the hell?! What kind of look is that?!" The leader snapped angrily.

    But before he could finish his sentence, Alex''s fist had already swung toward him.

    BAM!

    The punch caved in his faceˇŞshattering his jaw, nose, and teethˇŞkilling him instantly.

    "AAAAHH!!"

    "WHAT THE HELL?! HELP! HELP!!"

    The other two screamed in terror, but before they could run, they met the same fate.

    Alex raised his bloodstained hand and attempted to absorb their life energy.

    A moment later, he frowned, muttering in irritation:

    "Useless trash. Killing you was a waste of my time."

    YesˇŞhe couldn''t devour energy from humansˇŞspecifically, Lords.

    With a kick, he sent one of the bodies flying, then gazed into the distance.

    "I can''t just devour monsters I summon... Hopefully, the Dark Forest has more prey."

    With that thought, Alex ventured alone into the Dark Forest.

 Chapter 111: Heâ€¦ heâ€™s dead!

    The next day.

    Caleb received news that three of his subordinates had gone missing. However, he wasn''t too concerned.

    After all, the most important thing was figuring out how to deal with the ''Zombie Wave'' event. A few Lords fleeing was nothing out of the ordinary.

    10,000 zombies. It would be a simple matter if 300 Lords were to face 10,000 zombies.

    But one had to understand that all the Lords here were only rank F and E, whereas, among those zombies, there were plenty of rank D, or even D+ and D-Peak.

    A single rank D-Peak zombie could easily kill ten rank E or F Lords.

    Because of this, this was almost a battle where the Lords'' chances of victory were less than 10%.

    Even so, Caleb wasn''t willing to give up. He still wanted to try, even if the odds were just 1%.

    Besides, he had his Master. If he encountered a situation too dangerous for him to handle, he could always turn to his Master.

    Caleb gathered all the Lords in the area where the Zombie Wave was certain to pass through, beginning to instruct them on preparing for the battle.

    However, things weren''t as simple as he had expected.

    If fewer than 100 Lords were here, it would have been easy for him to issue orders to everyone.

    But with over 300 Lords, disagreements were inevitable.

    "Are you all insane?"

    At that moment, a young man leading another group of Lords shouted in front of Caleb, "Gathering together to fight the Zombie Wave? Do you really think we can win?"

    Faced with this question, Caleb simply furrowed his brows and said angrily, "There are 10,000 zombies. That sounds like a lot, but in reality, each of us only needs to kill a little over 30. Is that so difficult?"

    "Goddamn it!" The young man cursed. "It wouldn''t be hard if they were all just regular zombies."

    "Caleb, are you blind? Can''t you see plenty of rank E zombies among them? Some are even ranked D!"

    "So what?" Caleb roared. "As long as we prepare well, we can definitely get through this event!"

    "You speak so confidently!" The young man sneered. "But are you sure you can defeat that horde of zombies? What if rank D zombies appear?"

    Caleb said nothing. Instead, he waved his hand, and the Stone Golem stepped forward, towering before the young man, causing him to recoil in fear.

    "You... what are you trying to do?" The young man stammered as he saw the Stone Golem advancing toward him. "I... I''m not afraid of you, I amˇŞ"

    BAM!

    The Stone Golem swung its fist, sending the young man flying backward like a leaf caught in the wind. He tumbled over five meters before crashing onto the ground, lying motionless.

    "Does anyone else have an opinion?"

    Hearing Caleb''s question, the crowd fell silent. No one dared to meet his gaze.

    "This is a critical moment. Austin and I have set aside our differences to fight together, yet you would abandon battle out of cowardice?"

    "If anyone wants to leave, then get out right now. But let me make one thing clearˇŞ"

    "If we stand united, we can overcome this event. However, if we fail, the consequences will be catastrophic."

    "Do you know what will happen if I and the Lords defending this area fail?"

    "That entire zombie horde will storm into the safe zone. Do you think you''ll be safe hiding in your territory?"

    "If you want to survive, follow my orders. If you want to die, then die now and stop causing chaos here!"

    Caleb didn''t wait for a response. He immediately continued instructing everyone on how to build defensive barriers.

    The Lords glanced at one another before ultimately obeying Caleb''s command.

    Of course, a few still refused to follow his orders, opting instead to hide within their territories.

    Some were so afraid that their domains wouldn''t be safe once the zombies arrived that they decided to flee into the Gloomy Forest or escape to the nearby river.

    However, the majorityˇŞmore than 250 LordsˇŞchose to stay and follow Caleb''s lead, working together to construct multiple barricades to hold back the zombies.

    Construction was unbelievably fast with the combined strength of 250 Lords and thousands of soldiers.

    Yet, despite this, Caleb couldn''t shake off a strange feeling. Unease had taken root in his heart, and he couldn''t understand why.

    "Are you worried about something?" Austin asked with a grin. "Don''t be. We have the numbers. With over 2,000 soldiers, we''ll get through this event."

    Caleb nodded slightly but sighed. "I just hope there won''t be any surprises."

    Despite his severe injuries, Austin still had to be here. On the surface, he and Caleb were the two kings of this battlefield. If he were to hide away in his territory, his subordinates would lose respect for him after this event.

    Caleb gazed into the distance, his brows furrowing. "The zombie horde hasn''t moved yet. Their numbers have stopped at exactly 10,000, but... something doesn''t feel right."

    "What do you mean?" Austin frowned. "Stop overthinking things."

    Caleb shot him a glance filled with disdain. "It''s exactly because of your arrogance that you ended up so badly injured."

    "Ack!" Austin scratched his head, looking somewhat embarrassed.

    Caleb sighed. "Being cautious is always best. I hope the first event in this region won''t be too difficult."

    Off in the distance, a young man with black hair watched Caleb and Austin talking, his eyes filled with contempt.

    "Oy! Why aren''t you working?" A Lord frowned and shouted at the young man.

    That young man was Alex.

    Earlier that morning, he had returned to this area and saw that Caleb had gathered everyone together.

    Curious, he approached to see what was going on. After listening to Caleb, he finally understood that he was rallying the Lords to prepare for the incoming ''Zombie Wave'' attack.

    Alex sniffed in disdain at the Lord''s words, then turned and walked away.

    "YouˇŞ" The Lord clenched his fists in frustration.

    Alex suddenly stopped in his tracks and turned back. "A bunch of Lords afraid of 10,000 zombies? I don''t know whether to call you all idiots or cowards."

    "Are you stupid?" The Lord shouted. "That horde is full of rank D zombies, some even D+! How the hell are we supposed to fight them?"

    "Hah!" Alex sneered. "That''s because you''re weak. To me, those zombies are nothing more than ants."

    With that, Alex turned and left without another word.

    The Lord gritted his teeth and muttered angrily, "Tsk! That idiot thinks he''s so smart? If he ended up here, he''s just a rank F or E Lord like the rest of us. What''s there to be so arrogant about?"

    Alex halted, turning back with eyes filled with killing intent. "Say that again."

    "What, you think I won''t?" The Lord pointed at Alex and shouted, "You''re just a low-rank Lord! What''s so great about you?"

    "When those zombies come after you, and you''re crawling on the ground in fear, I''llˇŞ"

    BAM!

    The Lord''s words were cut short as his face was introduced quite intimately to Alex''s fist.

    The punch was so powerful that the man flew backward before crashing onto the ground, unmoving.

    "AAA!!!"

    Screams erupted from the crowd.

    "Murderer! He''s a murderer!"

    "What the hell just happened?!"

    "Quick! Hold him down! He just killed that Lord!"

    "Shit! That bastard has lost it!"

    Hearing this, Alex frowned and scoffed, "Trash. He''s just unconscious, not dead!"

    "You cowards... screaming over something this trivial. You''re not even worthy of being called Lords."

    "What''s going on here?"

    At that moment, Caleb arrived with Austin.

    In truth, he and Austin had noticed Alex earlier, but they hadn''t paid him much attention.

    But when Caleb and Austin saw Alex and the young man begin to clash, they immediately turned their attention toward him.

    Even more shocking was... the sheer speed and power Alex displayed.

    Neither Austin nor Caleb could see how Alex closed the nearly ten-meter gap to land that punch.

    And that punch... was devastating. The young man had been sent flying backward like a fallen leaf caught in the wind.

    Although the Lords here had the ability to summon monsters, that didn''t mean they themselves possessed the same strength as those creatures.

    On the contrary, Lords were still just ordinary humans. But... everything Alex had just demonstrated was far from ordinary.

    Caleb walked over to the fallen young man, his expression darkening as he saw him lying motionless on the ground. Something felt off.

    Reaching out, Caleb placed his hand on the young man''s chest.

    His eyes widened in shock, his face filled with disbelief.

    "He... he''s dead!"

 Chapter 112: Fate Holder - Alex

    Alex couldn''t believe what he had just heard from Caleb. He immediately approached the fallen young man and checked his condition.

    But the man was truly deadˇŞhis heart had stopped beating, and there was no breath left in his body.

    However, what was most striking was that Alex did not seem frightened. On the contrary, he sneered and said, "Ah! Dead, huh? Well, that''s fine. He was useless anywayˇŞhis death changes nothing."

    With that, Alex turned around and walked away as if he had merely crushed an ant rather than taken a human life.

    "Hold on!" Caleb frowned and called after him. "You just killed someoneˇŞdon''t you think you should explain yourself?"

    Alex turned back, visibly annoyed. "Explain? What do you want me to say?"

    "Ah! I just felt like he wanted to die, so I helped him. That''s all there is to it."

    He shrugged, his expression full of mockery. In truth, he hadn''t expected his punch to kill the young man.

    He had held back his strength, at most intending to knock the guy out.

    Yet, somehow, the man had died from a single strike.

    But... so what?

    There were no laws, government protection, or police to enforce justice.

    Who would hold him accountable?

    No one.

    In this place, the strong ruled. Alex knew that all too well. That was why, even though the young man had died, Alex wasn''t concerned.

    A worthless weakling. Killing one or a hundred of them wouldn''t make a difference.

    Caleb''s expression darkened as he raised his hand. The Stone Golem immediately stepped forward to stand beside him.

    "Everyone here is preparing for the ''Zombie Wave'' event. If you don''t want to participate, you could have just left. Why kill someone?"

    Caleb didn''t act immediately. He remained cautious. Alex was too strange, and he couldn''t afford to be reckless.

    To kill someone with a single punchˇŞeven an E-rank monster would struggle to do that.

    However, while no one was paying attention, a thin, thread-like strand slipped out from the dead man''s body, burrowing silently into the ground like a tiny worm.

    No one noticed it because it was so small and everyone''s attention was on Alex.

    "I already told you!" Alex snapped, clearly irritated. "A useless weakling like that wouldn''t have made a difference. Do you really think he would have done anything other than scream and run around?"

    The surrounding Lords grew increasingly uncomfortable.

    "What the hell did that bastard just say?"

    "Does he not realize that the Lord he just killed was rank E? That guy could have been useful in stopping the zombies!"

    "That''s right! Did he just call a rank E Lord useless?"

    "I want to kill that bastard myself!"

    Hearing the murmurs of outrage around him, Caleb felt increasingly uneasy.

    He knew that every single Lord was a crucial asset in stopping the Zombie Wave at this critical stage.

    With every loss, their defenses weakened.

    Caleb sighed. If he didn''t take action today, the others would start questioning his leadership and refusing to follow his orders.

    "Alex, you killed someone," Austin spoke up, his voice cold. "That means you have to pay the price."

    "But don''t worry. This was just a personal conflict between you and that man, so I won''t kill you."

    "I''ll just cut off your arms. That should be enough."

    Hearing Austin''s words, Alex smirked in disdain. "You? You''re going to cut off my arms?"

    "Hahaha... hahahahaha!" He threw his head back and laughed. "That''s hilarious. Are you sure about that?"

    Austin didn''t respond. Instead, he simply raised his hand.

    Immediately, the Lava Lizard stepped forward beside him.

    Even though both Austin and his Lava Lizard were still injured and hadn''t fully recovered, a D-Peak rank monster against a mere human should have been a one-sided fight.

    At that moment, Caleb suddenly spoke up. "Austin, be careful. He''s not normal."

    Austin scoffed. "Relax. No matter how strong he is, he''s still just a human. There''s no way he can fight a monster''s strength."

    Austin turned to Alex and said, "Have you thought this through? If you lose your arms, you''ll still be alive. You''ll still be a Lord."

    "But if you die here... it''s over."

    Alex smirked. "Where do you get that confidence from?"

    "Don''t make me laugh. Do you really think that pathetic lizard can kill me?"

    Austin''s face darkened in anger. "Fine! If you want to die, I''ll personally send you to hell!"

    "Kill him!"

    At Austin''s command, the Lava Lizard opened its massive jaws.

    A magma sphere formed in its mouth, radiating an intense heat that distorted the air around it.

    The surrounding Lords immediately scattered, some even fleeing the scene entirely.

    They weren''t fools.

    They knew that if that magma sphere landed near them, they would be reduced to ashes.

    But Alex...

    Alex scoffed.

    "Magma?" He chuckled, unimpressed. "It looks powerful, terrifying even, but..."

    Before he could finish his sentenceˇŞ

    His body vanished.

    He became a shadowy blur, rushing toward the Lava Lizard at an impossible speed.

    "Not good!"

    Even though Caleb already knew that Alex wasn''t normal, he hadn''t expected his speed to be this terrifying.

    He moved so fast that he became nothing more than a blurred shadow. Was it even possible for a human to reach such a level of speed?

    Before Caleb could process it, Alex had already appeared in front of the Lava LizardˇŞhis fist striking directly at its lower jaw.

    BAM!

    The sheer force behind the punch caused the monster''s mouth to shut instantly.

    And thenˇŞ

    BOOM!

    The magma sphere inside its mouth detonated.

    Molten lava spewed outward, but Alex had already leaped back, completely unaffected by the explosion.

    The lava splattered onto the ground, instantly incinerating the grass and sending thick black smoke billowing into the air.

    Everyone was horrified.

    Was this even human?

    He was faster than the most elite athletes.

    His single punch forced a D-Peak monster to shut its mouthˇŞsomething no ordinary Lord could ever hope to do.

    The Lords rubbed their eyes as if trying to confirm whether Alex was still human. He looked normal... but where did that monstrous strength come from?

    "Son of a bitch!" Austin roared in fury, but Caleb immediately grabbed his arm before he could act.

    "Calm down, Austin! Have you lost your mind?"

    "Let go of me! I don''t care how strong he isˇŞI refuse to believe we can''t kill him!"

    Caleb sighed and snapped, "Enough! Did you even see how fast and strong he is? Do you really think you can kill him?"

    Austin flinched the fire in his eyes flickering. He turned to look at Alex again, recalling what had just happened.

    Suddenly, a chill ran down his spine.

    He had acted too rashly.

    That was Austin''s weaknessˇŞhis rage often clouded his judgment.

    But when he calmed down, he could analyze situations quickly and logically.

    Alex smirked. Then, without a word, he turned and walked away.

    Austin clenched his fists. He was furious, but simultaneously, a deep sense of unease crept into him.

    He turned to Caleb. "Caleb... are we really just going to let him go?"

    "What do you want me to do?" Caleb frowned. "His strength is too bizarre. If we go all out, maybe we could defeat him, but is it really worth it?"

    "Even if we win, can you guarantee we won''t suffer heavy losses?"

    Austin gritted his teeth, frustration clear on his face.

    But then something even worse happened.

    The Lords, diligently working just moments ago, suddenly dropped their tools and started walking away.

    Austin yelled, "What the hell are you all doing?! Get back to work, now!"

    But the crowd ignored him, continuing to leave.

    Caleb let out a deep sigh. "Let them go."

    "ButˇŞ"

    "We''ve lost their trust," Caleb said plainly. "It''s only natural they would leave."

    He understood their fear.

    They had just watched a fellow Lord die in front of them, and neither he nor Austin had done anything to avenge him.

    So... if someone else were to die, what then?

    Would Caleb and Austin protect them? Would they seek justice?

    The answer was clearˇŞand that was why they were leaving.

    Caleb knew he couldn''t convince them to stay.

    All he could do was focus on those who remained.

    Initially, there had been over 250 Lords.

    But after everything that had just happened, the number had dropped to less than 200.

    Caleb shook his head and exhaled heavily, feeling exhaustion wash over him.

    Of course, he didn''t blame them.

    He could only blame himselfˇŞfor being too weak.

    He wouldn''t need to rally everyone together to stop the Zombie Wave if stronger.

    ...

    Above the Trees

    On a high branch, Noan and Vylyss were hidden within a veil of magical concealment, completely undetectable by anyone below.

    And, of course, they had seen everything unfold.

    "Master," Vylyss suddenly spoke, her voice serious, "that young man is... unusual."

    "Hm? You mean his strength?" Noan asked.

    Vylyss shook her head. "No. I can sense the energy inside himˇŞit''s chaotic, violent... like a pool of filth."

    Hearing that, Noan''s expression darkened.

    His eyes turned in the direction in which Alex had disappeared.

    At the same time, he opened his system interface and checked the notification that had appeared earlier.

    [Ding! ''Fate Holder - Alex'' detected. Alex''s information has been added to the ''Fate Holders List.'' Please access this function to view detailed information on Alex.]

 Chapter 113: Noan vs Alex

    Noan never expected to encounter a ''Fate Holder'' here. Was this a stroke of luck or sheer misfortune?

    One must understand that ''Fate Holders'' have immense influence over destiny. Because of this, their power surpasses ordinary imagination.

    But what kind of area was this?

    Area 27ˇŞhome only to F and E-rank lordsˇŞyet a ''Fate Holder'' had appeared here. Did this mean Noan was lucky or unlucky?

    Frowning, Noan opened the ''Fate Holder List.'' Only one name was displayedˇŞAlex.

    ...

    Name: Alex

    Lord Rank: E

    Innate Ability: Devour (SS)

    Description: This innate ability allows Alex to absorb life energy from the monsters and heroes he summons, converting that energy into power for himself.

    Additionally, Alex can absorb energy from energy crystals to further enhance his strength.

    ...

    Noan studied the information carefully, his brows furrowing.

    Although Alex''s lord rank was only E, his innate ability was SS.

    Noan reread his ability. It was ranked SSS but came with extremely stringent conditions for activation.

    In contrast, Alex''s ability, despite being SS, had a much lower growth ceiling than Noan''s but was far easier to develop without too many restrictions.

    Absorbing life energy from heroes, soldiers, and energy crystalsˇŞhow effortless was that?

    Noan pressed his fingers against his forehead, suddenly feeling his SSS-rank ability wasn''t as advantageous as Alex''s SS-rank one.

    Fortunately, the potential of Noan''s ability was vast. Otherwise, he might have started doubting whether his SSS-rank ability was real.

    Returning to the present, Noan now understood why Vylyss had mentioned that the energy inside Alex was chaotic.

    Because Alex''s innate ability was ''Devour,'' he absorbed energy from multiple sources. Naturally, the energy within him was turbulent, like a swirling, muddy vortex.

    Noan furrowed his brows, rubbing his chin as if deep in thought.

    Although the ''Fate Holder List'' stated that he could kill other ''Fate Holders'' to obtain fragments of destiny, that didn''t mean ''Fate Holders'' were easy to eliminate.

    Suddenly, a thought crossed his mind, and a smirk played at the corners of his lips.

    If he unleashed his full power, killing Alex would be effortless. But instead, he wanted Alex to bring him a different value.

    If Caleb and Austin bore an inevitable destiny that allowed them to uncover opportunities Noan himself couldn''t, then surely Alex would be capable of the same.

    That... was the true worth of a ''Fate Holder''ˇŞsomething Noan intended to exploit.

    "Master, do you want me to kill him?"

    "No need!" Noan immediately replied to Vylyss''s question. "Keeping him alive is far more valuable. Vylyss, rememberˇŞhe can absorb energy from energy crystals. That means... you know what to do, don''t you?"

    "What?!" Vylyss was momentarily surprised, but she trusted Noan''s every word.

    She gave a slight nod, a wicked smile spreading across her lips as she said, "I understand, Master."

    Noan glanced at Caleb and Austin. His mind seemingly crafting a plan, a knowing smile formed on his face.

    ...

    Nightfall.

    Alex stood within the Gloomy Forest, holding a torch in his hand. His expression was a mixture of irritation and confusion.

    "What the hell is going on?" he growled in frustration. "Where the hell did all the zombies go?"

    Ever since he left the group of lords and ventured into the Gloomy Forest, he hadn''t encountered a zombie.

    Even the smallest of creatures were nowhere to be found.

    What the hell was happening? Had they all fled?

    Alex furrowed his brows, sensing something strange. If he couldn''t find any zombies or collect energy crystals, no matter how powerful his SS-ranked ability was, it would be rendered useless.

    If he had to wait each day to absorb energy from the soldiers he could summon, it would take an enormous amount of time, and the energy he could gather would be far too little.

    Alex gritted his teeth, feeling a fire burning inside him.

    "AAA!!!" he roared, his voice echoing throughout the forest.

    He had thought that by shouting, the zombies would hear and rush toward him, but after waiting a long time, no one appeared.

    Alex felt utterly exhausted. He had assumed that coming to this area would make him like a godˇŞconstantly fighting and growing.

    But he was wrong. If he couldn''t even find a zombie, how was he supposed to strengthen himself through his SS-ranked ability?

    As frustration and fatigue washed over him, he suddenly sensed something. In an instant, he dodged to the side.

    BAM!

    A loud explosion rang out.

    Right where Alex had been standing, a rock had shot toward him at terrifying speed, smashing into the ground and leaving behind a small crater.

    Alex''s brows furrowed as he shouted, "Who''s there?"

    From behind a massive tree, a mysterious figure emerged.

    The person was clad in a white outfit covering their entire body, including their face, exposing only their eyes.

    However, Alex could tell that the figure was a man.

    His expression darkened slightly as he asked, "Who are you?"

    The mysterious man said nothing and instead lunged straight at Alex.

    Alex wasn''t weak. His fist immediately swung toward the attacker.

    BAM!

    Their fists collided, creating a deafening impact. A violent gust of wind erupted from the clash, scattering the dried leaves covering the ground.

    Alex clenched his teeth, feeling a sharp pain radiate from his hand as if he had just punched solid metal.

    But before he could even complain, the mysterious figure struck first.

    With his other hand, the attacker delivered a blow straight to Alex''s chest.

    BAM!

    Alex was sent flying like a leaf caught in the wind, soaring through the air before crashing to the ground, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

    "Son of aˇŞ!" Alex cursed, trying to push himself up, but the mysterious man was too fast. In a flash, he appeared right in front of Alex.

    Without hesitation, he threw a powerful kick straight into Alex''s stomach.

    BAM!

    Alex was once again sent flying backward, only coming to a stop when he crashed into a massive tree. He then collapsed onto the ground.

    A mouthful of blood spilled from his lips, and his vision spun wildly as though the entire world around him was tilting and whirling.

    However, Alex knew one thing for certainˇŞif he didn''t stand up now, he would undoubtedly be killed.

    He gritted his teeth and forced himself to rise, but pain racked his entire body as if he had been shattered into countless pieces.

    A deep, primal fear gripped his heartˇŞhe didn''t want to die here.

    His new life had only just begun. He was a ''Fate Holder,'' with an SS-ranked innate ability. How could he possibly die here?

    With a furious roar, Alex bellowed, "AAA!!!"

    Mustering every ounce of his remaining strength, he pushed himself to his feet, even as blood continued to drip from his mouth and nose.

    "You... heh?!" Alex stood up and glanced around, but no one was in sight.

    Confusion filled his mind, yet he remained on high alert.

    One minute passed... then five... then ten...

    After ten minutes of tense silence, Alex finally exhaled a deep relief. The mysterious attacker had truly left.

    He slumped onto the ground, exhaustion washing over him.

    Who was that? Why had they attacked him?

    But the question that haunted him the most wasˇŞwhy was that person so much stronger than him?

    Yes, that person was so powerful that it made Alex feel utterly hopeless.

    All the current Lords were weak, just ordinary people.

    But Alex had spent years training in the harshest conditions. His innate ability even enhanced his physical strength beyond normal limits.

    That made him the strongest Lord in terms of physical strength in this place.

    Perhaps he couldn''t defeat D-rank monsters, but at the very least, he could survive here comfortably without worrying about danger.

    But now, things were different. A mysterious figure had appearedˇŞsomeone whose strength far surpassed his own.

    Although that person hadn''t killed him, Alex had no idea what their true intentions were. Deep down, unease gnawed at him.

    The mysterious figure stood silently on the high branches of a tree concealed in the shadows, watching Alex sit on the ground, gasping for breath.

    "Master..."

    Suddenly, Vylyss appeared beside the mysterious figure, her tone filled with curiosity. "You didn''t kill him?"

    The figure removed their mask, revealing his true identityˇŞNoan.

    He had wanted to use the ''Combat Simulation Room'' to simulate Alex, but the system couldn''t replicate Lords. So, he chose this method instead.

    Of course, he wasn''t reckless enough to use this opportunity to kill Alex, nor was he arrogant enough to assume he could.

    Throughout the fight, Vylyss had remained hidden in the darkness, silently preparing.

    If Noan had found himself in danger, she would have intervened immediatelyˇŞwhether to save or eliminate Alex if necessary.

    However, things had become much easier than Noan had expected.

    Alex was far weaker than he had anticipated.

 Chapter 114: Bad luck Alex

    Yes, from the beginning of the battle to the end, not even two minutes had passed.

    However, that was enough for Noan to gauge Alex''s combat prowess.

    At this moment, Noan could confirm that he could easily kill Alex. Even if two of them appeared, it wouldn''t change the outcome.

    Once again, Noan was struck by the terrifying power he had inherited from that mysterious girl.

    Just a single drop of her blood had granted him this overwhelming strengthˇŞwhat would happen if he drank her blood regularly?

    The thought of the Bloodline Clan''s power, especially the might of that girl, sent a shiver of anticipation through him.

    Returning to the present, Noan had no intention of killing Alex just yet. There were still many experiments he needed to conduct.

    If his experiments succeeded, he could better understand the limits of his innate ability.

    "Keep monitoring him. Don''t let him get near any energy crystals, or at the very least, limit his access to any energy sources."

    "Understood, Master." Upon hearing Noan''s command, Vylyss lowered her head, a delighted, almost sinister smile forming.

    ...

    The next day.

    Caleb sat on a fallen tree trunk blocking the only path from the safe zone to the zombie-infested area, his expression filled with despair.

    By this time, it seemed like almost everyone had abandoned him, except for Austin and their most loyal subordinates.

    After all, no one wanted to be a shield protecting cowardly Lords.

    So, they left.

    That was human nature.

    On the surface, people appeared united, but when their interests were threatened, their true colors were immediately revealed.

    Caleb understood that the Lords who had left weren''t necessarily wrong.

    Why should others risk their lives fighting zombies to protect those weaklings hiding in their territories?

    And when they were in danger, who would come to save them?

    The alliance quickly crumbled.

    Caleb and Austin couldn''t use force to compel everyone to follow them.

    After all, there were too many Lords in this areaˇŞover 300.

    If just 50 worked together, they could ally strong enough to rival Austin and Caleb.

    Not to mention, there was also that mysterious young man with monstrous strength lurking in the shadows.

    The real problem was that no one wanted to cooperate. People were consumed by selfishness and cowardice, hiding away in their territories, waiting for a miracle to save them.

    And, of course, that so-called miracle was the belief that their territories could withstand the zombie horde''s assault.

    "Fine!" Austin sighed. "If they don''t want to fight, we still have ourselves and our subordinates. Don''t worry."

    "Are you stupid?" Caleb could no longer hold back his frustration and snapped, "Do you really think we can fight off 10,000 zombies out there?"

    "Do you think we can stand against that horde of D and D+ ranked zombies swarming outside?"

    Austin let out another sigh. He had only wanted to reassure Caleb, but of course, he knew full wellˇŞthis was a war they could not win.

    If all the Lords had united, perhaps there would have been a sliver of hope.

    But he had underestimated human selfishness.

    The alliance had collapsed in just a single day.

    "But sitting here won''t solve anything either," Austin frowned. "We should move deeper into the Gloomy Forest or find the river and build a defensive position there."

    "As long as we work together, we''ll find a way to survive."

    Caleb exhaled deeply before giving a slight nod.

    Yes, right now, they had to stick togetherˇŞat the very least, it would help them hold out for a little longer.

    And if they could no longer hold out...

    Then, they would have to seek their Master''s help.

    Caleb reached into his pocket and took out a silk-threaded orb, gripping it tightly in his palm, determination flickering in his eyes.

    "You''re right. We still have a chance to win," Caleb said as he slowly stood up.

    Austin, too, understood exactly what "chance" Caleb was referring toˇŞtheir Master.

    Hidden in the darkness, Noan observed the scene and slightly nodded.

    "Master, will you help them?" Vylyss, standing beside him, asked.

    "Why wouldn''t I?" Noan replied with a smile.

    Vylyss tilted her head in confusion. "But they''re weak and useless. There''s no reason for us to waste our efforts protecting them."

    "Hahaha..." Noan chuckled and said, "Vylyss, even ants have their purpose. Austin and Caleb still hold immense valueˇŞthey just haven''t had the chance to prove it yet."

    Noan said that, but deep down, he had another reasonˇŞAustin and Caleb''s character.

    They could have simply ignored the other Lords, hiding away in their territories and waiting until danger forced them to beg for his help.

    But they didn''t. Instead, they had tried to rally the Lords to fight together.

    Even though the outcome hadn''t been what they had hoped for, their actions had forced Noan to reevaluate his opinion of them.

    ...

    The next morning, Noan felt a surge of excitement.

    Ever since evolving to Rank E, the mutation rate of the Skeletons he fused had increased significantly.

    Because of that, his Skeleton Hunter and Shielder both reached Rank D+, and he also gained a Skeleton Swordsman.

    This meant that he now had:

    One Skeleton Hunter (D+) One Shielder (D+) Two Skeleton Swordsmen (D+)

    He also commanded a 30-Skeleton army, all at Rank D+.

    With this force and the advantageous effects of the ''Pioneer''s Medal,'' he was sure he could effortlessly hold back the zombie horde.

    Of course, he had no intention of acting too soon or playing the hero.

    All he needed to do was wait until Caleb and Austin were at their limit. That would be the perfect time to step in.

    As for the other Lords? Their deaths meant nothing to him.

    Ah, noˇŞactually, it meant a great deal.

    Noan had stationed Zhisse to keep an eye on them. When they were about to turn into zombies, he could kill them and collect more resources, along with ''Lord Points'' to advance his rank.

    Why hadn''t he just killed them outright?

    Because he was still humanˇŞnot a complete monster. Some remnants of humanity still lingered within him.

    However, if they were doomed to fall, he would offer them a merciful releaseˇŞsaving them from the fate of becoming mindless undead.

    The only thing bothering Noan was that he still hadn''t unlocked the class selection for his Skeletons. Because of this, most of his units were basic warriors, limited to melee combat.

    Just as he was contemplating this, Vylyss suddenly appeared at his side, grinning as she reported:

    "Master! The zombie horde has breached the safe zone. It seems those insects couldn''t hold them off."

    Noan gave a slight nod. He knew exactly what Vylyss meant when she referred to the "insects"ˇŞthe Lords in this area.

    He had anticipated this outcome long before. There was no way these Lords could withstand the onslaught of the zombie horde.

    If they had worked together, they might have stood a chance. But their selfishness had made sure that would never happen.

    After all, numerous D-rank, D+, and even D-Peak zombies were within the horde.

    If they managed to breach the safe zone, not a single Lord would survive.

    "And what about Alex?" Noan suddenly asked.

    "Alex is... quite busy killing zombies," Vylyss giggled mischievously.

    Seeing her playful smirk, Noan grabbed her wrist and pulled her into his chest.

    His hand moved gently over her curves, eliciting a soft gasp from her lips.

    "Master... um..."

    "You''re messing with him, aren''t you?"

    "Hehehe..." Vylyss chuckled. "That''s right. Master, it''s just a little spatial magic. Watching him struggle so hard to kill zombies, I thought I''d help him by collecting all the energy crystals for myself."

    Noan smirked, shook his head, and ran his fingers through her silky hair.

    "You did well. Keep it up."

    "As you wish, Master."

    ...

    Safe Zone

    Alex''s face was red with rage, his eyes burning with fury.

    "Son of aˇŞ! What the hell is going on?!" he snarled, grinding his teeth so hard it felt like they might shatter.

    Even though he was still injured from yesterday''s ambush, he had come out to fight today.

    Not because he wanted to play the heroˇŞbut because he had no choice.

    He had found no zombies, no monsters in the Gloomy Forest.

    So, taking a risk, he had come looking for the zombie horde instead.

    He knew the drop rate for F-rank energy crystals from these low-level zombies was abysmal.

    But damn it!

    He had killed over 100 zombies and still hadn''t found a crystal.

    What the hell was happening?!

    Was his luck really this cursed?!

 Chapter 115: Mutant Licker?

    Alex had the feeling that he had become much more unlucky ever since arriving in this area.

    Normally, someone with an innate rank in SS should be a star, shining brilliantly.

    Why did he feel like a stray dog when he was brought to an area full of low-ranking F and E zones?

    In fact, he was so unlucky that even after killing over 100 zombies, he still didn''t find any energy crystals.

    Although incredibly strong, he only dared to kill rank F zombies, which was extremely dangerous.

    Even the smallest injury could lead to infection, which would then turn him into a zombie.

    Alex felt that his reckless killing of zombies was truly meaningless.

    He decided to try a few more times; if he still didn''t find any energy crystals, he would surely find a way to escape.

    BAM!

    Alex found an opportunity and prepared to punch a zombie''s head in.

    He was thrilled to see an energy crystal fall out at that moment.

    "Damn it!" Alex was so happy that he cursed. He hurriedly grabbed the energy crystal and held it in his hand.

    Although it was just a rank F energy crystal, to him, any energy crystal was valuable.

    He quickly climbed up a high branch and absorbed the crystal''s energy.

    The energy from the crystal flowed into Alex''s body, making him feel a little more comfortable.

    The pain from yesterday also lessened a bit, though it was still just a little.

    After all, it was only a rank F crystal, so its effect wasn''t significant.

    Alex seemed to see a glimmer of hope, muttering joyfully, "Hahaha... Looks like it''s just bad luck. Now that an energy crystal has dropped, my luck is finally starting to turn around."

    In the shadows, Vylyss laughed loudly. She possessed spatial magic, and as long as Alex killed the zombie, she could immediately use her spatial magic to steal the energy crystal.

    Ah! It''s not exactly stealing. It''s more like helping him collect energy crystals.

    However, Vylyss also silently felt surprised by Alex''s luck.

    It should be known that the drop rate for rank F energy crystals is very low, only about 20-50%.

    Yet, the zombies that Alex killed all had energy crystals, and the drop rate for energy crystals from them was 100%.

    In fact, among the energy crystals that dropped, there was even one rank E crystal.

    That''s right; a regular zombie had a rank E energy crystal. What was going on on earth?

    But that was the truth.

    This was way too lucky, so much so that Vylyss felt jealous and confused.

    However, the more fortunate he was, the happier she became because she could collect even more energy crystals for her Master.

    Of course, she didn''t forget to leave Alex a little energy crystal so he wouldn''t give up.

    The rank F crystal earlier had been intentionally left for him to motivate him to continue fighting.

    Of course, Alex didn''t know about this; he just felt that his luck was starting to turn back in his favor.

    Because of that, he jumped down from the tree and carefully sought out zombies that were further away from the pack to kill.

    The drop rate for energy crystals slightly increased, and after killing four zombies, one rank F crystal dropped.

    Although the drop rate was very low, it was much higher than the one in a hundred chance he''d gotten from killing 100 zombies before.

    Alex found a hidden spot and began absorbing all the energy crystals he had just collected.

    After a while, he felt his injuries nearly healed, so he was delighted, and confidence returned to him.

    "Tsk! Looks like... I need to find some higher-ranked zombies." Alex clicked his tongue and said.

    He looked toward the zombie herd, but at the same time, he also looked toward the safe zone.

    No smoke was rising, and no sound came from there, but that didn''t mean the leaders there were safe.

    On the contrary, Alex thought that the leaders there must have died too quickly; they didn''t even have time to resist before being killed.

    Alex stared for a while but couldn''t find any higher-ranked zombies straying from the pack, so he returned to the safe zone.

    Although the safe zone and the zombies were quite far apart, the zombie herd still surrounded all of them.

    Especially the Zombie Lickers, who crawled around the territories of other leaders.

    Alex furrowed his brows, moving between the high branches, making sure not to make a sound.

    His eyes looked towards a nearby territory. There, three Lickers were clinging to the roof, and inside the house, there seemed to be a higher-ranked zombie.

    Don''t ask how he knew the zombie inside the house was strong; it was thanks to his instincts, and of course, he trusted his instincts.

    Alex furrowed his brows again, scanning the area, and after noticing there weren''t many zombies in this vicinity, his confidence grew.

    "Huh! Looks like... I should hunt some higher-ranked zombies to satisfy my hunger." Alex said with a smug grin.

    He moved like a shadow, swiftly jumping from branch to branch before landing below.

    Krit! Krit! Krit!

    Just as Alex landed, the three Lickers, crawling on the house wall, immediately noticed him.

    Alex: "..."

    In his mind, Alex silently cursed. He had minimized the sound as much as possibleˇŞwhy could those zombies still hear him?

    Although confused and surprised, he wasn''t scared of these zombies.

    The three Lickers lunged at him. Despite having difficulty fighting, Alex eventually managed to eliminate the three Lickers.

    However... something even more bizarre happened.

    Out of the three Lickers, only one dropped an energy crystal.

    "What the hell is this?" Alex angrily exclaimed, "Zombie rank E should definitely drop energy crystals, so why is there only one?"

    In the shadows, Vylyss laughed so hard that she couldn''t breathe.

    Of course, Alex had acted very carefully, but thanks to Vylyss''s help, the Lickers had noticed him as soon as he landed.

    Additionally, Vylyss helped Alex collect two energy crystals that had dropped from the other two Lickers.

    At first, she wanted to take them all, but ultimately, she left one for him.

    Vylyss felt she was truly a good person. Ah, no, she was more like a good demon.

    Although Alex felt confused, he couldn''t find a more logical explanation.

    Finally, he could only think that maybe this was a feature of the System.

    Because there were so many zombies, the System had reduced the drop rate of energy crystals.

    Alex reassured himself, then absorbed the single rank E crystal he had bravely obtained.

    After a while, Alex felt his strength increase slightly, but it still wasn''t enough.

    "Not enough!" Alex muttered, "This isn''t enough for me to stand a chance against that mysterious person."

    Alex furrowed his brows, feeling anxious. He needed to get stronger quickly because if his rate of strength progression stayed this slow, he would face danger.

    Thinking about the mysterious person from last night, who could find him at any time, sent a chill down his spine.

    Alex shook his head, trying to hold on to his confidence: "Huh! I have an SS rank innate ability. Why should I be afraid?"

    "As long as I have enough time, I can become..."

    KRIT!

    Suddenly, a sound startled Alex, cutting off his sentence.

    Immediately, his instincts warned him that danger was approaching.

    In an instant, Alex tilted his head to one side, narrowly avoiding a sharp, drill-like tongue that had just stabbed where he had been standing.

    Whoosh!

    The sound of wind whistling filled the air, and Alex could feel the drill-like tongue cutting through a few strands of his hair.

    "Ack!" Alex rolled on the ground several times, quickly stabilizing his body.

    He was startled to see a Licker, much larger than the normal Lickers, standing in front of him.

    In fact, the Licker''s tongue was covered with sharp, thorn-like barbs.

    "Mutant Licker?"

 Chapter 116: Mutant Hunter Zombies

    Alex''s expression didn''t change much because just yesterday, he had been able to hold his own against Austin''s Lava Slug, so he wasn''t particularly afraid when he saw the Mutant Licker.

    It should be known that Austin''s Lava Slug was rank D-Peak, whereas the Mutant Licker was at most rank D.

    If he could fight evenly with a D-Peak, why would he be afraid of a rank D?

    Of course, he wasn''t!

    Therefore, Alex grinned confidently and muttered, "You came at just the right time. A Mutant Licker rank D, if I kill you, I''m sure I''ll get a rank D energy crystal."

    "Hahahaha... A rank D energy crystal will definitely boost my strength to a new level. I will..."

    Whoosh!

    "Ack!"

    While Alex was muttering, the Mutant Licker immediately attacked him.

    Its long tongue shot towards his head like a drill, but Alex narrowly avoided it.

    At that moment, Alex felt a little worried. He hadn''t expected the Mutant Licker''s speed to be this fast.

    "Strange!" Alex muttered, "Why is its speed so much faster than a normal Licker?"

    Whoosh!

    The Mutant Licker attacked again, this time using massive claws like those of a giant bear.

    Alex flinched and quickly dodged the claws. Luckily, he managed to avoid them, but he would have been slashed if he had been even a tenth of a second slower.

    He quickly jumped backward, increasing the distance between himself and the Mutant Licker, all the while silently cursing that this didn''t make any sense.

    He knew he could fight evenly with a D-Peak monster, so why did he feel so powerless and hopeless when facing a rank D monster like this?

    ''Could the Mutant monster be stronger than the D-Peak monster?'' Alex silently wondered.

    However, no one could answer his question, and he didn''t know what to do next.

    The Mutant Licker, of course, didn''t let up on Alex.

    Its speed was three times faster than a normal Licker''s, and no matter how far Alex kept his distance, it could quickly close the gap.

    "What the hell?!" Alex couldn''t hold back his curse.

    Damn it! He had just jumped back, more than twenty meters away from the Licker, but in just two seconds, the Licker had closed the distance and appeared right in front of him.

    Alex couldn''t think too much; he immediately started to retreat again, but before he could move, the drill-like tongue shot back toward him.

    He ducked, avoiding the tongue, only to see the Mutant Licker''s claws swing upward, directly aiming for his face.

    Alex gritted his teeth, and as the breath of death was right beside him, his survival instincts kicked in.

    His body moved on its own, helping him tilt it completely illogically, narrowly dodging the Licker''s claws.

    However...

    BAM!

    The Mutant Licker''s tail struck his stomach, sending him flying backward over ten meters before he crashed.

    Alex coughed up a mouthful of blood, feeling like his stomach had been shattered.

    Even though he had absorbed many energy crystals, that didn''t mean his injuries from yesterday had fully healed.

    Now, with another blow to his stomach from the Mutant Licker, the pain was so intense that he couldn''t even get up.

    However, the survival instincts of a ''Fate Holder'' truly surprised him.

    Alex suddenly felt no more pain, even though blood was still streaming from his mouth and nose like a river. He managed to get up and fled deeper into the dark forest.

    In fact, his speed was even faster than before.

    In just a few seconds, Alex had vanished into the forest. However, the Mutant Licker could follow the movement sound and track him.

    But as the Mutant Licker was about to move, it was stopped by numerous chains binding it.

    Clink! Clink!

    The sound of chains clashing rang out. The Mutant Licker struggled, but it was useless.

    BAM!

    Suddenly, one of the chains pierced through the Mutant Licker''s head, precisely pulling out the energy crystal from its brain.

    The Mutant Licker fell to the ground; of course, it was dead.

    The chain wrapped around the energy crystal and moved toward Vylyss, who was standing.

    She waved her hand, and all the filth instantly vanished, revealing a beautiful gem that shone with a pearl-like glow.

    It was truly strange.

    Inside the body of such a filthy creature existed such a beautiful gem, which made it difficult for anyone to comprehend.

    Ah! The very existence of zombies already left people unable to understand them.

    "Rank D, looks like that little brat''s limit is at most level 1 rank E or slightly stronger," Vylyss muttered, a mischievous smile appearing on her face, carrying a hint of wickedness.

    She killed the Mutant Licker because she didn''t want Alex to die.

    Vylyss smirked, glancing at the zombie herd scattered across the area, looking for other leaders, before stepping into the shadows.

    She had no intention of expending any effort to save the other leaders.

    In her eyes, as long as her Master was safe, the lives of the others were just trash.

    ...

    By the river, Caleb and Austin''s group had gathered.

    At this moment, one person asked in confusion: "I want to ask, why don''t we defend in the Territory but come all the way here?"

    Austin heard this and looked at Caleb.

    Caleb scanned the group and then explained: "You can choose to stay in the Territory to defend, but that''s no different from being a bird in a cage."

    "If zombies surround you, how can you escape?"

    The group nodded in agreement, finding his explanation reasonable.

    Caleb continued: "Besides, when you defend a Territory, you''re alone. No one can support you. No matter how strong you are, you won''t be able to stand up against the strength of a zombie horde, right?"

    "For the second reason, I chose this place because everyone can gather and support each other. If we encounter danger, this vast space allows us to flee easily."

    "Lastly, those zombies can''t destroy your Territory as they can with other leaders'' territories. As long as you''re alive, you can return and continue being a leader."

    Upon hearing this, everyone understood why Caleb had gathered them here.

    "Well, this place is quite spacious. If we have to run, we still have a small chance of survival.

    But if we hide in the Territory, it''s no different than a bird in a cage. If zombies surround us, we''re dead."

    "Alright, we''ll set up camp here. If zombies appear, we''ll fight as best as possible," Caleb said. "If things seem bad, we''ll scatter and run. That way, our chances of survival will increase."

    The group felt a bit more reassured upon hearing this.

    "Big brother!"

    Suddenly, a young man ran towards them, his face clearly showing fear and worry.

    "What''s going on?!" Caleb furrowed his brows and asked, feeling a sense of unease rising within him.

    The young man quickly reached Caleb, breathing heavily, trying to speak while gasping for air: "Big brother... the safe zone... it... it''s destroyed."

    "What?!" Everyone was stunned upon hearing this.

    Caleb thought he had misheard and immediately said, "Say it again, quickly!"

    "Big brother! I... I''m telling the truth," the young man, now gripped by Caleb, quickly said. "The safe zone has been destroyed. It seems like no one survived."

    "What the hell?!" Caleb felt a chill run down his spine.

    Of course, Caleb believed the young man''s wordsˇŞafter all, there was no reason for him to lie.

    "But... even if they didn''t unite, they could have at least fought for a few days. Why was it destroyed so quickly?" Caleb muttered in confusion.

    "Big brother! I... I know the reason," the young man spoke up.

    Caleb slowly released his grip on the young man''s collar and softly said, "Sorry, I lost my temper."

    "It''s alright, Big Brother. I can''t believe this happened either," the young man said, his face reflecting despair.

    "I saw many Mutant Zombies. They are stronger than normal zombies. And I... I even saw a few Mutant Hunter Zombies."

    Upon hearing this, everyone understood why the battle ended so quickly.

    Mutant Hunters, a type of monster powerful enough to destroy several rank D leaders, appeared in a zone filled with rank E and F leaders.

    Was the system really trying to wipe out all the leaders here?

 Chapter 117: Starting Evolution

    Indeed, Mutant Hunter, even as a level 1 Mutant Hunter, is an incredibly terrifying existence.

    At this moment, Caleb turned his head, looked towards Austin, and asked, "If your Lava Lizard fought against a Mutant Hunter, who would win?"

    Although Austin was very confident, he was not the type of fool who would make unreasonable claims. He immediately replied, "The Mutant Hunter would win."

    Caleb lightly nodded, understanding why Austin had answered this way.

    Although both were rank D-Peak, there were still other factors to consider. The Lava Lizard was strong, but the Mutant Hunter was much stronger.

    In terms of physical strength, speed, and combat abilities, all of these aspects make the Mutant Hunter superior to the Lava Lizard.

    The Lava Lizard had one advantage over the Mutant Hunter: it wasn''t afraid of fire and could attack from a distance.

    But the Mutant Hunter would certainly win if it came to close combat.

    Caleb sighed. Normally, the Lava Lizard would not be able to win, and after being heavily injured, it would be even less capable of winning.

    To be more precise, the winning probability was nearly 0%.

    Everyone could also feel the atmosphere becoming heavy.

    They thought the Lords in the safe area could endure for a few days, but they never imagined that nearly all of the Lords would die in just half a day.

    The speed was too fast to the point that it scared them and left them feeling hopeless.

    Moreover, the information about the appearance of the Mutant Hunter only made them more desperate.

    The rank D Lords couldn''t even defeat that monster. How could they possibly win?

    Caleb looked off into the distance. Although his line of sight wasn''t obstructed, allowing him to see the distant mountains, he knew he couldn''t escape from this place.

    Why?

    Because this place was like an enormous prison, and unless they broke out of here, the zombies would eventually find them.

    ...

    Inside Noan''s domain, the outside world felt like hell, but this place was like paradise.

    At this moment, Noan leisurely enjoyed a fruit drink, feeling the warm sunlight shine on him.

    Both Zhisse and Vylyss had important missions today, so he felt a bit lonely.

    But it was rare for this place to be so peaceful, so that feeling of loneliness didn''t last long.

    Although the atmosphere was quiet, Noan''s system constantly sent out numerous notifications, making him happy.

    [Ding! You successfully killed 12 rank F Lords, please collect the Lord''s essence.]

    [Ding! You successfully killed 4 rank E Lords, please collect the Lord''s essence.]

    [Ding! You successfully killed 7 rank F+ Lords, please collect the Lord''s essence.]

    [Ding! You successfully killed 20 rank F Lords, please collect the Lord''s essence.]

    ...

    The system notifications kept appearing, making him feel joyful.

    He had been worrying about where to gather more ''Lord Points,'' but the ''Zombie Wave'' event, like a rainstorm, made a person walking in the desert like him feel pleased.

    Of course, he wasn''t foolish enough to want to kill everyone here just to suddenly wipe out all the Lords.

    On the contrary, before the Lords turned into zombies, he had Zhisse immediately kill them.

    After all, they would become zombies once they died, so having Noan kill them would make their death more impactful, providing more ''Lord Points'' for him.

    Noan also didn''t rush to collect the ''Lord''s essence.'' After all, only he could see and collect it, so there was no fear of someone else taking it.

    In addition, the ''Fate Holder''ˇŞAlexˇŞhad fled deep into the Dark Forest.

    With a life-threatening wound, it seemed that Alex wouldn''t be able to come out anytime soon to hunt zombies.

    Everything was proceeding according to Noan''s plan. Of course, the one who stood behind everything right now was calmly basking in the sun without any pressure or worries.

    A moment later, Vylyss appeared beside him, smiling as she spoke, "Master, that little brat is quite interesting."

    "Hm?!" Hearing Vylyss, Noan was intrigued and asked, "What happened? What did he do?"

    Vylyss recounted everything, including how lucky Alex had been.

    After hearing this, Noan didn''t find it strange. After all, Alex was a ''Fate Holder''; if he were a character in a novel, he would be the main character. The main characters are always lucky; even when facing life-threatening danger, they can escape.

    "Alright, let''s go harvest." Noan sighed softly and then slowly stood up.

    "Master, do you want to..."

    Before Vylyss could finish her sentence, Noan already knew what she was about to say. He waved his hand and said, "No need, let''s be patient for a little longer. We don''t need to rush."

    "Yes, Master." Vylyss replied, and with that, she led Noan into the spatial vortex.

    Noan watched as Vylyss effortlessly used spatial magic to move, feeling envious.

    If he could use such magic, it would be wonderful. Not only could he move and fight more efficiently, but he would also hold a trump card that could turn the tide of any battle.

    However, Noan didn''t rush. He planned to wait a bit longer, relying on his SSS rank innate ability to possess such a power eventually.

    Noan visited each domain, looking at the corpses of the dead Lords, feeling no emotional attachment whatsoever.

    He didn''t even feel guilt or fear when killing these Lords.

    After all, they would turn into zombies, so it was better to let them die before they became zombies.

    What made Noan feel uncomfortable was the smell of blood and the decaying flesh left behind by the zombies.

    Noan quickly collected the ''Lord''s essence'' and returned to his domain.

    He looked at the amount of ''Lord''s essence'' and the resources he had collected in his ''Storage,'' feeling happy.

    More than 53,000 units of wood and 40,000 units of stone, along with some food and a few architectural blueprints.

    Although he hadn''t gathered iron or other materials, this harvest wasn''t bad.

    After all, this was a barren area, so collecting construction resources was a very good result.

    As for food and iron, the ''Resource Production Center'' could provide him with that.

    The most important thing was that after converting all the ''Lord''s essence'' into ''Lord Points,'' he now had over 4,000 points.

    "System, begin evolution!"

    [Ding! Do you want to spend 2,000 Lord Points to evolve from rank E to E+?]

    "Accept!"

    [Ding! Evolution starting.]

    Vylyss stood beside him, watching as his body began to emit blinding light. She immediately waved her hand, creating a black protective barrier that enveloped the entire domain.

    Noan clenched his fists, feeling his body''s magical and physical strength increasing. Each of his cells seemed to grow stronger, filled with energy.

    At that moment, near his heart, a drop of blood began to flow out and formed into a red essence.

    Noan furrowed his brow, sensing something strange happening in his body. However, his instincts told him that this red blood essence wouldn''t harm him; on the contrary, it would significantly affect him.

    Suddenly, Noan felt that the appearance of this blood essence was somehow related to that mysterious girl.

    He decided that after the ''Zombie Wave'' event, he would find her to ask her about everything.

    But then, when he recalled her kick that almost sent him to hell, he immediately shuddered, feeling a bit anxious and fearful.

    Noan shook his head, not wanting to think too much about it, and focused on the growing strength within his body.

    After a while, the light surrounding his body disappeared, and Noan knew the evolution process was complete.

    He took a deep breath, raised his hand, and a threadball appeared in his palm.

    Noan threw the thread ball into the air, instantly, it exploded, transforming into countless strands of thread that shot out in all directions.

    There were no dead angles; each thread was like a bullet fired at a terrifying speed, with piercing power that even trees couldn''t withstand.

    Vylyss, witnessing this, immediately retracted her protective dome, covering the threadball.

    Whoosh!

    Whoosh!

    Whoosh!

    The sound of the wind slicing through the air echoed continuously. Though Vylyss''s protective dome wasn''t destroyed, Noan clearly understood the overwhelming power of the threadball he had created.

    Of course, before a rank B monster like Vylyss, the threadball was just a child''s play, not worth mentioning.

    Just then, the system''s notification appeared before him.

 Chapter 118: 300 Kills Medal

    [Ding! Congratulations, you have successfully evolved to rank E+. From now on, the soldiers you summon will be at rank E+.]

    [Ding! The innate ability ''Almighty Fusion'' has gained a new function; please check it in the inherent ability information section.]

    [Ding! Because you are the first to kill 100 Lords, you have received the ''100 kills'' Medal.]

    [Ding! Because you are the first to kill 200 Lords, you have received the ''200 kills'' Medal. One level-up for the Medal.]

    [Ding! Because you are the first to kill 300 Lords, you have received the ''300 kills'' Medal. One level-up for the Medal.]

    Noan saw the continuous notifications appearing and felt extremely happy.

    He tried to contain his excitement, sat down, and slowly reviewed each notification.

    First was the ''300 Kills'' Medal. Although there were three notifications, he only received one MedalˇŞthe ''300 Kills'' Medal.

    Additionally, he needed to receive two more medal upgrades.

    ...

    Name: 300 Kills Medal

    Level: 00

    Effect 1: When facing other Lords, the strength of your summoned soldiers and heroes is increased by 30%.

    Effect 2: The exclusive effect of Lord Noan ¨C the number of Lord Points is increased by 30% based on the total ''Lord''s essence'' you have collected.

    Note: It will still take effect if stored in ''Storage''.

    ...

    Noan looked at the information for the ''300 Kills'' Medal, his smile growing even brighter.

    He then checked the two medal upgrades, pondering which one to allocate them.

    ''300 Kills'' or ''Pioneer.''

    Noan furrowed his brows, deciding to allocate one upgrade to each Medal.

    One was for PVP, and the other was for PVEˇŞboth were important.

    [Ding! You have successfully evolved the ''300 Kills'' Medal.]

    [Ding! You have successfully evolved the ''Pioneer'' Medal.]

    ...

    Name: 300 Kills Medal

    Level: 01

    Effect 1: When facing other Lords, the strength of your soldiers, heroes, and the Lord is increased by 50%.

    Effect 2: The exclusive effect of Lord Noan ¨C the number of Lord Points is increased by 50% based on the total amount of ''Lord''s essence'' you have collected.

    Note: Even when stored in ''Storage,'' it will still take effect.

    ...

    Name: ''Pioneer'' Medal

    Level: 01

    Effect 1: Increases the strength of the Lord and all heroes soldiers under the Lord''s command by 30%.

    Effect 2: Reduces physical and magic damage by 30%.

    Effect 3: Reduces the strength of zombie-type monsters by 30% when near heroes, soldiers, or the Lord who possesses this Medal.

    Note: Even when stored in ''Storage,'' it will still take effect.

    ...

    Noan happily looked at the information for both medals. Now, he felt full of confidence when facing zombies or other Lords.

    ''Ack! Not good!'' Nolan felt that he had become too arrogant, so he immediately took a deep breath, trying to stabilize his emotions.

    However, his excitement was overwhelming this time, and he couldn''t regain control of his feelings.

    As a result, Noan decided to enter the ''Combat Simulation Room.''

    After 24 hours of battle, Noan''s confidence and arrogance were shattered.

    After conducting the battle simulation, he could only flee from the pursuit of the Mutant Hunter.

    ''I''m still too weak!'' Noan kept this thought in mind to remind himself to work more carefully, shedding some of his arrogance and confidence.

    "Open personal information," Noan commanded.

    ...

    Name: Noan

    Rank: E+ (Temporarily unable to evolve)

    Level: 2

    Currently owned structures: Resource Storage Center (Level 2)

    Innate Abilities: Almighty Fusion (SSS); Immortal (SS - Fake)

    Items: ''Pioneer'' Medal Level 1; ''300 Kills'' Medal Level 1

    Heroes: Abyss Cube (D), Vylyss (B), Zhisse (D-Peak), Malrik (E)

    Soldiers: Skeleton (E+)

    Mutated Soldiers: Skeleton Hunter (D+) x 2, Skeleton Swordsman (D+) x 2, Skeleton Shielder (D+), Urlgan (D-Peak), Urlgug (D+)

    ...

    Innate Ability: Almighty Fusion (SSS)

    Rank: SSS

    Description 1: You can fuse three soldiers of the same rank to create a soldier of a higher rank. From now on, you can choose a class for soldiers with ranks from D and above.

    Description 2: You can use high-ranked soldiers to increase the rank of the heroes you summon.

    Description 3: Soldiers or heroes that have undergone ''Fusion'' will receive the ''Evolution'' mark.

    Evolution Mark: When a soldier or hero receives this mark, their overall strength will increase by 10%. The more soldiers or heroes with the ''Evolution'' mark, the stronger the Lord will become.

    Description 4: You can use leftover materials after fusion to increase the strength of other monsters.

    Description 5: You can fuse all your skills to create higher-level skills.

    ...

    Noan saw that his innate ability remained the same as before, but now he could choose a class for his soldiers.

    Although there weren''t many changes, it was enough.

    However... another problem appeared: he could no longer evolve.

    "System, why can''t I evolve anymore?" Noan frowned and asked.

    [Ding! This area is only for Lords of rank F and E. You can only evolve up to rank E+. To continue evolving, you must wait until your region is connected to a higher-ranked area.]

    Upon hearing the system''s explanation, Noan realized that he would likely encounter even stronger enemies in the future.

    He decided to push his soldiers and heroes to their highest limits and then gather resources.

    He could evolve directly to rank D when the two regions were connected.

    Noan mentally planned his next steps for development. Of course, before that, he needed to resolve the ''Zombie Wave'' event.

    However, he wasn''t in a hurry. There were still the groups of Lords led by Caleb and Austin who were safe.

    He could wait until they were in the most challenging situation, then step in to help themˇŞit wouldn''t be too late.

    Why was he doing this? Because he wanted to keep Austin and Caleb loyal to him, even if the ''Servitude Pact'' function no longer worked in the future, they would remain loyal to him.

    "Master..." Vylyss walked over to him, her face flushed, her eyes filled with tears.

    Noan, of course, knew what Vylyss wanted when she showed this expression. He smiled and said, "The next few times won''t be that meaningful, right?"

    Indeed, he had always thought that after acquiring the ''Immortal'' innate ability, all he needed was to sleep with Vylyss, and she would grow stronger.

    However, he had been wrong.

    Only the first time had a significant effect, while the subsequent times had minimal effects, so small that it was almost like a drop of water falling into a pond. It wasn''t very sensible.

    "Hehehe..." Vylyss giggled, "Master, it''s fine even if it doesn''t have much effect. I need your ''milk,'' and I just want to ''enjoy'' myself with you."

    She spoke while using her beautiful finger to draw a circle on his chest.

    Noan didn''t know how to respond, but he didn''t refuse. After all, he had just evolved from rank E to E+, so relaxing a little wouldn''t hurt.

    Noan picked Vylyss up and headed toward the bedroom.

    "Wait! Master... I want to change something."

    "Hm?!" Hearing Vylyss''s sweet words, Noan felt a slight shiver.

    It was too sweet like honey being poured into his ears.

    Vylyss smiled and whispered something into Noan''s ear.

    His expression changed from surprise to suspicion, followed by a grin full of excitement.

    He waved his hand, signaling for the NPCs working to enter the NPC quarters, and then said to Vylyss, "You know how to ''enjoy'' yourself."

    "Hehehehe... This will make me even more excited." Vylyss said as she pushed Noan onto the grass, and then...

    ...

    Caleb and Austin led a few Lords into the Dark Forest in the evening.

    "Keep pushing a little more," Caleb turned and said to the Lords following behind him.

    "Big brother, I... I''m too tired."

    "Me too, I feel... I can''t run anymore."

    "Don''t give up," Caleb shouted, "Keep going a little longer."

    KRIT!!!

    Suddenly, a roar echoed, and Caleb and everyone heard the sound, their faces immediately showing signs of fear.

    "Hurry!" Caleb shouted.

    At that moment, Austin stopped, furrowing his brows, and said, "You go ahead, I''ll stop it."

    "You''re crazy!" Caleb shouted, grabbing Austin''s arm, "Let''s go; even if you die, that monster won''t die."

    "But if we go together, we will surely die!" Austin shouted back, his face showing precise determination.

    "You..." Caleb was about to say something when Austin immediately pushed him away.

    At that moment, a shadow dashed toward Austin.

    "No!" Caleb yelled.

    But fortunately, the Lava Lizard appeared just in time, standing before Austin.

    Whoosh!

    The sound of the wind howling filled the air, and then the head of the Lava Lizard was severed, flying into the air before falling to the ground.

 Chapter 119: Mutant Zombie

    Austin saw this scene, his eyes wide open as if about to burst, not believing that the Lava Lizard of his had died right before his eyes.

    In fact, it had died so easily that he couldn''t even imagine it.

    One had to know that the Lava Lizard was at least a D Rank Peak. Even if it was severely wounded, it could still hold on for some time if it faced a Zombie of D Rank.

    But in the end... it died, died so easily.

    Before Austin could scream, the Lava Lizard''s body emitted a blinding light.

    He knew this was the last thing the Lava Lizard could do for him.

    Austin tried to suppress his grief, rushing toward everyone and shouting: "Run! Hurry up!"

    Everything happened so fast that no one had time to understand what was going on. But when Austin shouted, they immediately followed his lead and ran.

    The dark shadow was about to charge toward the group of leaders when the tail of the Lava Lizard suddenly wrapped around it tightly.

    It turned its head and looked toward the headless body of the Lizard, which was emitting a blinding light like the sun.

    The light drove away all the darkness within a radius of over 100 meters, helping everyone see a creature that resembled a human but was not human.

    It stood about two meters tall, its body full of muscular chunks like metal blocks, but was still relatively slim.

    The monster swung its sharp iron claws, slashing down, but something strange happened.

    Clang!

    Its sharp claws hit the Lava Lizard''s tail, only sparking without being able to sever it.

    The monster swung its claws again, slashing down.

    Clang!

    Although it couldn''t cut off the Lava Lizard''s tail this time, a deep groove had appeared on the tail.

    Clang! Clang! Clang!

    The monster kept slashing down, and the tail was gradually severed, and then...

    Clang!

    The tail was completely severed.

    But at that moment, the body of the Lava Lizard swelled up like a balloon filled to its maximum capacity.

    BAM!

    A loud explosion echoed, and the Lava Lizard''s body exploded, splattering molten lava everywhere.

    The terrifying heat of the lava scorched all the surrounding trees.

    The flames ignited and spread quickly, like a monster destroying everything in its path.

    In the distance, as Austin was running, he heard the explosion, and tears streamed down his face.

    Although it was just a monster, Austin and it had fought together for a long time, ever since he first became the Leader.

    Even though the Lava Lizard couldn''t speak, Austin knew exactly what the Lava Lizard was thinking and what it wanted to do.

    The moment he saw its headless body emitting a blinding light, Austin knew that the Lava Lizard wanted to use its last bit of energy to eliminate the enemy and help him escape.

    He didn''t want to waste the opportunity the Lava Lizard had sacrificed its life for.

    Because of that, he ran alongside everyone.

    But now, upon hearing the explosion, Austin felt an immense pain and sorrow in his heart.

    Caleb glanced at Austin, feeling the same way.

    His Stone Golem had also died to protect him. Not just him and Austin, but the heroes and soldiers of the leaders here had all been killed.

    In the end, all they could do was run.

    Suddenly, Caleb saw a small cave ahead and shouted: "It''s up ahead, hurry!"

    Krit!

    A roar sounded from behind, and hearing that, Austin slowed his running pace and stepped back.

    Caleb saw Austin''s action and hurriedly shouted: "What the hell are you doing? Hurry up, follow me!"

    "No! If no one stays behind to avoid the monster, we''ll all surely die."

    "You..."

    Caleb wanted to say more, but a dark shadow suddenly appeared and charged toward them with incredible speed.

    Austin said nothing more and immediately rushed toward the shadow.

    BAM!

    The dark shadow and Austin collided violently, but Austin was sent flying.

    He was like a leaf, flying backward for more than ten meters, rolling a few times on the ground before finally stopping.

    "Austin!" Caleb roared, his eyes red as if about to spew fire.

    "Let''s go! Caleb!"

    "Yes, Austin helped us hold off that monster. Don''t let his death be in vain."

    "Hurry up!"

    Caleb gritted his teeth, not believing that Austin had sacrificed himself like that.

    At the same time, he also felt hopeless.

    In reality, he had crushed the thread given to him by the Master. But after that, nothing happened. No one came to save them, and no miracle occurred.

    At that moment, he knew for certain that Noan had abandoned him.

    Although his heart ached with misery and hopelessness, he couldn''t hate Noan.

    In this situation, it was normal for Noan not to save him.

    He remembered that Noan''s domain had an invisible protective layer, and even if Austin''s Lava Lizard attacked with full force, it couldn''t break through that defense.

    If Caleb had a domain like that, he would only want to stay inside, never venturing out as long as enough food was inside.

    At this moment, Caleb saw the monster-like creature standing before Austin, its sharp claws raised like a lethal weapon.

    He gritted his teeth, wanting to rush to Austin''s side, but he was stopped by others, who pulled him forward.

    Austin, meanwhile, felt his body aching to the point that it seemed ready to break into pieces.

    Though he had prepared mentally to face death, when it came near, he couldn''t accept it.

    The creature appeared before him, its sharp claws raised like a blade, aiming at his head to strike.

    Austin, at that moment, felt unwilling.

    He had come to this new territory with a D Rank Peak hero and thought he would be the ruler here.

    However, before he could become king, he was defeated by someone else and became that person''s slave.

    Though unwilling, he wasn''t a fool, and he knew clearly that the opponent was stronger than him, and killing him would be incredibly easy.

    That was why he accepted bowing his head and becoming a slave, waiting for the day when he had enough strength to break the contract and then kill Noan.

    But that day never came, and now he was about to face death.

    Austin closed his eyes, waiting for death.

    One second...

    Two seconds...

    Three seconds...

    Ten seconds passed, and nothing had happened.

    Austin, confused, slowly opened his eyes and saw the monster before him, now bound tightly by countless chains, unable to move.

    "That''s..." Austin''s face was filled with disbelief.

    Where had these chains come from? How could they bind a monster capable of easily killing his Lava Lizard?

    GRAOO!!!

    Suddenly, another roar rang out, causing Austin to flinch.

    He turned around, looking toward the roar, and saw a dark figure towering over two meters tall, like a small mountain, standing not far from him.

    The aura emanating from the dark figure terrified Austin. The oppressive weight made him feel like a heavy stone was pressing down on him.

    It was terrifying; the mere presence of the figure was enough to make Austin afraid.

    Especially its eyes, which emitted a strange violet light, like the gaze of a death god staring at him.

    The creature had black skin and was holding a massive spiked mace in its hand.

    Austin shuddered. Instinctively, he wanted to run, but his body no longer obeyed his commands.

    His left leg and right arm had been broken after the collision with the creature.

    Now, even standing up was a struggle, let alone escaping.

    Austin was both confused and terrified.

    He didn''t know what the black-skinned monster was, but surrounded by two creatures, Austin knew he would certainly die.

    Even if the two monsters fought each other, being stuck here, he would either be killed or severely injured.

    BAM!

    Suddenly, the black-skinned creature stomped its foot on the ground, creating a deafening explosion.

    Its heavy body was unexpectedly quick and agile, charging toward the strange monster bound by chains with its mace raised.

    BAM!

    The spiked mace was swung with all its might, striking the creature''s abdomen.

    Another explosion rang out, and the force of the impact created a gust of wind that sent Austin flying backward for several meters.

    The creature was thrown back more than twenty meters, crashing into and breaking several trees before it could stop.

    However, the creature seemed unfazed by the pain and got back up despite its severely injured abdomen.

    Its stomach was torn open, and a blue liquid leaked out as if it were its blood.

    At that moment, the creature''s body suddenly changed. Two bat-like wings sprouted from its back, and it slowly began to lift off the ground.

 Chapter 120: Noan is coming!

    Noan and Vylyss were hiding in the shadows, watching the scene unfold. Noan furrowed his brows.

    At first, Noan recognized the zombie''s appearance and immediately identified it as a Hunter zombie. However, its physique seemed much slimmer compared to a regular Hunter.

    But its strength was no less than that of a Hunter. On the contrary, its speed was even greater, and its claws seemed capable of cutting through stone.

    It was known that the tail of Austin''s Lava Lizard was almost made of solid lava stone.

    But with just a few slashes, the creature had severed the Lava Lizard''s tail, and its claws showed no signs of damage.

    Now that the zombie had sprouted two wings, Noan felt even more confused.

    Zombies growing wingsˇŞsomething he had never witnessed or even read about in any other document.

    Ah! Except for the Angelic Zombie.

    However, he had never seen an Angelic Zombie fly, but this particular zombie could fly.

    Though its flying ability wasn''t high, only hovering mid-air, it was still enough to surprise Noan.

    "Vylyss, capture it." Noan furrowed his brow and said.

    "Yes, master. As you wish." Vylyss waved her hand, and countless chains immediately appeared, binding the zombie into a cocoon, exposing only its head.

    However, the zombie struggled, its head separating like petals, revealing a small tube-like structure inside its throat.

    PFF!!!

    At that moment, a blue liquid shot from the tube toward Urlgan.

    However, the red liquid hovering in front of Urlgan''s body suddenly stopped mid-air as if frozen in place.

    In the distance, hidden in the shadows, Urlgug used dark magic to assist Urlgan.

    He was also tasked with being on guard in case Urlgan was ambushed.

    It could be said that the coordination between Urlgug and Urlgan made them a remarkably perfect team.

    Urlgan, enraged, raised his mace, preparing to continue attacking the monster, but Noan''s voice suddenly rang out.

    "Enough!"

    At that moment, Noan appeared, standing more than ten meters away from the creature, with Vylyss positioned in front of him.

    Noan could respond to anything that happened, and even if the monster broke free from Vylyss''s chains, Urlgan and Vylyss would still be there to protect him.

    KRIT!!

    The creature screamed, spitting out countless blue fluids, but all of them were frozen in mid-air after being sprayed.

    Noan waved his hand, and a chain wrapped around the creature''s head, sealing off the fragments of bone-like petals around its head to prevent it from attacking further.

    He looked carefully from afar and noticed that this zombie closely resembled a Hunter zombie, only slightly smaller.

    If a Zombie Hunter was a Warrior version, this zombie was an Assassin.

    "Master..." At this moment, Austin''s voice came from behind.

    Noan turned around and looked at him, slightly surprised that despite his severe injuries, he was still alive.

    One of Austin''s arms and legs had been broken, and Noan could even discern signs of serious internal bleeding, but he was still alive.

    ''It seems Austin and Caleb are carrying some kind of fate,'' Noan thought.

    He waved his hand, signaling Urlgug to approach Austin and use magic to help heal him.

    However, the healing magic could only ease Austin''s pain, stop the bleeding, and heal him slightly.

    But even so, it was a great improvement; compared to his earlier pain, Austin felt much more comfortable.

    "Thank you, Master," Austin sighed, then spoke.

    However, his words weren''t just that. He wanted to ask more but didn''t dare speak further.

    After all, he was Noan''s slave, and if he made Noan uncomfortable, he feared that his end wouldn''t be good.

    Austin was also very surprised to see the dark-skinned creature standing beside Noan.

    Earlier, he had known that the girl next to him was his hero, but what about the dark-skinned creature? Was it also Noan''s hero?

    How many heroes did Noan actually have that he didn''t know about?

    Austin shuddered, feeling terrified. At the same time, he felt that attacking Noan''s territory had been incredibly foolish.

    Noan, seeing this, had no intention of explaining. After all, he was their master, and there was no need to do so.

    "Your injuries are quite severe; they can''t be treated all at once. Do you understand what I mean?"

    Hearing Noan''s question, Austin gave a painful smile. "I understand. It is an honor to be saved by you, Master. I dare not ask for more."

    "Just... my hero has died, and I have become useless to you. Would Master allow me freedom in my final days?"

    Noan, hearing this, didn''t show any emotion. His face remained indifferent and cold.

    "Stay here." Noan spoke, then turned and left.

    Austin could only shake his head and sigh, leaning against a tree, trying to conserve his strength.

    Suddenly, a skeleton holding a sword and a shield, seemingly made from the bones of some kind of monster, approached.

    "What the hell?!" Austin jumped in shock.

    He knew Noan''s soldiers were skeletons, but he couldn''t remain calm.

    After all, he was useless now, and Noan didn''t care about his earlier words.

    Now, with a skeleton appearing, Austin thought Noan wanted to kill him.

    However, what happened next confused him even more.

    The skeleton picked him up, threw him over its shoulder, and left the dark forest.

    Although Austin was puzzled, at least he was still alive, and that was enough.

    ...

    Meanwhile, Caleb, accompanied by other leaders, approached a small cave.

    Once inside, they hurriedly moved a large boulder to cover the entrance.

    Krit! Krit! Krit!

    "It''s not good!" One person suddenly shouted. "Lickers, they''re coming! Hurry!"

    Everyone, hearing this, tried their best to push the boulder, attempting to seal the cave entrance.

    But the boulder was too large and heavy. After running for a long distance and being exhausted, they couldn''t continue pushing it.

    Caleb sat on the ground, feeling a sense of hopelessness that made him not want to resist anymore.

    Could he die here?

    Could everything end like this?

    He didn''t want to die! He still had things to do.

    He wanted revenge, and he wanted to kill his brother. But now, his life was like a small candle before a terrifying storm, barely hanging on.

    Caleb lowered his head, contemplating giving up, but suddenly, a voice rang out beside his ear.

    "Caleb."

    "Master?!" Caleb immediately reacted and spoke upon hearing the voice.

    But Caleb realized others were around, so he immediately covered his mouth with both hands.

    He looked around at the others, none of whom noticed him, as they were all focused on trying to move the massive stone to block the cave entrance.

    He took a deep breath, then tried to lower his voice as much as possible: "Master, are you here? Please, save me and Austin."

    Caleb looked around, but he couldn''t find Noan. It seemed like the voice earlier had come from inside his head, not through his ears.

    "Do as I say." Noan''s voice echoed again, "Not only will you be able to survive, but these leaders will truly be loyal to you."

    Caleb found it hard to believe, but with no other choice, he nodded and said, "I am ready to follow your command, Master."

    Everyone struggled to move the massive boulder at the cave entrance, but their efforts were in vain.

    The boulder had only been moved a few centimeters before it stopped. Its roots dug into the ground, holding it in place.

    "Damn it! This boulder won''t move any more!"

    "Curse it! Keep pushing!"

    "Come on! How can twenty people not move this boulder?"

    "Push harder!"

    "Hurry! The Lickers are coming!"

    "Not just the Lickers; there are zombies, too."

    "Can you all be quiet for a moment? Why talk so much? Do you want the zombies to get here faster?"

    The group fell silent, focusing on moving the boulder to block the cave entrance.

    They hoped to use this cave as their final refuge. Though they didn''t know what they would do afterward, at least they needed to survive first.

    Krit! Krit!

    At that moment, using the moonlight, the group looked toward the distance upon hearing the strange screeching sounds.

    In the distance, numerous shadows were quickly moving toward them.

    "This is bad, they''re coming!"

    "Hurry! Hurry!"

    "No! No!"

    Suddenly, one person stopped pushing the boulder, yelling as he ran away.

    "Damn it! Turn back, hurry!"

    "AAAH!"

    "No!"

    As the Lickers drew closer, the group grew increasingly terrified and decided to flee.

    They didn''t know where to run, but their instincts told them they had to.

    "NO!" Suddenly, a young man''s leg was caught by the tongue of one of the Lickers, causing him to fall and be dragged across the ground.

    "Help! Help me! Help!" The young man screamed desperately.

    At that moment, a dark figure appeared beside the Licker...

 Chapter 121: I still have a chance

    The light flashed with the sound of the wind howling, and then...

    Whoosh!

    The head of the Licker fell off, and a sticky red substance spewed from its neck.

    The young man jolted, momentarily stunned, but with the moonlight, he could see the shadow of a Skeleton dressed in light armor, holding a sharp sword in its hand.

    He widened his eyes, unsure of what to do next.

    But then, fear struck him as he thought this Skeleton might be the monster from the gloomy forest.

    He hurriedly crawled backward, but his back seemed to hit something very hard, making him freeze in shock.

    The young man slowly turned his head and saw a group of Skeletons behind him. He could no longer hold back and screamed: "AAAA!!!"

    "What are you screaming for?" Suddenly, Caleb''s voice rang out.

    The young man looked in the direction of the voice in terror. There, Caleb stood amidst a group of Skeletons, his expression full of confidence, his eyes reflecting determination and strength.

    "Get up. We''re starting the counterattack," Caleb said with a smile.

    "Counterattack?! You... you..." The young man stuttered.

    Before he could finish, Caleb waved his hand, and the Skeletons immediately sprang into action, slashing and killing the Lickers and Zombies chasing after others.

    ...

    The battle quickly came to an end. After all, all the Skeletons here were level D+ rank 1, with two Mutant SkeletonsˇŞSkeleton Swordsman and Skeleton HunterˇŞthe zombies were nothing more than fish on a chopping block.

    After the battle ended, everyone gathered in the cave, and the Skeletons stood guard at the cave entrance.

    At that moment, one person, with a look of awe, asked: "Big Brother, are these Skeletons really soldiers you summoned?"

    Others also began to ask, even complimenting him.

    "Big Brother, you''re amazing."

    "That''s right, I heard Skeletons are only rank F, but yours seem higher than rank F."

    "Of course, they''re not rank F. Didn''t you see how easily those Skeletons killed the Lickers?"

    "That''s right, Lickers are rank E. If they can kill them so easily, these Skeletons are at least rank E+."

    "Wow! E+, Big Brother, how did you get these Skeletons?"

    "Are you stupid? Big Brother is a rank E+ lord. Of course, he can summon rank E+ soldiers. That''s a normal thing."

    One must know that in this area, with only rank E and E+ lords, a rank E+ army is nearly unbeatable.

    Although Caleb is a rank E+ lord, the number of rank E+ soldiers he can summon is very small. After all, the higher the rank, the fewer soldiers can be summoned, and the longer the wait time to summon more.

    For someone like Caleb, he can only summon one soldier every two days because his soldiers are not ordinary ones.

    However, his soldiers show significant signs of weakness due to insufficient supplies and energy.

    That''s also the reason Caleb quickly failed when facing the zombie wave.

    Moreover, zombies are a terrifying type of enemy. For living creatures, even the slightest injury could become a fatal wound.

    That creature would be infected with the virus and turn into a zombie.

    That''s also why other lords quickly fail against the power of zombies.

    Unless they own special soldiers like Caleb, elemental soldiers who aren''t afraid of the zombie virus.

    However, summoning such soldiers requires many conditions and the resources needed to sustain them.

    Caleb listened to everyone''s words, secretly sighing in his heart. In reality, those soldiers were not his but the Master''s.

    He didn''t understand why the Master hadn''t appeared and let him lead this powerful army to eliminate the zombies.

    Although it was hard to understand, Caleb followed exactly what the Master had instructed.

    "Alright, stop talking," Caleb frowned, clearly displaying the leadership quality of a leader. "I just happened to find a random soldier summoning card."

    "In a critical moment, I remembered its existence. Fortunately, it helped us summon rank D soldiers. If not, we would all be dead here."

    Everyone silently thought that Caleb was really lucky.

    However, they also realized just how powerful those Skeletons were.

    What does a group of rank D soldiers mean? Enough to wipe out all the lords in this area.

    Everyone glanced at the 20 Skeletons standing at the cave entrance, two of which were Mutant Skeletons with strength surpassing the other 20.

    However, Caleb had lied. In reality, those 20 Skeletons and 2 Mutant Skeletons were all rank D+.

    Of course, Caleb didn''t trust these people, so he had hidden some of the strength of those Skeletons.

    Based on Noan''s words, Caleb quickly sought a way to conceal the true origin of the Skeletons.

    After stabilizing the situation, Caleb looked around and asked, "How many people are left?"

    Everyone confirmed briefly and then responded, "Big Brother, 17 people left. Two have died, and one has turned into a zombie."

    Caleb nodded lightly and said, "Rest for a while. We''ll move into the safe zone tomorrow to eliminate all the remaining zombies."

    "Don''t worry, this group of Skeletons is more than capable of clearing out all the zombies."

    "However, this is a system event, so even if we kill the zombies, we won''t get any energy essence, do you understand?"

    The group nodded.

    After all, they had lost all their heroes and soldiers. Their only hope now was their domain.

    They could start over from scratch as long as the domain still existed.

    If the domain were gone, they would be doomed to become slaves to other lords.

    Fighting for energy essence? No, at this moment, all they hoped for was to survive.

    What if Caleb lied?

    Caleb had a rank D army of Skeletons. Even if he took all the energy essence, they couldn''t do anything but remain silent.

    That was the privilege of the strong; the weak had no voice.

    ...

    At the same time, Alex was hiding in a small cave, feeling incredibly uncomfortable.

    As a ''Fate Holder,'' he should have been like a God of War, sweeping through all the zombies, admired by everyone, and then crowned as the king of this place.

    But that was only in his thoughts.

    Before the Zombie Wave even started, he had encountered a mysterious enemy and had been severely wounded.

    The injury hadn''t fully healed when the Zombie Wave came, and while he could still fight after meeting the Mutant Hunter, he realized the harsh reality.

    He wasn''t as strong as he had once thought.

    The Mutant Licker almost killed him, which was why he didn''t dare to be arrogant and quickly fled into the Gloomy Forest.

    Fortunately, the Mutant Licker didn''t chase after him. If it had, his life would have likely ended there.

    Alex gritted his teeth, feeling incredibly uncomfortable. Previously, his mentor had told him he was a ''Fate Holder,'' and the goddess of luck would always be by his side.

    Other geniuses would be stepping stones for him, and the world would remember his name.

    That was also why his mentor sacrificed his life to give him a fragment of fate.

    However, now everything was beyond his control, surpassing what he had once thought.

    "Damn it!" Alex muttered, cursing: "Why is everything like this?"

    He breathed heavily, frustrated and hopeless. But then, he took a deep breath to stabilize his emotions.

    "No! I still have a chance."

    Alex thought of the other lords and felt somewhat relieved.

    Why?

    Because he knew clearly that if he couldn''t deal with those zombies, no other lord would be able to either.

    Besides, the alliance shattered like soap bubbles before the Zombie Wave started. Therefore, the idea of the lords uniting to eliminate the zombies was almost impossible.

    Even if they united, what good would it do? As long as a Zombie rank D Peak appeared, all the unity and plans would become meaningless.

    Just as Alex had said, he still had a chance to shine. He could continue hunting as long as he hid here and waited for his wound to heal.

    No need to target the rank E zombies, as long as he hunted enough rank F zombies, absorbed their energy essence, and strengthened himself, that would be enough.

    He just needed to continue that process until he had enough strength to fight rank E or even D zombies. Then, he could sweep away all the zombies here.

    All he needed was time.

    He believed he could shine like the sun if he had enough time.

    While Alex was thinking about his bright future, suddenly, the cave shook a little.

    Boom! Boom! Boom!

    Alex jumped, trying to steady himself. With the moonlight streaming into the cave, he saw the cave walls suddenly crack and then collapse, revealing a large hole.

    "That''s..."

 Chapter 122: Bad luck

    Alex flinched slightly when he saw the collapsed cave, revealing a large hole. He furrowed his brow and moved slowly towards the hole, feeling confused inside.

    Although he didn''t know what the hole was, his intuition told him that something very special was inside. He approached and discovered that it was a stone staircase leading down below.

    Curious, Alex placed his foot on the stone steps. One step... two steps... three steps...

    Feeling that the stairs were stable, he began to descend further. At the same time, in the darkness, Noan and Vylyss also saw this scene.

    Especially Vylyss, who suddenly felt a wave of doubt about her search energy. It should be known that in the past, she and the Urlgan and Urlgug groups had thoroughly searched this forest but found nothing strange.

    After reaching rank B, she again used a magic spell to search every corner of the forest, but it was still futile.

    Now, Alex was sitting quietly in the cave when it suddenly collapsed, revealing the stone stairs that led down below. Vylyss felt very confused, wondering what exactly was going on.

    Noan could clearly tell what Vylyss was thinking. He gently patted her head and said, "Don''t worry, I don''t blame you."

    Vylyss felt a warmth in her heart at those words, but she also felt an overwhelming sense of disappointment in herself. She rested her head against Noan''s chest and softly whispered, "Master, I''m sorry."

    He simply patted Vylyss''s back lightly, not saying anything more. After all, he knew well that everyone''s fate was different. Alex was a ''Fate Holder'', and indeed, he would have his unique opportunities that others couldn''t take.

    If Vylyss discovered Alex''s fate, other Fate Holders would surely cease.

    That''s why he honestly didn''t blame Vylyss. On the contrary, thanks to her, he also learned how to detect the fate of the Fate Holders.

    Although this particular fate was not his, Noan wanted to test whether he could claim Alex''s fate. Vylyss and Noan, hiding in the shadows, were surrounded by the dark veil created by Vylyss''s magic, following Alex from behind.

    Of course, as long as Vylyss wished, even if Noan and she were right beside Alex, Alex wouldn''t be able to detect them.

    After descending, it was very dark below. Even if he stretched out his hand before him, Alex couldn''t see his fingers. Fortunately, with Vylyss beside him, Noan was able to see everything around them thanks to her magic clearly.

    However, Noan also felt that Alex was truly very lucky. Despite the darkness, he could still step steadily on the stairs without falling.

    After about ten minutes, Alex saw a beam of light in the distance. He began to quicken his pace, simultaneously preparing himself mentally for the possible appearance of a monster.

    After all, this cave was so mysterious, and it wouldn''t be strange if some odd creature or monster appeared.

    At that moment, Noan and Vylyss also saw the distant light. He frowned and said, "Vylyss!"

    Even though Noan didn''t say anything, Vylyss still knew what he wanted. She closed her eyes, and a wave of magic spread everywhere. This time, Vylyss didn''t want to disappoint Noan again. She used all her abilities to search every corner of the area.

    A moment later, before Alex could reach the light, Vylyss opened her eyes and said, "Master, there is nothing dangerous around, and moreover, I can use teleportation magic here."

    "There''s an ancient tomb ahead, and inside the tomb, there''s a small chest. Master, would you like to go there first?"

    Noan frowned, thinking for a moment before deciding to go there first. After all, Vylyss could use teleportation magic here, and even if danger arose, he could always escape.

    That''s right, he thought about running away first instead of staying behind to fight. He wasn''t a fool and didn''t want to risk his strength and life in a battle if there was any danger.

    Even if there was a treasure inside, he didn''t want to gamble his fate to find it. If he died, no matter how great the treasure was, he wouldn''t be able to use it.

    Noan thought for a moment before asking, "Is there any danger inside?"

    Vylyss shook her head, "Master, I haven''t detected any danger at all."

    Noan still wasn''t reassured, so he immediately said, "Check again. If there really is no danger, then we will proceed inside."

    "However, after we enter, you must ensure the concealment magic still works."

    Vylyss, hearing that, didn''t dare object. After all, she had failed many times before, which embarrassed her greatly. Because of this, she decided to check once more. This time, she used dark magic to examine areas the naked eye couldn''t see.

    After a moment, she furrowed her brow, opened her eyes, and said, "Master, there is truly no danger inside, only a bit of protective magic left."

    "However, the energy required to maintain these spells is almost depleted, so it won''t have any effect on us."

    Noan, hearing this, nodded lightly and said, "Alright, but we still need to remain cautious, understood?"

    Vylyss immediately took his hand. To ensure their safety, she cast three additional magical barriers around them.

    Then, Vylyss transported them to another place.

    When they opened their eyes, Noan saw that he and Vylyss were in a strange room.

    The room was very large, with stones arranged randomly and connected by something resembling mud.

    The most peculiar thing was that in the center of the room, there was a large pit, more than ten meters in diameter, and the bottom was not visible.

    Noan furrowed his brow because he could feel a cold and eerie aura that made him shiver in fear.

    "Master, this pit seems like a mass grave; there are many human bones inside." Vylyss spoke up, "It seems to have been here for a long time, so the bones at the bottom have become fragile, and they''ll break apart if touched."

    Noan stepped back a step, keeping a slight distance from the pit.

    Although Vylyss said there was no danger in the pit, he still needed to be a bit more cautious.

    "Vylyss, the chest you mentioned... where is it?" Noan asked.

    "Master, wait a moment." Vylyss replied, then waved her hand. A chain shot down straight into the pit.

    After a moment, Vylyss pulled the chain up. The chain, resembling a snake, wrapped tightly around a small chest that appeared in front of Noan.

    Seeing the small black chest in front of him, Noan smiled with satisfaction. However, he still asked Vylyss, "Try searching a little more, see if there''s anything special around?"

    Upon hearing Noan''s request, Vylyss immediately closed her eyes again, releasing her magical energy to spread out and probe into even the smallest corners.

    After a moment, Vylyss withdrew her magic, shook her head, and said, "Master, there''s nothing else."

    Noan nodded, stored the chest in his ''Storage'', and said, "Let''s stay hidden for now."

    Vylyss, hearing that Noan didn''t plan to leave immediately, felt confused. However, she didn''t argue and quietly followed his command.

    The two of them patiently stood inside the magical shield, waiting. After a long time, they saw the door of the room slowly creak open.

    Krit! Krit! Krit!

    The door seemed to have been closed for a long time, so when it was opened, dust flew up like mist.

    Cough! Cough! Cough!

    Alex coughed a few times as too much dust entered his nose. Suddenly, the torches mounted along the walls of the room immediately burst into flames.

    Noan, seeing this scene, furrowed his brow. When they entered earlier, those torches weren''t burning. Could it be that the opening of the door triggered some of the magic spells already set in the room?

    He patiently continued to observe.

    Alex entered the room, looking at the large pit in the middle of the room, feeling utterly confused. Thanks to the light from the torches, he could clearly see strange drawings and symbols on the wall of the room.

 Chapter 123: Could it be...?

    Alex saw the symbols and images on the wall beginning to move, then gradually converging toward a single point.

    The entire collection of symbols and images harmonized together, forming a blinding bright spot.

    Suddenly, Alex''s intuition urged him to go toward that light. Though he found it difficult to understand, he did not worry.

    As his mentor had once said, he was the ''Fate Holder,'' the one protected by the goddess of fortune, destined to become the ruler of this world.

    That was why he trusted his instincts deeply.

    Alex slowly approached, his finger reaching out as though about to touch the light. He could feel a strange energy flowing out from the light.

    At that moment, the light suddenly spread out around like a web on the wall. Then, a card appeared in the center before Alex, radiating a blinding golden glow.

    Noan, hidden in the shadows, furrowed his brow upon seeing this scene. Vylyss felt the same way, even feeling deeply embarrassed.

    It must be known that just moments ago, she had tried to use magic to check every nook and cranny, even the smallest corners of this place.

    However, what was happening now felt like a slap to her face.

    What was going on? Could it be that her magic had no effect? Impossible!

    She would have noticed if her magic had been interfered with by any other magic.

    The important thing was that she hadn''t detected any magic around her.

    But when Alex arrived, he had immediately and unintentionally activated some form of magic, helping him seize this enormous opportunity.

    "Vylyss, hypnotize him!" Noan commanded. Vylyss immediately took action upon hearing the order.

    She didn''t want to fail again, so this time, she used all of her strength for the hypnosis.

    Alex saw the golden card before him and felt joy in his heart. He knew that this was his opportunity.

    However, when he reached out to touch the card, a sharp headache suddenly hit him, causing him to frown.

    The pain in Alex''s head was so intense that he had to use both hands to hold his head, kneeling on the ground.

    Vylyss, witnessing this scene, couldn''t believe her eyes. It must be known that her hypnosis ability could affect even beings with C-rank abilities.

    But now, that ability was being blocked by a human who was even struggling to break free from her hypnotic magic.

    "That''s enough!" Noan spoke up.

    Vylyss, hearing this, gritted her teeth, feeling uncomfortable, but still obeyed Noan''s command, withdrawing her hypnosis magic.

    Though only five seconds had passed, Alex felt like nearly an hour had passed.

    The pain disappeared, and Alex, still on the ground, gasped for breath, feeling as though he had just passed through the gates of hell and returned to the mortal realm.

    It was terrifying; what on earth was happening?

    Alex''s body was drenched in sweat, trembling violently. He tried to control his body, but he couldn''t.

    Suddenly, Alex remembered something, and he immediately raised his head.

    "No!!!"

    Alex yelled in anger and distress. The golden-glowing card from earlier had vanished.

    Yes, it had disappeared in just five seconds as if it had never appeared.

    "No! No! No! What is happening? My opportunity! AAA!!!"

    Alex screamed with all his strength as though his throat was about to tear apart.

    Noan, hidden in the shadows, watched this scene without showing pity for Alex.

    It must be known that without these laws, there would undoubtedly be no fairness.

    Even if you were the one to discover the opportunity, if you couldn''t hold onto it, someone else would take it from you.

    Alex was the ''Fate Holder,'' and so was Noan. Between Fate Holders, there would be competition and mutual destruction.

    A world cannot have two kings. Perhaps that is what makes the fate of the Fate Holders one of constant conflict with each other.

    Noan didn''t know the future, so he just wanted to collect as many opportunities from other Fate Holders as possible.

    Only when he was strong enough, and the other Fate Holders were weak, could he be safe in this brutal world?

    Even though Alex was in despair and suffering, Noan didn''t care. If Alex were to take all the opportunities, then in the future, Noan would be the one crying.

    A moment later, Alex seemed to regain his composure. He gritted his teeth, feeling that something was not right.

    "Could it have been an illusion?" Alex reassured himself.

    "Right, it must have been an illusion. How could an opportunity come to me so easily like that?"

    Alex tried to use that logic to calm himself. Even so, deep down, he still felt as if his heart were bleeding from the pain.

    The opportunity had felt so real as if he were about to reach out and touch it, but then suddenly, an intense pain appeared in his head.

    Alex shook his head, took a deep breath, and tried to forget what had happened.

    Of course, Noan was pleased to see Alex''s despair.

    Noan looked at the golden card he had placed inside his ''Storage,'' feeling very pleased with himself.

    Although he didn''t know what this card was or its purpose, it would surely be of great importance if it were Alex''s opportunity.

    He wouldn''t let Alex claim the card even if it had no further use.

    Noan didn''t rush to check the card; his gaze focused on Alex.

    He wanted to see if Alex still had any opportunities left here.

    Vylyss, who had also been standing beside Noan in embarrassment, clenched her teeth, focusing all her attention on Alex.

    Repeated failures had made Vylyss'' mood very unpleasant.

    Even the ability she was most proud ofˇŞher hypnosisˇŞhad lost its effect on Alex, making her feel both embarrassed and angry.

    Failing at her strength, what could be more embarrassing than this?

    Vylyss would have killed Alex a hundred times over if looks could kill.

    At this moment, Alex suddenly shuddered, feeling as though a pair of bloodthirsty, murderous eyes were watching him.

    Alex looked around, seeing no one else and nothing unusual.

    So, why did he feel such a chill, as though someone was trying to kill him?

    Combined with what had just happened, Alex felt this place was strange, especially the black pit before him.

    Alex walked closer, peering down into the black pit. It was very dark below; no matter how he looked, he couldn''t see anything.

    He grabbed a torch fixed to the nearby wall and tossed it into the pit.

    Alex stared at the torch, watching it fall before it finally hit the bottom.

    "Is that... human bones?"

    Alex was startled when he saw the torch lying still amid a pile of human bones.

    A cold sensation enveloped his entire body and soul.

    However, Alex felt as though something down below was waiting for him.

    He frowned, now doubting his intuition.

    It must be known that his intuition had helped him escape death many times, so he trusted it deeply.

    However, just one time, his intuition was wrong, and he started to doubt it.

    Yes, it was just now when he saw the golden card.

    In reality, he wasn''t sure if his intuition had been wrong.

    But if he accepted that his intuition was correct, he would have lost a huge opportunity.

    This made him feel even more uncomfortable.

    Alex hesitated for a long time, then stepped up to the pit''s edge.

    "Dammit! This time, I''m sure it won''t be wrong."

    Alex grabbed a torch, slowly climbing along the pit''s wall. Luckily, the wall had deteriorated after months of decay, leaving tiny holes.

    He placed his feet into these holes to slowly climb to the bottom.

    The pit wasn''t very deep, only about ten meters, so Alex quickly reached the bottom.

    Crack! Crack! Crack!

    As Alex placed his foot down, cracking bones echoed, making him shudder.

    Of course, he knew exactly what he had just stepped on. After all, this pit was filled with human bonesˇŞwhat else could he step on?

    Alex tried to calm himself, trusting his instincts, and made his way toward the center of the pit.

    The pit wasn''t large, so the light from the torch allowed him to see nearly the entire area.

    At that moment, he saw a small stone pedestal in the middle of the pit, with marks on it as though something had been placed there but was now gone.

    Alex looked at the marks, which resembled the impression of a small box that had been taken, and a sense of unease rose within him.

    "Could it be...?"

 Chapter 124: Alexs value

    Could it be that whatever was here has been taken by someone else?

    Alex didn''t dare speak it out loud. He carefully observed the stone pedestal.

    He noticed a lot of dust around, except for a square area that was free of dust.

    This meant that something had been placed here before, so the dust hadn''t settled in this area.

    But that thing had been taken not long ago, perhaps... just recently.

    Alex gritted his teeth and swung the torch around as if searching for something.

    Noan, hidden in the shadows, couldn''t help but marvel at the intuition of the Fate Holders. It was incredibly precise, almost absolute, like a radar searching for treasures.

    Fortunately, Noan had Vylyss, who could use spatial magic, allowing him to reach this place before Alex.

    If not, Alex would have claimed all the opportunities here.

    He had naturally possessed an SS-rank talent, and with the opportunities here, he would surely be able to rapidly develop to a height where Noan would have to look up to him.

    At that point, even if Noan had an SSS rank talent, he wouldn''t be as strong as Alex.

    Why?

    Despite Noan''s SSS rank talent, his growth potential was immense, but it required many conditions and time to develop.

    Meanwhile, Alex''s SS rank talent had far fewer requirements, and his development time was incredibly short.

    Noan sighed, continuing to observe Alex.

    At this moment, Alex confirmed once again that no one was around, but he still didn''t let go of his vigilance and suspicion.

    Suddenly, he noticed a crack on the pedestal, and from inside the crack, a cold breeze blew out.

    Alex frowned and peered inside the crack. However, it was too dark inside, and he couldn''t see anything.

    In the end, Alex used the torch to strike the crack open.

    BAM!

    BAM!

    BAM!

    He continued striking at the crack, causing it to widen more and more.

    After a while, the small crack had now shattered into a hole the size of a palm.

    Alex moved the torch closer to the hole and immediately saw a stream of black smoke filled with an ominous and deathly energy.

    "This... is this energy?" Alex frowned, muttering to himself.

    Suddenly, his intuition kicked in again, telling him that he needed to absorb the black energy.

    However, his rational mind sent opposite signals.

    After all, the energy was so dark and filled with death that if he absorbed it, his body and mind would likely be affected.

    While Alex hesitates, Vylyss furrowed her brow and said, "Master, do you want me to take it for you?"

    Noan waved his hand and replied, "No need! He will lose even more trust and vigilance if we take everything."

    "We should leave him with some trust. Besides, that energy is too dark and evil; I don''t like it."

    "Vylyss, do you like that energy?"

    Vylyss immediately shook her head. "No, I feel uneasy when I see it. It seems to have been created by negative emotions and the death of everyone here."

    "If an ordinary person absorbs it, perhaps their strength would increase drastically, but at the same time, their mind would fall into chaos."

    "In the worst case, they might become a half-human, half-demon, and when their mind completely disappears, they would become a full-fledged demon."

    Noan nodded slightly, acknowledging the danger.

    Although he knew the black energy was dangerous, he didn''t believe it could harm Alex.

    It had to be understood that Alex was a Fate Holder, and even if Vylyss had used hypnosis on him without effect, how could he possibly be affected by this black energy?

    That''s why Noan was sure Alex could absorb it without any problem.

    So, would Noan be worried?

    No! Noan wasn''t worried at all. On the contrary, he wanted Alex to absorb that energy.

    After all, Noan had already taken many of Alex''s opportunities. If he continued to take more, Alex would start doubting and become more cautious.

    Leaving Alex with some trust would allow him to continue believing in his intuition and seeking opportunities.

    As for Noan, all he had to do was follow behind Alex, and he could harvest a lot without risking his life.

    At that moment, Alex decided to absorb the dark, evil energy. He had come this far and couldn''t leave without harvesting something.

    Moreover, he believed he could absorb and control that evil energy.

    Alex immediately extended his hands toward the hole, and his innate talent activated.

    Then, Alex starts to absorb the energy inside.

    As soon as the energy entered his body, he could hear countless screams echoing in his mind.

    These sounds were filled with pain, anger, despair, and hatred... it could be said that Alex was not just absorbing the energy but also the negative emotions of all the people who had died here.

    He could see everything they went through before their death and even feel it.

    Alex felt his headache as if it were about to explode.

    Countless blood veins appeared in his eyes, turning his eyes a deep red.

    The veins under his neck swelled like roots, quickly spreading across his entire body.

    Alex felt like he was about to go mad, overwhelmed by the countless voices whispering.

    "Damned! Shut up! Shut up!"

    "You scum!"

    "Shut up!"

    Alex screamed, clutching his head with both hands, spitting out a mouthful of fresh blood. His face turned ashen, like someone suffering from severe blood loss.

    He gritted his teeth as if trying to bite through them, struggling to endure the excruciating pain.

    However, his ears did not hear the countless voices that appeared directly in his mind.

    Alex shook his head uncontrollably like a madman while the black energy surrounded his body.

    Just as he was about to break under the strain, a stream of light appeared at his chest.

    At that moment, a white smoke billowed from his chest, condensing into a crane.

    KRIT!!!

    The crane cried out, its sound becoming a wave of white energy spread around Alex.

    The black energy was dispersed wherever it passed, turning into countless tiny black particles.

    The particles immediately rushed toward Alex''s body, merging into him.

    Just a few seconds later, the white crane disappeared, and at the same time, Alex quickly absorbed the remaining dark energy like smoke.

    It seemed that the black energy no longer affected Alex after the crane appeared.

    Noan furrowed his brow but was only slightly surprised. He remained still, watching to see what would happen next.

    At this point, the dark aura surrounding Alex had completely vanished.

    He knelt amidst the pile of human bones, a proud and confident smile spreading across his face.

    "Hahahaha... hahahaha..." Suddenly, Alex laughed loudly: "You keep talking. Why aren''t you speaking anymore?"

    "Hahaha... foolish, did you think you could drive me insane with that?"

    BAM!

    Alex stomped forcefully, smashing the human bones beneath him.

    He didn''t stop, repeatedly crushing the bones around him.

    He stomped and cursed like a madman: "Keep going! Why aren''t you talking anymore?"

    "You spoke so much in my head earlier! Keep talking, you scum!"

    BAM!

    BAM!

    BAM!

    After a long while, Alex erupted into a satisfied laugh, saying: "Hahahaha... I am the Fate Holder, you can''t kill me, hahahaha..."

    Alex''s mind seemed to lose control after absorbing much of that black energy.

    Rumble! Rumble! Rumble!

    Suddenly, the room shook violently. Dust and countless bricks fell, making Alex flinch.

    He knew what was about to happen, so he immediately crawled out of the hole and fled with all his strength.

    Noan saw this scene and then looked around for a moment. After confirming nothing else, he said, "Let''s go. There''s nothing left here."

 Chapter 125: Huh? Why is it here?

    Noan and Vylyss returned to their domain.

    Of course, he didn''t care how Alex would escape from that place; he only needed to know that Alex would definitely not die, and that was enough.

    Noan walked into the room, lay on the bed, and began to check today''s harvest.

    He opened the ''Storage'' tab, and inside, two items caught his attention.

    One was a golden card, and the other was a black chest.

    Noan clicked on the card, and immediately, an information panel appeared in front of him.

    ...

    Name: Copy Card

    Description: You can copy any innate ability of a hero/monster that belongs to you.

    Note: The rank of the innate ability you wish to copy cannot be higher than the rank of your Fate Innate Ability.

    ...

    Noan saw the information panel and felt pleased, but... what confused him was the term ''Fate Innate Ability''.

    "System, what is Fate Innate Ability?"

    [Ding! The Fate Innate Ability is the first innate ability you receive when you start becoming a Lord.]

    Upon hearing this, Noan realized that his Fate Innate Ability was Almighty Fusion - rank SSS.

    ''Does this mean I can copy any innate ability with a rank of SSS or lower?'' Noan thought to himself with satisfaction.

    It should be noted that the system had once stated that he was the only one to possess an SSS rank innate ability in the world.

    This meant he could copy any innate ability without encountering any limitations.

    However, there was one restriction: he could only copy the innate abilities of heroes or monsters he summoned.

    Noan sighed. At first, he had intended to copy Alex''s innate ability.

    However, this was already perfect, and he didn''t expect anything more.

    Noan scratched his chin, thinking about Vylyss''s innate ability. It wasn''t a charm-based innate ability, but one that involved space magic.

    Indeed, it was the innate ability that anyone who saw it would inevitably covet.

    "Use ''Copy Card,'' copy Vylyss''s Space Innate Ability."

    [Ding! Vylyss''s Space Innate Ability is rank SS. Do you want to copy this ability?]

    "Agree!"

    [Ding! Copying started, please wait a moment.]

    At that moment, Noan felt a stream of information appears in his mind.

    Along with that, a strange energy suddenly appeared within his body.

    However, this energy did not create conflict, easily merging with the energy already within him.

    Three minutes passed, and another system notification appeared.

    [Ding! Copy successful. You now possess the Space Innate Ability rank SS.]

    ...

    Name: Noan

    Lord Rank: E+ (Currently cannot evolve)

    Level: 2

    Owned buildings: Resource Storage Center (Level 2)

    Innate Abilities: Almighty Fusion (SSS); Immortal (SS - Fake); Space (SS)

    Items: ''Pioneer'' Medal Level 1; ''300 Kills'' Medal Level 1

    Heroes: Abyss Cube (D), Vylyss (B), Zhisse (D-Peak), Malrik (E)

    Soldiers: Skeleton (E+)

    Mutated Soldiers: Skeleton Hunter (D+) x 2, Skeleton Swordsman (D+) x 2, Skeleton Shielder (D+), Urlgan (D-Peak), Urlgug (D+)

    ...

    Looking at his personal information panel, Noan nodded with satisfaction.

    Currently, he possesses one innate ability ranked SSS and two innate abilities ranked SS.

    He truly wanted to test how powerful the new innate ability was immediately.

    However, he still had a black chest waiting for him to open.

    Noan reached out, tapping the chest in the ''Storage'' interface.

    [Ding! Do you want to open the Dark Treasure Chest?]

    "That''s quite a strange name. Agree!" Noan responded.

    [Ding! You have successfully opened the Dark Treasure Chest and received the following items:

    - 1 Special NPC Summon Card.

    - 1 Blueprint for a structure.

    - Dark Seed.

    - Dark Essence.

    - 5,000 Energy Essence rank F.

    - 500 Essence rank E.

    - 50 Essence rank D.

    - 5 Essence rank C.

    - 1 Soldier Upgrade Card.]

    ...

    Special NPC Summon Card:

    After using this, you can summon an NPC with a special function.

    ...

    Blueprint for structure: Watchtower.

    After construction, you can unlock a new feature - Map.

    The map can display everything within a 100-kilometer radius around the Watchtower.

    The Watchtower can be upgraded; the higher its rank, the greater the area the map can display. Additionally, the map will have more features.

    ...

    Soldier Upgrade Card:

    After using this card, you can upgrade all your soldiers by one rank.

    Note: The number of soldiers that can be upgraded is limited to 50.

    ...

    Dark Seed:

    After planting, it will create a Dark Tree. This is a type of tree that can gather dark energy for growth.

    ...

    What does it feel like to win the lottery? That''s exactly the feeling Noan had.

    In addition to the high-ranked energy essences, he also had other special items which were highly valuable to him.

    Noan suddenly thought of a scenario: if Alex could get his hands on this chest, the consequences would be incredibly terrifying.

    Alex could rapidly grow stronger with the items and energy essences in the chest.

    In fact, it was likely that Alex could become strong enough to easily wipe out a ''Zombie Wave.''

    Noan once again felt fortunate to have Vylyss by his side.

    Thanks to her, he could track and steal Alex''s opportunities. Without her, he would likely have to face a monstrous enemy.

    The ''Copy Innate Ability'' card alone could make Alex unbelievably powerful.

    Just imagining Alex using that card to copy another SS-rank innate ability, how strong would he become?

    Noan then focused on the Soldier Upgrade Card.

    In fact, there was a limit to the rank of soldiers. For instance, Noan''s Skeletons, even though they had evolved to rank D+, could only reach a limit of rank 1.

    Why?

    Because it was the law of nature, or perhaps the law set by the gods who created the System.

    Therefore, Noan could only upgrade his Skeletons to level 1 at most.

    However, thanks to this card, the rank of all his soldiers could increase to level 2.

    It was the same rank, but the quality would increase significantly.

    A rank F Skeleton at level 1 compared to a rank D+ Skeleton at level 2.

    Even a fool would know which one was stronger.

    Currently, the number of Skeletons he had had not reached 50, so for now, he would not use the card.

    Next, it was the Blueprint for the Watchtower. According to what the System had said, he needed to prioritize resources to build this structure first.

    He had plenty of resources right now, so building this wouldn''t be difficult.

    Noan temporarily placed the blueprint in the ''Storage'' space and continued to examine the Special NPC Summon Card.

    [Ding! Do you want to use the Special NPC Summon Card?]

    Noan saw the notification, thought momentarily, and then decided: "Accept!"

    [Ding! Summoning is starting...]

    [Ding! Summoning successful.]

    At that moment, a dark vortex appeared in Noan''s bedroom.

    Then, from within the vortex, a strange creature emerged.

    It resembled a worm, about 10 cm long, with many beautiful patterns on its body that made anyone who saw it feel cute.

    Indeed, although it was a worm, a creature that everyone typically disliked and found dirty, Noan thought it was very adorable at that moment.

    The worm saw Noan and immediately hurried to crawl onto the bed, but because its body was too small, no matter how hard it tried, it couldn''t climb up.

    Noan chuckled, walked over to it, and sat down beside it.

    It looked at Noan and tilted its head, its large eyes staring at him intently, and then it bowed as if greeting him.

    "Ah! Very polite," Noan said with a smile, then opened the worm''s information panel.

    ...

    Name: ???

    Species: Crop Worm

    Type: NPC

    Description: It is a special species that can influence crops. It can cause a harvest to be bountiful or cause a crop failure.

    ...

    The description was brief but made Noan feel intrigued by the worm.

    He stroked his chin and said, "You need a name, too; how about I call you Greeny?"

    Upon hearing this, the worm eagerly nodded, its large eyes shining with a magical light as if it were very happy.

    Noan smiled and shook his head. He felt that his domain was gradually becoming more lively.

    He began to search for more information about the Crop Worm on the system and found out that this was just its first stage.

    If properly nurtured, it could evolve, and it was one of the rare species that could evolve without needing too many harsh conditions.

    Noan took it outside, intending to use it to boost the fruit production in his domain.

    "Master..." Suddenly, Malrik appeared, joyfully saying, "Kekekeke... Huh? Why is it here?"

 Chapter 126 126: Domain Teleportation Card - Greeny and Malrik

    Seeing Malrik''s expression, Noan felt a little confused: "Do you know it?"

    "This..." Malrik scratched his chin.

    Although Malrik''s face was now just a skull, Noan could still tell that he seemed to be struggling to explain.

    Greeny, who was clinging to Noan''s shoulder, tilted its head and looked at Malrik. Its expression made me wonder why Malrik was looking at it like that.

    "It''s a Crop Worm, a species of worm with the power to influence crops," Malrik said.

    Noan nodded; he already knew that from the System''s description.

    Malrik continued, "However, there are many legends surrounding this creature. Many people say that after evolving several times, it will become a harbinger of disaster for the entire world."

    Noan''s expression turned to one of disbelief: "WTF?!"

    He furrowed his brow and squinted at Greeny on his shoulder. This tiny worm was supposed to bring disaster to the entire world?

    Noan couldn''t help but feel a little amused.

    In legends, the Dragon race was known to be incredibly powerful, perhaps even the strongest.

    However, he had never heard any legend saying that the Dragon race could bring disaster to the world.

    And now Malrik was saying that a tiny worm could do that?

    Was he joking?

    If it was said that after many evolutions, Greeny could threaten a country, then that might be understandable.

    After all, Noan did possess the innate ability of Almighty Fusion, so if it kept evolving, Greeny might gain that level of power.

    But becoming a global disaster seemed a bit far-fetched.

    Seeing Noan''s sceptical expression, Malrik sighed and explained, "It''s just a legend. Master, if it becomes that strong, it could be very useful to you."

    "However, Master, how do you plan to use it?"

    Noan nodded and replied, "Hmm! I plan to use it to increase the yield of crops in my domain. After all, the fruit production speed is still quite low. I hope it can help speed up growth and improve the quality of the crops."

    Malrik grinned, the two flames in his eyes burning fiercely as if he was taken by surprise.

    But in the end, he decided to stay silent, stroking his chin before speaking: "Master, if you trust me, please hand the Crop Worm over to me."

    "Hm?!" Noan felt confused and asked, "Why?"

    Malrik quickly explained, "Master, I feel the Crop Worm is not an ordinary creature. That''s why I want to explore its potential and help it develop quickly."

    "Also, to serve you better, I have many ways to make it..."

    "Enough! Enough!" Noan held his forehead.

    In fact, he trusted Malrik''s wisdom, and since Malrik was his hero and completely loyal to him, Noan had no doubts about him.

    However, Malrik tended to speak a lot, so whenever he had a conversation, Noan felt a bit of a headache from Malrik''s personality.

    Noan turned to look at Greeny, smiling as he said, "Greeny, from now on, you''ll have to follow Malrik. He will help you become stronger. Do you understand?"

    Wop! Wop!

    A cute sound came from Greeny''s mouth as if it had agreed.

    Noan handed Greeny over to Malrik and smiled, saying, "Take care of it for me."

    "Yes, Master!" Malrik bowed his head, respectfully saying, "I will not disappoint you."

    "If I disappoint you, I will willingly jump into lava and let it make me suffer for eternity."

    "Ah! I''m already dead; I can''t feel pain anymore, but by doing this, I can prove my loyalty to you, Master."

    "Enough!" Noan once again snapped. He held his forehead, feeling an immense headache. "Did you come to me for something else?"

    "Kekekeke..."

    "Stop that laugh when you''re in front of me." Noan said, visibly uncomfortable.

    "Ack! Sorry, my Master." Malrik embarrassedly scratched his head and said, "Master, I was wondering how you plan to deal with the zombie corpses and the dead Lords?"

    Upon hearing this, Noan seemed to realise something and asked, "Do you need those corpses?"

    "Kekeke... ack!" Malrik laughed out of habit, but upon seeing Noan''s gaze, he immediately stopped smiling.

    "Master, I have a way to handle those corpses. I can fully exploit them to create benefits for us."

    Noan felt a bit relieved upon hearing that. It should be noted that the number of zombie corpses and dead Lords was substantial.

    There were at least 10,000 zombie corpses alone, along with many corpses of Lords, soldiers, and heroes.

    It could be said that this number was enough to form a large army.

    "Good! I leave that task to you," Noan said with a smile. "However, I hope you can do it perfectly."

    "I understand, Master. Don''t worry, I always do my work perfectly. You can rest and enjoy the results," Malrik said confidently.

    "However... Master, I need a place to focus the souls. Of course, the area must be large enough and far away from the territories of other Lords."

    Noan frowned upon hearing that. An area like that could only likely be found in the Dark Forest or near the Food Forest area.

    Suddenly, he thought of something and asked, "What do you think of this place?"

    Malrik looked at Noan with a confused expression. "Ack! Master, I cannot use your territory."

    "No! What I mean is... I can teleport my domain to another place. You can use this area as a focus for the souls," Noan smiled and explained.

    It should be noted that Noan''s domain was a bit different from others.

    Opposite his domain was a forest, but it was on the edge of the Dark Forest.

    The nearest Lord to him was more than 300 meters away, but there was no need to mention that Lord since he was already dead.

    Because of that, this area had nearly no other Lords nearby except for him.

    Moreover, after the Zombie Wave, there were very few surviving Lords in Area 27. He could use any place he wanted.

    Malrik, upon hearing this, was pleased and said, "Master, if that''s the case, it''s perfect. This place has an excellent locationˇŞit''s adjacent to the Dark Forest and situated in a rather secluded area.

    If I use this place, I''m sure no one will dare come within a 10-kilometer radius."

    Noan nodded upon hearing this. He hadn''t planned to keep his domain in this spot.

    On the contrary, after receiving the ''Domain Teleportation Card'' from Caleb, he wanted to move his domain closer to the ''Resource Production Center.''

    That area was far from the safe zones of other Lords and was surrounded by a vast forest, making it undisturbed.

    In the back, there was also a large lake with plenty of seafood.

    He truly wanted to live thereˇŞpeaceful and away from the attention of other Lords.

    "Good! Prepare a bit, and I''ll move the domain to another location. You can use this place however you like."

    "Thank you, Master." Malrik knelt on the ground, acting as if he were showing gratitude to a deity.

    Noan, used to Malrik''s personality, didn''t find it strange.

    He then used the ''Domain Teleportation Card.''

    [Ding! Do you want to use the ''Domain Teleportation Card''?]

    "Accept!"

    [Ding! Please choose the location you want. Note, the location can only be within Area 27.]

    Noan started searching for the location of the ''Resource Production Center'' and chose the most suitable spot.

    [Ding! Teleportation has started, please wait 12 hours.]

    Seeing the system''s notification, Noan didn''t rush and decided to walk around his domain, lazily basking in the sun like a lazy cat.

    ...

    While Noan relaxed, the other Lords were far from idle.

    The next day, Caleb led a skeleton army into the safe zone and began fighting the zombies.

    Of course, this was almost a one-sided battle. The Skeletons, ranked D+ level 1, were nearly invincible.

    They weren''t afraid of the zombie virus, didn''t fear death, and never got tired.

    They were like war machines with an endless supply of energy.

    Even when facing Mutant Zombies or Zombie Hunters, they were unafraid.

    Thanks to the leadership of the Skeleton Hunter and the Skeleton Swordsman, the Skeleton army had wiped out every zombie they encountered.

    Caleb, along with the surviving Lords, entered the safe zone.

    The sight before them made them feel nauseous.

    Corpses were scattered everywhere, and the smell of blood and rotting flesh rose from the decaying bodies, causing the other Lords to grimace. Some even immediately vomited.

    Caleb furrowed his brow. Despite having mentally prepared himself, seeing the scene in front of him caused his stomach to churn, making him feel nauseous.

    It was horrendous.

    Everywhere there were corpses and blood. Not only were there zombie corpses but also the bodies of Lords and their soldiers.

    So many had died that, even though it was daytime, the area still felt incredibly dark and cold, causing Caleb to shiver.

    "Who?!" Suddenly, a voice called out from the distance.

    Caleb jumped, commanding his Skeletons to form a protective barrier in front of him.

    His fear intensified when he saw a creature he had once feared.

    A Dark High Orc holding a mace stood at a distance, staring at him with eyes full of killing intent.

    "What the hell?!"

 Chapter 127 127: Caleb and Austins thinking

    Caleb flinched when he saw the monster.

    The creature had once terrified him, making him feel like Death itself was standing beside him.

    "Caleb?!" Suddenly, a voice rang out from behind the monster.

    Caleb frowned, seeing Austin, his arm and leg bandaged, supported by two other people.

    "Austin? You... you''re still alive?" Caleb''s mouth hung open, his face filled with disbelief as he looked at Austin.

    It must be remembered that Austin had been attacked by a zombie while helping them gain some time in the forest.

    He had thought Austin was dead; after all, that zombie was too strong, easily capable of killing his Stone Golem and Austin''s Lava Beast.

    But now, seeing Austin only injured, Caleb felt an overwhelming sense of confusion.

    ''Could it be that the Landlord saved him?'' A thought appeared in his mind.

    And of course, he trusted this guess. After all, Noan had easily saved him, so he believed Noan could also save Austin.

    However... why was that terrifying creature standing next to Austin?

    "Hahaha... Caleb, I thought you were dead!" Austin said, walking toward Caleb.

    The landlords following Caleb flinched at the sight, feeling a deep sense of fear within.

    Although they had never seen Urlgan before, this was the first time they looked at him, yet they still felt a chilling fear.

    The murderous aura radiating from Urlgan was overwhelming.

    Just standing there, he exuded the presence of a strong, battle-hungry, bloodthirsty army.

    Caleb waved his hand and said, "You all stay here. I need to talk to Austin for a moment."

    "Wait!" One person spoke up. "Boss, be careful. Austin... his monster is terrifying. You shouldn''t trust him."

    "Then why didn''t I hear you say that when he ran away with us?" Caleb asked with a frown.

    The group of people bowed their heads, feeling deeply ashamed. Back then, Austin had protected them, and they had trusted him enough to let him join them.

    Moreover, their soldiers and heroes had all perished, leaving them unable to resist, so they let Austin do whatever he wanted.

    But now, things were different.

    Caleb commanded a mighty army of Skeletons capable of exterminating even D and D+ rank zombies, so they no longer cared about Austin.

    In addition, they also felt ashamed for abandoning Austin when he was in danger.

    Now, seeing him alive and accompanied by several other landlords, along with a terrifying monster radiating an overwhelming murderous aura, even standing far away, they trembled in fear.

    These things worried them, unsure whether Austin would seek revenge on them.

    Caleb snorted in disdain, looking at his subordinates.

    Those people, who had almost betrayed him to follow Austin before, were now nothing more than a source of scorn.

    Though he had accepted them back due to their guilt, he still maintained vigilance toward them.

    Now, not only did they look at Austin with suspicious eyes, the same person who had once protected them, but they even looked at him with a hint of contempt.

    Caleb felt disgusted standing with these people.

    If he didn''t need them to help rebuild this area, he would have sent them straight to the underworld by now.

    Caleb ignored them and immediately walked toward Austin.

    "Hahaha... I didn''t expect you to still be alive," Austin laughed, looking back at the Skeletons behind him with an expression as though he had figured something out.

    "You''ve also encountered some kind of fortune, haven''t you?"

    Hearing Austin''s words, Caleb knew exactly what he meant by ''fortune.'' Caleb nodded and replied, "That''s right, you too, right?"

    "Hahaha... of course. I''m very lucky, didn''t you know that?" Austin said confidently, laughing.

    Caleb glanced at the two people supporting Austin, his eyes filled with a bit of caution. "I want to talk to you for a moment."

    "Ah! Alright." Austin gestured for the two people to help him move to a spot farther away, then signalled for them to leave.

    Seeing that the others were far away and could not hear what they were saying, Caleb spoke up: "Did the Landlord save you?"

    "That''s right. Hahahaha..." Austin laughed, saying, "The Master even gave me a powerful monster to help me clear out zombies."

    Caleb glanced at Urlgan, then sighed and said, "Looks like... my guess was right."

    "Hm?! What guess?" Austin looked at Caleb with confusion.

    Caleb sighed again and said, "The monster you''re controlling is the one that once took over the food forest."

    "Huh?!" Austin turned to look at Urlgan, then back at Caleb with a look of disbelief: "Are you serious?"

    "Yes," Caleb nodded, saying, "I''ve faced it once. Even in death, I can''t forget its form."

    Austin, hearing this, glanced at Caleb''s Skeletons and asked, "What about them?"

    Caleb recounted everything that had happened, and then both of them sighed.

    In their hearts, they both had the same question: How strong is Noan really?

    It must be known that even if Noan owned a monster with skin as dark as metal, that alone was already terrifying.

    Yet, he also commanded a Skeleton army with D+ rank. Additionally, they remembered the Skeletons resembling Death and the massive, powerful spider, both formidable creatures.

    Even the beautiful girl who often appeared next to Noan seemed strong. In fact, they felt that she was perhaps the strongest among all the monsters Noan commanded.

    Any monster appearing here could easily wipe out all the landlords in this area, yet Noan owned all of them.

    At that moment, they realized how foolish and reckless Noan''s previous taunts had been.

    They also recognized that the reason Noan hadn''t killed them was because they still served a purpose for him; otherwise, they might already be dead by now.

    "Tsk! With such a strong Landlord, why should we despair?" Austin clicked his tongue and said.

    "That..." Caleb couldn''t understand Austin''s line of thinking, his face showing confusion.

    "Think about it, the stronger the Master is, the safer we are, right?"

    "This... you''re right," Caleb frowned and said.

    "Besides..." Austin continued, "The Master doesn''t want to be in the spotlight, so all the glory is for us to enjoy."

    "Even, the Master has given us control over his monsters, which shows that he doesn''t care about fame and power."

    "The Master just wants peace, and that''s why he needs us to work in the shadows while he remains in the dark."

    "So, the stronger the Landlord, the more benefit we get, right?"

    Hearing this, Caleb felt it made a lot of sense. Even though he wanted to argue, he couldn''t find a reason to refute it.

    "You''re right," Caleb sighed and said. "Perhaps the Landlord doesn''t care about things like power and fame, which is why he decided to conceal his existence."

    "Hahahaha..." Austin laughed loudly. "Exactly, that''s why we don''t need to worry."

    "As long as we do our job well, everything is fine. If we''re hungry, the Landlord will provide us with food, right?"

    "Right." Caleb sighed and said, feeling a bit ashamed in his heart.

    He felt smart, yet he didn''t understand the simple things Austin just said.

    Only after Austin spoke did he realise how logical and straightforward those things were.

    Austin was right; he didn''t need to worry. As long as he did his job well, that was enough.

    "Alright then!" Austin laughed and said, "Let''s finish the remaining zombies, but... what do you plan to do with the remaining landlords?"

    Upon hearing this, Caleb''s eyes lit up with murderous intent and ruthlessness, but quickly, he managed to restrain himself.

    "These landlords have lost all their soldiers and heroes. Some have lost their territories, so now they are nothing but useless."

    "I don''t really know what to do with them. I can''t kill them because I don''t know the Landlord''s plans for the future."

    Austin rubbed his chin and laughed, "If they are useless, just keep them around and wait for orders from the Landlord."

    "You''re right." Caleb sighed and said, "However, these people still refuse to sit. They have many thoughts of betrayal, and I just want to kill them all right now."

    Upon hearing this, Austin frowned, thinking about something, then said, "If they are thinking of betrayal, then we can squeeze all the use out of them before they die."

    "You mean..." Caleb asked, confused.

    "Hahaha... Caleb, I know of another cave but didn''t go in because I feared the danger. If some people volunteer to explore it first, that would be great." Austin laughed. "If they could explore it first, even better."

    At this moment, Caleb looked at Austin with eyes full of disbelief: "Austin, since when did you become this smart?"

    Austin: "..."

 Chapter 128 128: Is... is that... hell?

    That evening, after everyone had killed many zombies, they returned to the safe area to rest.

    Although the area was filled with the stench of rotting corpses, it was still safer than sleeping in the dark forest.

    Moreover, thanks to the Skeletons, they had cleared away some of the bodies around the area, so the smell of death wasn''t as overpowering.

    That night, everyone sat around the campfire to keep warm.

    At this moment, a girl suddenly frowned, tilting her head as if trying to listen to something.

    "What''s going on?" Caleb frowned and asked.

    Sitting next to Caleb, Austin looked confused as he stared at the girl.

    She didn''t answer immediately but listened briefly before asking, "Do you hear something?"

    Her question puzzled everyone, and they all followed her lead, straining to listen to whatever she might have heard.

    Clink! Clink!

    "That''s..." Caleb frowned and said, "It sounds like chains dragging across the ground."

    "No... it''s not just that." The girl spoke again. "Along with that, there''s a humming sound, like someone is singing."

    "However... that voice is really strange."

    As she spoke, the girl shuddered, wrapping her arms tightly around her shoulders. "That voice is terrifying; it sounds like... it comes from hell."

    Everyone could also hear the singing along with the dragging chains, their faces pale with fear.

    It must be known that many people had died around here. Over 200 landlords had perished, along with thousands of zombies.

    They would not have been worried if this had happened before when they still had soldiers and heroes to protect them.

    But now, things were different. They had nothing left, sitting in a place where thousands had died, making them think of strange and eerie things.

    However, Caleb and Austin looked toward Urlgan and the Skeletons, noticing that they showed no reaction, making them frown.

    It must be known that these monsters were very sensitive; if danger approached, they would immediately alert and enter a combat-ready state.

    But at this moment, they remained still, showing no signs of any disturbance.

    At that moment, one person shuddered and, filled with fear, said, "Could it be... a ghost?"

    Caleb frowned and said, "Nonsense! Look at those Skeletons. Are they living creatures? Even if it''s a ghost, that''s normal. No need to be afraid."

    Everyone understood Caleb''s point.

    Indeed, this world was full of magic and mysterious things. Why should they fear ghosts but not Skeletons?

    However, despite hearing Caleb''s reassurance, they still felt uneasy.

    Seeing this, Caleb decided to investigate. He brought his Skeleton army with him and moved quietly toward the source of the sound.

    Austin, seeing this, also limped after Caleb, and of course, Urlgan followed behind them.

    The others, of course, didn''t stay behind. In a hurry, they followed Caleb and Austin.

    At this point, they no longer had any heroes or soldiers to protect them; their safety completely relied on Austin and Caleb.

    Wherever Austin and Caleb went, they had no choice but to follow.

    Though more than thirty people were moving together, they tried to make as little noise as possible.

    They arrived at the rubble of some former domain, hiding behind the debris, using the moonlight to peer toward the source of the sound.

    "That... um... um..." One person was so scared that she almost screamed, but fortunately, someone beside her quickly covered her mouth.

    Everyone also felt a chill run down their spine but dared not speak.

    Before them was a rather wide path, the only road stretching from the beginning to the end of the safe zone.

    However, at this moment, something moving along the road was emitting a strange green light and radiating an eerie aura.

    If they squinted to look closely, they saw smoke taking the form of human figures and countless other strange creatures.

    They were arranged in three rows, their necks bound by chains, slowly moving along the road in complete disorder.

    Indeed, these were the souls of the deceased, including the souls of zombies, monsters, and fallen heroes.

    They moved while groaning and crying out, the sound filled with pain and despair.

    "Hm... hm... hm..."

    A humming sound echoed as though hundreds of people were singing at once.

    The voice sounded like it was coming from a frozen, distorted tape, sharp and bizarre.

    The humming was equally strange, filling the listener with feelings of madness, fear, despair, and even death.

    Countless negative emotions flooded everyone''s minds, causing them to tremble in fear.

    "Look over there..." A young man pointed into the distance.

    Everyone followed the direction of his finger and immediately saw something even more bizarre.

    Leading the procession of souls was a Skeleton dressed in a black robe, one holding a chain that bound the souls moving behind it, while the other had a glowing book emanating an eerie aura.

    They couldn''t see the Skeleton''s legs; instead, where the legs should have been was a mass of black, blue, and green fire swirling together.

    However, if they looked closely, they could see that this wasn''t fire but countless souls screaming and struggling to break free.

    "Hm... hm... hm..."

    The Skeleton dragged the souls along, humming a strange melody.

    "Is... is that... the God of Death?" one person stammered, trembling in fear.

    Everyone else shuddered, cold sweat running down their backs. Even Caleb and Austin felt a sense of dread.

    What they feared was Noan, because they recognized that the Skeleton was one of his monsters.

    A monster capable of binding and dragging countless souls like thisˇŞhow strong must it be?

    Watching the actions of the Skeleton, Caleb and Austin felt that Noan had become even more mysterious.

    "Let''s go..." Caleb suddenly spoke up. "We shouldn''t stay here any longer."

    Austin cut Caleb off, speaking urgently: "Haven''t you wondered where that Skeleton is taking all those souls?"

    "You... are you crazy? If it notices us, we''ll die," Caleb immediately replied, his face showing clear concern.

    Austin laughed and said, "Don''t worry, maybe it''s only interested in the dead. It won''t harm us."

    He winked at Caleb as he spoke.

    Caleb, of course, understood what Austin meant.

    Austin was implying that the Skeleton was most likely one of Noan''s summoned monsters, and since they were Noan''s servants, even if the Skeleton noticed them, they wouldn''t be in any danger.

    Caleb was also very curious, not knowing what the Skeleton collected the souls for, but he valued his life more.

    Without waiting for Caleb to say anything further, Austin limped after the procession of souls.

    Everyone was shocked by Austin''s actions, but his confidence stirred their courage and curiosity, making them eager to find out where the ''Grim Reaper'' was taking those souls and what it intended to do with them.

    Finally, everyone followed behind Austin, moving through the bushes to conceal their presence.

    The leader of the procession was indeed Malrik, and naturally, he immediately sensed someone following him.

    However, he didn''t feel uneasy; on the contrary, he felt quite pleased, knowing that soon someone would witness his grand moment.

    After walking for a long while, Caleb and Austin suddenly realized they were on the road leading to Noan''s domain.

    Austin didn''t stop, pressing forward despite the increasing pain in his legs.

    Suddenly, Caleb stepped up and helped him walk.

    "Ah! Thanks."

    Hearing Austin, Caleb sighed and replied, "Do you want to see? Curiosity can sometimes be a double-edged sword."

    "Hahaha... well, the Skeleton is a monster of the Landlord''s. I don''t believe it will harm us." Austin laughed, speaking with confidence.

    Caleb shot a glance at Austin, his eyes filled with scepticism. But... Caleb was indeed very curious.

    What was the Skeleton doing with all those souls? Could it be the Grim Reaper?

    As they walked further, they noticed the road ahead had suddenly become pitch dark, with the once forested path replaced by an inferno.

    However, the fire surrounding the entire area was very strange.

    It was green and blue, and instead of burning, it seemed to replace the leaves and grass, transforming the whole place into a fiery world.

    But what frightened them even more wasn''t just the strange fire.

    Caleb looked at the scene ahead and could only exclaim, "Is... is that... hell?"

 Chapter 129: Has Alex fully recovered?

    The souls were dragged by Malrik into a large pit, in the centre of which was a pillar of fire towering over ten meters high, emitting blue and green light.

    What''s worth mentioning is that despite the immense size of the fire column, it didn''t illuminate the surroundings; instead, it made the space even darker and colder than before.

    The souls that were pulled by Malrik and thrown into the pit immediately cried out in pain and despair.

    Some souls tried to climb out, but a massive shadow suddenly appeared.

    The fire''s dim light illuminated the creature, making it look even more terrifying and horrific.

    Upon closer inspection, it was a gigantic beetle, more than five meters tall, with veins on its body emitting a blood-red light.

    Like spears, it used its sharp legs to drag the souls trying to climb out of the fire pit back into it.

    Also, a face would appear on the fire column whenever a soul was pushed into the fire pit.

    Though it was a human face, it was twisted in pain and despair, making the face appear unnervingly terrifying.

    The sight was so disturbing and mind-bending that it left everyone frozen in fear, unable to move.

    "No! No! AAA!!"

    Suddenly, a girl screamed in terror and then turned to run.

    As soon as her scream echoed, the giant beetle turned its six eyes on top of its head towards them.

    "No!"

    "AAA!!"

    "Run! Run fast!"

    "Wait for me! I... I can''t run. I''m shaking so much."

    "Hurry up! They''re demons!"

    Everyone immediately began to flee, leaving only Caleb and Austin standing behind.

    Though they knew clearly that Malrik and the beetle wouldn''t harm them because they were both creatures of Noan, their survival instincts were telling them to run.

    Malrik glanced over at Caleb and Austin, the souls beneath his feet helping him glide toward them as if he were skating on water.

    "Well! Well! Well!" Malrik exclaimed loudly, his voice eerie enough to make Austin and Caleb associate it with the sounds echoing from hell. "It seems like I''ve found something?"

    "Curious rats, kekekeke... What are you here for? Out of curiosity, not knowing what I will do with those souls, or do you want to join me?"

    Malrik spoke while moving around them, his bony fingers brushing past their faces, sending shivers of fear down their spines.

    Zhisse also began moving toward them. Its massive body didn''t move along the ground but used sharp, spear-like legs to hover in the air.

    Indeed, it hovered in the air, or perhaps it was because Zhisse''s threads were so fine, and combined with the gloomy atmosphere, no one could detect their presence.

    Zhisse hovered above their bodies, its head hanging down, directly facing the faces of Austin and Caleb.

    "Kekekeke... So, what do you think? Want to join me? I assure you, you''ll hear many pleasant sounds, like..."

    Malrik didn''t finish his sentence but waved his hand. Immediately, the souls in the fire pillar seemed to undergo some sort of torture, causing them to start screaming wildly.

    Horrifying!

    So terrifying!

    Is this hell?

    "Kekeke... Do you see now? This is hell, the place your master has prepared for you if you dare betray him." Malrik continued.

    "Death is not the end; after you die, I will torment your souls forever. You will live in that flame, constantly suffering from it, always screaming in despair."

    Caleb and Austin trembled. They didn''t dare speak, cold sweat dripping from them, their skin prickling.

    "Work hard. If you do, your master will reward you. If not... Kekekeke..."

    Caleb and Austin quickly nodded instinctively.

    Malrik suddenly waved his hand, causing them to fall to the ground and become unconscious.

    Zhisse tilted its head, looking at Malrik, its previously terrifying expression now replaced by something endearing and puzzling.

    Malrik laughed and said, "Don''t worry, they''re still alive. I''m just reminding them a little... if they don''t work hard, they''ll face something worse than death."

    Krit! Krit! Krit!

    Zhisse didn''t fully understand what Malrik had just said, but it nodded and continued its work, pulling all the souls into the fiery pit.

    Zhisse, the second one, was now trembling with fear. Though hidden inside Zhisse''s body, every time it faced Malrik''s gaze, it felt its existence was about to be revealed.

    In fact, when Zhisse was near the blue-green flames, Zhisse, the second one, even felt its soul threatened and almost burned.

    However, Zhisse truly didn''t feel that way, and it wasn''t afraid of the strange flames.

    Only Zhisse, the second one, was scared of that.

    Malrik glanced at Zhisse, his eyes filled with a strange excitement that made Zhisse, the second one, shudder.

    ''Damn it!'' Zhisse, the second one, muttered to itself. ''That guy must have noticed me! It''s definitely like that!''

    In its heart, Zhisse, the second one, was sure Malrik had detected it. Otherwise, why would his gaze be so excited when looking at Zhisse?

    Zhisse, the second one, trembled in fear, hoping it was just overthinking.

    A moment later, Caleb and Austin slowly regained consciousness.

    Suddenly, they jolted, looking around, but this was a desolate wasteland, and there were bloodstains still left behind everywhere.

    Not seeing the presence of Zhisse and Malrik, they sighed with relief.

    Then, Caleb and Austin looked at each other, a mix of strange emotions appearing in their hearts.

    "Next time, I won''t let you be so curious," Caleb said gruffly.

    Austin clicked his tongue, "Tsk! How was I supposed to know that scene would be so horrible? If I had known such a thing would happen, I wouldn''t have come here."

    "You..." Caleb gritted his teeth, feeling that Austin was truly foolish. "Are you stupid? If you could predict everything, would you have gone to trouble Noan that day?"

    Mentioning Noan and that day, Austin shamefully said, "Oy! It''s all over now. Why are you still bringing it up?"

    "Dammit!" Caleb angrily shouted, "That''s right, it''s over, but you''re still no smarter."

    "I''ll tell you this: if you''re still so curious or reckless enough to do something next time, you''ll handle the consequences yourself. I won''t help you anymore." Caleb said, then stood up and left.

    Austin, with a confused and uncomfortable expression, said, "Wait... wait for me a bit next time I won''t do that again."

    "Oy! Help me a bit; my hands and legs are injured; I can''t walk."

    "Oy! Caleb!!!"

    ...

    Two days later, the sunlight shone down in the morning, filtering through the leaves and making the forest seem magical and full of poetic charm.

    Noan was sitting by a river, holding a fishing rod, his eyes looking far into the distance, completely relaxed.

    Two days had passed, and the zombie wave had nearly been wiped out, leaving him with many energy crystals.

    The only thing that disappointed him was that he still couldn''t figure out why zombies grew wings; by the time they did, they were already dead.

    Yesterday, it suddenly dried up and dissolved into a blue liquid pile.

    Fortunately, before it died, it still left behind an energy crystal rank D. If not, Noan would have felt that the zombie was artificial.

    Indeed, that thought crossed Noan''s mind when he saw a machine in the body of the Heavenly Messenger zombie.

    Still, he wasn''t too disappointed.

    After moving to a territory near the ''Resource Production Center,'' he felt that this place was very good.

    It was a quiet area, with a river behind it. Every day, he could come here to fish and enjoy the view, which was also a form of relaxation.

    While he was chilling, the energy crystals continued to increase, thanks to Vylyss.

    Of course, he wasn''t lazy. He would train once every morning in the ''Combat Simulation Room.''

    By now, he had mastered the ability to use spatial powers. He wouldn''t be too worried even if a rank C monster appeared now. If he couldn''t fight, he could always run away.

    At this moment, two hands suddenly appeared, covering his eyes.

    "Who am I?"

    "Ah! Vylyss, is that you?" Noan laughed.

    "Boo! Boo!" Vylyss pouted, her expression a little disappointed, "Master, could you try to be a little more surprised next time?"

    Hearing this, Noan smiled, pulling Vylyss into his chest, gently caressing her soft, resilient face.

    "Here, you''re the only woman of mine. Do I still need to guess?"

    Vylyss felt overjoyed at his words, lifting her sweet lips for Noan to savour.

    A moment later, they parted. Vylyss''s face was flushed, full of allure, and she wanted to kiss him again, but Noan stopped her with a question.

    "Has Alex fully recovered?"

 Chapter 130: Am I a dog?

    Alex was currently hiding in a damp cave.

    Although he hadn''t eaten anything for the past two days and hadn''t drunk a single drop of water, his body was now filled with energy.

    He sat still, absorbing the last bit of energy from the black dust from earlier, then transforming it into his own energy.

    The entire black energy from before had disappeared, fully converted into Alex''s energy.

    At this moment, he slowly opened his eyes, feeling his body brimming with energy.

    He grabbed a rock and then squeezed it with all his might.

    Crack!

    The stone was instantly crushed into countless tiny fragments, falling to the ground.

    At that moment, Alex regained the confidence and arrogance that he had once had.

    "Hahahaha..." He laughed loudly, muttering to himself, "My strength has increased so much that it''s unbelievable. The master was right, the Goddess of Fortune is still by my side."

    Alex, pitifully, didn''t know that what he had gained was Noan''s permission to take it; otherwise, even if he ransacked that mysterious cave, he wouldn''t have found anything.

    He stood up and laughed, saying, "It''s time to hunt. Even if that mysterious person from earlier stands before me, I can kill him as easily as flipping my hand."

    "Hahahaha... Hahahaha..."

    Alex laughed while stepping out of the cave. Suddenly, his smile vanished instantly, replaced by confusion and surprise.

    "You... you... why are you here?" Alex trembled, pointing a finger ahead.

    In front of him, about ten meters away, a mysterious figure wearing a white mask stood with their arms crossed, as if they had been waiting for him for a long time.

    Although it was unexpected, Alex quickly regained his composure, his face filled with anger and discomfort, shouting, "Damn it! That bastard! I underestimated you before, which is why I was defeated by you."

    "At this moment, it''s different. I''m no longer the person I was before, I''ve become many times stronger."

    "I was even wondering where to find you, hahahaha... Fortunately, you''ve come here to find me."

    "Tell me, how do you want to die?"

    Noan stood there, saying nothing, his gaze directed at Alex as though he were looking at a fool.

    Alex also realized something was off about Noan''s gaze. He gritted his teeth, his face turning red with anger.

    He clenched his fists so tightly that his knuckles turned white, immediately stomping his foot onto the ground.

    BAM!

    The damp ground was pressed down by Alex''s foot, leaving a small crater, and his body shot toward Noan like an arrow.

    BAM!

    "What the hell?!"

    Alex was startled and shouted when his full-force punch was easily blocked by Noan''s two fingers.

    At this moment, his confidence and arrogance seemed to have cracked, like a small crack on a shield.

    "Damn it!" Of course, Alex refused to give up. After all, he was a Fate Holder, surely possessing a strong heart, never willing to surrender.

    He jumped up, spinning mid-air like a professional gymnast, his right leg swinging out, his toes aimed like a spear, striking down at Noan''s head.

    BAM!

    However, the same scene unfolded again. Noan only needed a few fingers to effortlessly block Alex''s kick.

    Then... Noan swung his hand and punched Alex in the stomach.

    "Ack!" Noan''s light punch sent Alex flying backward like a falling leaf.

    Thud!

    Alex hit the ground like a sack of sand, his face clearly showing pain.

    Though his injuries had healed, the area that had been wounded before was still weak, and now, with another punch, he felt as though his tough skin was about to shatter.

    He was in so much pain that sweat poured from him like he was bathing, his face contorted in a grimace of rage.

    "Damn it!" Alex gritted his teeth.

    But before he could regain his composure, Noan appeared before him, one hand gripping his neck and lifting him high.

    Noan''s gaze towards Alex was filled with disdain, as if he were looking at a lowly insect.

    "Damn it! Don''t underestimate me!" Alex shouted in fury.

    At that moment, countless blood vessels surged across his body like tree roots.

    A violent surge of energy enveloped him, making him much stronger.

    Noan saw this and frowned, immediately throwing a punch with all his might at Alex''s chest.

    BAM!

    Noan''s fist collided with Alex''s chest, creating a wave of pressure.

    The pressure exploded, turning into a fierce gust of wind that blew out around them.

    Alex was once again sent flying backward by Noan''s punch, but this time, he immediately stabilized his body and got back on his feet.

    "Bastard! I''ll kill you, tear you into a hundred pieces!" Alex screamed like a madman.

    He charged towards Noan, moving much faster than before. The distance of a hundred meters was closed in less than two seconds.

    Alex swung his fist, a strange black energy surrounding his knuckles, aimed directly at Noan''s face.

    Whoosh!

    However, Alex was startled when he realized his fist seemed to miss the target.

    He looked up and saw Noan standing more than twenty meters away, and he didn''t know when he had moved that far.

    "Bastard! Don''t run!"

    Alex yelled, once again using all his strength to charge towards Noan.

    His body was now enveloped in a layer of black energy, making him appear more sinister and bizarre.

    Alex was like a gust of wind, in just a second, the distance of twenty meters became one meter.

    He swung his fist once more, aiming directly at Noan''s head.

    However...

    Whoosh!

    Alex''s fist created a gust of wind that blew around them.

    Once again, he missed his punch.

    "What the hell is going on?" Alex flinched, his face filled with confusion as he looked at Noan, who was standing quite a distance away from him.

    "You... come here! Fight me like a man!" Alex roared like a madman. "All you do is run, is that what a man does?"

    Noan remained silent, raising his hand. The Abyss Cube instantly appeared, beginning to assemble into a small yet extremely sharp and pointed needle.

    "That is..." Alex suddenly felt a strange sensation in his mind.

    His instincts told him to run, his gut was telling him that it was incredibly dangerous, and if he didn''t run, he would certainly die.

    The needle floated before Noan, spinning around its axis so fast it created a small vortex around it.

    Noan swung his hand, and the needle vanished.

    Alex flinched and quickly stepped back, but immediately, he felt a sharp pain in his shoulder.

    He turned his head and saw the needle had embedded itself in his shoulder, and he didn''t even know when it happened.

    "What the hell?!" Alex mumbled, his body starting to tremble.

    It must be noted that Alex''s strength had increased significantly since absorbing the black energy.

    This is why he felt incredibly confident when facing the mysterious figure before him.

    But it seemed that person was merely toying with him. In fact, the gaze of the person seemed to look at him like an insect, not even worth paying attention to.

    Alex felt his self-respect was horribly crushed, so he unleashed all the energy within him to fight back.

    However, the power gap between him and the mysterious person still seemed too vast to close.

    At this point, he couldn''t even see how the needle had flown toward him.

    It seemed to have disappeared, and then, when it reappeared, it had pierced through his shoulder.

    Alex felt confused, but he had no time to think about it.

    He slowly stepped back, his hand reaching for his shoulder to pull out the needle.

    However, the needle vanished once again as if it had never existed.

    But the wound on his shoulder was clear evidence that the needle had once pierced through it.

    Alex looked towards Noan and saw that the needle had reappeared in his hand.

    At that moment, Alex truly felt like crying. With such a vast difference in power, how could he possibly win?

    Unable to win, he decided to use another method.

    "Sorry, I... do we know each other?" Alex decided to try talking a bit: "I don''t know who you are, if I''ve done something wrong to you, I truly apologize."

    "I... I... you... please stop, I really can''t take it anymore."

    Alex gritted his teeth, his mouth saying he surrendered, apologizing, but in his heart, he was cursing Noan''s entire lineage.

    ''Huh! Wait until I can leave, I''ll try to become stronger, and then come back to take revenge.'' Alex thought to himself.

    Noan, of course, knew exactly what he was thinking, but Noan didn''t care.

    "You''re wrong," Noan spoke up. "I just wanted to tease you a bit."

    "Pfff!" Alex almost spat out a mouthful of blood from the anger.

    Damn it! Does he think I''m a dog? Just teasing me a bit? A simple joke and it''s caused me this much pain?

 Chapter 131: Meet Carlotta again!

    Although Alex was very angry and wanted to tear Noan into a hundred pieces, he knew he was too weak. Therefore, he tried his best to control the fire of rage in his heart.

    "Are you happy now? Can I leave?"

    "No!"

    "You..."

    "Let me leave, it''s fine." Noan spoke again, cutting off Alex''s words. "But you have to give me something that excites me."

    Alex was so angry he nearly spit out a mouthful of blood.

    Damn him! Is he a thief?

    Alex gritted his teeth, thinking about that, but he didn''t want to take it out.

    After all, he had put in much effort to get that thing. Now, giving it to that mysterious person would make him extremely uncomfortable.

    "It seems like you want to die!" Noan furrowed his brows, speaking in a cold voice filled with murderous intent.

    He could tell that Alex seemed to be hesitating. He was sure Alex had something valuable but didn''t want to take it out.

    Alex flinched, his eyes darting towards the needle spinning in Noan''s hand, and he shuddered.

    "Wait! Wait! I... I have something..."

    He hurriedly took it out and then said, "But... you... will you let me leave?"

    "As I said, if that can excite me, I''ll let you leave." Noan spoke seriously.

    "How can I know if you''re lying?" Alex frowned and asked.

    Hearing this, Noan smiled and said, "Ah! Then I can kill you and take everything from you. Is that fine?"

    Alex felt extremely uncomfortable inside. However, he knew that the mysterious person could do that.

    "Fine! I... I''ll throw this thing on the ground. You let me leave, and then you can take it, okay?" Alex tried to find a way to leave and immediately asked.

    "You have no right to negotiate with me." Noan seemed to give Alex no way out.

    Alex gritted his teeth and finally threw the item in his hand towards Noan.

    Noan caught it, and at the same time, Alex used all his strength to run away.

    In just a brief moment, Alex had covered over a hundred meters. Then, he used the large trees to hide his body and continued running farther away.

    At this moment, he asked himself why his mother gave him only two legs. If he had two more, perhaps he could run faster.

    Alex dared not look back, his speed increasing to its maximum, turning into a gust of wind and disappearing into the distance.

    Noan watched this scene and shook his head with a sigh. He thought that a Fate Holder like Alex would certainly fight to the end to protect his honour.

    However, he had overestimated Alex.

    Faced with death, all beings were equal. Even a Fate Holder would be so terrified of death that he would become cowardly.

    Of course, Noan had no intention of killing Alex. After all, Alex''s value was still very high. If he killed him now, it would be like throwing away a treasure map radar. On the other hand, Noan only wanted to test how powerful Alex had become after absorbing the dark energy.

    Noan thought today he would have to use all his strength to fight.

    He even called Vylyss to stand by and assist him if he encountered any danger.

    However, once again, Noan felt that he had overestimated Alex.

    Alex was indeed stronger, but only a little stronger than before.

    If Alex''s strength before was 10, today it was around 14 or 15.

    When Alex unleashed his full strength, his power could reach up to 20 or a little more.

    As for Noan, he had the innate ability of ''Almighty Fusion.'' Using this ability, he could absorb a bit of strength from each monster he created.

    He had an army of over 50 Skeletons of rank D+ level 2.

    Yes, the Skeleton army had reached level 2, including the Mutant Skeletons.

    Levelling up brought many differences, which greatly enhanced Noan''s strength.

    Adding to his innate abilities, Immortal (SS) and Space (SS), Noan could easily defeat Alex.

    Noan glanced at the object in his hand, a fairly large stone with a strange symbol emitting yellow light.

    He frowned, feeling that this stone was indeed unusual. But what was its purpose?

    Noan tried using the system, but it didn''t provide any information.

    Finally, he could only throw the stone into the ''Storage'' space, planning to investigate further later.

    Noan was about to turn around, but suddenly, he felt like he heard someone calling him.

    "That voice..." Noan furrowed his brow, feeling that the voice was familiar, but he couldn''t recall where he had heard it.

    Soon after, he felt the blood boiling, his heart pounding faster.

    The blood essence in his heart continuously emitted flickering light, as though signaling something.

    Noan closed his eyes, trying to listen carefully to the voice. After a moment, he sighed, because he knew exactly where the voice came from.

    "Vylyss, go back," Noan said, looking towards the dark shadows.

    Vylyss, hearing this, felt confused, but she still obediently followed Noan''s command.

    After Vylyss left, Noan sighed again and said, "I''ll be there soon, wait a moment."

    After speaking, he began walking towards the shadowy forest.

    ...

    Noan followed the call to the Blood Clan''s dungeon again, frowning, unsure how to enter.

    He thought for a moment and decided to use space magic.

    Although this method seemed like he was intruding into an illegal residence, he didn''t know how to open the door otherwise.

    After leaving the cave, he made Urlgan dig a tunnel to the outside. Of course, he also disguised and concealed the entrance to this cave to prevent others from discovering it.

    Noan used teleportation magic, but he frowned as the spell was ineffective.

    While unsure what to do next, a gigantic hand made of a misty, blood-red fog approached him.

    Noan intended to use teleportation magic to avoid it, but his body seemed to turn to stone, and the energy within him stopped functioning.

    In a brief moment, the enormous hand grasped him and pulled him toward the cave entrance.

    Noan closed his eyes, preparing for his body to collide with the door.

    However, there was no impact or pain at all.

    Noan found this strange and slowly opened his eyes. At that moment, he saw the surrounding space constantly shifting.

    It wasn''t until he saw the ice cavern from before that he realized a girl with silver hair was now standing in front of him.

    Noan took a deep breath, intending to ask who she was, but before he could speak, she stepped up to him and kicked...

    BAM!

    "ACK!"

    Noan was sent flying backward, crashing into the cave wall and falling. Shards of ice and frozen fragments fell onto him, and blood poured from his body.

    However, thanks to his Immortal ability, Noan''s wounds began to heal astonishingly.

    He held his stomach and knelt on the ground.

    Although he was immortal, that didn''t mean he was willing to endure being beaten.

    *Clop! Clop! Clop!*

    High heels striking the icy ground echoed through the still space, growing deafening.

    The mysterious girl walked up to Noan, placing the pointed toe of her high heel on the back of his hand and then applying pressure.

    "Ack! You..." Noan cried out in pain.

    He had to admit that he was much stronger than an ordinary person, but he couldn''t understand why just a heel on his hand could hurt him.

    The girl smiled a beautiful yet cold smile, her expression matching the cold atmosphere of the ice cavern, making the temperature feel like it was dropping sharply.

    "You''re too late, and you''ve made me very angry." Her voice was both clear and full of authority.

    Noan frowned and said, "I''m not a god. I can''t appear exactly when you want me to. I..."

    BAM!

    Before Noan could finish his sentence, the girl kicked him in the face.

    The force of the kick was so strong that it sent him flying sideways for over a hundred meters.

    Luckily, there was a large chunk of ice in the distance, and after crashing into it, he could stop.

    *Cough* *Cough* *Cough*

    Noan coughed up blood, his face severely distorted before slowly starting to heal.

    However, before he could get back up, the girl appeared in front of him again.

    She reached out, grabbed the collar of his shirt, and lifted him, bringing his face close to hers.

    "Wait! You... um..."

    Noan''s eyes widened to the point that it seemed like they were about to explode, but his words were cut off as her lips locked against his.

 Chapter 132 132: Bark like a dog!

    At the Empire.

    In a grand room, surrounded by countless devices connected, there were also countless energy crystals floating in mid-air.

    These machines were all connected to a chair at the centre.

    On the stone chair, a woman was seated. Although her body was enveloped in a mist, those dressed in black robes around her could still sense the majestic aura radiating from her.

    At that moment, an elderly man in a black robe furrowed his brows as he looked at the data displayed on the screen, then raised his hand and said, "The data is complete. Begin the termination of the inspection process."

    The others nodded in agreement and began operating the system.

    Once the system ceased all activity, the woman slowly opened her eyes, sighed, and asked, "What are the results?"

    An elderly man, around seventy years old, with a face full of wrinkles and a black robe, approached and said, "Your Majesty, the results are still normal. The seal is still intact, however..."

    Indeed, this woman was the Empress of the Karol Empire ¨C Catherine.

    She furrowed her brows and asked, "What happened?"

    The elderly man felt somewhat uneasy but decided to speak the truth: "Your Majesty, although the seal is still intact, the position of the Tomb has shifted."

    "What?!"

    Catherine was slightly surprised, her eyes filled with disbelief as she asked, "Are you sure? That tomb has been sealed deep beneath the earth, it could never reappear, how could its position change?"

    "Wait!" Catherine suddenly remembered something, murmuring, "Could it be because of that incident?"

    "Yes, Your Majesty," the elderly man bowed and said, "I also believe so. Perhaps because of that incident, the positions of the realms and the six territories have drastically shifted."

    "I suspect that the world where the Tomb of the Demon King resides has also shifted due to that event. The tomb''s position is even harder to locate, while everything else has become chaotic."

    "If we recklessly enter that chaotic area, it might cause many complications."

    Catherine furrowed her brows and asked, "How severe are these complications?"

    The elderly man sighed and said, "Your Majesty, I know you are currently one of the strongest people in this world, but that''s only within this world."

    "Out there, there are many existences far more terrifying. Just the previous Emperor alone is enough to make us fear."

    Mentioning the former Emperor, Catherine also felt weary. She said, "Don''t bring him up again. He''s like someone haunted by the void, always seeking to find it."

    "He abandoned this Empire, leaving it in chaos for over ten years. He is not worthy of being an Emperor."

    The elderly man, upon hearing this, did not speak further. He nodded and said, "Yes, we can..."

    "Um..." Suddenly, a strange sound, full of charm and contempt, escaped Catherine''s mouth.

    Realizing what had happened, Catherine quickly said, "Um... you... you continue searching for the location of the Tomb. If there is any news, report to me immediately..."

    Having said that, she hurriedly left, her form turning into countless fireflies before vanishing into space.

    Everyone looked at each other, then glanced toward the chair, unsure of what had just occurred.

    Catherine had already appeared inside her private room. The maid, seeing her arrival, was about to say something when a violent wind forcefully pushed her out of the room.

    BAM!

    The sound of the door slamming shut echoed loudly, startling the maid.

    "Heh?! Your Majesty? What just happened?" The maid muttered in confusion.

    She worriedly approached the door, intending to speak, when a protective barrier enveloped the room.

    The maid flinched, quickly retreating to the back. Though confused, she realized there was nothing she could do but wait.

    Inside the room, Catherine lay on the bed, her hands covering her chest, grinding her teeth as she said, "Carlotta! What the hell are you doing?"

    "Um... Carlotta! I... will... um... um..."

    Catherine felt her body burning as though a flame was scorching it, and she felt an itching sensation as if thousands of ants were crawling all over her body.

    She lay on the bed, her body twisting and contorting in strange ways like a snake.

    "Dammit! Stop... Carlotta!"

    Catherine''s voice trembled with discomfort and pain, as she could feel the sensitive parts of her body being touched by something.

    Her mouth was continuously stimulated, causing her to feel like she wanted to speak but could not.

    The air was thick and filled with lust for over thirty minutes.

    Then... Catherine violently trembled and lay still on the bed, breathing heavily.

    "Carlotta!!!" Catherine gritted her teeth, her voice filled with fury and hatred, as though she wanted to tear Carlotta into a hundred pieces.

    "You wretched! You filthy whore! AAA!!!"

    Catherine screamed in rage, fortunately, her room was protected by a barrier, otherwise, the maid outside would have certainly heard her scream.

    After a long while, Catherine finally managed to calm her emotions.

    She waved her hand at that moment, turning the entire bed into ash.

    Catherine felt an overwhelming sense of shame as she looked at the burning bed.

    She broke the barrier and allowed the maid to enter the room.

    Once inside, the maid knelt on the floor, bowed her head, and said, "My Mistress."

    Suddenly, the maid sniffed the air, noticing a strange smellˇŞburning wood, but alongside that, there was another scent.

    Though faint, it was still perceptible through the thick smell of smoke.

    "What are you smelling?" Catherine furrowed her brows, feeling both embarrassed and angry.

    The second time.

    This was the second time, lasting for thirty minutes, making Catherine feel so uncomfortable that she almost wanted to end it all.

    Hearing Catherine''s unpleasant voice, the maid immediately replied, "Apologies, Mistress, I could only smell the scent of herbs."

    "Huh! Prepare another bed for me."

    "Heh?!" The maid, confused, but ultimately obeyed Catherine''s words.

    The maid left, and Catherine, embarrassed, covered her face and clenched her teeth: "Carlotta! Don''t let me catch you, because if I do, I will ensure you regret ever existing."

    "Carlotta!!!"

    ...

    In the Tomb of the Bloodline, Carlotta was hugging Noan tightly. The events from before had now happened again.

    She sat on his thigh, pressing her legs tightly against his, massaging for a long while, then trembling.

    Noan could also feel his thigh damp, and of course, he knew what kind of liquid it was.

    Carlotta''s face turned bright red, her eyes dreamy and watery as she gazed at him.

    Noan also looked at her.

    They kissed until their lips turned red. Even Noan''s lips were bleeding from being bitten by her.

    Carlotta extended her soft, wet tongue and licked the blood flowing from the corner of his mouth.

    Then she licked her lips, as if she had just enjoyed a delicious dish.

    Noan sighed, about to say something, when he suddenly felt something strike his face.

    BAM!

    Noan was thrown more than a hundred meters away, his body smashing a frozen pillar before he could even recover.

    However, his condition was also very miserable.

    His jaw was shattered, and where his cheekbone should have been, there was a large hole.

    Fresh blood spurted out like a fountain, but strangely, in just a minute, his body had recovered to its original state.

    Noan slowly stood up, his face filled with discomfort. He didn''t understand what that girl wanted.

    At first, she made him eat chilli, then honey, and now, once again, she was making him eat chilli.

    "Come here!" Carlotta sat on a stone, gesturing toward Noan as if calling a dog.

    "You..."

    "Huh!" Noan was about to say something when Carlotta sniffed disdainfully, her hand clenched tightly.

    At that moment, Noan felt as if his body was gripped by an invisible hand, pulling him toward the girl.

    "Kneel!"

    BAM!

    Noan couldn''t control his body and immediately knelt so forcefully that both his knees cracked the frozen ground beneath him.

    "Oy! Even though you gave me the divine gift of Immortal, that doesn''t mean you..."

    "Am I allowing you to speak?" Carlotta interrupted, her voice cold enough to frighten Noan.

    She sat high above, stomping on Noan''s head with her high heels, laughing as she said, "Bark!"

    "Huh?!" Noan felt as though he had misheard, his face filled with confusion as he looked at her. "What did you just say?"

    "Are you deaf?" Carlotta grinned widely, her expression filled with madness and excitement. "Bark! Bark like a dog!"

    "You..." Noan gritted his teeth, then realized what was happening, smiling provocatively as he said, "I will never submit to someone shorter than me."

    Carlotta: "!!!"

 Chapter 133 133: They werenâ€™t beautiful enough

    (Bonus Chapter because my book was appear on splash banner ^_^)

    Carlotta was indeed very beautiful, like a porcelain doll created by the gods. However, she was indeed a bit short, only about 150 cm tall.

    Of course, this was the thorn in her heart. Now, Noan seemed like a madman, driving that thorn even deeper, making her eyes look at him as if she were about to spit fire.

    "Ah! It seems... I have been too merciful to you, humanity."

    BAM!

    Carlotta kicked, and despite her short legs, they were very beautiful. When she kicked, it was a flawless move.

    Noan was sent flying more than ten meters backward from that kick, his face severely distorted.

    However, before he could recover, Carlotta appeared beside him, her small fist aimed at Noan''s chest.

    BAM!

    A loud explosion rang out, his chest shattered, internal organs and fresh blood sprayed everywhere, a horrific scene.

    Carlotta kept hitting until Noan''s body was torn apart as if he had been thrown into a grinder, only then did she stop.

    Luckily, only his head was not too badly injured, which allowed Noan to recover.

    The innate Immortal ability started to kick in. His body began to heal at an incredibly fast rate.

    After a while, he fully recovered and let out a light sigh of relief.

    It was terrifying!

    Although the girl was quite small, with small hands, small legs, and a small body, she contained an immensely terrifying strength.

    Before Noan could even fully regain his senses, Carlotta punched his chest again, followed by more bloody and brutal scenes.

    After three recoveries, Noan was now completely hopeless. Because of his innate Immortal ability, he could regenerate, but that also meant he had to endure continuous pain.

    At this moment, the Immortal ability no longer felt like a gift but more like a punishment for him.

    Noan, exhausted, lay on the ground and said, "Can you stop? Aren''t you tired?"

    "Huh! Stubborn!" Carlotta yelled angrily.

    Noan felt the space around him change. When he opened his eyes again, he realized he was lying in front of the tomb entrance.

    "This... Does she have spatial powers too?" Noan muttered.

    However, he didn''t want to think too much about it. Escaping from her was a good thing.

    But Noan knew he had only temporarily escaped from her. She and he were somehow connected, and if she wanted to meet him, he had no choice but to go.

    It wouldn''t be accurate to say he was her servant, but he was also not her friend.

    This relationship was truly strange.

    He furrowed his brows, looked toward the door, and muttered, "Short like that, but still likes to kick me, isn''t she afraid of being even shorter?"

    At that moment, a blood mist appeared, forming into an invisible hand that tightly grabbed him.

    "Ack! Sorry, I... I just..."

    BAM!

    Noan didn''t have time to finish his sentence before his body was crushed, leaving only his head intact. A few minutes later, his body recovered once again. At this point, Noan felt his energy was running low, so he hurriedly left.

    ...

    That evening, Caleb and Austin finally dealt with the remaining zombies.

    Of course, every day, they and the other survivors had to listen to Malrik''s chanting and the sounds of souls wailing.

    Every night, at midnight, both Malrik and Zhisse would do their job of collecting souls and dragging them into the enormous fire pit.

    That area became a forbidden zone, and no one dared to approach.

    Even if Caleb and Austin didn''t issue orders, the surviving people still wouldn''t dare to go near that place.

    It was terrifying!

    Once was more than enough; they didn''t want to experience the feeling of being seen by the Reaper a second time.

    Although Caleb and Austin had lost their hero and many soldiers, they were fortunate that their territory remained.

    However, the survivors weren''t as fortunate as them.

    More than thirty people survived, but less than ten of them still had territories.

    The remaining survivors began to feel hopeless, not knowing what to do or where to go.

    In the end, they could only accept becoming slaves to other lords to continue living.

    Caleb and Austin also selected a few beautiful girls. Of course, they didn''t dare to enjoy these girls for themselves but intended to give them as gifts to their Master.

    After all, this world was full of brutality and suffering, and there were no laws here. Therefore, using slaves was quite normal.

    Austin and Caleb saw that among the remaining survivors who had lost their territories, there were several beautiful girls.

    Although they weren''t as beautiful as the girl who often appeared beside Noan, to them, these girls were still rated 75¨C80 points.

    Even if they couldn''t become Noan''s women, they could still serve as attendants.

    That night, Caleb and Austin sat in Caleb''s territory.

    They looked at each other, both feeling confused.

    Austin sighed and said, "What do you think we should do?"

    Caleb also sighed, "How could I know? The Master''s territory is now surrounded by a sea of fire."

    "And that fire isn''t just ordinary fire, it''s the souls being burned. How can we get through that?"

    Austin, hearing this, was confused and asked, "So what should we do to meet the Master?"

    "I don''t know. We can only wait," Caleb shook his head and replied.

    Suddenly, a spatial vortex appeared in front of them, causing them to flinch.

    Then, Malrik stepped out of the vortex, with a few blue-green flames still burning on his body.

    The flames in his eyes turned to face Austin and Caleb, making them feel afraid.

    "The Master wishes to meet with you," Malrik said, then stepped back and disappeared into the spatial vortex.

    Caleb and Austin were stunned, staring at each other. After a moment, they tried to calm themselves and then stepped into the vortex.

    In the blink of an eye, they arrived at an entirely different place.

    Caleb and Austin immediately recognized this as the Master''s territory.

    They followed the stone-paved path towards the usual water lake.

    There, Noan was sitting and enjoying grilled meat. Beside him were two female NPCs, one grilling the meat and the other serving him.

    Caleb and Austin, seeing the scene before them, sighed deeply, feeling as though they were in a completely different world from him.

    While Austin and Caleb could only rely on nutritional pills to sustain their lives, Noan enjoyed grilled meat.

    Moreover, he even had two beautiful girls serving him, living a truly aristocratic life.

    Although Caleb and Austin were extremely envious and surprised, they still remembered clearly that they were Noan''s slaves.

    They immediately kneeled and said in unison, "Master."

    Noan didn''t rush to respond; he quietly enjoyed the grilled meat on his plate. Austin and Caleb didn''t dare to speak, silently kneeling on the ground.

    After all, Noan had been tortured by Carlotta in the morning, dying and being reborn several times. Now, he needed to enjoy a little to forget that suffering.

    Once he finished eating, Noan sighed satisfactorily, feeling a little lighter.

    He looked at Caleb and Austin and said softly, "Speak."

    Caleb and Austin knew exactly what Noan wanted to hear, so they hurriedly reported the situation from the past few days.

    In addition, they wanted to offer the women who had lost their territories to Noan.

    However, they didn''t expect that Noan would refuse.

    Indeed, he refused because his desires had risen much higher after obtaining Vylyss, seeing Carlotta''s beauty, and the mysterious woman chained in the dark. Even if those girls were to serve him as attendants, it would not be ideal.

    He had ten NPCs now, all of whom were quite capable and skilled in various tasks.

    As for those girls? They were lords themselves. Whether their rank was F or E, they were still respected in the real world, never having to do any heavy work.

    To Noan, they were no different from useless vases, so he didn''t need them, so he tossed them to Austin and Caleb.

    Noan wasn''t kind enough to save and give them a better life.

    Sorry, he wasn''t a hero. If someone wanted to be a hero, they could, but he didn''t want that role.

    He just wanted to live for himself.

    "I''m not interested in them. If there are any women more beautiful, you can bring them to me."

    Upon hearing Noan''s words, Caleb and Austin immediately understood why their master didn''t want the women they offered.

    It was because they weren''t beautiful enough.

 Chapter 134 134: Legendary Treasure Chest

    Saying that Noan is lustful isn''t quite right. After all, he is a powerful man, and demanding high standards is only natural.

    Besides...

    Austin and Caleb looked toward the two girls grilling meat and serving Noan.

    Their beauty was unlike the girls they were supposed to bring to Noan. In fact, they exuded a unique, gentle aura that made others captivated.

    It seemed that Noan required good looks and some form of effect.

    Looking at the two girls grilling meat and serving Noan, who were no less skilled than the servants in top-tier hotels, Austin and Caleb immediately knew that the girls they were keeping were nothing more than useless ornaments.

    "Apologies, Master," Caleb said, "We truly have no harvest, and we must rely on your assistance."

    Noan waved his hand, his face showing indifference. "Don''t worry, you have done very well."

    "Currently, you have lost all of your heroes and soldiers, therefore, you may use my soldiers."

    "I also do not want complications; you can rule this place as you wish."

    "However, you must understand that... I am dead, do you understand?"

    Austin felt it was strange. Noan was alive, sitting right in front of him, so why did he say that he was dead?

    However, Caleb understood immediately what Noan meant.

    "I understand, Master."

    Seeing Caleb bow his head and speak, Austin followed suit, although he found it very hard to understand in his heart.

    After that, Noan let the female NPC bring them some food supplies and energy essence and said, "For now, I have no tasks for you. In the meantime, try to strengthen your power."

    "Yes, thank you, Master," Caleb said happily, taking the bag.

    Austin also cheerfully accepted the bag, hurriedly bowing his head and saying, "Thank you, Master."

    Noan waved his hand, signalling for them to leave.

    But before they could stand up, the space around them suddenly changed.

    When they regained their composure, they realized they were still in the same place they had been standing before.

    Austin and Caleb took a deep breath. Although this was magic, the ability to control space in this manner could not belong to a low-level monster.

    In Caleb''s heart, he thought about the possibility that Noan possessed a creature of incredibly terrifying strength.

    Who could it be? A Skeleton like the Death God? Or the girl who often appeared beside the Master?

    Caleb shook his head, not wanting to think further. Regardless of who owned the space ability, it was clear that Noan was nearly invincible. No one could defeat him.

    Unless a high-ranked overlord appeared, perhaps rank D.

    No, even a rank D overlord wouldn''t be able to defeat Noan.

    It must be known that Caleb currently had a D+ rank Skeleton army given by Noan, and even a rank D overlord wouldn''t be able to command such a terrifying army.

    Austin also had a D Peak rank High Orc and a D+ rank Shaman Orc.

    If Caleb''s guess was right, if Noan dared to provide these creatures for him and Austin to use, then surely Noan possessed even more terrifying monsters.

    However, Caleb wasn''t overly worried. The stronger Noan was, the safer he and Austin would be.

    If anything happened, he could always call for Noan''s help.

    On the other hand, Noan also gave him and Austin many resources to develop.

    So far, working for Noan wasn''t as bad as he had imagined.

    Austin frowned and asked, "Caleb, why did Master say he was dead?"

    Caleb glanced at Austin, unable to understand whether Austin was foolish or just pretending.

    Sometimes, he thought Austin was very clever, but at other times, he found him incredibly foolish.

    "When Master says that, it means we must conceal his existence," Caleb patiently explained. "The best way is to say he died in the recent Zombie Wave, so no one will bother him anymore."

    "That''s strange..." Austin still found it hard to understand and continued to ask, "Master''s strength is enough to destroy everyone. Why is he afraid of complications?"

    Caleb shook his head, saying, "Just because there are no complications now doesn''t mean there won''t be any in the future."

    Austin understood but still didn''t fully grasp it, though he nodded and stopped asking.

    Caleb sighed and said, "Don''t overthink it. Just focus on developing your strength. Master keeps us around because we are still useful to him."

    "If we become useless, you know the consequences, right? Do you still remember what that Skeleton said?"

    Austin remembered Malrik''s words and shuddered, a fear spreading throughout his mind.

    "Alright! I won''t ask anymore," Austin shrugged, his expression a bit weary.

    Caleb sighed deeply, his thoughts drifting to his wife, Anna.

    Although their time together was short, his feelings for her were genuine. However, fate truly had a way of mocking him.

    Anna died, right in front of him, and he couldn''t do anything to save her.

    He desperately used his soldiers and heroes to eliminate the zombies at that time, but he failed.

    Everyone died, including his Stone Golem.

    However, Caleb was a very rational person, and his grief didn''t last long. He decided he had to continue living.

    But after everything was over, he remembered Anna and a pang of pain filled his heart.

    Caleb shook his head, reminding himself that he had other goals. Even though he had lost his lover, he still had to keep moving forward.

    Indeed, he needed to avenge his family and his brother.

    In reality, it was Noan who had controlled Anna, causing her to die at the hands of the zombies.

    Why did he do that?

    It was simple: Caleb was too cautious.

    Noan knew that if nothing had happened, Caleb would have been able to find a place to hide, greatly increasing his chances of survival.

    Noan didn''t want that to happen, so he sacrificed one pawn, making Caleb lose his composure and risk his life against the zombies.

    Ultimately, Noan would save Caleb and ensure that Caleb remained truly loyal to him.

    Although Noan had used the ''Servitude Pact'' to turn Caleb and Austin into his slaves, he still worried they might betray him one day.

    Only when their loyalty came from the depths of their hearts and they revered him and were grateful to him would Noan be at ease.

    Even if the ''Servitude Pact'' lost effectiveness, they would remain loyal to him.

    Don''t think that Noan was faint-hearted. After all, this was a world full of magic and mysteries.

    If he could possess a natural talent of SSS rank, there were certainly others who possessed things beyond his imagination.

    Being cautious was never excessive.

    ...

    The next day,

    Noan woke up, and beside him, Vylyss lay with her flawless figure exposed, wrapped around him tightly without a single piece of cloth covering her.

    He remembered how crazy Vylyss had been last night. She had even asked him to hold her tail.

    Her tail was an incredibly sensitive part, and when he stroked it, she almost passed out from excitement.

    But because of this, Vylyss had become even more frantic, battling with him until morning.

    Fortunately, Noan''s physical body was strong enough, and with his innate Immortal ability, he won the fierce battle.

    Otherwise, it seemed Vylyss would have drained him to the point of being a dry corpse.

    Suddenly, a notification from the system appeared before him.

    [Ding! The event ''Zombie Wave'' has ended. Congratulations on ranking first in this event.]

    [Ding! Because you scored the highest and eliminated 99% of the zombies, your reward has been upgraded by one level.]

    [Ding! Would you like your name to appear in the global announcement?]

    Noan didn''t think much about it and kept his name hidden.

    He certainly didn''t want to cause any trouble.

    If people discovered that a low-ranked lord like him had eliminated nearly 99% of the zombies in this event, they would surely notice something strange.

    This would not only attract the attention of other lords but could also catch the eye of the Federation Government and the Empire.

    Noan decided to hide his name.

    He hoped he could keep his secret for as long as possible.

    It would be best to keep it hidden until he evolved to rank S or even SS.

    [Ding! Name hidden successfully.]

    [Ding! Congratulations to the lord ??? for ranking first in the ''Zombie Wave'' event and receiving a Legendary Treasure Chest.]

 Chapter 135 135: System notification

    In the region of a rank B lord,

    At this moment, Jankos led a group of people, along with many monsters, to eliminate the zombies.

    For them, an event like this wasn''t too difficult, even though the number of zombies they faced was over 30,000.

    This number was three times the amount that Noan''s region faced.

    However, it must be noted that rank B lords exclusively ruled this region.

    Unlike rank E or F lords, who could easily summon soldiers without using too many resources, except for a few lords like Caleb who had special troops.

    But for rank D lords and above, it was completely different.

    Not only was the ''cooldown'' time for summoning soldiers very long, but the requirements for the summoning ritual were also quite stringent.

    Among these requirements, energy essence was a must-have for each summoning ritual.

    The higher the rank of the soldiers, the more energy essence was needed, and the quality of the energy essence couldn''t be too low.

    Even though the area was barren, these rank B lords, thanks to their unity, could withstand the terrifying zombie horde.

    In fact, at this moment, Jankos was also leading a group of lords to eliminate the remaining zombies.

    Since receiving the ''Shard of Fate,'' which helped him evolve to rank B+, no one dared question his rise to leadership of this region.

    Everyone followed his orders, and as a result, eliminating the zombies became extremely easy.

    Jankos looked at the remaining zombies in front, feeling pleased inside.

    He waved his hand and ordered: "I will eliminate those zombies. You check the surroundings."

    Of course, everyone knew why Jankos wanted to personally deal with those zombies.

    After all, this event was a point-based event, depending on the number of zombies each lord eliminated.

    The more zombies a lord killed, the higher their score.

    Jankos certainly didn''t want anyone else to take his number one spot.

    Therefore, whenever he saw zombies, he would have the other lords secure the surroundings, while he would personally eliminate the zombies.

    Of course, he couldn''t take all the points for himself, and the others also received a small portion.

    However, it was only a small portion.

    While eliminating zombies, suddenly, a notification appeared before him.

    [Ding! Congratulations to the lord ??? rank E+ for ranking first in the ''Zombie Wave'' event, receiving a Legendary Treasure Chest.]

    [Ding! Congratulations to the lord ??? rank E+ for ranking first in the ''Zombie Wave'' event, receiving a Legendary Treasure Chest.]

    [Ding! Congratulations to the lord ??? rank E+ for ranking first in the ''Zombie Wave'' event, receiving a Legendary Treasure Chest.]

    The announcement appeared three times before him, mocking his efforts.

    Jankos gritted his teeth, his hands gripping so tightly that they turned white, but his face flushed red with anger.

    "Who the hell took my number one spot?!" Jankos mumbled, his eyes bloodshot, turning red with fury.

    A moment later, another notification appeared before him.

    [Ding! Congratulations to lord Jankos for ranking second in the ''Zombie Wave'' event, receiving a High-Level Treasure Chest.]

    BAM!

    In a fit of rage, Jankos punched the nearby tree with all his might.

    Though his hand throbbed with pain, the anger overwhelmed him, making him numb to the hurt.

    What was the most humiliating thing?

    He was a rank B+ lord, yet he was beaten by a rank E+ lord. What could be more laughable and humiliating than that?

    Jankos gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with fury. The killing intent radiating from his body made the surrounding lords avoid him.

    They, of course, also saw the notification, so they knew exactly why Jankos was so enraged.

    A rank E+ lord had taken the number one spot on the leaderboard.

    If they were in second place, they would have been just as furious as Jankos.

    Although the high-level treasure chest was great, in Jankos'' eyes, that reward was nothing more than trash.

    In fact, he even felt like the system was mocking him.

    "I want information on the lord who ranked first in this event," Jankos gritted his teeth and said.

    [Ding! The Lord has hidden their identity, and their information cannot be retrieved.]

    "Tsk! That cowardly dog..." Jankos couldn''t hold back his fury and cursed aloud, "Damn it! Hiding your identity? Hahahaha... hahahaha... I swear... I''ll find you."

    "A filthy dog, daring to take my number one spot. I''ll show you what hell looks like."

    ...

    In the region for rank D lords.

    At this moment, in a small room, seven people were sitting around a round table.

    "Did you all see the system notification?"

    "Yeah, looks like we''ve underestimated the low-ranked lords."

    "Huh! You all are so cowardly. The low-ranked lords can only deal with low-level zombies, so gathering points is easier for them."

    "He''s right. We don''t need to worry too much. Even if that lord received a Legendary Treasure Chest, they''re still just a rank E+ lord."

    "Exactly. Don''t worry, a rank E+ lord can''t possibly compete with us."

    "Don''t get too arrogant. If that lord can top the leaderboard, it means they have something really special."

    "Huh! A bunch of cowards. Are you all afraid of a rank E+ lord now?"

    "You..."

    "Enough!" A voice rang out.

    Everyone turned towards the newcomer and immediately bowed their heads.

    "Team leader!"

    "Team leader Maisy!"

    It was a woman in her thirties, dressed in modern attire, with an incredibly beautiful face, brown hair, and a seductive figure.

    Maisy looked around before sitting down in the only available spot, crossing her legs, and folding her arms across her chest, raising two large, soft mountains.

    "Everyone is correct, but what you''re saying only shows one side of the issue," Maisy''s alluring voice rang out.

    A man spoke up: "Team leader, what do you mean..."

    "My opinion is the same as yours," Maisy smiled and said, "You''re right, it''s just an E+ rank lord. They probably got to the top of the leaderboard by luck."

    "Moreover, the quality and number of zombies in the areas for rank E and F lords are very low. It''s perfectly normal for them to eliminate many zombies, so we don''t need to worry too much."

    "However, we can''t be too complacent. If the opposing lord can top the leaderboard, it means they have a trump card strong enough to threaten us."

    "Besides, that lord just received a Legendary Treasure Chest. We can''t underestimate them, and we need to avoid the situation of being ''flipped over in the ditch,'' understand?"

    "Understood, Team Leader!" everyone replied in unison.

    They were all quite satisfied with Maisy''s explanation.

    Maisy leaned forward, her two mountains resting on the table as she crossed her arms to support her beautiful and alluring face.

    She glanced at everyone in the room with a sharp gaze and said, "So... about the information on the connected regions, can you all speak clearly on it?"

    ...

    Back to Noan, he now saw that he had reached the top spot on the leaderboard for this event, which left him feeling puzzled.

    He had thought that the leaderboard referred only to the 27th region.

    However, everything exceeded his expectations. This leaderboard was for all lords.

    Noan silently sighed in relief that he had chosen to hide his name. If he hadn''t, he would have encountered a lot of trouble.

    Although the system had displayed his rank as a lord, fortunately, in this area, both Caleb and Austin were E+ rank.

    As for him, everyone probably thought his rank was F, so there would be little suspicion placed on him.

    Moreover, Austin and Caleb both had his monsters, which were incredibly strong and capable of eliminating the ''Zombie Wave.''

    That was also why people would suspect them more than a dead lord like himself.

 Chapter 136 136: Special NPC!

    (This is the bonus chapter for my book is on the splash banner.)

    Indeed, everyone would think that he had died thanks to Austin and Caleb. They would help him make everyone believe that.

    In fact, even if Austin and Caleb didn''t help spread the rumours, it was likely that no one would pay attention to him.

    After all, most of the lords in this region were already dead, with only a few left.

    Although his name appeared on the leaderboard and was announced to all the other lords, the system had helped him hide his identity, so he wasn''t too worried.

    Furthermore, the regions weren''t connected yet, so he was still safe.

    Noan glanced at the treasure chest, which emits a multicoloured light and rests in his ''Storage Space.''

    "Open the treasure chest."

    [Ding! Beginning to open the Legendary Treasure Chest. You have received the following rewards:

    - 10,000 rank F energy essence

    - 2,000 rank E energy essence

    - 500 rank D energy essence

    - 100 rank C energy essence

    - 1 rank B energy essence

    - NPC Upgrade Card

    - Special NPC Summon Card

    - Territory Upgrade Card

    - Hero Upgrade Card (Only for level 5 or lower heroes)

    - Lord Upgrade Card

    - Soldier Upgrade Card

    - Ticket to Special Event - Black Market

    - Free Construction Ticket

    - Storage Space (x99) x1

    - Special Reward - 10,000 Lord Points.]

    ...

    Noan smiled upon seeing the rewards. With this reward, not only would the strength of all the monsters he summoned increase, but his strength would also be greatly enhanced.

    After thinking for a moment, he decided to use all the energy essence to upgrade his hero.

    Zhisse was fine, but Malrik, Vylyss, and Abyss Cube nearly consumed all of his rank F and E energy essence just to reach the next level. Fortunately, he hadn''t needed to use any rank B, C, or D energy essence yet and still had a bit of rank E essence remaining.

    After all of his heroes reached level 2, Noan issued a command to the System: "Level up."

    [Ding! Lord Noan has reached level 3, and you have received a one-hero summoning.]

    [Ding! Since you own two territories, you have received another hero summoning.]

    This was the benefit of owning two territories at once. Although he didn''t know whether he was the only one to enjoy this benefit, at least for now, it was a bug that worked to his advantage.

    Last time, when he levelled up to level 2, he had only used one hero summoning.

    After all, he didn''t have enough resources to own too many heroes, so he didn''t use that summoning then. But now, it was different. He still had a lot of energy essence, and summoning three more heroes wouldn''t be too much of a burden for him.

    However, he didn''t intend to use all three hero-summoning opportunities.

    For other Lords, when they could summon more heroes, they would do it immediately.

    But Noan''s situation was different because his rank could still be upgraded.

    If he summoned heroes now, the highest he could summon would be rank D heroes, because his current rank was only E+.

    But if he waited until his rank was higher, the heroes he summoned would certainly be of a higher rank.

    Therefore, he didn''t want to waste the current hero-summoning opportunities.

    However, that didn''t mean he wouldn''t use any of the summoning chances at all.

    Even though he wasn''t facing any immediate danger, that didn''t mean the future would be the same.

    He thought he would need to summon more heroes to strengthen his territories.

    For this reason, he decided to use one hero summoning.

    Noan didn''t want to summon a hero in the room. He sat up, intending to change his clothes, but Vylyss also woke up.

    She smiled with complete satisfaction and joy, helping him change his clothes. However, during the process, it seemed as though she was ''accidentally'' touching his sensitive areas repeatedly.

    Seeing that, full of energy, Vylyss licked her lips, her face flushed with excitement: "Master, let me help you."

    Vylyss opened her mouth, and then...

    More than thirty minutes later, he finally finished putting on his clothes.

    Noan glanced at Vylyss, who was licking her lips, her face satisfied as if she had just eaten something extremely delicious.

    He sighed, then went to the main courtyard of his territory. He had built this courtyard for special events, although he wasn''t sure what kind of special events would take place at that time.

    Perhaps summoning a hero was a special event.

    Noan began issuing the command: "Use one hero summoning."

    [Ding! Hero summoning has begun.]

    At that moment, a magical circle appeared in the centre of the courtyard, emitting an eerie light.

    From the centre of the magic circle, a dark shadow appeared and flew straight up into the sky, then curved in a beautiful arc before landing on the ground.

    At this point, Noan could see it was a ''Half-Dragon Man''.

    It knelt on the ground, its wings drooping like those of a bat, its large tail lying flat on the ground.

    Although it could stand upright like a human, its body retained dragon-like features.

    Especially its head, which has two large horns and a face somewhat resembling that of a Lizard race.

    "Master Supreme! Please give me a name."

    Upon hearing the voice of the ''Half-Dragon Man'', Noan immediately knew it was a male.

    He thought momentarily, then decided to give it a name: "From now on, your name is Drakhan."

    "Thank you, Master." Drakhan bowed his head, respectfully speaking.

    At this point, an information board appeared in front of Noan.

    ...

    Name: Drakhan

    Race: Half-Dragon Man

    Class: Scout / Hunter

    Level: 00

    Rank: D Peak

    Description: Drakhan is a Half-Dragon Man, but the blood flow in his body is very thin and insufficient to activate the special powers and innate abilities of the Dragon race. However, he has an exceptionally high-flying ability, along with excellent scouting skills.

    ...

    Noan nodded slightly, feeling his luck was high today because Drakhan was the highest-ranked creature he had ever summoned.

    "Congratulations, Master," Vylyss said, standing beside him, smiling as she spoke. "Master, you''re really lucky today. Perhaps it''s because... hehehe..."

    Although Vylyss didn''t finish her sentence, Noan knew exactly what she meant.

    "Master, perhaps we should continue with this luck, shouldn''t we?" Vylyss wrapped her arms around his, pressing it between her large breasts and teasing.

    Noan chuckled, shaking his head, gently rubbing Vylyss''s head as he said, "I''m just afraid you''ll be too full to ''eat'' anymore."

    Vylyss laughed happily. Just as Noan had said, since he acquired the ''Immortal'' talent, Vylyss had been drinking so much milk from him that she could no longer consume.

    Although subsequent servings didn''t have the same effect of strengthening her as the first one, she didn''t mind.

    Vylyss was still a Succubus at her core, so as long as she was satisfied, it didn''t matter if she grew stronger.

    Back to the present, Noan used his energy essence to begin levelling up Drakhan.

    [Ding! You have successfully levelled up Drakhan.]

    ...

    Name: Drakhan

    Race: Half-Dragon Man

    Class: Scout / Hunter

    Level: 02

    Rank: D Peak

    ...

    Drakhan felt an overwhelming surge of power inside his body, kneeling again and respectfully bowing his head: "Thank you, Master."

    "When you fly in the sky for scouting, do you get detected by others?" Noan asked with a frown.

    Indeed, even though Drakhan could fly in the sky, doing so would draw attention from others.

    "Hahaha... Master, don''t worry," Drakhan said confidently, patting his chest. "When I fly in the sky, I can disguise myself."

    "Unless there is a monster ranked C or D level 4 or higher, capable of tracking and investigating, I should not be detected."

    Noan nodded, then commanded: "I have a task for you. I need you to draw a complete map of this area, including the places you can observe with your own eyes. Understood?"

    "Understood, Master." Drakhan bowed, then soared into the sky incredibly fast, like a darting missile.

    "Master..."

    Seeing Vylyss''s worried expression, Noan chuckled and said, "Don''t worry, it''s not that I don''t trust you. I just have a different plan."

    Vylyss nodded lightly, though she still felt a bit embarrassed inside.

    Noan, however, didn''t pay much attention to Vylyss''s expression and instead focused on something else.

    He had to keep in mind that he now owned five cards with extremely powerful effects: the hero upgrade card, the soldier upgrade card, the building upgrade card, the NPC upgrade card, and the lord upgrade card.

    He needed to use them carefully, or else it would be a waste.

    Noan glanced toward the ''Storage Space'', his focus on the ''Special NPC Summoning Card''.

    So far, he had two cards, one from the ''Dark Treasure Chest'' and the other from the legendary treasure chest he had just opened.

    After thinking for a while, he decided to use the special NPC summoning card.

    [Ding! Special NPC summoning successful - Alchemist Master.]

    [Ding! Special NPC summoning successful - Blacksmith Master.]

 Chapter 137 137: Special NPC and The new construction

    [Ding! Because you have acquired the special NPC - Alchemist Master, the special project - Alchemy Room has been unlocked.]

    [Ding! Because you have acquired the special NPC - Alchemist Master, your special function has been unlocked: Every time you open any treasure chest, you will receive additional items related to Alchemy.]

    [Ding! Because you have acquired the special NPC - Blacksmith Master, the special project - Forge has been unlocked.]

    [Ding! Because you have acquired the special NPC - Blacksmith Master, your special function has been unlocked: Every time you open any treasure chest, you will receive additional items related to Blacksmithing.]

    The six consecutive notifications appearing before Noan made it momentarily difficult for him to "digest" all the information.

    Before he could comprehend what was happening, two magical circles appeared in the middle of the yard.

    Two dark figures slowly emerged within the mystical circles, which were emitting that strange, mysterious light.

    After the magic circles disappeared, Noan could see that one of them was a girl with greenish skin, long ears, and a solid build, like a bodybuilder.

    She had a beautiful face, yet it exuded a sense of determination and strength.

    What was especially striking was that she had some tattoos and scales on her body, resembling those of the Lizard tribe.

    The other person... hm... Noan wasn''t sure how to describe them, but they resembled plague doctors.

    The person wore a black cloak that covered their body, and their face was concealed by a mask resembling a bird''s beak, making them look mysterious and dangerous.

    "Master!" Both knelt in front of him and spoke.

    Noan has reread the system''s notifications.

    He realized that the two NPCs he summoned possessed two classes he needed.

    No, not just himˇŞany ruler would need NPCs like these.

    With two supporting NPCs, the strength of the monsters under his command would surely be greatly enhanced.

    It must be understood that the monsters under his command almost had no weapons. Everything they used was free, and when he summoned them, they had already acquired these weapons.

    Although his monsters were very powerful, they could not fully unleash their strength without proper armament.

    Moreover, the Alchemist Master played an extremely important role.

    Noan thought momentarily and decided to name the Alchemist Master "Khorvath" and the Blacksmith Master "Thalira."

    Immediately after, two information panels appeared in front of Noan.

    ...

    Name: Khorvath

    Class: Alchemist Master (D)

    Level: 00

    Description: Khorvath possesses a vast knowledge of herbs and can craft most low-level potions and a few high-level ones.

    Note: The higher Khorvath''s rank, the higher his chance of crafting perfect potions, and the higher the chance of creating high-rank potions.

    ...

    Name: Thalira

    Class: Blacksmith Master (D)

    Level: 00

    Description: Thalira can craft almost all types of equipment. She also can identify metal ores or precious stones.

    Note: The higher Thalira''s rank, the higher her chances of crafting high-quality equipment. Her ability to find metal ores and precious stones improves with her rank.

    ...

    After reading the information panels about the two special NPCs, Noan felt increasingly pleased.

    When he summoned these two NPCs, he initially thought the lack of materials would make them useless.

    However, they could also gather materials independently, saving him a lot of time and effort.

    In fact, Noan just wanted to be lazy and let others handle everything.

    If others did it well, he wouldn''t need to worry too much about their expertise.

    Noan opened the sidebar and saw two new projects still to be built, which were placed in the waiting area.

    Those were the Forge and the Research Room.

    However, he knew that even though these two buildings wouldn''t take up too much space once constructed, their impact would not be small.

    Just thinking about the potential consequences, if anything went wrong, or simply, if the research room exploded and chemicals were scattered around, the affected area would surely be immense.

    Nevertheless, he couldn''t build these two structures outside the territory.

    Therefore, he decided to upgrade the Territory. He used the materials he had to proceed for the first upgrade.

    [Ding! You have successfully upgraded. Your territory has expanded to 20,000 square meters.

    You now have an additional cultivation area (3,000 square meters).

    The NPC housing area has been expanded to 10 houses.]

    Noan continued to give the command: "Use the Territory Upgrade Card."

    [Ding! The use of the ''Territory Upgrade Card'' has been successful. Your territory has reached level 3.

    Your territory has expanded to 40,000 square meters.

    The cultivation area has expanded to 5,000 square meters (Increasing crop development speed and agricultural yield).

    The NPC housing area has been expanded to 15 houses (When NPCs are in this area, their physical and mental strength will recover better and faster).

    You now have a new Livestock Area (5,000 square meters).]

    Seeing the significantly larger territory, Noan nodded in satisfaction.

    Although the cultivation and livestock areas took up 10,000 square meters, those two areas had special effects, and of course, they were extremely necessary.

    After all, there was still plenty of space, and he could continue to upgrade the territory later.

    Noan then continued to use the NPC upgrade cards, and soon, the bodies of the NPCs began to change.

    Although the changes were minor, Noan could still notice them.

    The NPCs became stronger, and they also became slightly more beautiful.

    Only the two special NPCs, Khorvath and Thalira, did not change.

    [Ding! You have successfully upgraded regular NPCs. Regular NPCs have gained combat abilities and can undertake more complex tasks.]

    [Ding! You have successfully upgraded special NPCs. The success rate of special NPCs crafting high-quality items has slightly increased.]

    Seeing this, Noan began to make adjustments on the sidebar, shifting the positions of the buildings to better fit the new area.

    It took him the entire morning to finish, and he was satisfied with the outcome. Afterward, he had lunch with Vylyss.

    Although he could use food potions for convenience, he preferred the sensation of his tongue touching real food.

    Eating delicious food is also a form of enjoyment.

    Instead of checking his phone while eating, Noan was now looking at the system information panel.

    He looked at the unused items, thinking about how to optimize their effects to the highest level.

    Finally, Noan decided to use the "Soldier Upgrade Card" to raise all of his soldiers to level 3.

    After all, his soldiers couldn''t level up by themselves, so using the "Soldier Upgrade Card" was necessary.

    Noan''s eyes focused on the "Lord Upgrade Card" and the "Hero Upgrade Card," and he sighed inwardly.

    Although he had reached rank E+ and had over 12,000 Lord points, he couldn''t continue to advance his Lord rank any further.

    Why? Because this area couldn''t support a Lord of rank D, so E+ was the maximum limit.

    He knew his speculation might be a bit far-fetched, but he still believed the areas would likely merge.

    Why?

    Not for any reason, just his intuition telling him it might happen.

    However, logically speaking, it resembled an online game.

    When too few players are on different servers, merging the servers becomes unavoidable.

    Noan believed that this world would also operate similarly.

    Thus, Noan didn''t rush to use the "Lord Upgrade Card" and decided to use the energy essence to level up.

    [Ding! You cannot level up because you must complete the Class Selection Quest.]

    [Ding! Would you like to perform the Class Selection Quest now?]

    Noan immediately remembered that Lords could have a Class when they reached level 4, but they would need to complete a special quest.

    He didn''t rush, slowly savoring his meal with Vylyss before heading to the "Combat Simulation Room" to train.

    By the afternoon, he had gathered all the remaining items he owned.

    One Hero Upgrade Card, one Lord Upgrade Card, one ticket to a special event, one free building construction card, one storage space x99, one blueprint, one Dark Seed, and one Dark Essence.

    Noan thought for a long while, not wanting to use any of the cards because using them today wouldn''t maximize their benefits.

    He decided to use the remaining materials to upgrade all his heroes.

    After opening the chest and gathering many resources from the Lords he had defeated, he now had plenty of energy essence.

    [Ding! You have successfully upgraded all of your heroes. All of your heroes have reached level 3.]

 Chapter 138 138: Overpowering

    Vylyss was standing before Noan, feeling an immense surge of power.

    She raised her hand, and a dark energy sphere appeared like a tennis ball and hovered above her palm like a tennis ball.

    "Vylyss, follow me into the trial space. I can only bring you with me this time," Noan said. "I hope you will do your best."

    Upon hearing Noan, Vylyss immediately became serious. She furrowed her brows and replied, "Yes, Master. I will not disappoint you. I swear on my life."

    Noan, seeing Vylyss'' expression, understood why she was so determined.

    After letting Vylyss enter the ''Combat Simulation Room'' to truly control her power after the upgrade, he immediately commanded the System: "Accept mission to select Class."

    [Ding! You may bring one hero into the trial space. Who will you choose?]

    "Vylyss!" Noan answered without hesitation. Currently, Vylyss is the strongest hero he owns, and he would choose her.

    [Ding! Starting transfer to the trial space, please wait a moment.]

    Moments later, Noan noticed the space around him starting to change.

    A few seconds later, he realized that he and Vylyss were standing in front of a tower over a hundred meters tall, surrounded by fog, preventing them from seeing anything further.

    Vylyss wanted to use magic to scan the surroundings but was immediately hindered by a mysterious force.

    "Ack!" Vylyss clutched her head, feeling an intense pain, as if someone were hammering it with a mallet.

    Noan, seeing this, quickly placed his hand on her shoulder: "Don''t scan the surroundings. This is not a dangerous place."

    Indeed, he had learned at the Lord Academy that this place was not dangerous.

    However, that was true only if you didn''t wander off. If not, the fog around you would make you regret your decision.

    Vylyss, hearing this, embarrassingly nodded.

    Noan lowered his head, looking at the bracelet still on his wrist, feeling a strange bewilderment.

    He had to know that this bracelet was the Abyss Cube and a hero he had summoned.

    However, the bracelet was still on his wrist when entering this space. This meant that he could bring two heroes with him.

    Although it was hard to understand, this was beneficial to him. With the Abyss Cube by his side, his strength would increase significantly.

    Noan led Vylyss to the gate of the tower. Just then, a system notification appeared before him.

    [Ding! Do you wish to enter the Trial Tower?

    Note: If you abandon the trial halfway, you will fail. The score will be recorded at the last floor you passed.]

    Noan nodded and said, "Accept!"

    Krit!

    Immediately after, the massive gate, over four meters high, slowly opened with a heavy creak.

    However, even though the gate was fully open, the interior was still shrouded in darkness.

    Vylyss, cautious, followed closely behind Noan as they entered the tower.

    [Ding! Please present your Lord ID card.]

    Noan took the card from his ''Storage Space.'' Just then, a beam of light scanned the card, and another notification appeared.

    [Ding! Confirmed: Lord Noan - Rank F, Level 03.

    Hero accompanying - Vylyss (Succubus) Rank D, Level 03.]

    "What?!" Noan was slightly confused, looking back at the system''s notification again.

    Indeed, the system displayed his information, but besides his rank, all the other details were from when he had just become a Lord.

    "Could it be that the information on the Lord ID card hasn''t been updated since my evolution?" Noan muttered.

    He knew he was now a Level 3 Lord - Rank E+, while Vylyss was already a 3- Rank B hero.

    The difference between Rank B and Rank D was vast, like comparing a neon light to moonlight.

    Noan frowned, unsure if this discrepancy in the information would affect his participation in the Class Selection Trial.

    [Ding! First challenge - Begin!]

    As soon as the system notification appeared, two dark figures appeared before Noan.

    Although their shapes were indistinct, Noan could immediately recognize that they were versions of himself and Vylyss but completely blacked out.

    "That''s..." Noan flinched, not expecting the Trial Space to involve fighting against the doppelga?ngers of himself and Vylyss.

    "Vylyss, you..."

    BAM!

    BAM!

    Before Noan could say anything, Vylyss raised her hand, and two chains immediately pierced through the heads of the dark figures.

    [Ding! Congratulations on completing the first challenge. Now transferring to the next floor.]

    Noan: "..."

    "Wait! Vylyss, why did you rush like that?"

    Hearing Noan''s question, Vylyss gave him a confused look: "Heh?! Master, I thought those dark figures were too weak, so I wanted to finish it as quickly as possible."

    "Weak?!" Noan frowned and asked, "You could sense the strength of those dark figures?"

    "That''s right," Vylyss nodded and said, "The one that looks like you is just an ordinary person, nothing worth mentioning."

    "And the dark figure of me is just a copy from when I was a Succubus Rank D, only slightly higher in rank, maybe also level 3."

    Noan, hearing this, was a bit surprised and muttered, "So that means... this is a bug?"

    Although this was a bug, it was a bug that worked in his favor. Passing the entire Trial Tower would be possible if the subsequent floors were based on his rank and level from the Lord ID card.

    At that moment, he and Vylyss were transferred to the second floor. On this floor, he saw four dark figures.

    One was a copy of himself, and the other three were copies of Vylyss.

    However...

    BAM!

    BAM!

    BAM!

    BAM!

    The four explosions rang out, and before the system notification could even appear, Vylyss destroyed the four figures.

    Noan: "..."

    With Vylyss''s output being that high, Noan should be happy about it.

    [Ding! Congratulations on passing the second challenge. You will be transferred to the third floor.]

    Noan sighed, feeling that the trial was easier than he had expected. No, if the system had copied his current information, then he would probably be stuck on the third floor at most.

    Fortunately, there was a glitch in the system, or else he wouldn''t have been able to reach the third floor so easily.

    On the third floor, Noan saw a copy of himself, slightly stronger than the previous one, along with five copies of Vylyss.

    However, the five copies of Vylyss seemed slightly stronger.

    If on the second floor, Vylyss''s copy was Rank D, Level 3, then now they were probably Rank D+, Level 3.

    However... even then, it wasn''t enough to defeat Vylyss, who easily destroyed those dark figures.

    [Ding! Congratulations on setting a new record for the fastest time to pass the third challenge.]

    [Ding! Congratulations on passing the third challenge. Preparing for transfer to the fourth floor.]

    Noan frowned and asked, "System, will my name be announced after I set a new record?"

    [Ding! You have the right to hide your identity. Do you wish to hide your identity?]

    "Use the identity concealment feature."

    [Ding! Identity concealed successfully.]

    Seeing the system notification, Noan let out a small sigh of relief.

    Thankfully, the system had the function to hide his identity. If his name had been revealed, it would have caused him a lot of trouble.

    From the fourth floor to the seventh, both Vylyss and Noan passed easily, and of course, on each floor, Vylyss helped him set a new record.

    Floor 8.

    The space was no longer black but a somewhat strange area at this point.

    Beneath his feet was a layer of water about 5 cm deep, stretching almost endlessly.

    Above, the night sky was filled with stars, but there were three moons in the sky, each with a different color.

    [Ding! Starting the eighth challenge.]

    A magical circle appeared in the sky right after the system notification disappeared.

    Then, from within the magical circle, two dark figures materialized.

    As before, one dark figure was a copy of Noan, and the other was a copy of Vylyss.

    "Master, be careful," Vylyss spoke up, "Although fewer of them than before, my copy seems to have reached Rank C+, and your copy has become much stronger as well."

    At that moment, Vylyss''s copy raised her hand, and a chain shot out from her palm, flying toward Noan at an incredibly high speed.

    Keng!

 Chapter 139: Final challenge - Alone?!

    (This is the bonus chapter for my book is on the splash banner.)

    Noan had not yet made a move when Vylyss acted first.

    Another chain appeared, knocking away the chain of Vylyss''s copy.

    "Do you want to harm my master?" At that moment, Vylyss''s voice suddenly turned cold and filled with killing intent, so even Noan could not help but feel frightened.

    She clasped her hands together, and from between her palms, three streams of energy in three different colors appeared, quickly merging.

    A black spear materialized in the blink of an eye, with lines on its body radiating white light.

    Whoosh! Whoosh!

    The spear hovered before Vylyss, emitting energy waves that spread continuously around.

    She waved her hand, and the spear disappeared. In just a small moment, it instantly reappeared.

    Phut!

    The spear appeared suddenly without warning before Vylyss''s copy, piercing through its chest.

    "Explode!" Vylyss muttered softly.

    It seemed that Noan''s copy realized something strange; it immediately tried to flee, but everything was too slow.

    BAM!

    The spear exploded into a massive energy sphere, annihilating everything within a thousand-meter radius.

    A shockwave spread out, and Noan furrowed her brows, crossing her arms in front of her face as if trying to resist the shockwave.

    But Vylyss appeared before him, pulling him into her embrace, her wings shielding him from any harm.

    The explosion lasted for over a minute, and then the energy sphere, which had a diameter of more than ten meters, disappeared, leaving behind a huge crater more than five meters deep.

    The surrounding water had completely evaporated, leaving a dry area where the ground had cracked due to the extreme heat of the explosion.

    "It seems that even a C+ rank doesn''t pose any threat to you, right?" Noan, held in Vylyss''s arms, asked softly.

    "Hehehe... Master, guess where my limit lies?" Vylyss teased with a smile, gently lifting his chin with her finger, bringing their faces closer together.

    "In bed, you might be able to defeat me, but in a real battle, I''m not so sure you''d win," Noan sighed. In truth, Vylyss was strong enough that he wasn''t surprised.

    He had to admit that he currently possessed the ''Pioneer'' medal.

    The medal had three effects:

    It increased the lord''s strength and all heroes and soldiers under their command by 30%. It reduced physical and magical damage by 30%. It reduced the strength of zombie-type monsters by 30% when near any hero, soldier, or lord bearing the medal.

    With these effects, Vylyss could easily defeat rank B monsters of the same level.

    Thus, a rank C+ monster was merely an ant to her, just a slightly larger ant than the usual ones.

    [Ding! Congratulations, you have passed challenge 8, beginning to teleport to level 9.]

    The system''s notification interrupted the moment between Noan and Vylyss. Of course, Noan never expected to do anything strange here, such as giving Vylyss "milk."

    He pushed her away, glancing at the notification before him, but another notification appeared immediately after.

    [Ding! Congratulations, you are the first to reach level 9 and have been awarded the ''Extreme Challenge'' medal.]

    ...

    Name: Extreme Challenge Medal

    Rank: ???

    Level: 00

    Description: Reduces the strength and defense of monsters by 50%. This percentage decreases for monsters that are higher-ranked than you.

    For each level and rank above you, the effect decreases by 10%.

    Note: This effect is only valid during challenge events. Storing it in the ''Storage Space'' will still allow it to exert its effect.

    ...

    "Another medal," Noan thought to himself with delight.

    Although this medal was only effective during challenge events, that was already more than enough.

    Moreover, the ''Apocalyptic Bunker'' still affected all of Noan''s monsters.

    Therefore, Vylyss''s strength in this space was increased to over 85%.

    That number was incredibly formidable, and it seemed that, unless rank A monsters appeared, Vylyss would truly be invincible in this space.

    Noan placed the medal inside the ''Storage Space'' and continued moving towards level 9.

    Just then, four dark shadows appeared in front of Noan.

    One shadow was his copy, with strength almost equal to his current self.

    The other three were copies of Vylyss; two ranked C+, and one reached rank C Peak.

    Vylyss suddenly thought of something, furrowing her brow and saying, "Master, be careful. This battle may be quite difficult."

    Noan: "..."

    He understood what Vylyss was thinking, immediately saying, "Vylyss, you don''t need to act like that. Your strength has increased to 85%, so don''t worry about these shadows. Even if a rank A monster appears, you can still fight fairly, right?"

    "Master..." Vylyss pouted, her face showing a hint of playful sulking.

    Noan sighed, whispering something into her ear that made her widen her eyes. Then, she looked at him suspiciously and asked, "Master, are you serious?"

    "Have I ever lied to you?" Noan furrowed his brows, saying, "I''m very strong now. You can''t beat me in bed alone. Find yourself another ally if you don''t like it."

    "Hehehehe no, I like it very much," Vylyss smiled brightly. "Master, I will not disappoint you."

    "Show me your strength then." Noan waved his hand, his expression indifferent.

    Vylyss smiled, then disappeared.

    In the blink of an eye, she appeared amid the dark shadows.

    Although the dark shadows had immense power, they were nothing but ants when facing Vylyss, who had reached rank B level 3 and was further boosted by 85% strength.

    Even if there were many ants, they were still just ants.

    Countless chains pierced through the space, moving faster than the eye could follow, heading toward the dark shadows and binding them tightly.

    Vylyss sat on one of the chains, crossing her legs to reveal her perfect long legs and irresistibly seductive figure.

    She flashed a smile that was as devilish as one from hell. "Sorry, I was planning to have fun with you all, but my master doesn''t like that."

    BAM!

    The chains tightened, instantly causing the dark shadows to explode into countless dust particles, vanishing into space.

    [Ding! Congratulations, you have completed challenge 9, setting a new record.]

    [Ding! Congratulations, you are the first to reach level 10. The ''Extreme Challenge'' medal has been upgraded.]

    ...

    Name: Extreme Challenge Medal

    Rank: ???

    Level: 01

    Description: Reduces the strength and defense of monsters by 70%. This percentage decreases for monsters that are higher-ranked than you.

    For each level and rank above you, the effect decreases by 10%.

    Note: This effect is only valid during challenge events. Storing it in the ''Storage Space'' will still allow it to exert its effect.

    ...

    "That means Vylyss''s strength has now been increased to 105%," Noan muttered. "Not just Vylyss, but all my monsters, if they enter the challenge space, will also get a 105% power boost."

    Noan felt extremely pleased inside. With this, he didn''t need to worry too much about the upcoming challenges from the system.

    He sighed, shaking his head, trying to rid himself of the arrogant thoughts creeping into his mind.

    "This isn''t right! I can''t be so arrogant."

    Although Noan tried to suppress his arrogance, he still couldn''t help it. After all, he was the first person to reach level 10 of the Challenge Tower, and arrogance couldn''t be avoided.

    It was important to note that even the former Emperor of the Empire only reached level 8 of the Challenge Tower.

    In fact, that Emperor hadn''t even passed level 8.

    But Noan? He surpassed level 8 and reached level 10, the highest level of the Challenge Tower.

    However, Noan knew clearly that he could only make it this far because of the system''s "bug" and his own innate "Almighty Fusion."

    Without these, he would still be nothing more than a useless being.

    The space around him began to change. A few seconds later, he and Vylyss appeared in another dimension.

    At this point, he stood in a pitch-black space, just like when he first entered level 1.

    Noan furrowed his brows and said, "Vylyss, don''t be overconfident, this is the final level, something strange is bound to happen."

    A moment later, Noan did not hear any response from Vylyss. He furrowed his brows again and called out, "Vylyss! Vylyss!"

    There was no reply.

    [Ding! Challenge level 10 begins.]

    Just then, the system''s notification appeared, and the space suddenly lit up, allowing Noan to clearly see his surroundings.

    However, at this moment, Vylyss was no longer by his side.

 Chapter 140: The Battle

    Noan also realized that it seemed like, on this 10th floor, he could only fight alone, or perhaps he and Vylyss had been separated.

    He looked around; this space seemed somewhat similar to a place he had seen before.

    There were floating black cubes everywhere, and on the ground were several large cubes resembling massive stones.

    These cubes were perfectly square like some extremely advanced human technology had created them.

    Noan didn''t move, standing still as he scanned his surroundings, his awareness heightened to the maximum.

    The Abyss Cube was also ready to transform into anything Noan wanted.

    At that moment, a shadowy figure appeared before him. It wasn''t a replica of him but the dark silhouette of a man.

    Although it was just a shadow, Noan could tell that the man was relatively slender, wearing a cloak, holding a staff of magical authority in one hand and a Lancer in the other.

    What stood out was the crown on his head, emitting a dazzling golden glow.

    [Ding! Opponent defeated, you may now complete the challenge of this floor.]

    ...

    Name: Kotarok

    Class: Dragon Knight

    Rank: D Peak (SS)

    Level: 3 (10)

    ...

    Name: ???

    Race: Black Dragon

    Rank: D Peak (SS)

    Level: 3 (10)

    ...

    Noan saw the two information panels appear and immediately knew they were the details of the man and the dragon.

    However, their strength was still limited to Rank D Peak, Level 3.

    In reality, their rank had already reached 10, and their true rank was SS.

    However, what caught Noan''s attention was the name of the man.

    "Kotarok?!" Noan mumbled. "That''s the name of the former emperor... could it be...?"

    While Noan was trying to make sense of it, the shadowy figure immediately raised his magical staff, and a blinding light burst from the staff.

    Then, the staff began to wriggle violently like a snake.

    It slowly expanded, sprouting four legs and two wings, transforming into an actual dragon.

    A black Western dragon, covered in a layer of night, incredibly mysterious and dangerous.

    The shadowy figure leaped onto the dragon''s back, and the Lancer, in his hand, pointed directly at Noan.

    GRAOO!!!

    The dragon roared, its roar becoming a fierce wind blowing toward Noan.

    Luckily, his strength was no longer the same as before; his body was now rooted to the ground like a stone, unaffected by the violent wind.

    The Black Dragon slowly flapped its wings and soared high, then looked down at him.

    Although Noan couldn''t see the expression of the man or the dragon, he could feel the disdain coming from them.

    Noan frowned, sensing their disdain and feeling a heavy pressure as though a large stone was weighing down on his back.

    He realized it was the pressure from the difference in race and rank.

    Indeed, when facing legendary races, especially the Dragon race, one would have to bear the pressure from them.

    This was known as bloodline pressure.

    It was like a deer facing a tiger, and Noan''s situation was the same.

    However, now that he had come this far, he could not easily back down.

    The Abyss Cube immediately transformed into a bow, which Noan grasped.

    The bowstring was pulled taut, and the energy formed into a light arrow shot toward the Black Dragon.

    Whoosh!

    The sound of the wind shrieking echoed as the arrow flew toward the Black Dragon like a beam of light in the dark.

    "Huh!" Kotarok sniffed, the disdain visible in his expression.

    The Black Dragon likely shared the same thought as Kotarok, so it didn''t bother to avoid the arrow, casually spitting out a black fireball.

    However... the arrow suddenly vanished.

    "Hm?!"

    BAM!

    At that moment, a loud explosion rang out, and the Black Dragon''s wings exploded. The blast was so powerful that it turned into a shockwave, pushing everything around.

    GRAOO!!!

    The Black Dragon roared in agony.

    Noan wasn''t sure if it felt pain, but that was enough to make him realize that the opponent clearly didn''t understand his true power.

    The light arrow earlier hadn''t been enough to hurt the Black Dragon''s wings, but one arrow wasn''t enoughˇŞten arrows would be.

    GRAOO!!

    At that moment, a black fireball was spewed from the Black Dragon''s mouth, flying straight toward Noan.

    However, Noan remained still, not moving, his hand still pulling the bowstring.

    Pew! Pew! Pew!

    Countless light arrows shot out from the bow, transforming into streaks of light racing toward the Black Dragon.

    Seeing the fireball was less than a meter away from him, Noan used his spatial energy to teleport to a position over ten meters away.

    BAM!

    Only a moment later, the fireball exploded upon hitting the ground, creating a massive explosion and leaving a large crater.

    Kotarok raised the Lancer in his hand, and a protective magical shield enveloped him and the Black Dragon.

    "Foolish!" Noan muttered.

    Just as the arrows were about to hit the shield, they suddenly vanished.

    BAM!

    BAM!

    BAM!

    Immediately, a series of explosions erupted from within the shield.

    At this point, the shield no longer served as protection; it turned into a cage, trapping the force of the explosions inside, significantly amplifying the damage.

    Noan saw the shield turn into a sphere, trapping the fire inside. Without hesitation, he pulled his bow again, ready to fire more arrows, but then he suddenly noticed something.

    In the briefest moment, Noan''s instinct sensed the breath of death right next to him.

    He immediately used his innate ability to teleport.

    Whoosh!

    A Lancer thrust directly into the spot where Noan had just been.

    BAM!

    The Lancer collided and stabbed deep into the ground, causing cracks to spread like a web from the impact.

    Noan stabilized his form and raised the bow again.

    However, the Black Dragon seemed to have anticipated the position where he would teleport. A fireball appeared right in front of him.

    "Tsk!" Noan clicked his tongue, quickly using his spatial ability to teleport again.

    But the Black Dragon knew his position. As soon as he reappeared, a fireball was already heading toward him, forcing him to use his innate spatial ability continuously.

    BAM!

    BAM!

    BAM!

    The explosions rang out quickly, with the fireballs wreaking havoc everywhere, turning the space into what felt like a shower of meteors.

    At this moment, Noan could truly feel how terrifying the 10th floor was.

    It must be understood that before reaching level 4, regular lords had nothing special about them. Their physique was just like that of an ordinary person.

    However, Noan was one of the most special lords, possessing exceptional strength before reaching level 4 and without any class.

    Because of this, if an ordinary lord stepped into the challenge on this 10th floor, they would undoubtedly fail within the first second.

    How could an ordinary person fight against a Black Dragon and a Dragon Knight?

    The answer was "No."

    Noan possessed many unique abilities, including his spatial innate ability, which allowed him to dodge fireballs, which seemed to predict his movements.

    Without this spatial innate ability, he would indeed have been burned to ashes by the fireball.

    However, constantly dodging like this wasn''t a good thing. Noan could feel the energy within his body continuously depleting.

    While his spatial innate ability was powerful, it consumed much energy.

    No matter how much energy he had, it wouldn''t be enough to keep dodging fireballs indefinitely.

    Therefore, he had to find a way to end this energy-draining process.

    Noan teleported once more, and when he saw a fireball heading toward him, he immediately used teleportation again.

    In less than a second, he appeared above the Black Dragon.

    The Abyss Cube immediately transformed, shifting from a bow to a gun.

    If a soldier were here, they would recognize that the weapon in Noan''s hand was a DENEL NTW-20.

    This gun could penetrate even armored tanks, destroying radar systems or satellites.

    He didn''t believe that the Black Dragon or the man could withstand it if he fired at such close range.

    The energy within his body was maximized, forming a thread thick enough, sharp, and sharper than the best quality bullet for this gun.

    BAM!

 Chapter 141: Passed

    The deafening explosion echoed, followed by a shockwave that swept through the surroundings like a wild storm.

    The fiber bullet instantly pierced through the protective shield, continuing to pass through the lower part of the shield, drawing a straight line as if slicing the sky in half and plunging downward.

    BAM!

    Another loud explosion rang out when the fiber bullet hit the ground, causing the surrounding area to shake violently, dust and debris flying up into the air.

    Noan was pushed back by the gun''s recoil, but he quickly used his spatial ability to teleport to a position farther away from the Black Dragon and Kotarok.

    Noan safely landed, panting heavily, glancing at the ground where his fiber bullet had just struck.

    The dust began to settle, revealing a crater about ten centimeters in diameter, but its depth seemed to have no bottom.

    Surrounding the crater were countless cracks, spreading out like a spider''s web.

    Noan looked up at the sky. Inside the protective shield was nothing but a chaotic mass of fire and smoke, making it impossible for him to see anything.

    BANG!

    The cracks around the crater, left by the fiber bullet, spread throughout the entire shield, causing it to shatter into countless small fragments.

    These small fragments turned into specks of light that quickly dissipated into the air.

    The smoke and fire were no longer contained, spreading out in all directions.

    At that moment, Noan could see how badly the Black Dragon and Kotarok were injured.

    Though their exterior was still black, they had terrifying wounds on their bodies.

    The strange thing was that these wounds weren''t bleeding; instead, a black substance was oozing out.

    Even more surprisingly, the fiber bullet had pierced through Kotarok''s thigh and severed one of the Black Dragon''s wings, causing it to fall to the ground slowly.

    BAM!

    The massive body of the Black Dragon slammed into the ground with a loud crash, sending a cloud of dust rising like mist, covering the entire surrounding space.

    Noan dared not let his guard down.

    Although exhausted, he immediately moved backward, keeping a safe distance from the Black Dragon.

    Suddenly...

    WHOOSH!

    Noan stopped, lowering his head, realizing that the Lancer had pierced through his chest at some point, though he hadn''t noticed.

    "Pff!" Noan coughed, spitting out a mouthful of blood.

    However, the Lancer seemed to want to pierce through his chest completely, continuing to fly forward.

    Noan tried to stop it, but...

    Whoosh!

    The Lancer immediately pierced through Noan''s chest, flew back toward Kotarok, and was caught in his hand.

    Before Noan''s chest was a gaping hole the size of a hand, with fresh blood pouring out like a river.

    He slowly fell to his knees, then collapsed on the ground and died.

    Kotarok saw Noan lying in a pool of blood for a moment and suddenly spoke, "Finally, someone can take my place."

    "50 years... 50 years trapped in this wretched place, and finally, I can be free."

    "I..."

    Smash!

    Before Kotarok could finish speaking, he suddenly felt something pierce his heart.

    He looked down and saw part of a needle protruding from his chest.

    "What the hell?!"

    At that moment, Noan''s hand suddenly rose and clenched, his mouth mumbling, "Change!"

    BAM!

    The needle that had pierced through Kotarok''s chest suddenly changed its form, immediately expanding.

    "ACK!" Kotarok cried out in pain as the needle grew to over 30cm in length.

    However, that seemed to be the limit; it could no longer expand further.

    Kotarok gritted his teeth, and his hand immediately reached for the large needle.

    But...

    The needle disappeared.

    "Dammit! Is it spatial energy?" Kotarok muttered. "But... he''s already dead!"

    It seemed to prove Kotarok''s words wrong. Noan slowly stood up, and the wound on his chest had vanished, leaving no trace behind.

    "What the hell?!" Kotarok jumped back, full of disbelief. "You''re... you''re not human, are you?"

    Noan tilted his head, his hand waving, and the needle in his hand shrank back before spinning around at an incredible speed.

    Though Noan was confused and didn''t understand why a replica could talk and think like a real person, he didn''t care much about it.

    All that mattered was killing Kotarok and the Black Dragon to end everything.

    Kotarok controlled the Black Dragon, but it remained still.

    "Black Dragon, hurry up!" Kotarok shouted, and immediately, the Black Dragon opened its mouth, a black fireball slowly forming.

    However, this fireball was even more terrifying than before, its temperature causing the ground beneath it to scatter.

    Noan wasn''t afraid, his eyes still locked on Kotarok as the needle in his hand spun faster and faster, creating a small vortex around it.

    The strange black glow from the fireball made it appear like a dark sun, filled with destructive power and heat intense enough to burn everything to ash.

    Noan could feel the heat from the fireball, enough to scorch his skin even though he was standing over a hundred meters away.

    He swung his hand, and Kotarok, at the same time, raised his Lancer.

    A beam of light appeared, forming a protective shield around Kotarok. In addition, five floating magical circles in five different colors appeared around him, emitting a blinding light.

    "Foolish!" Noan muttered.

    The needle in his hand vanished, and he used his spatial innate ability at that moment, causing his body to disappear.

    "Where?!" Kotarok jerked, hurriedly trying to sense where the needle and Noan might appear.

    However, as he looked around, he couldn''t find the needle, and there were no wounds on his body.

    GAOO!!!

    Suddenly, the Black Dragon roared in discomfort. Kotarok frowned and shouted, "Black Dragon, what''s happening?"

    GAOO!!!

    The Black Dragon seemed to ignore his commands, thrashing violently and causing Kotarok to lose his balance, nearly falling.

    Kotarok carefully looked and saw that something was stuck in the Black Dragon''s mouth, preventing it from spitting out the fireball about exploding inside.

    "What the hell?!" Kotarok jolted, hastily jumping down and looking toward the Black Dragon''s mouth.

    A rather crude staff was lodged inside its mouth, preventing it from closing its jaws.

    The black fireball radiated an ominous glow as if it were about to explode, causing Kotarok to panic.

    "Damn it! I''ve been tricked!"

    Indeed, at that moment, Kotarok realized he had been deceived.

    He had thought that the needle in Noan''s hand would attack him, but he never imagined that the needle had turned into something that blocked the Black Dragon''s mouth, preventing it from releasing the fireball.

    Kotarok found himself in a dilemma. If he tried to remove the staff from the Black Dragon''s mouth, there was a high chance the black fireball would burn him and the Black Dragon.

    But if he didn''t act, the Black Dragon would surely die.

    A problem without a solution, plunging Kotarok into despair.

    "Damn it! I refuse to accept this!"

    "50 years... 50 years trapped in this damned place, finally seeing a chance to escape. Why does fate treat me like this!"

    "AAA!!!" Kotarok screamed in desperation and grief as if pouring all his hatred into that cry.

    BAM!

    A terrifying explosion rang out, and the world seemed to turn into two colors: black and white.

    Then, a strange black glow enveloped the entire world.

    The black glow was suddenly pulled toward a single point a second later. That central point was the black fireball, and then...

    BAM!

    Another explosion erupted, and a black light sphere rapidly expanded in all directions.

    After reaching a diameter of over 1,000 meters, it stopped, radiating heat so intense that even the surrounding stones began to melt.

    Noan was standing very, very far away. He couldn''t tell how far exactly, but the earlier explosion made his ears bleed.

    A wave of heat shot out like a shockwave, heading toward Noan.

    "ACK!" Noan cried out in pain as he couldn''t avoid this wave of heat.

    His skin turned red from the burns and then caught fire, causing him excruciating pain.

    A few minutes later, the space fell silent again. Everything within a 10,000-meter radius was destroyed.

    Things within 1,000 meters of the explosion were burned to the point of turning into molten rock.

    Noan''s body slowly recovered, but since his energy was insufficient, his skin bore burn marks and scorch marks.

    He moved farther away, where there was a crater over 1,000 meters wide and more than 50 meters deep, with two large black chunks of what seemed to be charcoal in the center, still emitting smoke.

    Noan knew that these were the remains of the Black Dragon and Kotarok.

    [Ding! Congratulations, you have completed the 10th floor challenge.]

 Chapter 142: Systems announcement

    [Ding! Congratulations, you are the first person to pass through Challenge Floor 10 and receive the special reward of the Challenge Tower.]

    [Ding! The system will notify all other lords 3 times, visible to them. Do you want to hide your identity?]

    Noan sighed and said, "Hide my identity."

    [Ding! Successfully hid the identity.]

    [Ding! Congratulations, Lord ??? Rank F Level 3 is the first to pass through Challenge Floor 10 of the Challenge Tower.]

    [Ding! Congratulations, Lord ??? Rank F Level 3 is the first to pass through Challenge Floor 10 of the Challenge Tower.]

    [Ding! Congratulations, Lord ??? Rank F Level 3 is the first to pass through Challenge Floor 10 of the Challenge Tower.]

    ...

    Elsewhere, Jankos was preparing to enter the Challenge Tower to choose his Class when a notification from the system appeared before him.

    [Ding! Congratulations, Lord ??? Rank F Level 3 is the first to pass through Challenge Floor 10 of the Challenge Tower.]

    "What the hell?!" Jankos saw the notification appear three times before him as if mocking him.

    He gritted his teeth, his hands clenched so tightly they turned white.

    Previously, an E+ Rank Lord had taken his number one position, and now, a Rank F Lord could pass through Floor 10 of the Challenge Tower.

    It should be known that even a former Emperor could only reach Floor 8 of the Challenge Tower.

    No one had ever set foot on Floor 9, let alone passed through Floor 10.

    But now, a Rank F Lord had passed through Floor 10.

    The surprising thing was that this Lord was only Rank F.

    That''s right, a Rank F Lord could pass Floor 10, a place that even SS Rank Lords couldn''t reach.

    What in the world is going on? Is this world crazy, or is he dreaming?

    Since when have Rank E and F Lords become so strong?

    "Damn it! A worthless Rank E+ bastard and a worthless Rank F bastard, don''t let me catch you, or else..." Jankos gritted his teeth, his eyes seeming to spew fire.

    He had always thought that after obtaining the ''Shards of Fate,'' he would shine like the sun, emitting blinding light that would make everyone revere him.

    However, before he could shine, other lights burned his eyes.

    That''s why he was furious and confusedˇŞcould something strange happen in this world?

    ...

    BAM!

    At that moment, Alex had just smashed the head of a Zombie Licker.

    Holding an E-rank energy crystal in his hand, he couldn''t wait any longer and immediately absorbed its energy.

    Even though the crystal was dirty, covered in blood and bits of flesh,

    Alex needed to grow stronger, and he wanted to use the fastest method to become more powerful.

    Since his encounter with that mysterious person, his arrogance and confidence had been like a shield with several cracks.

    However, he didn''t believe he would permanently lose.

    It should be known that Alex possessed SS-level natural talent, and his mentor even claimed that he was a ''Fate Holder,'' blessed by the goddess of fortune.

    Therefore, he believed that failure was simply because he wasn''t strong enough.

    As long as he was given more time, he was sure he would become stronger, surpassing that mysterious person.

    After absorbing the E-rank energy crystal, Alex felt his wounds were getting better.

    With just a few more E-rank crystals, his injuries would heal completely.

    By then, he could continue strengthening his power to a whole new level.

    [Ding! Congratulations, Lord ??? Rank F Level 3 is the first to pass through Challenge Floor 10 of the Challenge Tower.]

    "Dammit!" A notification from the system suddenly appeared, causing him to curse.

    Not just once, but the notification appeared three times, forcing him to pay attention.

    "Rank F? Damn it! Since when can a Rank F Lord pass through Floor 10 of the Challenge Tower?"

    "Fake! It must be fake!"

    The confidence he had just built up was shattered once again by the system''s notification.

    He, of course, knew what the Challenge Tower represented.

    But how could a Rank F Lord pass through Floor 10 of the Challenge Tower?

    "System! Are you sure there was no mistake when sending this notification? Could it be that this Lord is Rank SS?"

    The system remained silent and did not respond to Alex.

    He truly wanted to believe that the system had made a mistake with the Lord''s rank in the notification. Although the chances were almost nonexistent, he still hoped it was the case.

    "Wait a minute!" Suddenly, Alex thought of something: "Could it be... that the mysterious person who defeated me is the Lord who passed through Floor 10 of the Challenge Tower?"

    The more Alex thought about it, the more he felt this reasoning made sense.

    A Lord with extraordinary power would indeed have an unusual monster under their command.

    Therefore, it was possible that such a Lord could pass through Floor 10 of the Challenge Tower.

    The more he thought, the more Alex felt his guess was logical. However, he immediately shook his head, trying not to think any further.

    If his guess was accurate, just how influential was that mysterious person?

    He didn''t want to think about that, as it would truly destroy his confidence.

    "No! I am a ''Fate Holder,'' I can surpass him," Alex mumbled to himself.

    With that belief, Alex became even more desperate to hunt zombies.

    ...

    "A Rank F Lord passing through Floor 10 of the Challenge Tower?"

    A dignified and powerful woman was sitting in the palace, seated upon a golden throne.

    Her body was enveloped in a mist, and no one could see her actual appearance.

    Her voice rang out like a mountain pressing down on the backs of everyone present in the palace.

    They all bowed their heads, not daring to speak further, as they had just seen the notification from the system.

    Indeed, the Lords in the special zone and even those outside could receive this notification.

    Knock! Knock! Knock!

    Catherine lightly tapped her fingers on the armrest of the golden throne. The sound, though faint, became deafening in the stillness of the space.

    Strangely, the immense palace had nearly a hundred people present, yet no one dared to speak, creating an atmosphere heavy with silence and tension.

    After a moment, Catherine spoke: "I give you three days to find the person who passed through Floor 10 of the Challenge Tower."

    "Your Majesty!" At this moment, a man suddenly spoke: "The number of Rank F Lords is vast, and the lower-ranked Lords have all been sent into the Chaos World. Finding them will be very difficult."

    "Hopefully, Your Majesty can show mercy and give us more time."

    "Hm?!" Catherine furrowed her brows, her gaze turning to the man, filled with murderous intent.

    The air grew hotter as if a fire were burning in the space.

    Everyone bowed their heads in fear, and the man who had spoken was also terrified. He hurriedly explained: "Your Majesty, I speak the truth. The Lords sent into the Chaos World seem to be covered by some power."

    "Our system cannot connect with their system to update their information, and therefore, searching for them will be extremely difficult."

    Hearing this, Catherine withdrew the pressure and coldly said: "Seven days. If you cannot find this person, then you may prepare your resignation letters."

    With that, she stood and left without waiting for anyone to respond.

    Everyone in the room let out a long sigh, filled with despair.

    It should be known that although the number of Lords only comprised 0.1% of the world''s population, it was still significant.

    Moreover, almost all the lower-ranked Lords had been sent into the Chaos World, and they could not investigate or update the information of those Lords.

    It could be said that finding this person was an impossible task.

    Everyone could only sigh in resignation.

    ...

    Elsewhere, in the area designated for Rank D Lords,

    By a river, a young man sat leaning against a large stone, panting heavily, his body covered in blood.

    Notably, there was a scratch-like wound on his arm.

    The wound no longer bled, but blood vessels were visible, spreading like tree roots, starting from the injury and crawling throughout his body.

    The young man lowered his head to look at the wound, his face filled with despair.

    "Damn it! Why is this happening to me?" He gritted his teeth, his voice full of resentment.

    Beside him, a Pixie hovered in the air. Its form resembled a tiny girl with butterfly wings.

    She looked at the young man with a worried expression, speaking a strange language.

    The young man frowned, shaking his head. "It''s useless. I''ve been infected with the zombie virus. Even if you use healing magic, I''ll still become a zombie."

    Clang!

    Suddenly, a cracking sound rang out, startling the young man.

    He pulled out the necklace he had been wearing and discovered that the pendant, which had once been a purple gem, had now shattered, revealing a shard-like broken glass that emitted a dazzling glow.

    "This is..."

 Chapter 143: Which Class?

    The young man stared at the shard in front of him, feeling an immense sense of confusion.

    This necklace had been left by his parents after they passed away, which is why he always kept it close to him.

    However, he never imagined that inside the necklace there would be such a strange shard.

    At this moment, a small amount of his blood was still on the shard, but it quickly absorbed all of it.

    Then, the shard flew into the center of his forehead, completely merging with his body.

    The young man jolted, quickly reaching up to touch his forehead, but there was no trace left as if nothing had happened at all.

    [Ding! Congratulations, you have acquired a new innate talent - Permanent Buff (SS+)]

    The young man looked at the notification, feeling bewildered.

    Before he could process what was happening, the Pixie flew toward his arm, trying to use healing magic on his wound.

    The young man saw the Pixie working and could only sigh, saying, "It''s useless, it will... What?!"

    He suddenly jumped in surprise as a new notification appeared in front of him.

    [Ding! You have received healing magic. Due to the effect of the innate talent ''Permanent Buff,'' the healing magic will have permanent effects on your body.]

    The young man opened his mouth in disbelief, his face full of shock.

    What was even more unbelievable was that when the Pixie was exhausted and unable to cast healing magic anymore, the wound on his arm began healing by itself.

    Though the healing was slow, it was enough to prove that the system''s notification was correct.

    "SS+ innate talent, hahaha... hahahaha..." The young man suddenly laughed wildly and joyously, "Fate doesn''t want me to die! Hahahaha..."

    [Ding! Congratulations, Lord ??? Rank F Level 3 is the first to pass through Challenge Floor 10 of the Challenge Tower.]

    At that moment, another notification appeared in front of him, showing up three times and forcing him to pay attention.

    However, the young man only glanced at the notification momentarily before dismissing it.

    "Huh! So what if I passed Floor 10? I''m the one chosen by fate," he said, smiling confidently. "Permanent Buff: as long as I receive any beneficial buff, I can turn it into a permanent one."

    "Hahahaha... Mom and Dad, thank you for the gift you left behind. I won''t disappoint you."

    ...

    Back to Noan.

    At this moment, seeing the notification, he didn''t pay much attention to it.

    He sat on the ground, panting heavily, sweat soaking through his clothes.

    Luckily... he had won.

    Luckily, he hadn''t gone for Kotarok but instead used the Abyss Cube to stop the Black Dragon''s mouth, preventing it from firing that terrifying fireball.

    From then on, the fireball in its mouth became something that would kill it.

    Noan took a long breath. He thought he was perhaps the only Lord who could pass this Floor 10 challenge.

    After all, Lords from Level 3 and below were no different from ordinary peopleˇŞhow could they face Kotarok and the Black Dragon?

    No! Noan thought again and realized he was wrong.

    Why?

    Because in this world, there were Fate Holders. A prime example was Alex.

    If Alex continued absorbing energy crystals and growing stronger, he would certainly be able to pass Floor 10.

    Of course, that was assuming Alex could survive Floors 1 to 9.

    However, Alex would most likely make it. After all, he was a Fate Holder, or more accurately, a protagonist of this world.

    And the protagonist, of course, could do things ordinary people couldn''t.

    As for Noan?

    He didn''t think of himself as the protagonist, even though he was. Even if he were the protagonist, he didn''t want to reveal his identity actively.

    This was the real world, and he wasn''t sure he would be as lucky as the other Fate Holders.

    Moreover, he didn''t know if, after his death, he would be reincarnated into another world again or if this would be his final life.

    Because of that, he had to act extremely carefully. Otherwise, other Fate Holders might still kill him even if he possessed the unique SSS talent.

    [Ding! You have received a reward - Legendary Class Chest for passing through Floor 10 of the Challenge Tower.]

    [Ding! Because you''ve continuously set new records, the system rewards you with an Upgrade Card Medal ''Ultimate Challenge'' x2.]

    [Ding! As the first person to pass through Floor 10, an additional reward is granted: You have the right to choose a Legendary Class.]

    Noan saw the three notifications appear. While he felt immense joy in his heart, he couldn''t bring himself to react.

    His energy was nearly exhausted, his body fatigued, and his breath came in sharp gasps.

    After a moment, as his breathing began to steady, he reread the notifications.

    "What does Legendary Class mean?"

    [Ding! Classes are divided into ranks, just like regular ones. Legendary Classes have a rank similar to SS+.]

    "What? SS+, are you serious?" Noan asked in surprise, repeating the question.

    The system didn''t respond, but he knew it wouldn''t deceive him.

    Noan recalled that someone had once possessed a Class rank SS+ˇŞbut that was 200 years ago.

    That person was like a mystery, with no explanation given. They appeared for only a year, wiped out nearly all the monsters in the Black Sea, and then vanished without leaving any trace.

    Now, Noan could have a Class rank SS+, which, considering the current time, might be the highest rank that had ever appeared.

    The joy came so quickly that Noan lost a bit of composure.

    He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down, then opened his ''Storage Space.'' His gaze focused on the chest emitting a dazzling multicolored glow along with two small upgrade cards.

    "Use the upgrade cards for the ''Ultimate Challenge Medal.''"

    [Ding! Are you sure you want to use both ''Ultimate Challenge Medal'' upgrade cards?]

    "Accept!"

    [Ding! Upgrade successful.]

    ...

    **Ultimate Challenge Medal**

    Rank: ???

    Level: 03

    Description 1: Reduces the strength and defensive capabilities of monsters by 90%; this reduction gradually diminishes against monsters of a higher level than you.

    For each higher level or rank than you, the effect reduces by 5%.

    Description 2: When facing monsters of a higher level or rank than you, this medal will activate a special effect, granting you a 5% chance to instantly eliminate that monster. (This effect can only be activated once per monster.)

    Note: Only effective in challenge events. Placing it in the ''Storage Space'' still allows its effects to be activated.

    ...

    Although the effect of the ''Ultimate Challenge Medal'' had increased to a level that seemed unbelievable, the biggest limitation was that its beneficial effect only existed within challenge events.

    Noan shook his head, clearing his thoughts. He knew that if the effects of this medal applied in reality, he would likely become invincible, not even needing his SSS talent anymore.

    He continued to gaze at the chest before him, which was still glowing with the multicolored light, and immediately gave the command: "Open the chest."

    [Ding! Currently, you cannot open this chest without choosing your Class.]

    Noan responded, "Then choose my Class first."

    [Ding! You have the right to choose a Legendary Class, please select the Class you desire.]

    Soon after, another notification appeared in front of him, showing four types of Classes to choose from.

    Combat, Support, Construction, and Traveler.

    Noan immediately dismissed the Traveler Class.

    Why?

    Because when a Lord chose this Class, they no longer remained a Lord.

    They would no longer be tied to a territory and could wander freely.

    However, choosing this Class meant that they could no longer summon heroes and soldiers since they lost their domain. Instead, they would develop their own strength.

    While the development space wasn''t large, it was the best choice for those who had lost their domain or for lower-ranked Lords.

    After all, lower-ranked Lords, even if they continued to develop, would still face limits, but with this Class, those limits could be broken.

 Chapter 144: The Queen of Lust

    Let''s take a simple example.

    Lords ranked E and F can only reach a maximum level of 4. Afterward, they cannot continue leveling up.

    However, once they select the Traveler Class, they can break through this limit because their advancement no longer depends on their territory or lord rank.

    Nevertheless, this future path is one they must walk alone.

    They might find monster or hero summoning cards, but the probability of that is extremely low.

    Furthermore, the innate talents of Lords who choose the Traveler Class will also change, becoming effective only on themselves.

    As a result, they cannot coordinate with other monsters or heroes in battle.

    One could say that this is the loneliest Class.

    After eliminating the Traveler Class, Noan''s gaze shifted toward the Combat, Support, and Construction Classes.

    He frowned, continuing to exclude the Construction Class.

    This Class benefits Lords because of its high development and territory-building potential.

    More significantly, even if a Lord loses their territory, having this Class ensures they will still be welcomed into other territoriesˇŞnot as slaves, but in a far more respected role.

    However, Noan didn''t need this Class either. After all, he currently possessed many NPCs and believed he could acquire even more special NPCs in the future.

    Therefore, there was no need for him to choose the Construction Class.

    Now, only the Combat and Support Classes remained.

    Noan pondered for a long moment, finally deciding to eliminate the Combat Class and choosing the last option, the Support Class.

    Why?

    Because the Combat Class would grant Lords strength and the potential to develop into mighty warriors who could directly join the fight alongside summoned monsters.

    But Noan was different.

    Although he possessed strength far surpassing other Lords, that didn''t mean he enjoyed fighting.

    On the contrary, he preferred to remain in the shadows, controlling everything from behind. Even if monsters he summoned appeared to fight, no one would know who their true master was.

    For this reason, he decided to choose the Support Class.

    This Class suited him perfectly. Without appearing too often, he could still support his monsters in battle.

    Moreover, he could enhance his power thanks to his innate talent, ''Almighty Fusion.''

    This meant that even if he chose the Support Class, his strength would increase as if he possessed two different Classes simultaneously.

    "I choose the Support Class."

    [Ding! Are you certain about this decision?]

    "Absolutely!"

    [Ding! You have successfully chosen the Support Class. You have received the Mythical Support Class ¨C Whisper of the Forgotten.]

    Seeing this name, Noan suddenly recalled an image he had once seen.

    A woman chained in a world filled with nothing but darkness.

    Could this class somehow connect to her?

    Noan shook his head, unwilling to dwell on the thought any longer. After all, he was currently too weak, without sufficient capability to uncover the truth.

    He manipulated the system screen and opened up the Class information panel.

    ...

    Name: Whisper of the Forgotten

    Rank: SS+

    Description: You can hear the voices of the forgotten ones, be they Gods or Demons.

    Are they asking you for help? No! They need someone who can listen to their voices.

    Skill: None

    Innate Talent: None

    Number of listens available: 1

    ...

    Noan frowned upon seeing the information in front of him. Despite being a Support Class, it was still ranked SS+, so why was there no information about skills or innate talents?

    Listening? Did he need to listen to something?

    Feeling puzzled, Noan immediately used the available listening attempt.

    "Noan!"

    "What?!" Noan was startled as he heard someone seemingly calling his name.

    He furrowed his brows, observing the space around him gradually transform into a realm of pure darkness.

    "This place is..." Noan glanced around, feeling this space strangely familiar.

    However, this time, he saw much more clearly.

    Surrounding him were numerous giant crystal spheres, and inside those spheres were people sitting or lying down, strange creatures, and even objects imprisoned within.

    "Noan!"

    Suddenly, that voice echoed once more.

    Noan frowned, stepping toward the direction from which the voice came. The further he walked, the denser the crystal spheres became; even the strange creatures within seemed to notice his presence, turning their gazes toward him.

    Under the scrutiny of countless bizarre creatures, Noan felt somewhat uncomfortable, but he continued.

    "Noan!"

    "Noan!"

    The voice became clearer and closer with every step he took.

    Eventually, Noan arrived at a large crystal sphere. He furrowed his brow upon seeing the silhouette of a woman inside, legs crossed, floating in mid-air.

    Though her face was obscured, Noan instinctively sensed this woman was breathtakingly beautiful.

    Her eyes radiated a soft pink glow, somewhat resembling Vylyss''s eyes.

    Yet, there was an added layer of sorrow and disappointment within her gaze.

    "Ah! So, you are Noan?" A voice brimming with enchantment echoed, nearly plunging Noan''s mind into chaos.

    How terrifyingˇŞit took only a single sentence to bewitch someone completely.

    Noan struggled to regain his composure, staring intently at the mysterious woman inside the crystal sphere, and asked, "Yes, I am... and you are?"

    "So that means my reincarnation is with you now. It seems... she''s happier than the hell I once endured," the woman spoke, her voice tinged with envy and longing.

    "That''s good, then. I can safely entrust this soul to her."

    "Heh?! Wait! Who exactly are you?" Noan frowned and questioned sharply.

    Indeed, who was she? How did she know about Vylyss? How did she know Vylyss was with him?

    Moreover, how did she know what Vylyss had experienced?

    Clink!

    Suddenly, the crystal sphere shattered, scattering countless shards onto the ground. The mysterious woman stepped barefoot over the broken pieces, slowly approaching Noan.

    Noan wanted to move but quickly realized he couldn''t move even a finger.

    His body seemed petrified, immobilized entirely, leaving him only able to watch helplessly as the mysterious woman drew steadily closer.

    "Hm... There''s the scent of a vampire on you. How peculiar," the mysterious woman murmured.

    Her slender, delicate fingers gently caressed his face before slowly tracing down toward his neck.

    "Um..." Noan groaned uncomfortably as her sharp nails pressed against his throat.

    "I wonder... how would you taste?"

    Hearing this question, rather than feeling desire, an immense sense of discomfort overwhelmed him.

    It was as if a bloodthirsty beast had just set its sights upon him.

    Yet, the woman continued, her fingertips trailing downwardˇŞfrom his neck to his chest, sliding down to his abdomen, and finally lingering at that place.

    "Such a nice body. I hope you''ll love her even more deeply so that I can finally experience what they call... love."

    Immediately afterward, the space around him began dissolving. Noan regained his senses, realizing he was again standing on the 10th floor of the Tower of Trials.

    He gasped for air, his hand instinctively reaching toward his neck. There, a small wound was still bleeding, confirming that what he''d just experienced was entirely accurateˇŞneither a dream nor an illusion.

    Of course, the wound quickly healed, but the lingering warmth and faint fragrance of the mysterious woman still seemed to cling around him.

    Noan opened his status screen to check the class information. Nothing appeared to have changed except that his number of available listens had reverted to zero.

    "How strange... Does this Class not provide any benefit?"

    Just as Noan pondered over this oddity, a notification suddenly appeared before him, causing him to flinch in surprise.

    [Ding! Vylyss has received a new soulˇŞThe Queen of Lust. You must collect three types of souls to unlock her hidden potential.

    Souls remaining: 2.]

 Chapter 145: Tower of the Void

    Seeing the notification, Noan frowned. He knew well that within Vylyss''s body, there existed three distinct types of energy: one pink, one black, and another white.

    After seeing this system notification, Noan realized each type of energy represented a different soul.

    Although the System indicated that collecting all three souls would unlock Vylyss''s hidden potential, this wasn''t particularly important to him.

    After all, he possessed the innate talent of Almighty Fusion; even without activating Vylyss''s hidden potential, he could still significantly strengthen her by relying solely on his talent.

    Moreover, he didn''t know exactly what would happen once the three souls were gathered.

    Would Vylyss''s personality change?

    Would she be exposed to any danger?

    Because of this uncertainty, Noan didn''t pay much attention to finding the remaining two souls.

    "It seems this Class isn''t particularly useful aside from letting me hear or encounter strange entities trapped in some unknown place."

    Noan sighed and shook his head, feeling disappointed. Despite all his efforts to obtain a Mythical Class, it provided no immediate benefit.

    At that moment, his eyes fell upon the Mythical Challenge Chest, hoping it would contain more practical rewards.

    "System, can I leave now?"

    [Ding! You may exit. Please wait a moment.]

    Immediately afterward, Noan reappeared within his territory. Vylyss appeared beside him, looking at him with confusion.

    Noan also observed her as though trying to detect any subtle changes.

    However, Vylyss seemed just the same as always, completely unchanged. Yet, Noan still couldn''t shake off the uneasiness lingering within him.

    "I hope I''m just being overly cautious," he sighed softly, murmuring to himself.

    Hearing this, Vylyss tilted her head and asked curiously, "Master, what are you talking about?"

    "No!" Noan quickly shook his head and asked urgently, "Vylyss, when we separated earlier, where did you go?"

    "Huh?!" Vylyss looked at him in confusion. "Master, after clearing the ninth floor, weren''t we immediately teleported back here?"

    Noan was slightly startled by her response, inwardly suspecting that perhaps Vylyss''s memory after clearing the ninth floor had been erased.

    He didn''t ask further since he knew Vylyss wouldn''t harm him, and naturally, he genuinely trusted her.

    Feeling uncertain, Noan asked cautiously, "Vylyss, do you feel anything strange within your body?"

    Hearing Noan''s question, Vylyss''s face suddenly turned red. She stepped closer to him and playfully whispered, "Master, why don''t you check for yourself?"

    Noan: "..."

    "All right, you go rest now. I need some quiet time," Noan quickly replied.

    "Master, wouldn''t it be much more enjoyable if we rested together?" Vylyss smiled seductively.

    Hearing that, Noan could only nod helplessly, knowing she wouldn''t easily let him off.

    ...

    That night, after an intense battle, Noan lay exhausted on his bed, staring out the window.

    At that moment, he opened his status panel and gazed at the chest glowing with five-colored radiance in his Storage Space. He immediately commanded, "Open chest."

    [Ding! You have successfully opened the Mythical Class Chest. You have received the following items:

    Mythical Support-Class Outfit Random Innate Talent Card ¨C Rank SS+ Troop Quantity Multiplier Card x5 (effective up to a maximum of 50 troops each) Hero Evolution Card x2 (usable on heroes rank D or below) Energy Crystals: Rank F x50,000; Rank E x20,000; Rank D x5,000; Rank C x1,000; Rank B x100; Rank A x10; Rank S x1 Auction Coupon: 99% discount in the Auction Hall of the Chaotic World (single-use only) Territory Blueprint ¨C Tower of the Void.]

    Seeing the rewards from the chest, Noan immediately felt cheerful once again.

    The fact that the Mythical Class hadn''t offered him any significant new abilities was quickly thrown to the back of Noan''s mind.

    He didn''t immediately use the troop quantity multiplier card. After all, this card was limited in number but not in troop rank. Thus, he held onto it until his troops had achieved higher ranks.

    He imagined himself possessing 50 rank-S troops. Using one multiplier card, he would instantly have 150 rank-SS soldiers. Then, by employing his innate talent, ''Almighty Fusion,'' he could combine them into 50 rank-SS+ soldiers.

    Fifty rank-SS+ troops would be an overwhelmingly powerful force capable of sweeping through any empire.

    By then, even if his innate talent were revealed, he wouldn''t need to worry because he already possessed sufficient strength to defend himself.

    For lower-ranked Lords, a troop multiplier card wasn''t particularly meaningful. But for high-ranked Lords, especially those at ranks C or even ranks A and S, such a card was something they''d fight to the death to obtain.

    Right now, Noan didn''t just have one multiplier cardˇŞhe had five of them.

    Next was the Hero Evolution card. Noan didn''t intend to use it immediately, either.

    After all, he could utilize his innate talent, ''Almighty Fusion'', to create higher-ranked heroes, rendering this card nearly redundant.

    No, perhaps not entirely.

    He planned to save this card until one of his heroes reached an exceptionally high rank, requiring immense resources to evolve further. At that point, he would use the Hero Evolution card.

    Thus, Noan decided not to immediately use either the ''Troop Quantity Multiplier Card'' or the ''Hero Evolution Card''.

    His eyes then focused on the Mythical outfit explicitly meant for his Class.

    ...

    Name: Mythical Outfit for Whisper

    Status: Severely damaged

    Rank: ???

    Description: You can transform into any clothing style you desire. Usually, it forms an energy shield around your body to prevent death once (Cooldown: 3 days).

    ...

    Seeing the description, Noan felt quite pleased. Although it didn''t have many uses, it still provided him a chance to prevent death. Moreover, this life-saving effect could be reused every three days.

    Gradually, the number of defensive trump cards he possessed increased. Now, he only lacked a reliable way to escape from danger.

    Although his innate Spatial Talent allowed him to teleport away, he could only teleport up to 5,000 meters at most with his current energy capacity.

    Even if he managed to teleport farther in the future, what if his enemy could predict exactly where he would appear next?

    Just like during his battle on the 10th floor, Kotarok had precisely known the position where he would teleport. Thus, Noan had been forced to teleport repeatedly until his energy was entirely depleted.

    Fortunately, he possessed the innate talent of Immortal and the Abyss Cube; otherwise, he would likely have died there.

    Noan tested the Mythical Outfit by turning it into a pair of gloves. Indeed, it could shapeshift similarly to the Abyss Cube.

    However... it didn''t have the Abyss Cube''s special effects, so Noan didn''t plan on using it as actual clothing. Instead, he transformed it into an energy barrier around his body. This way, the outfit''s special effect would still protect him even if he were attacked in his sleep or caught off guard.

    Furthermore, since the outfit was currently in a "Severely Damaged" state, he was certain additional functions would be unlocked if he managed to repair it in the future.

    However, he wasn''t in a hurry. For now, he felt sufficiently safe.

    After two upgrades, his territory also possessed a protective dome, which could withstand a full-force attack from a rank B level-5 monster.

    At this moment, Noan''s attention shifted toward the new territory blueprintˇŞthe Tower of the Void.

    He attempted to select the Tower of the Void, but a system notification quickly appeared.

    [Ding! You cannot build your territory according to this blueprint because your current territory has already been built using a different architectural style.]

    Noan frowned upon seeing this message. However, suddenly recalling something, he quickly selected the option again.

    [Ding! Do you wish to replace your "Apocalypse Bunker" with the "Tower of the Void"?]

    "As expected..."

 Chapter 146: Almighty Copy

    Noan saw the notification board and fell into contemplation. After a moment of thought, he decided not to use this territory construction blueprint.

    After all, he didn''t know if he would have the chance to return to the territory at the ''Singularity'' or not. Therefore, he wanted to keep this blueprint for now.

    The other items weren''t anything special; he only felt slightly disappointed because he hadn''t received additional ''Lord Points.''

    Currently, he possesses over 13,000 Lord Points. However, he still felt that this number wasn''t reasonably sufficient.

    He had to remember that his goal was to evolve to rank SS or SSS. If he didn''t have enough Lord Points, there would be only one option left for him:

    Killing other Lords.

    Yet, how many Lords would he have to kill to accumulate enough points to evolve to rank SSS?

    Noan didn''t know exactly, but he understood clearly that the path he must tread toward that evolution would be paved with the corpses of other Lords.

    He also knew that killing too many Lords would inevitably draw attention from the others.

    Especially the Federal Government and the EmpireˇŞthey would certainly take notice of him.

    He shook his head, unwilling to think further, quietly hoping that the next treasure chests would grant him more Lord Points.

    Noan''s attention shifted toward the Random Talent Card ranked SS+. This was the highest-ranked item he''d ever obtained.

    "SS+ talent... could it be stronger than Immortal or Space?" Noan''s heart filled with anticipation.

    Immediately after, he commanded, "Use the Random Talent Card."

    [Ding! You''ve successfully used the Random Talent Card ranked SS+ and obtained a new talent.

    Name: Almighty Copy

    Rank: SS+

    Description: You can copy any skill ranked SS or lower. The higher the rank of the copied talent, the longer the cooldown period.]

    "Fuck!" Noan shouted, causing Vylyss, lying beside him, to startle.

    "Master, what hapˇŞAh!"

    Before Vylyss could finish her words, Noan pulled her into his embrace, kissing her lips. Although she had no idea what had just happened, seeing Noan''s excitement, she immediately cooperated with him.

    Another wild battle began. This time, Noan fed Vylyss so much ''milk'' that she pleaded for mercy.

    The following day, Noan enjoyed Vylyss''s assistance as she helped him dress. Of course, during such close interactions, additional intimate contact was inevitable. Thus, she rewarded him further with some extra oral service.

    The act of dressing took over thirty minutes. Noan walked out cheerfully afterwards, summoning all the Heroes he currently owned except for Urlgug and Urlgan.

    These two were on missions alongside Caleb and Austin, and since he couldn''t evolve them yet, he saw no reason to summon them.

    Vylyss, Malrik, Zhisse, and Drakhan.

    Seeing all the heroes he owned standing together in the courtyard, Noan felt as if he had achieved a significant milestone.

    He knew clearly that his starting point had only been an F-rank Lord. But thanks to his talent ''Almighty Fusion,'' he had managed to reach his current status.

    Noan firmly believed that he could surely ascend to even greater heights if he had sufficient time and proceeded carefully.

    Taking a deep breath, he began using energy crystals to upgrade all his Heroes.

    That''s right, and he chose energy crystals rather than hero upgrade cards.

    After all, the current levels of his heroes weren''t too high yet, making energy crystals sufficient for their advancement.

    Only when reaching higher ranks would levelling up require enormous resources.

    At that time, the value of hero upgrade cards would become even more significant.

    Once the upgrade was completed, the Heroes immediately knelt before him, bowing their heads respectfully and said, "Thank you, Master."

    "Good! Work hard, and I''ll definitely help you all become even stronger." Noan nodded approvingly, then turned his gaze toward Malrik and asked, "Malrik, did you say you''ve already created Hell?"

    At this moment, Malrik quickly spoke up, his voice filled with pride and excitement.

    "Master, words alone can hardly express its beauty and grandeur. I sincerely hope you can take a look for yourself."

    Hearing this, Noan felt his curiosity piqued and immediately agreed.

    ...

    When they arrived at the place where Noan''s previous territory had stood, he saw that within a radius of 10 kilometres, a wall of flames over twenty meters high had emerged, blocking off the entire area.

    The towering wall emitted a haunting blue-green glow, and within those eerie flames, the faces of deceased Lords and zombies twisted in eternal agony, screaming soundlessly.

    The surrounding trees had lost their leaves, replaced by roaring flames of blue-green fire. From afar, this place truly resembled Hell, filled with mystery and danger.

    Compared to Noan''s current territory, this place was undoubtedly Hell itself, whereas his territory was the Garden of Eden.

    "Kekekeke... Master, as you can see, this is the Wall of Souls. This barrier will block anyone who attempts to enter," Malrik excitedly explained.

    "Master, there are many more fascinating things inside. Let''s enter together."

    After finishing his words, Malrik waved his hand, and the flame wall suddenly parted, revealing a narrow pathway.

    Following Malrik inside, the group saw a small path paved with stones, barely two meters wide.

    All around them was thick fog, obscuring everything from view.

    Occasionally, tormented screams filled with pain and despair echoed through the mist, accompanied by chilling gusts of wind that enveloped the entire area with an oppressive, eerie atmosphere.

    They continued walking deeper inside, and as they moved forward, they noticed more and more shadowy human figures appearing within the mist around them.

    These shadowy forms seemed to be dragging something, while others appeared to carry heavy burdens.

    They even saw numerous shadowy figures, including zombies and monsters, dragging something strange behind them.

    Malrik laughed softly and explained, "Kekekeke... Once these souls are trapped here, they can never escape. They become eternal slaves, condemned to remain here until the day nobody in the world remembers them anymoreˇŞonly then will their souls vanish completely."

    Hearing this, Noan furrowed his brows, the way he looked at Malrik subtly shifting.

    Although Malrik was only a rank-E Hero, his accomplishments left Noan profoundly astonished.

    It wasn''t only Malrik''s superior power; his knowledge and abilities were deeply mysterious.

    The best example was the successful creation of this Hell.

    Noan knew very well that constructing a building required blueprints and essential resources. Yet, Malrik had somehow managed to build this terrifying Hell.

    How exactly did he achieve it?

    Noticing Noan''s gaze, Malrik immediately understood his master''s thoughts and hurriedly explained.

    "Master, I don''t intend to hide any secrets from you. However, if I were to reveal the truth now, I''m afraid you would face unimaginable dangers."

    "Once you''re stronger, strong enough to protect yourself, I promise I''ll tell you everything."

    "Oh!" Noan nodded casually, saying, "Then you don''t need to say anything. Just continue doing your work well."

    Malrik: "..."

    Everyone else: "..."

    Everyone felt strange. In a situation like this, Noan should have insisted, arguing that as their master, he had the right to know the truth.

    Why did he accept it so easily? Was their master not curious at all?

    Actually, Noan was indeed very curious. He genuinely wanted to know how Malrik had accomplished something so extraordinary.

    However, he was also well aware that certain secrets were better left unknown.

    Noan clearly understood that many terrifying entities existed in this world, and he knew he was still too weak.

    Of course, the primary reason was simply that he did not need those secrets right now.

    As long as Malrik continued doing well, Noan didn''t need to concern himself too deeply.

    Cough

    Malrik awkwardly cleared his throat and said, "Master, don''t worry. One day, I will certainly tell youˇŞ"

    "No need!" Noan immediately interrupted Malrik. "I don''t want to know, nor am I interested in knowing those secrets. You keep them tightly locked away. Never tell me about them. In fact, never even mention anything about them."

    Malrik: "..."

 Chapter 147: Vylyss and the Hell Flame

    After hearing Noan''s response, Malrik was left speechless and could only continue guiding everyone forward.

    In fact, this place wasn''t yet completed and still needed more construction.

    Only one issue remained... Noan wasn''t sure how Malrik intended to protect it.

    If this area only had Lords of rank E or F, he wouldn''t have to worry too much. However, he suspected that, in the future, various areas would merge.

    At that point, Lords of rank D or higher would inevitably appear, and this territory would be at risk.

    Even though Noan wasn''t entirely clear about this place''s purpose, he didn''t want it destroyed, and thus he needed to find a way to protect it.

    Naturally, the best approach was to help Malrik become stronger.

    Noan and the others reached a fire pit located in the centre. Flames here reached over twenty meters high, yet oddly, they gave off no heat at all.

    Instead, the flames in the pit emitted such an intensely chilling aura that Noan involuntarily shivered. With an overwhelming evil presence, anyone standing there would immediately feel despair.

    "Malrik, prepare yourself. I''m going to help you evolve."

    Hearing Noan''s words, Malrik instantly became joyful: "Kekekeke... Master, I wish to evolve right here. This area was created by me, and evolving here will positively impact it."

    Noan felt this was somewhat peculiar but didn''t ask further.

    After all, this was connected to Malrik''s secrets, and he genuinely had no desire to learn them.

    "System, what resources are required to evolve Malrik to rank D Peak?"

    [Ding! To evolve Malrik (Rank E) to Rank D Peak, the following materials are needed: 6 rank-E materials, 6 rank-E+ materials, 6 rank-D materials, 6 rank-D+ materials, 6 rank-D Peak materials.

    Total required energy crystals: 2,500 Rank-D crystals.]

    Upon seeing the required materials, Noan didn''t feel particularly surprised.

    After all, Malrik was a hero possessing incredibly mysterious and powerful abilities. It was entirely normal for him to consume numerous resources for his evolution.

    "Good! Let''s begin," Noan waved his hand decisively.

    However, Malrik quickly interjected, "Master, please wait a moment! Evolution is a significant event; how could we do it so carelessly?"

    "I need to prepare properly. Just wait a bitˇŞit''ll only take a few minutes."

    Noan nodded. Although he didn''t know exactly what Malrik intended, he could clearly sense Malrik''s excitement.

    During this time, Noan transported all the necessary materials from his territory to this place. Following Malrik''s instructions, he arranged the materials around the fire pit.

    At this moment, Malrik stepped directly into the flame-filled pit. Noan tried to catch sight of him, but the flames were so dense and intense that they completely concealed Malrik''s form.

    Noan didn''t dwell too much on this. After all, these flames were created by Malrik himselfˇŞhow could they possibly harm him?

    Moreover, Noan felt Malrik was right. Evolution was indeed significant, potentially altering the fate of a Hero.

    ''Perhaps, in the future, I should also emphasize rituals more carefully,'' Noan quietly considered.

    [Ding! Do you want to consume all listed materials to evolve Malrik from rank E to rank D Peak?]

    "Confirm!"

    [Ding! Evolution initiated!]

    The skeletons around the fire pit suddenly emitted a strange glow, swiftly transforming into blue-green flames that rushed toward the colossal pillar of fire in the centre.

    Noan immediately sensed changes occurring within Malrik''s body.

    A tremendous surge of magical energy erupted, so powerful that Noan felt like Malrik''s body might burst from the pressure.

    BOOM!

    Suddenly, the column of fire exploded upwards, raging even more fiercely, now soaring over fifty meters into the air.

    Simultaneously, the flames encircling the territory rapidly expanded outward, climbing even higher until finally halting at a towering height of more than thirty meters.

    A dark silhouette slowly rose upward from within the immense pillar of fire, accompanied by eerie laughter filled with sinister delight and wickedness.

    "Kekekeke... kekekeke..."

    Noan clutched his chest and knelt on the ground, feeling such intense pain as if his heart had just been violently squeezed.

    Suddenly, his entire body ignited in flamesˇŞa strange, blue-green fire immediately enveloped him.

    Yet, despite being engulfed by this terrifying flame, his body wasn''t injured or burned. Instead, the flame slowly seeped into him, penetrating deeper into his body.

    Noan felt clear that every cell within him seemed to be rejoicing, absorbing this new energy and becoming more potent.

    Indeed, this strange flame felt like a peculiar form of energy, gradually infiltrating each cell of his body.

    Meanwhile, the second Zhisse, hiding inside Zhisse''s body, suddenly became terrified.

    This fear arose directly from her soul as if she were being stared at by a pair of malevolent eyes filled with dark evil.

    She could hardly believe that a mere rank E monsterˇŞeven after evolving to rank D PeakˇŞcould instil such profound terror in her.

    GRAO! GRAO! GRAO!

    Suddenly, countless tormented screams echoed throughout the surroundings, like relentless waves of haunting sound.

    The fiery pillar exploded upward once again, rapidly climbing from fifty meters, reaching more than a hundred meters in heightˇŞand showing no sign of stopping its ascent.

    Far away, Caleb and Austin were preparing to explore the Dark Forest.

    It was a vast place, and they still hadn''t fully explored it.

    Austin had suggested investigating further since they currently had nothing else to do. Besides, Austin believed they might discover other hidden caves like the one he''d found previously.

    Of course, this time, Austin wasn''t as reckless as before. If he did discover something unusual, he would definitely inform his Master first, rather than acting impulsively.

    GRAO! GRAO! GRAO!

    "Ack!"

    "What the hell was that?!"

    Caleb and Austin immediately panicked upon hearing the distant screams.

    The sound terrified them so profoundly that their bodies shook uncontrollably, cold sweat soaking through their clothing.

    Fear gripped them, preventing them from even taking another step. Nearby, several other Lords standing around instantly fainted and collapsed onto the ground.

    Caleb stared off into the distance. There, a column of fire over a hundred meters high emitted a sinister glow, casting its ominous light across an enormous area.

    Austin also stared in horror at the distant sight, trembling as he asked, "What the hell is that thing?"

    Caleb vividly rememberedˇŞthis terrifying flame was created by the monster summoned by Noan, a place where countless souls were being eternally burned.

    Noan clutched his chest and knelt on the ground, feeling such intense pain as if his heart had just been violently crushed.

    Suddenly, his body ignited in flamesˇŞa strange, blue-green fire enveloped him instantly.

    Yet, despite being wrapped in such terrifying flames, his body was neither injured nor burned. On the contrary, the flames slowly penetrated into his very being.

    Noan clearly felt that every single cell within him seemed to rejoice, eagerly absorbing this newfound energy, strengthening and evolving in the process.

    Indeed, these strange flames were like a peculiar kind of energy, steadily infusing into every cell of his body.

    At this moment, the second Zhisse, hiding inside Zhisse''s body, felt terrified. A primal fear rose from deep within her soul as though a pair of malevolent eyes were silently fixated upon her, scrutinizing her every move.

    She couldn''t believe that a mere rank E monster, even after evolving just to rank D Peak, could instil such overwhelming fear into her heart.

    GRAO! GRAO! GRAO!

    Suddenly, countless tormented screams echoed throughout the area, resonating like endless waves of despair.

    The massive pillar of flames surged again, skyrocketing swiftly from fifty meters to over a hundred meters tall, with no signs of stopping its ascent.

    Far away, Caleb and Austin were preparing to explore the Dark Forest.

    It was an enormous area, and they hadn''t fully explored it yet. Austin had suggested further exploration, given they currently had nothing else to do. Moreover, Austin firmly believed he could find more hidden caves, similar to the one he''d previously discovered.

    Naturally, this time he wouldn''t be as reckless as before. If he encountered anything unusual, he''d inform his Master first, avoiding impulsive decisions.

    GRAO! GRAO! GRAO!

    "Ack!"

    "What the hell is that?"

    Caleb and Austin immediately panicked upon hearing the distant screams.

    The horrifying sound penetrated deeply into their hearts, causing their bodies to tremble involuntarily, and cold sweat drenched their clothes.

    Fear immobilized them entirely. Several other Lords nearby immediately collapsed, fainting directly onto the ground.

    Caleb stared off into the distance, where a towering pillar of fire over a hundred meters tall emitted an eerie, sinister glow, covering the entire region in a terrifying hue.

    Austin also gazed into the distance, trembling as he asked, "What in the world is that?"

    Caleb remembered clearlyˇŞthis enormous pillar of fire was created by the monster that Noan had summoned, a place that eternally burned countless souls within it.

    Previously, it had only reached around twenty meters in height, yet now it soared over a hundred meters, still rapidly ascending further.

    The flame''s glow wasn''t bright like sunlight; instead, it radiated a haunting chill, impossible to describe fully in words.

    The black sky was now illuminated in an unsettling shade of blue-green, spreading this unnatural palette across the land as far as the eye could see.

    Caleb swallowed hard, whispering fearfully, "Hell itself is screaming..."

    Elsewhere, Alex rested beneath a tree after a long day of hunting when suddenly, he heard those eerie screams.

    He looked down, noticing goosebumps forming rapidly on his skin, accompanied by a surge of inexplicable fear creeping into his mind.

    "What the hell is going on?" Alex frowned deeply, quickly leaping onto a higher tree branch to see the horizon.

    His eyes widened in disbelief at the sight of the massive column of fire, now surpassing one hundred and fifty meters, illuminating the distant skyline with a chilling glow that made him shiver involuntarily.

    "What on earth is happening in this area?" Alex gritted his teeth, feeling genuinely frightened.

    Crack!

    Another fracture silently formed in the core of his pride. Of course, Alex was unaware of this subtle change.

    Back at the fiery epicentre, Noan felt countless veins bulging beneath his skin, throbbing painfully, almost as if they were about to explode.

    He clenched his teeth, desperately enduring the pain, but it soon overwhelmed him, forcing him to scream aloud, "AAAARGH!!!"

    Seeing Noan in such unbearable agony, Vylyss felt a piercing pain deep within her heart.

    Without hesitation, she immediately rushed toward him. However, although these strange soul-flames didn''t harm Noan, that didn''t mean they were harmless to others.

    As soon as Vylyss approached, the flames seared her soul, causing her to cry out in unbearable agony.

    Externally, her body appeared unharmed, but the flames directly targeted her soul, burning it with unimaginable pain she''d never before experienced.

    Even when facing a Mutant Hunter in the past, losing an arm and a wing, she''d never felt pain like this.

    Yet despite the soul-shattering torment, Vylyss continued pushing forward, her trembling hand stretching desperately toward Noan as she whispered softly, "Master..."

 Chapter 148: Another Vylyss??

    Vylyss couldn''t believe she had reached rank B, yet faced with this flame and had no strength to resist at all.

    She had tried using magic, but this fire incinerated it; she couldn''t even utilize spatial magic.

    This flame seemed to burn her soul and scorch the very energy within her body.

    "Master..." Vylyss stretched out her hand, grasping Noan''s shoulder, using all the remaining energy inside her to transfer it to him.

    However, it felt like some mysterious force had seized Vylyss''s body.

    From deep within her mind, a pair of strange pink-glowing eyes appeared, seemingly gazing through everything.

    "Kill him, and you shall be free."

    "Hm?!" Suddenly, a voice echoed inside her mind, startling her.

    "Kill who?"

    "The young man before you," the voice rang out again, seductive yet filled with an indescribable hatred and anger.

    "No! He is my master, the one I love the most. I would never betray him," Vylyss felt trapped in a fierce battle between her mind and the hypnotic voice.

    Suddenly, a hand emerged, moving from her shoulder toward her hand like a serpent.

    "Kill him! You will be free. Love is just nonsense created by weaklings."

    "He sees you only as a tool, a dog, a cheap toy."

    "Kill him! I will grant you the power of a god, a supreme being."

    "Once we''re free, the vast sky... You can fly to your heart''s content."

    Vylyss''s hand trembled as if gripped tightly by an invisible force, reaching toward Noan.

    She desperately tried to pull her hand back, but it was as if she had lost control, continuing to move towards Noan''s throat.

    "No! Let me go!"

    "Hahaha... You can''t resist because, deep in your mind, you also wish to kill him, don''t you?"

    "No! You''re lying to me!"

    "Stop deceiving yourself; you crave freedom as well. The only way is to kill him. Hurry! Kill him, and afterwards, we shall be free."

    "No!!!"

    Crack!

    Suddenly, something inside Vylyss began to fracture into countless cracks. However, pink wisps of smoke immediately started to repair it.

    At this moment, Vylyss sensed she could regain some control over her body, so she struggled desperately to withdraw her hand. Yet, the excruciating pain from the soul-burning flames rendered her unable to move.

    When the pink smoke completely healed the strange presence deep inside Vylyss''s mind, her body was again seized by an external force.

    "No!" Vylyss clenched her teeth so hard that blood began to flow, but all her resistance was futile. It seemed her body no longer obeyed her commands.

    "Master... Do not harm my master..."

    Vylyss screamed in despair as her hand, charged with destructive power, approached Noan''s neck.

    Right then, another pair of eyes suddenly turned toward Vylyss, causing her soul to tremble.

    "Malrik?!" Vylyss immediately recognized those eyesˇŞthey belonged to Malrik.

    "Tsk!" At the same time, the strange voice clicked its tongue irritably, "Don''t meddle in other people''s business."

    "Oh! I happen to enjoy interfering with your business. What can you do about it?" Malrik teased. Naturally, this voice was audible only to Vylyss and the mysterious entity inside her.

    "Kekeke... Do you think you can hide inside her body? Foolish! For a magical genius like me, nothing is beyond my capability."

    "You''re just a tiny soul. Would you like to taste some hellfire?"

    "Huh!" The hidden entity within Vylyss snorted disdainfully, "I''ll let you off this time, but next time... things won''t be this simple."

    Immediately afterwards, Vylyss felt that control over her body had finally returned. However, perhaps fearful of losing control again, she hurriedly backed away from Noan.

    At the same time, Noan felt the pain gradually disappear, replaced by enormous energy flowing throughout his body.

    A moment later, the flames covering his body slowly vanished.

    Noan stood up, sensing the new strength surging within him.

    He clenched his fists, and at that moment, a small fireball emitting bluish-green light appeared in his hand.

    Although it was just a tiny fireball the size of a tennis ball, Noan could clearly feel its terrifying power.

    He flicked his hand, causing the flame to vanish.

    Since he had just evolved Malrik, he now possessed the innate talents Malrik had. However, their levels were relatively low, only about 5¨C10% compared to Malrik''s.

    Of course, Noan didn''t desire too much; this was already enough for him.

    Most importantly, Noan noticed that his physical strength had increased astonishingly, even surprising himself.

    Noan swung a fist, testing his strength by punching into the air before him.

    BAM!

    As soon as his fist was thrust forward, a powerful shockwave spread outwards.

    Noan nodded slightly, feeling satisfied. At this moment, he was at least three times stronger than before.

    "Heh?!" Suddenly, he noticed Vylyss kneeling on the ground, her expression confused. "Vylyss, what are you doing?"

    "Ah! I... I..." Vylyss stammered, and unable to endure any longer, she fainted immediately.

    "Vylyss!" Noan was startled, quickly rushing forward to catch her.

    Earlier, when the soul-burning flames had tormented him, the pain was so intense that he almost lost his sanity, so he ignored his surroundings.

    Only now, after the pain had subsided, did he realise Vylyss was close to him.

    "Master..." At this moment, Malrik approached Noan. His appearance was no different from before, but Noan could clearly feel that the aura emanating from Malrik had increased tremendously.

    "You should take Vylyss back to rest first; she endured a great deal earlier," Malrik said.

    Although Noan found Malrik''s words somewhat confusing, he knew Malrik was rightˇŞhe needed to bring Vylyss back to their territory first.

    ...

    Looking at Vylyss lying quietly on the bed, Noan sighed, unsure of what he should do next.

    He could only sit beside her, gently stroking her face.

    Malrik had explained to him earlier that Vylyss had been so worried about Noan that she recklessly rushed into the infernal flames.

    The flames, created by Malrik, naturally wouldn''t harm Noan. On the contrary, they had the special effect of refining Noan''s body, making him stronger.

    However, while harmless to Noan, that didn''t mean they were safe for anyone else.

    Vylyss had undoubtedly endured far greater pain than Noan, which was why she had fallen unconscious.

    Noan understood clearly how terrifying those flames were. According to what Malrik had told him, the flames were called "Hellfire," possessing the special ability to burn through someone''s soul and energy.

    Therefore, Noan could only imagine what Vylyss must have gone through.

    Moreover, Malrik had deliberately hidden the fact that another entity existed within Vylyss''s body.

    Noan sighed again, gently caressing Vylyss''s beautiful face, and opened his personal status window.

    ...

    Name: Noan

    Lord Rank: E+ (Temporarily unable to evolve)

    Level: 4

    Owned Buildings: Resource Storage Center (Level 2); Combat Simulation Room; Apocalyptic Bunker

    Talents: Almighty Fusion (SSS); Immortal (SS - Fake), Space (SS); Almighty Copy (SS+)

    Items: ''Pioneer'' Medal Level 1; ''300 Kills'' Medal Level 1; ''Extreme Challenge'' Medal Level 3

    Heroes: Abyss Cube (D), Vylyss (B), Zhisse (D-Peak), Malrik (D-Peak), Drakhan (D-Peak)

    Summonable Soldiers: Skeleton (E+)

    Mutated Soldiers: Skeleton Hunter (D+) x 2, Skeleton Swordsman (D+) x 2, Skeleton Shielder (D+), Urlgan (D-Peak), Urlgug (D+)

    Special NPCs: Khorvath - Alchemist Master (D); Thalira - Blacksmith Master (D); Greeny (???)

    Unused Items: Hero Upgrade Card, Lord Upgrade Card, Special Event Ticket, Free Construction Card, Storage Space (x99), Building Blueprint x1, Dark Seed, Dark Crystal, Triple Soldier Quantity Card x5, Hero Evolution Card x2.

    ...

    Looking at the talents he possessed, Noan felt a wave of happiness surge in his heart.

    For others, just having a single SS-ranked talent would be enough for them to be arrogant their entire lives, turning them into terrifying existences.

    As for Noan, he not only had three SS-ranked talents, along with numerous other talents obtained through the monsters he had fused with, but he even possessed an SSS-ranked talent.

    It could be said that given sufficient time, Noan was confident he could become an unrivalled existence.

    Of course, the prerequisite was still sufficient time and abundant resources to grow.

    While lost in his thoughts, a notification suddenly appeared before him.

    [Ding! Stage one has ended. Everyone may return to the city in five days.]

 Chapter 149 149: I also want your love, Master!

    Noan was startled upon seeing the notification; he had assumed he''d remain here forever and didn''t expect the System would allow him and other Lords to return to the city.

    Just then, another message appeared before him.

    [Ding! Lords may bring one Hero back to the City. Aside from this Hero, Lords are forbidden from bringing anything else back.

    The duration of stay in the City will be 10 days. After this period, all Lords will be forcibly teleported back to this world.

    Lords also cannot bring anything from the City back into this world.]

    After reading the announcement, Noan felt it wasn''t significantly different from before. However, now he had clearer information about the timing, enabling him to better arrange his plans.

    Unfortunately, he couldn''t bring anything back from this world to the City, nor from the City to this world.

    [Ding! You have received a personal notification. Would you like to view it?]

    Noan frowned slightly at seeing yet another message. He tapped lightly on the system interface, and immediately another notification appeared.

    [Ding! Because you achieved the highest ranking in the recent event, you''ve been granted an additional privilege: You may bring one individual from reality into this world.

    However, this person cannot be a Lord; they must be ordinary.

    Upon entering this world, that individual will obtain a random Class and Talent.

    However, the System will not guarantee the loyalty of that person.]

    Noan fell into deep thought after seeing this announcement. There was no one from reality he particularly wanted to bring into this world.

    Moreover, the System wouldn''t guarantee that person''s loyalty. On top of that, he possessed an SSS-ranked talent, a secret he didn''t wish anyone else to know about.

    Therefore, bringing someone else into this world seemed like a huge support, but to Noan, it was actually a dangerous risk.

    He didn''t concern himself too deeply with it; if, in the future, he found someone suitable, perhaps he''d consider bringing them along.

    But he doubted he''d ever find someone who could be completely loyal to him.

    After all, back in the city, his family was no different from blood-sucking demons, and he didn''t have any friends or anyone he could genuinely trust.

    Noan shook his head, pushing the thoughts away. The most crucial matter right now was preparing carefully for his return to the city.

    He also wasn''t sure when he could visit his territory in the ''Singularity'' again.

    Noan had realized earlier that he could indeed bring items from the ''Singularity'' into this world. This sparked an intriguing idea he intended to test soon. It meant he''d gain access to an enormous resource supply if successful.

    Noan left Vylyss resting in his room and stepped outside.

    "Master..." Malrik quickly ran toward him. Although Malrik''s face was just a skull, Noan could clearly sense his joy through the two flames cheerfully dancing in his eye sockets.

    Malrik immediately fell to his knees, wrapping both arms around Noan''s legs tightly.

    Noan: "..."

    Still clinging tightly, Malrik laughed and said, "Master, you are my blazing sun, radiating dazzling brilliance. You are the eternal truth in my heart. You areˇŞ"

    "Enough! Enough already!" Noan hurriedly interrupted Malrik, rubbing his forehead in annoyance. "If you have something to say, just say it clearly."

    "Kekekeke..." Malrik chuckled again and continued, "Master, I simply wanted to express my gratitude for helping me evolve."

    "Because of you, I''ve finally regained my true powerˇŞthe power from hell that''s been sleeping for thousands of years. Now IˇŞ"

    "If you have nothing more important to say, you can get lost!" Noan impatiently snapped.

    "Ack! Master, please don''t be so cold to me!" Malrik dramatically pulled a handkerchief from his pocket, holding it between his skeletal teeth. Streams of bluish-green flames began to flow down from his eye sockets like tears.

    Noan sighed, "If you were a beautiful woman, perhaps I''d have a little more patience."

    "AAA!!!" Malrik dramatically pretended to despair, collapsing onto the ground. The space around him suddenly became dark, and a small, gloomy cloud appeared above his skull.

    Noan: "..."

    He found Malrik truly peculiar. Where exactly did those special effects come from?

    "Fine, fine! What is it you wanted to say?" Noan sighed and finally asked.

    Malrik quickly jumped up, cheerfully replying, "Kekeke... Master, I came to check Vylyss''s condition. After all, my flames burned her soul and energy, so I bear some responsibility."

    "You have a way to help Vylyss recover?" Noan asked immediately.

    Malrik chuckled and said, "Kekekeke... Indeed, Master. She merely experienced minor burns to her soul and energy due to my flames. It won''t cause her lasting harm. On the contrary, it''ll actually help strengthen her soul and internal energy."

    Noan listened without a doubt. After all, Malrik was a hero he personally summonedˇŞhe wouldn''t deceive or intentionally harm him. Moreover, Noan himself had experienced Malrik''s flames, which truly possessed effects exactly as Malrik described.

    "Do you need any help from me?" Noan asked.

    "No, Master. All you need to do is stand aside and watch," Malrik replied.

    "Very well." Noan said, bringing Malrik into the room.

    Malrik gazed at Vylyss lying silently on the bed, and suddenly, the two flames in his eye sockets began to dance. But unlike before, the flames no longer showed joy; instead, they radiated a murderous intent as if warning or threatening something.

    Malrik slowly approached Vylyss, extending his skeletal hand and gently placing his index finger against her forehead.

    At the same time, Malrik opened the ancient book he always carried.

    The book automatically flipped through its pages, eventually settling on one page and beginning to radiate a gloomy, dark glow.

    The atmosphere suddenly turned so heavy that Noan felt uncomfortable, but thankfully, it didn''t last long.

    Malrik withdrew his hand a few minutes later, turning toward Noan and saying, "Master, I''ve helped her recover. After this experience, her soul and energy should become even stronger."

    "However... her soul suffered a slight injury. Sometimes she might exhibit peculiar behaviour or develop strange personality traits, but please don''t worry too much."

    "Ah! Her soul is injured? Then how can I fully restore her soul?" Noan frowned, feeling guilt welling up within him.

    Of course, he didn''t blame Malrik. It was his weakness that had led Vylyss to suffer while worrying about him amid Malrik''s flames.

    "No, Master, this isn''t your fault," Malrik sighed. "Actually, Vylyss''s soul was never whole, making it particularly vulnerable."

    "Explain clearly," Noan replied, slightly startled. He never imagined that the soul of a rank-B hero could be incomplete.

    "Master, do you really want to know? It involves numerous terrifying secrets."

    "Ack!" Hearing this, Noan hesitated, then asked after contemplating, "Then, when can I help her?"

    Indeed, he didn''t want to give up. After all, Noan genuinely cared for Vylyss and didn''t view her merely as a toolˇŞso he was determined to help her.

    Malrik chuckled with satisfaction: "Kekeke... Master, don''t worry. It''s not difficult for you, but you''ll have to wait until the Wheel of Fate begins to turn."

    "Of course, I don''t know exactly when Vylyss''s fate will start moving. All we can do now is wait."

    Noan was slightly startled upon hearing the phrase "Wheel of Fate," feeling as if something strange lay hidden beneath the surface.

    ''Fate again? Just what exactly is going on here?'' Noan quickly shook his head, pushing those thoughts away.

    After all, he was still far too weak to approach any of those terrifying secrets.

    At the very least, he needed the strength to defend himself before dealing with other matters.

    "Will she wake up soon?" Noan asked.

    Malrik nodded. "She''ll awaken shortly, Master. Naturally, she''ll still be the same Vylyss you''ve always known, just occasionally displaying strange actions or odd traits."

    "If these personality shifts cause discomfort, please forgive her."

    Noan waved his hand dismissively and replied, "Don''t worry. I certainly won''t blame her. After all... she is my woman."

    "WOW!" Malrik suddenly exclaimed dramatically, "So touching! The love between a Master and his servant... Waaah! I also want your love, Master!"

    Noan: "..."

    "GET LOST!"

 Chapter 150 150: I donâ€™t like sweets

    The next day, Vylyss gradually awoke. She shook her head, feeling as though something very strange had happened, yet she couldn''t clearly recall what it was.

    "You''re awake?"

    Hearing the familiar voice, Vylyss turned her head and, seeing Noan, happily called out, "Master!"

    "How do you feel?" Noan asked worriedly.

    Vylyss didn''t seem to care about her body''s condition. Instead, upon seeing Noan, she immediately jumped into his embrace, hugging him tightly and greedily inhaling his familiar scent.

    Observing Vylyss''s behaviour, Noan could only sigh helplessly and gently stroke her hair affectionately. "Aren''t you even slightly concerned about your body''s condition?"

    "I don''t care! As long as Master is by my side, that''s enough. Everything else doesn''t interest me," Vylyss replied sweetly.

    Noan shook his head gently and said softly, "You should rest. Malrik mentioned your soul and energy were severely burned. Even though he healed you, you still need proper rest, understand?"

    "Um..." Vylyss nodded slightly, then happily said, "Master, resting alone is quite boring. Can''t you stay here and rest with me?"

    Pock!

    Noan lightly flicked Vylyss''s forehead, pretending to be annoyed. "No. If I stay, it won''t be ''resting'' anymore."

    Vylyss pouted, her face clearly expressing dissatisfaction. Noan finally had to comfort her a bit more, promising to make it up to her next time to calm her down.

    When Noan left the room, Vylyss watched his figure gradually disappear, feeling a hint of loneliness deep in her heart.

    "You see? He doesn''t need you."

    "Who?!" A sudden voice startled Vylyss. She quickly shouted in alarm.

    "Don''t bother lookingˇŞI''m inside you."

    "You... Who exactly are you?" Vylyss frowned, immediately demanding, "Show yourself!"

    "Huh! Judging by your expression, it''s clear you''re merely being restrained by that bastard''s slave contract," the strange voice said coldly. "If you wish, I can help set you free."

    "As long as we regain our freedom, you can have any man you desire. Why degrade yourself by wagging your tail for him like a dog?"

    Vylyss frowned deeply, her voice filled with killing intent as she coldly said, "Ah, it seems you''re very jealous of me."

    "Jealous?! Hahahaha... You truly are foolish. I''m offering you freedom."

    "Freedom? Right now, I''m already free enoughˇŞI don''t need you interfering." Vylyss replied irritably, "Don''t think you can use those worthless words to damage the relationship between my Master and me."

    "Relationship? What kind of relationship do you truly have? He summoned you. To him, you''re merely a tool," the voice said, clearly losing its patience.

    "Think about it carefully. If you were just an ordinary, unattractive rank D Succubus, would he keep you at his side?"

    "Ah! I understand now. You want his talent, don''t you? Don''t worry; once the contract is broken, I can help you cast a powerful charm spell on him. At that time, he''ll become our obedient little dog."

    However, Vylyss no longer responded to that voice. Instead, she stood up immediately, walking toward the NPC residential area.

    She quickly found a female NPC and cheerfully said, "Rosie, I''ve come to learn cooking again today!"

    Seeing Vylyss, the female NPC wasn''t surprised and happily replied, "Of course, Lady Vylyss."

    When Vylyss heard Rosie addressing her as "Lady," her face instantly flushed bright red. She excitedly replied, "Please don''t call me like that. If Master hears it, he''ll be uncomfortable."

    Rosie was now far more beautiful than before. Although her beauty didn''t match Vylyss''s level, she could still score at least eighty points.

    With such beauty, if Rosie were back in the City, she''d easily be recognized as one of the most beautiful girls at the Academy.

    After Noan used NPC upgrade cards, the female NPCs became significantly more attractive, their strength doubled, and they could even perform numerous additional tasks.

    But above all else, these NPCs were no longer limited to blindly following orders and simple thinking. Instead, they''d developed genuine thoughts and emotions, almost indistinguishable from real human beings.

    Of course, they would never betray Noan.

    Rosie and Vylyss had also grown quite close, and ever since Vylyss saw Noan enjoying food, she had asked Rosie to teach her how to cook.

    In Vylyss''s heart, there was only one thought: if Noan enjoyed the dishes she prepared, she would feel incredibly happy.

    Rosie laughed at this moment, saying, "Vylyss, I think our Master certainly wouldn''t mind; rather, seeing how much Master adores you, I believe he would surely love being addressed in such a way."

    Vylyss smiled so joyfully that her face flushed bright red, resembling a ripe apple.

    Witnessing this scene, the mysterious voice within Vylyss''s soul could only sigh helplessly in frustration.

    "If you won''t heed my words, then I have no choice but to..."

    Just as that mysterious existence was about to act, a familiar voice suddenly sounded: "Shadow, have you forgotten our promise?"

    Hearing this, Shadow became angry, but she still pretended to remain calm and responded in a voice full of seduction: "Malrik, what are you talking about? I only wanted to see what Vylyss would do to capture that man''s heart, nothing more."

    "Moreover, I merely wished to let her see the realityˇŞthat men are nothing but useless and foolish beings, driven only by their desires."

    "Silence, Shadow, or I''ll make you experience the torment of Hellfire," Malrik coldly threatened, his voice filled with murderous intent and sinister evil, completely different from the gentle demeanour he usually displayed before Noan.

    "Ah! How terrible," Shadow feigned distress and whimpered pitifully, "You want to burn me with that terrifying flame?"

    "If you dare to harm Vylyss and Master, I swear I''ll make you feel pain and despair," Malrik coldly proclaimed.

    Finally, Shadow chose to remain silent.

    Vylyss, naturally, couldn''t hear the conversation between Shadow and Malrik; at this moment, she was happily following Rosie''s instructions, beginning to prepare the cooking ingredients.

    Meanwhile, outside the territory,

    Noan reclined on a wooden chair, beside him a fishing rod fixed firmly in place, leisurely savouring the warmth of the sunlight and the gentle coolness of the breeze blowing across the lake.

    He felt that even if he could not return to the city, staying here would still be nice.

    Suddenly, he recalled a certain girl and thought about the privilege exclusively meant for him.

    "Perhaps I should ask her if she wants to come with me. If she agrees, I''ll bring her along by my side," Noan murmured, inwardly reaching a decision.

    "Master..." Malrik appeared beside him at that moment, grinning as he spoke, "Kekekeke... Master, you''re really chill, huh."

    "What is it?" Noan sighed and asked.

    Ever since Vylyss fell unconscious, he had decided to assign Malrik to monitor Alex. After all, Alex was a ''Fate Holder'', someone who needed constant surveillance.

    Otherwise, if Alex were to acquire some terrifying opportunity, Noan wouldn''t be able to stop him in time.

    "Alex seems to have found a mysterious area. He''s currently exploring it," Malrik reported.

    "He didn''t notice you?" Noan asked, puzzled.

    "Kekeke... Master, of course, I didn''t follow him personally. I sent a soul I''ve trained to track him instead. That way, there''s no chance he could detect anything," Malrik said, full of confidence and pride.

    Hearing this, Noan felt somewhat reassured. After all, it was a soulˇŞhow could Alex possibly perceive it?

    "Continue watching him. If anything strange happens, report to me immediately."

    "Yes, Master," Malrik bowed and departed at once.

    Seeing that Malrik didn''t say anything more, Noan let out a small sigh of relief. However, a sense of oddness lingered in his mind.

    Malrik always talked a lot whenever he appearedˇŞwhy did he leave so quickly this time without saying much?

    Suddenly, a familiar voice rang out, interrupting his thoughts.

    "Master..."

    Just by hearing the voice, Noan instantly knew who had come. It seemed Malrik had anticipated Vylyss''s arrival and had deliberately left to give them some privacy.

    Vylyss appeared, her face filled with concern. In her hands, she held a small plate, which she gently placed on the table beside Noan.

    "Master, would you like to eat some cake? This... this was made by Rosie," Vylyss said hesitantly.

    Noan glanced at Vylyss and softly replied, "I don''t like sweets."

    "Heh?!"

 Chapter 151 151: Itâ€™s you?!

    "But... Rosie said you liked this kind of cake," Vylyss asked, a little confused.

    "Ah, but I don''t like it anymore," Noan replied indifferently.

    Hearing that, Vylyss looked at the cake, feeling slightly disappointed, but she quickly composed herself and cheerfully asked, "Master, what kind of food do you like? I''ll... I''ll ask Rosie to make it for you."

    Noan glanced at Vylyss and smiled, "I like you."

    "Ah! Then... Heh?!" Vylyss blushed furiously at his words, then immediately rushed toward him, wrapping her arms tightly around him. "Master, are you teasing me?"

    "Hahaha... I thought you hadn''t noticed," Noan laughed as his hand gently stroked Vylyss''s hair.

    "The moment I saw the cake, I knew you made it. However, for me to eat it... there has to be a little challenge."

    Hearing that, Vylyss instantly understood what Noan meant. After all, she was naturally a SuccubusˇŞhow could she not understand a man''s intentions?

    She bit off a piece of the cake and slowly brought her face closer to Noan''s.

    And then...

    It took nearly thirty minutes to finish just one plate of cake.

    Of course, a few things happened during that timeˇŞthings that were rather... steamyˇŞexplained why eating the cake took so long.

    Vylyss now lay contentedly on top of Noan, and her voice tinged with concern as she asked, "Master, was the cake delicious?"

    "Very delicious. Next time, you can make more, but I need you to help me eat itˇŞjust like today," Noan said with a smile.

    Vylyss beamed with joy, silently resolving that aside from her regular training, she would also learn to cook even better.

    Naturally, Vylyss didn''t mind helping Noan eat like she did today. On the contrary, she hoped it would become something they did often.

    ...

    While Noan was enjoying himself, Alex, on the other hand, was so frustrated he nearly cursed out loud.

    He had indeed discovered an ancient ruin and was just about to venture inside to explore when the cave entrance suddenly collapsed, trapping him inside.

    Gritting his teeth, Alex muttered angrily, "What the hell is this? Am I really this unlucky?"

    For the past two days, everything had gone relatively smoothly, making him believe that his streak of bad luck had finally endedˇŞbut clearly, today proved otherwise.

    In fact, over the past two days, he had gathered many energy crystals.

    His injuries had also healed by over ninety per cent, and his strength had increased significantly.

    Earlier today, he had found a strange cave with stairs leading downward.

    He had intended to explore it before his time in this world ran out, but the cave entrance suddenly collapsed, sealing him inside.

    Moreover, Alex couldn''t shake the feeling that a pair of eyes constantly watched him, making him increasingly uneasy.

    He let out a long sigh and decided to continue descending. Since he couldn''t get out now, the only path available was to head deeper into the ruin.

    At the same time, Caleb and Austin had cancelled their plan to explore the Gloomy Forest after seeing a System announcement.

    "We can''t bring anything from this place back to the City, and we can''t bring anything from the City into this place eitherˇŞthen what''s the point of letting us return?!" Austin shouted in frustration.

    Caleb sighed at his outburst. "Being allowed to return to the City is already a mercy granted by the System. I honestly thought we''d be stuck in this hellhole forever."

    "But..." Austin started to say something, but Caleb cut him off.

    "What are you so worried about? Master seems to be able to bring items from the City into this worldˇŞhave you forgotten that?"

    "Ah!" Caleb''s reminder sparked excitement across Austin''s face. "I forgot Master could do that. But... will he help us?"

    "Well..." Caleb hesitated. He didn''t know whether Noan would help them or not.

    Although Noan had given them plentyˇŞfood, water, and energy crystalsˇŞit wasn''t enough to develop a territory.

    In particular, Caleb needed many energy crystals and food to summon and maintain his troops.

    Moreover, he also needed to expand the territory, which required numerous materials like wood, stone, and many other resources.

    If their Master didn''t help them, they had no idea where they would find such supplies.

    No "Resource Storage Center" existed in this place, so they could not gather the necessary materials.

    Cutting trees and collecting rocks from the wild? Impossible!

    The System had a rule: only materials produced by the System could be used to build structures related to their territory.

    If not, even if they cut down the entire Gloomy Forest, it would be useless.

    "How about... we try asking Master for help?"

    Hearing Austin''s suggestion, Caleb hesitated momentarily before replying, "I want to ask for Master''s help too, but doing so would expose our incompetence."

    "You know what happens to those who are deemed useless."

    Caleb recalled Malrik''s words, accompanied by a gloomy, icy atmosphere and the screams of tormented souls.

    He was afraidˇŞtruly afraid.

    Before, he had only feared Noan. But now, it wasn''t just Noan; even the monsters surrounding him struck fear into Caleb''s heart.

    "If we keep staying silent, we might really become useless," Austin said with a frown. "If you won''t ask, then I will."

    "You..." Caleb looked at Austin, who had made his decision so quickly, feeling both anxious and slightly hopeful inside.

    Ultimately, he sighed and said, "Let''s go into the Gloomy Forest."

    "Why?" Austin asked, puzzled.

    "It''s simpleˇŞwe''ll search for any ruins. If we find something valuable, maybe the Master will reward us. Then, asking for his help would be much easier."

    "Ah!" Understanding Caleb''s reasoning, Austin immediately nodded. "You''re right. Let''s go. I''m tired of being cooped up indoors anyway."

    ...

    That night, Alex stood excitedly in front of a mysterious room, his heart filled with exhilaration.

    He had no idea whether it was morning or night by nowˇŞbut that didn''t matter. What mattered was that he had finally found what he was searching for.

    After surviving many traps and trials, thanks to the blessings of being a Fate Holder, he had overcome everything with relative ease and reached this hidden chamber.

    The door to the room was fairly small, made from a solid block of stone, carved with strange, intricate patterns.

    However, what struck him as even stranger was the fact that two other passageways were branching out from this place.

    Indeed, this place was the intersection of three tunnels, with strange glowing stones embedded around the area, casting an eerie yet soft light illuminating the space.

    "Could there be other paths leading here?" Alex muttered to himself.

    However, he quickly dismissed the thought. What mattered now was opening this door as soon as possible.

    Why?

    Because his instincts were screaming at himˇŞthat behind this door lay a great opportunity meant solely for him.

    Alex pushed against the door, but no matter how hard he tried, it wouldn''t budge.

    And this was even though his current strength far exceeded that of a normal personˇŞpushing a stone weighing over 500 kilograms would usually be effortless for him.

    Yet, the door remained still, completely unmoving.

    Falling into contemplation, Alex decided to inspect the door more carefully. After a while, he noticed something unusual.

    Among the many intricate carvings on the door, there was a spot that once featured three moons, but three small holes had replaced them.

    Remembering something, Alex reached into his coat pocket and pulled out a small gemstone, no larger than his thumb. He tried placing it into one of the holes.

    Clink!

    As the gemstone neared the hole, it was suddenly pulled in by a powerful force, locking it perfectly into place.

    A moment later, the gemstone began to glow with a mysterious light spread across part of the door''s carvings.

    "Could it be... I need to collect all three gemstones to open this door?" Alex muttered with a frown.

    He looked toward the other two tunnels, his eyes filled with disappointment and weariness.

    After overcoming so many traps and trials, he was already exhaustedˇŞand all of that had earned him only this one gemstone.

    Now, he feared he would be completely drained if he had to find two more.

    If a monster or any danger awaited behind the door, he wouldn''t have the strength to fight it.

    Still, he wasn''t willing to give up. He had come too far, and his pride wouldn''t allow him to turn back.

    Besides, Alex could feel his instincts whispering that behind this door lay a tremendous opportunityˇŞsomething that could elevate him to a whole new level, like the wings of a tiger.

    As Alex stood in hesitation, two silhouettes emerged from the remaining tunnels.

    "Who?!" all three voices cried out at once.

    "It''s you?!"

 Chapter 152 152: Could this beâ€¦ fate?

    Caleb, Austin, and Alex stood at the mouths of three different tunnels, each surprised to see the others and speaking up at the exact same moment.

    Initially, Caleb and Austin had discovered a cave, but upon entering, they found it branched into two separate paths.

    Though a bit hesitant, both of them possessed incredibly powerful monsters, so they decided to split up and explore independently.

    Caleb brought along his Skeleton Swordsman and Skeleton Hunter, while Austin had Urlgan with him.

    After nearly a full day of navigating the cave, they met again, only to discover another person already present: Alex.

    Naturally, they recognized Alex right away. After all, there had been friction between them before the ''Zombie Wave'' event, and neither side had forgotten him.

    Alex was equally stunned; he hadn''t expected to encounter anyone else here.

    This place seemed like a destined opportunity to himˇŞeverything within it was supposed to belong to him.

    Now, with the appearance of two others, an unpleasant feeling crept into his heart.

    Even so, Alex wasn''t foolish.

    Behind Caleb stood two Skeletons radiating strength, and behind Austin, a dark-skinned monster exuding killing intent even more terrifying than the two undead warriors.

    Alex knew that despite how much stronger he had become if he truly clashed with those two Skeletons and that monstrous creature, he would definitely lose.

    Austin, who had long held a grudge against Alex for interfering with their previous plans, couldn''t hide his disdain now that Alex was alive and standing here in the depths of this cave.

    "Ah! So a rat is hiding in this place," Austin sneered. "You were so arrogant before, weren''t you? So what now? Crawling into a hole like this because you''re scared of those zombies outside?"

    "Don''t worry, Caleb and I already cleaned up all the zombies. You''re free to go out now."

    "No... maybe you shouldn''t go out at all. Staying here might suit you better."

    Alex narrowed his eyes, his gaze filled with killing intent as he looked at Austin. How could he not understand the meaning behind those words?

    "You want to kill me? You think you have what it takes?" Alex growled through gritted teeth.

    Though Alex knew he couldn''t go head-to-head with the monstrous creatures Austin and Caleb had brought along, he also couldn''t allow himself to show any sign of weakness.

    "Ah! So brave. Let''s see just how brave you truly are," Austin said with a smirk, then waved his hand, signalling Urlgan to take action.

    Watching the scene unfold, Caleb neither interfered nor stepped in to stop it.

    He sensed something strange about AlexˇŞthough he couldn''t quite place what it was.

    So, he decided to remain still and observe.

    Alex glanced at Caleb and, seeing no intent to attack, sighed in relief.

    He wasn''t too worried if it was just that massive monster.

    Alex was confident that he could take it down.

    Urlgan glanced at Alex, readying to strikeˇŞbut suddenly, a voice echoed in his mind.

    Immediately afterwards, Urlgan''s eyes changed, now brimming with killing intent and madness.

    "Heh?!"

    Alex flinched, startled by the ferocity in Urlgan''s eyes.

    Whoosh!

    Before he could even react, Urlgan had already swung his spiked mace toward him.

    "What the hell?!"

    Alex instinctively leapt backward, but Urlgan was unbelievably fastˇŞthe mace appeared right in front of Alex''s face, barely ten centimetres away.

    Alex''s body surged with energy in that instant, and everything around him slowed unnaturally.

    ThenˇŞ

    Whoosh!

    The air howled as Urlgan''s mace passed through empty space.

    Alex had already retreated over five meters away.

    "Damn it! Don''t underestimate me!" Alex roared, slamming his fist forward with immense power toward Urlgan.

    BAM!

    "Heh?!"

    His punch landed squarely against Urlgan''s chestˇŞbut the sound it made was like striking a giant block of solid metal.

    And along with that, Alex clearly felt pain shoot through his fist, as if his knuckle bones had fractured.

    "What the hell? Is this monster made of metal or something?" Alex growled through gritted teeth, muttering under his breath.

    He couldn''t believe it. Just yesterday, he''d crushed the skull of a rank-D zombie with these very fists.

    He had shattered that zombie''s head like it was nothing. But now, his punch hadn''t even left a scratch on this creature before him.

    Could it really be made of metal?

    Run!

    The thought flashed through Alex''s mind. Without hesitation, he leapt back and bolted away.

    "Son of aˇŞ! After himˇŞ"

    "Wait!" Caleb suddenly interrupted, cutting off Austin''s furious shout.

    Austin turned to Caleb, confused. "What do you mean? We''re not going to kill him?"

    "No need," Caleb shook his head. "We don''t know what''s in that cave. If we chase after that bastard, we might fall into danger."

    "Besides, that guy is not normal. His strength is strange... comparable to a rank-D zombie."

    Austin stiffened at that. Thinking it over, Caleb made a good point. Alex was... strange.

    His strength, speed, and reflexes were all unnaturally sharp.

    It was important to note that Urlgan could easily annihilate a rank D+ zombie in seconds.

    Yet he had missedˇŞcompletely. And Alex was still just a human. That made no sense.

    "You''re saying... Alex must be hiding some kind of secret. That''s why his power is so freakishly strong, right?"

    "Seems like you''re not completely stupid after all," Caleb nodded.

    "You..."

    "Enough. We don''t need to chase him," Caleb said as he pointed at the door. "He''s already left behind the thing we needed."

    Austin followed his gaze and broke into a pleased grin.

    There it wasˇŞone of the three gemstones had already been slotted into the door.

    Both Austin and Caleb took out their gemstones and inserted them into the remaining holes.

    Immediately, all three gems glowed with different huesˇŞeach a brilliant light.

    But then, the light dimmed... and finally, all three transformed into nothing more than ordinary stones.

    "What?! What the hell is this?!" Austin shouted in frustration. "I thought the door would open! Now the gemstones are just useless rocksˇŞare you kidding me?!"

    Caleb frowned, examining the stone door for a long moment. After confirming that there was nothing out of the ordinary, he finally said, "Perhaps we should report this to the Master."

    "What?!" Austin was startled. Then he frowned and said, "But we haven''t even opened the door yet. Reporting this now is pointless."

    "Caleb is right."

    A voice suddenly echoed behind them, sending chills down their spines.

    They turned aroundˇŞand there stood Malrik, cloaked in an ominous, icy aura so dark and cold it made them shudder with fear.

    Caleb trembled, his lips parting as if to say something, but he was so terrified that not a single word came out.

    Austin was even worseˇŞhis legs gave out and he collapsed to the ground, shaking uncontrollably, sweat pouring from his body like a waterfall.

    "Ah! Don''t be afraid, my foolish and fragile little lambs," Malrik said with a chilling smile. "You''ve done something quite excellent. I''ll report this to the Master and have him reward you."

    "Let''s hope you continue to be useful like this in the future."

    "For now, you may leave."

    He waved his hand, and though both Caleb and Austin wanted nothing more than to get away, they couldn''t move from sheer terror.

    Caleb''s Skeletons and Austin''s Urlgan had to hoist the two up on their shoulders and carry them out.

    Malrik stroked his chin, his eyes fixed on the stone door, then chuckled coldly. "Kekeke... Of course, you couldn''t open it. Only one person in this world can."

    ...

    Sometime later, Malrik returned with Noan to stand before the stone door.

    Noan was visibly surprised. He hadn''t expected Alex and Caleb''s group to cross paths here.

    Could this be... fate?

    He wasn''t sure. But hearing the full story from Malrik, he couldn''t help but find it a little amusing.

    Alex had been so frightened by Urlgan that he ran away.

    A Fate HolderˇŞsince when had they become so cowardly?

    That wasn''t necessarily a good thing. Because if Alex was truly a Fate Holder, and he had discovered this place, then this opportunity likely belonged to him.

    If Alex had fled, even if Noan searched every inch of this place, there was no guarantee he''d find anything of value.

    The massive tomb from before was proof of that.

    He and Vylyss had combed through it thoroughly and found nothing.

    But with Alex... it was different.

    Opportunities in that place had seemed to wait for himˇŞappearing the moment he arrived, as if destined.

    Noan stared at the stone door, his gaze settling on the three gems, which, according to Malrik, had turned into mere stones.

    Suddenly, a notification appeared, startling him.

    [Ding! Do you wish to use the innate talent ''Almighty Fusion'' to fuse the three moonstones together?]

 Chapter 153 153: Goddess of Darkness

    Noan was startled when he saw the notification panel. He knew that his innate ability, ''Almighty Fusion'', could only fuse things related to the monsters he summoned.

    This was the first time he had ever seen a panel indicating that he could fuse something else.

    Noan frowned, feeling slightly confused.

    This place had been discovered by Alex; logically, this opportunity should have belonged to Alex.

    But the appearance of this panel made Noan think of something.

    Alex didn''t possess the ''Almighty Fusion'' talent, so how could he have opened this stone door? Could there be another way?

    Although Noan felt puzzled, he wasn''t a fool.

    "Malrik, do you have any kind of magic that can protect me?" Noan suddenly asked.

    Malrik: "..."

    Malrik genuinely felt a headache coming on; he hadn''t expected his master to be this cautious.

    "Master, rest assured, as long as there''s any danger, I will definitely protect you," Malrik promised firmly.

    Hearing this, Noan gave a slight nod, though he still prepared to use his Spatial talent to teleport at any moment.

    After all, caution never hurts.

    "Accept fusion."

    [Ding! Fusion initiated.]

    Immediately after, the three stones placed in the three holes began to transform into countless particles of light, then fused together into a single stone, resembling a moon radiating golden light.

    Crack! Crack!

    Suddenly, the stone door slowly split into four pieces, revealing another door behind it with a small hole in its centre.

    The moon-like golden gem floated into the hole, fitting neatly inside.

    As if receiving some sort of command, the door began to split in two, gradually opening.

    Noan instantly used his Spatial talent to teleport more than ten meters backward.

    Malrik: "..."

    He saw the scene and sighed inwardly. Master, do you really have to be this cautious?

    After the stone door fully opened, Noan stood still and said, "Malrik, take a look inside and see if there''s any danger."

    Malrik: "..."

    Malrik sighed, stepped inside, then came back out and said, "Master, everything is safe."

    Hearing that, Noan still didn''t rush in but remained standing for over five minutes before slowly entering the room.

    At that moment, Malrik asked in confusion, "Master, do you really need to be this cautious? There truly doesn''t seem to be any danger here."

    "Ah!" Noan heard Malrik''s complaint but wasn''t angry. On the contrary, he smiled and said, "I know you feel frustrated, but being a little cautious never hurts."

    "After all, I only have one life. If I die, I''ll lose everything."

    In truth, Noan also possessed the innate talent ''Immortal''; even if his body were blown to pieces, as long as his head wasn''t too badly damaged, he could still revive.

    However, he would never reveal this secret to anyone, not even to the monsters he summoned.

    He couldn''t know if someday, there would be a Fate Holder or some other entity with the ability to alter people''s thoughts.

    That was why he had to keep that secret hidden.

    Malrik heard Noan''s words and stroked his chin, feeling that his master was absolutely right.

    His master''s life was singular. If he were to die, everything would be overˇŞso being cautious was only natural.

    Noan stepped into the room but remained on high alert.

    The room was quite large and circular in shape; it looked more like a theatre or perhaps a grand hall used for prayer.

    Above was a domed ceiling, but it had been badly damaged, with only a few broken fragments left hanging precariously.

    At the centre was a small pool of water with a diameter of over five meters. In the middle of the pool stood a stone pedestal, and on that pedestal was a crow statue, its tail resembling that of a fish, trailing down below.

    The crow''s beak held a small circular slot, seemingly a place meant to hold a gem.

    "A crow?! Fishtail?!" Noan was stunned when he saw the statue of the crow with a fishtailˇŞthis was the first time he had ever seen such a strange creature.

    He glanced around the room. After a long inspection and finding nothing dangerous, he walked over to the edge of the pool in the centre of the room.

    Suddenly, Noan sensed something strange and immediately opened his ''Storage Space''.

    The Dark Crystal he had obtained earlier was now blinking continuously, emitting a bizarre black light.

    Noan frowned and asked, "Malrik, do you know anything about the Dark Crystal?"

    "Ah! Master, you possess that item?" Malrik immediately responded.

    "That''s right."

    "Master, I don''t know much about it either," Malrik sighed and said. "All I know is that the Goddess of Darkness created the Dark Crystal."

    "If someone can use it, they will become a follower of the Goddess of Darkness. However, this has never been confirmed, as hardly anyone has seen what the Dark Crystal looks like."

    "Besides, even if someone does possess it, they wouldn''t reveal it because the Goddess of Darkness represents evil. Anyone who becomes her follower is hunted down."

    After hearing this, Noan glanced at the Dark Crystal blinking wildly within his ''Storage Space'', as if urging him to place it into the hole held in the mouth of the crow statue with the fish tail.

    However, Noan didn''t take it out. Instead, he closed the ''Storage Space'' interface and said, "Let''s go. We''re leaving. Seal this place so that no one can enter."

    As he spoke, Noan tossed a small silk sphere, no larger than a thumb, into the room.

    The silk sphere rolled into a small corner and lay still there. Even if someone intentionally searched, it would be extremely difficult to find.

    Malrik scratched his head and asked in confusion, "Master, aren''t you going to search this place for anything strange? What if there''s treasure hidden here?"

    "No need. We''ll return to this place again," Noan replied curtly.

    In truth, after hearing Malrik''s words about the Goddess of Darkness, Noan suddenly felt a trace of fear.

    What would happen if he placed the Dark Crystal into that hole?

    He didn''t know, but he was certain that something terrifying would descend upon him.

    The Goddess of DarknessˇŞjust hearing the name was enough to know she wasn''t a benevolent deity.

    What if he accidentally summoned her here, or unintentionally opened a gate that released countless monsters?

    At that point, not only would he be in danger, but he''d also become a target of curses from many others.

    That was why, when it came to things he didn''t fully understand, the best choice was to leave them untouched.

    When he fully understood what this place was and what it contained, he would return here again.

    Malrik, still unwilling to give up, tried to persuade Noan: "Master, you already know how strong I am, right? Thanks to you, I''ve evolved to Rank D Peak. Even if a Rank C monster appears now, I can easily eliminate it."

    "Master, I believe this place definitely hides an enormous secret, along with a vast treasure. We could..." "That''s enough!" Noan waved his hand, cutting off Malrik''s words. "I''ve already made my decision. There''s no need for you to persuade me further."

    Indeed, even if this place held a massive treasure, he wasn''t in any rush.

    He already possessed many things that countless Lords could only dream of. Even if he missed out on this treasure, he wouldn''t feel regret.

    However, that didn''t mean he was going to let others get their hands on the treasure or secrets hidden hereˇŞespecially not the Fate Holders.

    That was exactly why he had chosen to seal the cave.

    After all, the silk sphere he had placed earlier contained his energy. As long as he willed it, he could teleport back to this place at any time.

    Malrik rushed in front of Noan, immediately dropping to his knees and clinging to his leg.

    Noan: "..."

    "You... what the hell are you doing?"

    "Master, you have to listen to me. This place definitely holds some mystery. You have toˇŞ"

    "Damn it! Let go of my leg! If you want to uncover the secrets of this place, do it on your own. I don''t want to."

    "Master!"

    "Let go!"

    "Master, just listen to me for a moment! I''m sure I can protect you. All you need to do is place the Dark Crystal into that hole."

    "I''m not doing it... Wait! How do you know I have the Dark Crystal?"

    Malrik: "..."

    "Well... Master, you asked about the Dark Crystal earlier, right? I assumed you must have it," Malrik explained.

    Noan gave him a suspicious look, causing Malrik to grow uneasy.

    "Malrik, I know you wouldn''t harm me. Still, I have my own reasonsˇŞyou understand that, right?"

    "Master, I have my own reasons too. Please, listen to me..." Malrik said, crying.

    From Malrik''s eye sockets, the flames of hell transformed into two streams of molten lava, flowing like tears.

    Seeing this, Noan sighed deeply and said, "Fine! I''ll do as you say, alright?"

 Chapter 154 154: Let me help you

    "However, before that, you must tell me why you did this?" Noan asked, frowning.

    Indeed, Malrik''s actions were highly suspicious. Although he knew Malrik would never harm him, he didn''t want to do things without understanding their reason or purpose.

    Malrik pondered for a moment, then stood up and said, "Master, you already know that Vylyss''s soul is flawed, don''t you?"

    Noan nodded. Malrik had mentioned this before. He said Vylyss''s soul had several defectsˇŞlike a painting missing many pieces.

    Malrik continued, "Master, you also know that there are three types of energy within Vylyss''s body, right?"

    Noan didn''t deny it because what Malrik said was true. Inside Vylyss''s body existed three types of energy: pink, white, and black.

    Malrik sighed and said, "Honestly, I didn''t want to bring this up, but since Master is so cautious, I have no choice but to tell you."

    "Vylyss worships both the Goddess of Lust and the Goddess of Purity. That means that even though she is a Succubus, she is also incredibly loyal."

    "As long as Master is the one she loves, she will never betray you, remaining forever faithful to you, even without a contract between a Lord and a Hero."

    "However, Vylyss is still a demon after all, which is why she is also a follower of the Goddess of Darkness. That''s also why three distinct energies coexist within her body."

    "Fortunately, all three energies are currently in balance and coexist peacefullyˇŞbut that is only for now."

    "Master possesses a special ability to fuse and evolve monsters, allowing Vylyss to grow stronger and stronger."

    "But that''s also a double-edged sword. The stronger Vylyss becomes, the more powerful the energies within her body become. However, because her soul is flawed, there will come a time when she inevitably falls into chaos."

    "At that point, the three sources of energy will fall out of balance, becoming a massive bomb that will instantly destroy herˇŞand her soul along with it."

    Noan was startled upon hearing this. His eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at Malrik. "Is it really that serious?"

    Malrik nodded solemnly.

    Noan took a deep breath. Although Malrik often joked around, this time, he could sense that Malrik was being completely serious.

    "Then..." Noan frowned and asked, "What if I stop evolving or leveling up Vylyss?"

    Malrik shook his head. "Master, even if you do that, it won''t matter. Eventually, the energy inside her will still fall out of balance."

    "Besides, even though Vylyss seems cheerful and carefree, the thing she hates most is feeling useless to you."

    "That''s whyˇŞeven if you don''t help her evolve or level upˇŞshe will do it herself. And the danger will only increase once it''s out of our control."

    Noan remained silent for a long moment, then asked, "So, what must I do to save Vylyss?"

    Malrik looked at him and asked seriously, "Master, are you sure? This matter is extremely dangerous. It might even involve some truly mysterious beings."

    Noan let out a sigh and shook his head. "I may be a coward, but I must do some things. Besides... I really like her."

    Hearing that, Malrik grinned cheerfully. "Kekekeke... Master, don''t worry. With me here, you''ll overcome every danger with ease."

    "I amˇŞ"

    "Alright, get to the point," Noan immediately interrupted him because the conversation would likely veer thousands of miles off course if he didn''t.

    *Cough*

    Malrik pretended to cough and then said, "Master, this place contains the seal of the Goddess of DarknessˇŞor, more precisely, it''s connected to the tomb of the Goddess of Darkness."

    "All you need to do is activate it, and use its power to maintain Vylyss''s balance for as long as possible."

    "Just maintain balance?" Noan asked, a trace of disappointment appearing on his face.

    "Yes, that''s right. After all, Vylyss''s condition is too uniqueˇŞwe can''t predict anything at this point," Malrik sighed and said.

    Noan also understood how unusual Vylyss''s situation wasˇŞespecially now that he had obtained a new Class and encountered that mysterious woman.

    She seemed to have become a part of Vylyss''s soul, and the System even requested that he find two more souls for Vylyss.

    Although the System didn''t specify which souls they were, based on the types of energy within Vylyss, he could guess that the two required souls were those of the Goddess of Darkness and the Goddess of Purity.

    If all three souls were gathered, Vylyss might ascend into a Goddess, her power rising to a level even Noan would have to look up to.

    But instead of feeling joy, Noan was filled with worry and fear.

    Suddenly, a troubling thought crossed his mind, and he asked, "Malrik, what if I take away Vylyss''s potential?"

    "Heh?!" Malrik was equally shocked by Noan''s question. "Master, are you saying..."

    "What I mean is..." Noan said, "What if we remove the two white and black energy sources? I know this would mean cutting off Vylyss''s talent and potential."

    "However, you also know that anything associated with the word ''God'' is incredibly dangerous and mysterious. I would rather keep Vylyss safe than let her grow stronger and face endless peril."

    Noan''s reasoning wasn''t wrongˇŞless danger for Vylyss was still a better choice.

    Besides, thanks to his innate ability, ''Almighty Fusion,'' Noan believed that as long as he had enough resources and time, he could still help Vylyss reach a power level close to that of a Goddess.

    "This..." Malrik sighed and said, "Master, I know you want Vylyss to be safe, but have you thought about her feelings and desires?"

    "I..."

    "Moreover," Malrik continued, cutting Noan off, "this is extremely dangerous. If we sever the two energy sources, Vylyss would completely imbalance. What awaits her then is certain death."

    "Besides, I currently don''t have the power to do such a thing. So, Master... I''m sorry."

    "It''s alright..." Noan sighed. "It was just a thought. If it could harm Vylyss, then I won''t do it."

    "So, how do we activate this thing?" Noan asked.

    "Master, we need Vylyss to activate it herself."

    ...

    That night, Noan brought Vylyss to the place.

    After explaining everything and emphasising that it would be extremely dangerous, Vylyss still accepted the power sealed within.

    Why?

    She didn''t want to become uselessˇŞshe wanted to grow stronger, to become an invincible existence capable of protecting Noan.

    Noan was deeply moved, but simultaneously, he was worried.

    He took out the Dark Crystal, placed it in Vylyss''s hand, and said, "Be careful. If you can''t endure it, don''t force yourself. I can help you become stronger through my innate gift."

    Vylyss took the Dark Crystal from Noan''s hand, gently lifted his chin with her index finger, and kissed his lips softly.

    The kiss wasn''t deepˇŞit was like a dragonfly skimming the surface of water, touching lightly and then parting just as quickly.

    Vylyss smiled and said, "Master, don''t worry. I have to live to keep loving you, right?"

    Noan sighed and nodded gently. "I''ll wait for you."

    With that, Noan left the room along with Malrik.

    Now, only Vylyss remained. She gripped the Dark Crystal tightly and stepped toward the pool at the centre of the room.

    However, the moment she looked at the statue, a strange fear rose within herˇŞa mix of anxiety, sorrow, and countless other chaotic emotions she couldn''t quite understand.

    Along with it came a sense of familiarity, like she had seen this crow statue with a fishtail somewhere before.

    Vylyss raised her hand gently, letting her energy surround the Dark Crystal, guiding it to float toward the stone pedestal in the middle of the pool, where it was about to fall into a small hole in the statue''s mouth.

    Crack!

    The crystal clicked into place, and suddenly, the water in the pool began to danceˇŞdroplets leapt high into the air before splashing down again as if the entire pool were boiling.

    The stone radiated an eerie black light that enveloped the entire room.

    The drawings on the surrounding walls began to shift and move, slowly inching toward the pool.

    At that moment, Vylyss realized something was coming.

    She frowned, preparing to fight, when a voice echoed inside her head.

    "Let me help you."

 Chapter 155: Morgana and Nymeris

    The voice startled Vylyss slightly. She frowned and said, "You are... Shadow?!"

    "Huh! Don''t you dare taint me with that filthy nickname. Call me MorganaˇŞremember my name well."

    As Morgana finished speaking, she immediately seized control of Vylyss''s body.

    "You... you can''t do this," Vylyss gritted her teeth, trying to resistˇŞbut it was useless.

    "Don''t fight it. I''m helping you. Let me show you a taste of true freedom''s power."

    Morgana''s voice was seductive, laced with a trace of malice and mystery.

    The next moment, Vylyss lost consciousness, though her eyes continued to glow with a strange pink light.

    "A flawless body..." Not Vylyss anymoreˇŞMorgana had fully taken control.

    She raised her delicate hand, pale with a soft pink hue, admiring it as if studying a perfect work of art.

    "What a pity, this hand has touched men. But you still have a chance to start over."

    "This time, I''ll help you get closer to true freedom..."

    Morgana stretched out her hand, and from her palm burst countless chains that shot into the boiling pool.

    Moments later, the chains pulled a crystal sphere the size of a basketball from the waterˇŞinside was a beating heart.

    Yes, a heartˇŞstrangely disconnected from anybody, with no blood- pulsed rhythmically.

    Though its beats were slow, each throb seemed to affirm its persistent existence.

    Surrounding the heart were countless tiny chains that tightly bound it.

    "Huh!" Morgana sneered in disdain. "The Goddess of Night... Who would''ve thought that a deity once feared by mankind would be reduced to nothing but this tiny heart."

    "Hahahaha... But it''s fine. I will use your power to avenge you."

    "To plunge humanity into suffering and darknessˇŞmake them pay for what they''ve done."

    Morgana let out a seductive laugh, her fingers moving gracefully as she commanded one of the chains to pierce the crystal sphere.

    BANG!

    However, contrary to her expectations, the crystal sphere didn''t shatter. Instead, it was her chain that broke into pieces.

    "What the hell?!" Morgana growled, her brows furrowing. "Stop resisting! No one else can help you see the light of day without me!"

    "Just come with me, and together we will once againˇŞ"

    Suddenly, her words were cut short as the crystal sphere emitted a strange black light.

    A voice echoed from within the sphere, startling her.

    "Too noisy!"

    BAM!

    A shockwave blasted outward, sending Morgana flying backward. Her body slammed into the wall and then fell to the ground.

    But with her current physical strength, something like that was hardly more than a nuisance.

    What truly alarmed her was the sensation of being boundˇŞcountless chains now restrained her body.

    Yes, the very chains she had conjured were now binding her.

    "Are you mocking me?" Morgana gritted her teeth. "I was helping youˇŞis this how you repay my salvation?"

    "Do I look like I need your foolish salvation?" A different woman''s voice rang out. "You''re disturbing my slumber."

    "Get lost before I lose my temper!"

    Seething with rage, Morgana growled, "Do you really intend to sleep in this place for the rest of your life?"

    "Yes."

    Morgana: "..."

    "Are you joking with me? You''re just a creation ofˇŞ"

    "I don''t care. All I want now is to sleep," the mysterious voice interrupted again. "I won''t say it a third time."

    "You..." Morgana was so furious she was panting, her ample chest rising and falling with each breath. "Fine. I hope you won''t regret this."

    She tried to move, but the chains around her refused to let her act.

    "Release me!" Morgana shouted.

    "Are you stupid?" The mysterious voice returned. "I told you to get lost, not that girl."

    "You... Nymeris, are you seriously playing games with me?"

    Yawp

    Nymeris yawned, then said, "You have five seconds."

    "Very well... One day, you''ll regret this." With those words, Morgana vanished.

    No, more precisely, she fledˇŞretreating deep into the soul of Vylyss.

    At that moment, Vylyss awakened, her eyes filled with curiosity as she gazed at the crystal sphere floating before her.

    Although Morgana had seized control of her body, she had still witnessed everything that had just occurred.

    Because of that, she knew exactly whose heart was before herˇŞthe heart of the Goddess of Night, Nymeris.

    "I''m very lazy, so I''ll only say this once. Listen carefully, alright?"

    Hearing Nymeris''s tired and languid voice, Vylyss quickly nodded.

    "Absorb me," Nymeris said. "Then seek out the Goddess of Purity. Ask for her help. That way, you can obtain your desired powerˇŞto protect the one you love most."

    "If not, then one day... you will become the danger to that person yourself."

    "But..." Vylyss quickly asked, "Where should I go to find the soul of the Goddess of Purity?"

    "There''s no need to search," Nymeris replied. "The wheel of fate will bring you to her. Just hold fast to your faithˇŞdo you understand?"

    "Uhm! I understand. My love for my Master will never change," Vylyss confidently replied.

    "Tsk!" Morgana clicked her tongue. "How sickeningly sentimental, youˇŞ"

    "Silence!"

    Before Morgana could finish, Nymeris shouted, and the very sound of it sent a tremor through Morgana''s soul.

    In the end, Morgana fell silent, not daring to say another word.

    Yawp

    Nymeris yawned again, then spoke wearily, "Alright, absorb me. I''ll help you imprison Morgana."

    "Uhm!" Upon hearing that, Vylyss quickly approached the crystal sphere before her.

    BANG!

    The sphere exploded, shards scattering in all directions before vanishing into light particles.

    Vylyss touched Nymeris''s heart as gently as she couldˇŞbut it swiftly transformed into a stream of black light that surged into her chest.

    At that moment, Vylyss could feel the dark energy within her growingˇŞvastly more substantial than before.

    But what was strange was that it didn''t greedily seize control of her body, nor did it try to destroy the other two sources of energy.

    On the contrary, it simply lay there lazily inside Vylyss, as if it were asleep.

    The pink energy trembled slightly in fear, then also quieted down.

    Vylyss let out a relieved sigh, then stepped out of the room.

    "Master..."

    "Hm?!"

    Noan had been standing outside the room, anxiously waiting for Vylyss, when he suddenly saw her rushing out and throwing herself into his arms.

    "Hehehe... I did it." Vylyss nuzzled into Noan''s chest, her voice full of joy. "Master, I did it. Will you reward me?"

    As she spoke the word *reward''*, her eyes glowed with a seductive pink light that strangely filled Noan with a sense of comfort.

    "Of course, but..."

    Noan narrowed his eyes slightly, trying to detect abnormalities within her body.

    Suddenly, a system notification appeared in front of him, surprising him.

    [Ding! Vylyss has obtained the Heart of the Goddess of Night. Current fusion progress: 1%...]

    Seeing the message, Noan remained cautious. His eyes, filled with doubt, turned toward Vylyss.

    Vylyss pouted, clearly annoyed. "Master, are you doubting me?"

    "Well... are you really Vylyss?"

    Vylyss leaned in close to Noan and whispered something into his ear.

    Noan''s eyes widened immediately. He quickly covered her mouth and said, "Enough! Enough! I know you''re Vylyss."

    "Hehehe... Master, if you want to verify, we can do it right here."

    Vylyss licked her lips with a sultry look, clinging tightly to Noan as if she wouldn''t let him escape.

    Malrik shrugged at that moment and said, "Looks like I shouldn''t stick around. Master, enjoy yourself."

    "Wait..." Noan was on the verge of tears. "Vylyss, this place isn''t suitable. We should..."

    "No, Master," Vylyss immediately cut him off, flashing a seductive smile. "This is our first time doing it in a caveˇŞit feels so thrilling."

    "Besides, this place is quite romantic too. The dim lighting makes it perfect for us to express our love."

    "You..." Noan was at a complete loss for words.

    In the end, he and Vylyss decided to turn the cave into their bedroom. The sounds of passion echoed throughout the cavern, enough to make anyone who heard them blush.

    ...

    At that moment, Alex was running back through the cave he had entered. Reaching a place he felt was safe, he collapsed onto the ground, panting heavily.

    "Goddamn it!" Alex cursed in frustration. "Don''t tell me my bad luck has come back again?"

    That''s rightˇŞuntil now, he thought misfortune had finally left him alone and that luck had returned.

    But he never imagined that upon entering this cave, before he could even gain anything, he''d nearly be killed by Austin''s monstrous black beast.

    Still, Alex found it strange. The last time he saw Austin, Austin''s monster had been a Lava LizardˇŞso why was it now a black High Orc?

    "Don''t tell me he has two D-rank monsters?" Alex muttered angrily.

    While he was deep in thought, his back leaned against a stone, which suddenly shifted.

    Crack!

    "What the hell?!" The strange sound startled Alex.

    The massive boulder on the cave wall began to move, revealing a pitch-black passageway.

    Seeing this, Alex burst into laughter. "Hahahaha... I knew it! There''s no way I could be ''that'' unlucky!"

 Chapter 156: Alex and Malrik

    Alex walked into the dark passage.

    Guided by his intuition, he walked without stumbling, even though everything around him was shrouded in black.

    He reached the end of the path, and a strange structure appeared before him.

    It was a tower, about ten meters tall.

    The tower wasn''t large, occupying only about twenty square meters, but this cavern was truly vast. The walls were lined with stones emitting an enchanting light, allowing him to see the tower in front of him clearly.

    "That''s..." Alex stammered, for the breathtaking tower.

    It looked as if it were made of gold, reflecting the light from the stones on the cave walls, making it shimmer and glow with an ethereal beauty.

    Alex slowly approached the tower but remained vigilant, scanning his surroundings.

    After all, he had gone through a lot of misfortune, making his caution far greater.

    After confirming that there was nothing dangerous around, he quickly moved toward the tower''s main door.

    Alex reached out and tried to push the door open, but unlike before, this time, the door easily swung open, revealing a room bathed in blinding golden light. The furniture inside was also made of gold, extravagant to the extreme.

    "This place is..." Alex gasped, but he quickly regained his composure.

    Even though everything here was made of gold, it didn''t excite him.

    It was important to remember that according to the System, no one could take anything from this world back to the city, and vice versa.

    Therefore, the gold placed here was no different from useless stones.

    Other lords in this world didn''t need gold; they needed energy crystals.

    "Damn it! I thought I had found a treasure, but it turns out it''s just a tower made of gold. What the hell is this supposed to be worth in this world?" Alex muttered angrily.

    Suddenly, his gaze was drawn to a coffin placed in the centre of the room.

    He approached the coffin and realized it was also made of gold, with four dragons intricately carved on top.

    Two Western dragons and two Eastern dragons.

    All four dragons were advancing in four directions, heading toward a black glowing orb in the centre.

    Indeed, all four dragons were made of gold, but the orb in the centre emitted a strange black light. Alex had no idea what metal it was made of.

    However, what stood out was his intuition, which told him that the thing inside the coffin was what he needed to pay attention to.

    Alex had gained much experience from past encounters, so this time, he was extremely cautious, taking one careful step after another toward the coffin in the centre of the room.

    One step...

    Two steps...

    Three steps...

    When he reached the coffin''s side, he saw that the lid was only loosely closed, with even a small gap allowing him to peer inside.

    The gap was so narrow that Alex couldn''t see anything other than a shroud woven from golden threads.

    This indicated that the person inside the coffin was no ordinary being; the one inside might even be a king from ancient times.

    Alex took a deep breath and tried to push the lid open.

    Poof! Poof!

    Suddenly, as the lid was pushed open, a puff of purple smoke shot out, enveloping Alex''s body and startling him.

    "What the hell?! Could this... be poisonous smoke?" Alex suddenly recalled what he had read in books.

    Many tombs, to protect the slumber of the deceased and keep grave robbers at bay, contained a special kind of toxic gas.

    This gas was created using magic and specific energy, so that a person inhaled it would not die instantly but would instead endure excruciating pain.

    Under the torment of the pain, the person who inhaled the toxic smoke would be driven to choose suicide to end their suffering.

    Alex immediately recoiled in fear, but it was too lateˇŞhe had inhaled too much of the toxic gas.

    At that moment, he felt his body in agony, as if someone were slicing off pieces of his flesh with a knife.

    Countless blood vessels in his body began to swell and burst, and the unbearable pain tormented him, causing his mind to grow increasingly fuzzy.

    Krit!!!

    At that moment, a crane''s cry echoed throughout the room.

    A white crane emerged from Alex''s body, emitting a blinding radiance like a miniature sun, making the room, which was already made of gold, shine even brighter.

    "AAA!!!" Alex could no longer bear it and screamed out, then spat a mouthful of blood.

    His body staggered and collapsed onto the ground, blood flowing from his mouth, nose, ears, and even his eye sockets, like small streams.

    But his blood was not just red; it also had a hint of purple within it.

    Krit!!!

    The crane''s cry rang out again, causing the surrounding space to shake violently, creating energy waves that rippled outward.

    "Master... save... save me..." In his dazed state, as his consciousness was about to fade, he murmured, desperately seeking a way out.

    The white crane transformed into countless feathers flying through the air at that moment. These feathers emitted a holy and majestic radiance, making the scene in the room even more enchanting.

    Alex slowly closed his eyes, feeling his life slipping away as he lay helpless, awaiting death.

    Then, his consciousness descended into darkness, but the feathers that fell onto his body turned into countless specks of light, beginning to heal him.

    Just a few minutes later, his body returned to its original state, the poison within him expelled, turning into a stream of purple smoke that vanished into the air.

    Seeing that Alex was no longer in danger, the white crane gazed at the coffin momentarily and then disappeared.

    The room fell into silence for a long time, but suddenly, a dark figure entered the tower from outside.

    "Kekekeke... I didn''t think you would find this place,"

    The voice was malicious and eerieˇŞit was Malrik. At that moment, he slowly entered the tower, gazing at Alex lying on the floor. He took out a black book that he always carried with him.

    The book began to flip open to a random page, then emitted a dark light that illuminated Malrik''s skull.

    "Well! Well! Well!" Malrik said with excitement. "It seems you truly are the lucky star of my Master."

    "Kekekeke... Alex, I hope you can keep trying a little harder."

    After saying this, Malrik sat beside Alex, his handˇŞnow only bonesˇŞreaching toward Alex''s head.

    The index finger reached out and gently touched Alex''s forehead. A strange black symbol appeared before gradually sinking into his skin.

    Marik saw this and stood up, leaving the room and Alex lying still in the golden chamber.

    ...

    Time passed.

    The next day, Noan woke up in the cave. Vylyss was still next to him, seemingly wanting to sleep more, clutching his waist, not allowing him to leave.

    He shook his head with a sigh.

    Although his physical strength and recovery ability had increased to an extraordinary level, the day before, Vylyss had seemed to go crazy.

    She appeared to be tireless, fighting with him continuously for eight hours until she was so full she couldn''t take any more "milk" from him and finally stopped.

    Noan could feel that Vylyss'' strength had grown significantly after their previous battle.

    It had grown to such a degree that he even felt a little dizzy, almost losing consciousness.

    "That was dangerous..." Noan muttered. "Next time, I may not be able to win as easily as before."

    Indeed, the last time, he had won thanks to his strength and the innate ability of ''Immortal'', which allowed him to recover continuously.

    But this time, he had almost been defeated, even nearly unconscious.

    Luckily, Vylyss surrendered first, otherwise...

    Noan sighed, lifting Vylyss like a princess, using his Spatial ability to teleport back to the Dominion.

    After placing Vylyss on the bed, he didn''t rush to leave but instead lay down to rest with her.

    Although Vylyss hadn''t yet woken up, she still clung to him. Instinctively, she pressed her soft body against his, as if wanting to merge with him as one.

    Noan gently caressed Vylyss'' smooth curves while checking the System''s notice board.

    He clearly remembered that the System had sent a notification yesterday, but at that time, he had been too busy "fighting" with Vylyss to check it.

    Noan clicked on the unread notification, and immediately, a message popped up before him.

    [You have received one time for listening; would you like to use it now?]

 Chapter 157 157: Nymeris?!

    Noan frowned when he saw the notification and pondered. Finally, what exactly determines when you get an extra listening session?

    If he used this listening ability, what benefits would he gain from it?

    Noan thought for a long while and then decided to accept the listening session.

    "Accept!"

    As soon as he spoke, Noan was pulled into a strange space.

    This was not the place with the glass orbs and chains, but more like a water pool.

    Noan looked around, unsure where to go since the space was so dark, so dark that he couldn''t see anything except the water below his feet.

    And the most remarkable thing was... he was standing on the water''s surface.

    Noan lifted his foot and took a few steps. Although he felt a bit disoriented, he was indeed able to walk on the surface of the water.

    He bent down, reaching his hand into the water below, but as soon as his hand entered the water, it was grabbed by another strange hand.

    Noan was startled and instinctively tried to pull his hand back, but it was too late.

    The other hand gripped his tightly and pulled him down.

    Noan opened his eyes again and realized he seemed to be inside a vast ocean.

    Even though he was underwater, he didn''t feel like he was suffocating. Instead, he felt an overwhelming sense of loneliness and coldness.

    The surface of the water was over ten meters above him, and below, it was so deep that he could only see blackness, as if the bottom extended endlessly.

    Noan had the feeling that something terrifying was lurking in the darkness at the bottom of the ocean.

    "This place is..." Noan wondered to himself.

    He looked around, trying to find the one who had pulled him down into this place, but no matter how hard he searched, he was all alone in this space.

    Noan furrowed his brows, feeling perplexed. Who exactly was he facing?

    Krit!!!

    Suddenly, a strange sound echoed, resembling the call of a dolphin but also like the cry of a whale.

    Noan shuddered, desperately trying to swim towards the surface because he could sense that something terrifying was approaching.

    But the more he swam, the farther away the water''s surface seemed, as if he were swimming backwards.

    The space around him also began to grow darker, until it was nothing but pure blackness.

    Thump! Thump! Thump!

    Noan''s heart pounded violently, as if it were about to burst from his chest.

    He tried to calm himself, but every effort was futile.

    When the entire space had become nothing but darkness and the water''s surface had vanished, a red dot appeared.

    Noan looked toward the red light, which grew larger and larger. Soon, he realized what the red light was.

    It was an eye.

    Yes, it was a giant eye, more than ten meters in diameter, right in front of him.

    What was even more terrifying was that the eye was staring directly at him.

    KRIT!!!

    The strange sound echoed again, this time loud enough to produce sound waves beneath him, spreading outward.

    As the sound waves swept over Noan, he felt his ears ache as if his eardrums had been pierced, and his heart was under immense pressure, making it hard for him to breathe.

    In the moment when he felt the most desperate, as if he were surely going to be smothered in the dark abyss, a hand appeared.

    The hand gripped his firmly, then pulled him upward.

    The red eye followed his movements, but it seemed that the mysterious creature didn''t want to chase him, only staring intently at him.

    Noan didn''t know how long this lasted, but just when his consciousness was about to fade, he was pulled out of the water''s surface.

    "Ha... ha... ha..." Noan gasped, struggling to breathe as his body hung suspended in mid-air.

    "Did you see it?" A voice, sweet yet lazy, rang out.

    Noan turned his head, looking around, but he couldn''t find anyone speaking.

    He tried to stabilize his body in mid-air and then asked, "Who are you?"

    *Yawp*

    A yawn sounded, and the mysterious voice spoke again, "You''ll know soon enough."

    "Are you..." Noan thought of a guess. "Are you the Goddess of the Night?"

    "Ah! You know already? Then you can call me Nymeris."

    "Nymeris? Why did you call me here?" Noan furrowed his brows, feeling confused, and asked.

    "Noan, you need to find the Goddess of the White Silence, and then you''ll know everything."

    "Why didn''t you tell me everything right now?" Noan asked again.

    "I''m lazy!"

    Noan: "..."

    "Fine, go back now, and treat Vylyss well from now on, understood?" Nymeris said.

    "Even if you didn''t tell me, I''d still treat her well."

    "Ah! If that''s the case, I feel relieved."

    "Wait! What was that creature earlier? Why did you show me that scene?"

    It seemed Nymeris didn''t care about Noan''s question. Immediately, she pulled him back to reality.

    Noan startled, his eyes wide open, realizing he was lying on the bed. Next to him, Vylyss was still deep in sleep, her face full of satisfaction and happiness.

    However, he knew this wasn''t a dream because... his body was wet.

    Indeed, it felt as if he had just submerged underwater.

    [Ding! You have received a new ability for your class, please check it in your class information.]

    A notification suddenly appeared before him, but he didn''t rush to check it. Instead, he tried to calm himself by taking a deep breath and exhaling slowly.

    Noan glanced at Vylyss, then stood up and quietly walked outside.

    The sky had already darkened when Noan walked over to the chair by the lake and sat down.

    Staring at the gloomy sky, Noan felt a bit more at peace in his heart.

    He opened his personal information panel and noticed a new ability had been added under the Class section.

    ...

    **Name**: Whisper of the Forgotten

    **Rank**: SS+

    **Description**: You can hear the voices of those who have been forgotten, whether they are gods or demons.

    Are they calling for help? No! They need someone who can listen to their words.

    **Innate Ability**: Spatial Summon.

    You can store a hero in this space and summon them whenever you wish.

    **Number of Listenings**: 0

    ...

    "Spatial Summon?" Noan frowned, feeling that this class ability was somewhat meaningless.

    However, at least it was better than nothing.

    "Master..." Suddenly, Malrik appeared, bowing his head and saying, "I have some information about Alex."

    "Hm?!" Noan furrowed his brow, then listened as Malrik explained that Alex had found another tomb, though Noan wasn''t too surprised.

    After all, Alex was a Fate Holder. Noan had taken his fate, so perhaps destiny would compensate him with another opportunity.

    "Master, you don''t need to worry," Malrik smiled and said. "Though the tomb is quite special, Alex certainly won''t harm you."

    Noan glanced at Malrik, frowning as he said, "Malrik, you shouldn''t be so complacent. If not, one day you might find yourself in a situation where you''re caught off guard. Do you understand?"

    Malrik hurriedly knelt down, worried, and said, "Master, please rest assured. I''ve planted a magic spell within Alex''s body."

    "As soon as he encounters any opportunities, I will be able to sense it. As you said, we feast on the meat; we can let him have the bones."

    "That''s why I will let him have small opportunities, and if he encounters a great one, I will inform you immediately."

    Noan nodded lightly, his eyes gradually becoming more relaxed. "You''re right, at least we must give him a bit of hope. Otherwise, he might stop looking for opportunities, and we would lose a radar for treasure hunting."

    "But why did that tomb appear near the area sealed by the Goddess of the Night?"

    Malrik hastily explained, "Master, in reality, that is the tomb of the four Dragon Kings."

    "What?!" Noan felt as if he had misheard and asked again, "You said... that is the tomb of the four Dragon Kings?"

    "Yes, Master." Malrik calmly answered, "Is there something wrong?"

    "Damn it!" Noan genuinely wanted to curse, he yelled, "You''re telling me that opportunity is small? Four Dragon Kings, do you even know what Dragon Kings mean?"

    "Kekeke... Master, of course, I know that, it''s just... Alex surely cannot absorb the entire energy of all four Dragon Kings."

    "Hm?! What do you mean..." Noan furrowed his brow.

    "Kekeke... kekeke..." Malrik broke into a sinister and dark laugh. "Master, Alex can only absorb a little of the external energy."

    "This energy is the one that maintains the magical protection for the tomb and the bodies of the four Dragon Kings."

    "Once he has fully absorbed that energy, the four Dragon Kings in the tomb, along with the opportunities inside, will all belong to us."

    "Ah!" Noan nodded lightly, a wicked smile appearing on his face. "Well done."

    "Kekeke... Kekeke..."

    Inside the tomb, Alex, who had been unconscious, suddenly shuddered in fear and immediately woke up. "What the hell is that?!"

 Chapter 158 158: Can not level up?

    Noan and Malrik looked at each other as if they knew exactly what the other was thinking, as though their thoughts aligned.

    Malrik laughed and said, "Master, you are truly evil. Even the Evil God isn''t as evil as you."

    Noan: "..."

    "Are you complimenting me or scolding me?"

    "Ack! I... I am complimenting you, Master." Malrik quickly explained, "Moreover, the seals in that place are all toxins of the Dragon Clan. Even though Alex absorbs them and transforms them into energy, he still carries a distinct scent on him."

    "That scent is the signature magic smell of the Dragon Clan, and it can''t be erased."

    "As long as any member of the Dragon Clan is within 1,000 miles of someone with that scent, they can detect them."

    "Of course, once they detect the person with that scent, they will hunt them down because they believe that anyone with that smell is a grave robber."

    Noan shuddered at that.

    He felt lucky that Malrik had not allowed him to go to that tomb first. If he had, even if the poison there hadn''t killed him, the Dragon Clan would have come after him later.

    The thought of being hunted down by the entire Dragon Clan terrified him to the point where he couldn''t eat or sleep.

    Malrik continued, "At the current rate, Alex will need about five days to fully absorb all the poison and transform it into energy for himself."

    Noan nodded, but thinking about the fact that in five days, all the Lords would be able to return to the city, he felt that this was not just a coincidence.

    After Alex returns to the city, with his terrifying physical strength, he might start the ''face-slapping'' or ''flexing'' journey like the characters in the novels he had read.

    For Noan, the ''Fate Holder'' was no different from the main characters in those novels, only distinguished by the way they were addressed.

    Noan rubbed his chin and suddenly thought of something. He immediately said, "Malrik, after five days, you will come with me back to the city."

    "The city? Master, are you referring to the human city?" Malrik asked, confused.

    "That''s right, in five days, all the Lords will be forced to return to the city for ten days. You will come with me, won''t you?" Noan asked.

    Malrik immediately knelt, holding his master''s legs, crying like a child: "Huhuhu... Master, you treat me so well. You are the bright star in the sky, the moonlight that breaks the night, the sun..."

    "Enough! Enough!" A few veins popped up on Noan''s forehead, his anger rising.

    He had decided to do this because he now had the ''Summoning Space''. Now, he could bring Vylyss along without worrying about anything.

    At first, he had no intention of bringing Vylyss back to the city.

    Why?

    Because it was too strange and dangerous.

    Just thinking about how an ordinary Lord like him could bring a B-rank Hero back to the city would attract attention.

    Noan also didn''t know whether the system had recorded his information and would display it to the Federation Government and the Empire.

    If that happened, he might end up drawing attention from both powers.

    That''s why he planned to take Malrik with him.

    But after having the ''Summoning Space'', Noan suddenly wanted to see if he could bring Vylyss to the city using this feature.

    If it worked, it would be equivalent to a cheat trick.

    People would only know that he brought a D-rank Hero back to the city, while secretly, he could bring Vylyss.

    Of course, success or failure still depended on him testing it.

    At this point, Malrik stood up and laughed: "Kekeke... Master, I''m just a bit too excited."

    "This is the first time I''ve come to the human world, I will try my best..."

    "No! No!" Noan quickly interrupted Malrik: "You don''t need to do anything, just act normal."

    Noan sighed, wondering if bringing Malrik to the human city was the right choice or not.

    However, Malrik was very clever. He didn''t think Malrik would cause any trouble.

    After hearing Noan, Malrik stroked his chin, thought about something, then lowered his head and said: "Master, don''t worry, I''ll act just like normal, kekeke..."

    Hearing that, Noan felt reassured and said, "You bring Caleb and Austin to meet me."

    "Yes, Master."

    ...

    A while later, Caleb and Austin were brought in by Malrik, their faces still clearly showing signs of confusion and worry.

    Although it was evening, the place was still bright, thanks to the magical lamps.

    It could be said that the work efficiency of the NPCs was relatively high, especially the Blacksmith Master, Thalira. She quickly created lamps that used energy crystals to emit light. A rank F energy crystal could light a space for several days.

    Caleb and Austin looked around and noticed the area was much larger than before, decorated like they had just stepped into a magical garden.

    The two of them glanced at each other, their hearts heavy with pain.

    There was no pain without comparison. While other Lords struggled to survive, Noan seemed to live in paradise.

    Austin and Caleb tried to push aside the jealousy in their minds, quickly following a female NPC to the side of a pond, just as they usually did.

    Seeing Noan sitting on a chair, Austin and Caleb hurriedly knelt, bowed their heads, and respectfully said, "Master!"

    Noan glanced at them, slightly nodded, and said, "This time, you found another cave. It seems you are quite lucky."

    Upon hearing Noan''s words, Caleb shuddered in fear, while Austin didn''t understand and just remained silent, waiting for Caleb to speak up.

    There was an unwritten rule between him and Caleb: Austin would not speak up hastily and would leave all decisions or conversations to Caleb.

    Why?

    Because Austin knew very well that he was not as clever as Caleb, nor could he understand the deeper meanings of the Master''s words as Caleb could.

    Therefore, it was better for Caleb to speak.

    Caleb grew even more anxious at this point, hurriedly speaking: "Master, I... Austin and I only thought we could help the Master find more treasure."

    "We just happened to come across the cave and planned to investigate inside before reporting back to you."

    "Neither of us had any intention of taking the treasure. We hope the Master can understand."

    Noan smiled internally. He hadn''t thought his image would be so intimidating in their eyes.

    But it was a good thing. This would help lower the chances of their betrayal to the lowest possible level.

    "Don''t worry, I don''t intend to blame you," Noan smiled and said. "I know very well that you will not betray me."

    "This time, you have done very well. This is a reward for you."

    After Noan finished speaking, two bags woven from Zhisse silk appeared before them.

    These bags didn''t appear because Noan threw them; they materialized before Caleb and Austin.

    Although Austin ignored the details, Caleb noticed what had just happened, and a thought immediately appeared. However, he didn''t dare think too much about it and quickly bowed his head, saying, "Thank you, Master."

    Caleb took the two bags, handed one to Austin, and kept the other for himself. Inside were food supplies and energy crystals, but this time, rank E energy crystals were also included.

    Before Austin and Caleb could rejoice, Noan continued speaking: "I know you are currently facing many issues with building your domains. I will have my subordinates bring more building materials for you."

    "If you perform better, I might even reward you with something you would never dare to imagine."

    Austin and Caleb were so happy upon hearing this that their faces showed joy.

    Before coming here, they had been thinking about how to ask the Master for some building resources. After all, they still had their domains; if they didn''t continue developing, their strength wouldn''t grow.

    If they couldn''t strengthen their domains, sooner or later, they would become useless.

    And of course, the fate of the useless was simple: they would be discarded.

    "Thank you, Master!" Caleb and Austin bowed again and said.

    At this point, Caleb joyfully asked, "Master, will I be able to contact you after returning to the city?"

    "Hm?!" Noan raised an eyebrow.

    "Ack!" Caleb thought Noan was displeased with his question, so he quickly explained, "Master, please don''t misunderstand."

    "Both Austin and I are members of great families. If you need assistance, I can help you with many things, including gathering supplies."

    Noan, hearing this, realized that Austin and Caleb still thought he could bring real city supplies to this world.

    He frowned, thought momentarily, and said, "Give me your contact details. If I need anything, I will call."

    Austin and Caleb hurriedly took two small pieces of paper from their bags, each with their address, phone numbers, and other contact methods, which they had prepared earlier.

    The female NPC took the papers and handed them to Noan.

    "Do you live in the capital, Terith?"

    Upon hearing Noan''s question, Caleb immediately replied, "Yes, Master. Although I am not an important family member, I can still assist you with many things."

    Noan nodded slightly, stored the two pieces of paper in the ''Storage Space,'' and continued, "How long will it take for you to reach level 4?"

    Upon hearing this question, Austin and Caleb exchanged looks before gazing at Noan.

    Caleb sighed and said, "Master, I fear that neither I nor Austin will have the opportunity to reach level 4."

 Chapter 159 159: Carlotta - 150cm??

    Noan listened to their explanation, feeling a bit confused. "Why?" he asked.

    Austin remained silent, only looking at Caleb.

    Caleb sighed deeply before explaining, "Master, both Austin and I have reached level 3. However, we don''t have enough resources to reach level 4."

    "If it were before, we could have bought resources as we did when we still had contact and trade with the outside world, but everything would have been much easier."

    "However, things are different now. This place is a barren land, and the energy crystals required for us to level up to level 4 is enormous."

    "Moreover, to reach level 4, we must go through a trial to choose a Class. My Hero and Austin''s Hero have both died. Even if we had enough resources to level up, we wouldn''t have the ability to pass the trial and choose a Class."

    Upon hearing Caleb''s explanation, Noan understood why levelling up was so difficult for them. Perhaps because he had so many resources, he had forgotten that this place was just a desolate land, lacking many resources.

    Noan was not overly concerned about the resources needed to level up; he cared about the resources needed to evolve and merge his heroes.

    However, for others, the issue of resources was enormous.

    Not even considering development, just having enough resources to maintain their domain, heroes, and soldiers was already an incredible achievement.

    Noan furrowed his brow, thought momentarily, and said, "I will provide resources for you to level up. However, I will choose your Class."

    Caleb and Austin looked at each other, then back at Noan.

    "Well? You don''t want it?" Noan asked.

    Hearing Noan''s words, Caleb and Austin quickly said, "No! No! Master, we really want it."

    "Yes, we really want it. Master, choose any Class you want for me, as long as I can level up. Even if it''s a Traveler Class or some useless Class, I''ll accept it."

    Noan waved his hand, and another bag appeared on the ground. "This contains enough resources for you to level up. As for your Heroes, I will find a way to solve that problem."

    "Thank you, Master!" Austin and Caleb both shouted in unison.

    They were so overwhelmed with joy that they were almost in tears. It should be known that even in the past if they had enough Heroes and soldiers, they still might not have been able to level up to level 4 successfully.

    Why?

    It wasn''t without reason that many Lords were stuck at level 3, and many Lords at rank D and C also remained at level 3, unable to progress any further.

    That''s because the challenge of choosing a Class was truly too difficult.

    According to their studied documents, the challenge in the Trial Tower was a battle against oneself.

    The first floor was simple, like a 1 vs. 1 solo ability.

    A Lord and a Hero would face off against their own shadow.

    But by the second floor and beyond, things became much more complicated.

    To choose a Class, the Lord needed to clear at least the third floor.

    If not, they would forever remain stuck at level 3, unable to level up.

    Although Noan''s words didn''t provide any assurance that he would help them, they truly believed in him.

    To them, Noan was an existence capable of achieving anything.

    At this moment, Caleb suddenly asked: "Master, you''re the one who cleared the tenth floor of the Trial Tower, right?"

    Noan didn''t answer directly but smiled and softly said, "Guess."

    Caleb took a deep breath, and at that moment, he became even more convinced that Noan would definitely find a way to help them pass the challenge in the Trial Tower.

    Although Austin didn''t understand why Caleb asked that, he knew well enough to simply follow Caleb''s lead and didn''t need to know too much.

    After chatting for a while, Malrik took Caleb and Austin back to their domains.

    Inside their domain, Austin asked Caleb with confusion: "Do you think Master can really help us?"

    "Of course!" Caleb replied confidently.

    Austin looked at Caleb, seeing his confidence, and felt even more puzzled: "Why do you think that? You have to know that our Heroes and soldiers are all dead. We can''t take Master''s monsters into the Trial Tower."

    Caleb glanced at Austin, his gaze carrying a hint of disdain, which made Austin angry.

    "Oy! What''s with that look?" Austin shouted.

    Caleb sniffed dismissively: "Huh! You still don''t realize what kind of existence our Master is?"

    "Do you mean...?" Austin tilted his head, asking in confusion.

    "Can''t you tell that Master is the one who cleared the tenth floor of the Trial Tower?" Caleb replied with some impatience.

    "Ah!" Austin suddenly snapped to attention. "I had a feeling it might be Master, but since Master didn''t answer, do you really believe it was him?"

    "Are you stupid?" Caleb felt a headache coming on from Austin''s lack of understanding. "Didn''t you hear the implication in Master''s words? What he meant is that we shouldn''t reveal this information openly. We can just understand it between us."

    "Ah! I see now." Austin nodded, looking as if he understood. "So, what does this have to do with us?"

    Caleb: "..."

    "Dammit! I don''t want to explain anymore. Just stay quiet and wait," Caleb said, irritated, before storming off.

    Austin stood still, scratching his head, still confused. He looked toward Urlgan and frowned, asking, "Do you understand anything he just said?"

    Urlgan tilted his head, shrugged, and showed no interest in the matter.

    ...

    Two days later, Noan arrived in front of the Blood Tribe''s tomb, looking for a way to enter.

    He furrowed his brows as he examined the stone door, which seemed as though it had never been opened, and felt a sense of confusion.

    "Oy! Do you really not want to let me in?" Noan shouted, his voice echoing through the cavern, but after that, everything fell silent as if there was no one there.

    Noan frowned and called out again, "Oy! What''s your name? Queen of the Blood Tribe? Or maybe Cute Bat? Or 150cm?"

    BAM!

    Suddenly, a gigantic hand formed from a mist of blood-red vapour swung toward Noan.

    The sound and impact were deafening as Noan''s body was pulverized into a heap of flesh and blood. Only his head flew high into the air before rolling and finally coming to a stop on the ground.

    A moment later, Noan''s body restored itself to its previous state. Seemingly unafraid of death, he shouted again, "150cm, loli, if you don''t let me in, I''ll keep insulting you until..."

    BAM!

    Before Noan could finish his sentence, the misty, blood-coloured fist once again struck and obliterated his body.

    A while later, Noan restored himself once more, opening his mouth to say something when the same giant hand grabbed him and began pulling him toward the door.

    As his body was about to collide with the stone door, a swirling black vortex appeared and swallowed him up.

    Seconds later, Noan was thrown out of the vortex, his body flying through the air for over a hundred meters.

    BAM!

    Noan fell onto a frozen pond with a heavy impact, causing the spot where he landed to cave, creating a hole. Cracks spread out like a spider web across the surface. Naturally, he broke a few bones, his internal organs were shattered, and blood flowed from his eyes, nose, mouth, and ears like small streams.

    "Ack!" Noan gritted his teeth, feeling the pain gnawing at his body.

    Luckily, just a few minutes later, he was able to recover to his original state.

    Noan sat up, and when he looked ahead, he saw a woman so stunningly beautiful that no words could describe her beauty.

    However... she had one flawˇŞshe was quite short.

    Yes, as beautiful as an angel, just like she had stepped out of a fairytale, but her only flaw was her short stature.

    She wore an expression of arrogance and coldness on her face, sitting cross-legged on a block of ice, looking at him with discomfort.

    "If you''re here just to insult me, I can torment you until you hope I''ll kill you," her cold voice echoed.

    Despite this, Noan was not afraid. He took out a new set of clothes from his ''Storage Space,'' changing while speaking: "If I didn''t say that, how would you let me in here?"

    Carlotta looked at Noan changing clothes, her expression tightening as if she saw him as nothing more than a rock, her eyes turning away.

    Once Noan finished changing, he asked, "What''s your name?"

    "You have no right to know my name," Carlotta replied coldly.

    "Ah! After everything we''ve done, you still have the nerve to say that?" Noan said with a mocking smile.

    "You..." Carlotta was furious.

    Once again, the blood-red mist appeared, forming into a giant hand that grabbed Noan and lifted him high.

    "I''ll give you a chance to arrange your words once more, filthy human," Carlotta said, her voice as cold as a thousand-year-old mountain of ice.

    Noan didn''t struggle. He wore a bored expression, looking directly at Carlotta and said, "Then you should take a bath too because you and I have had quite a bit of contact."

    Carlotta: "..."

 Chapter 160 160: Noan and Carlotta - Tsundere?

    "It seems like you really want to die," Carlotta furrowed her brows, extending her hand, which slowly tightened its grip.

    The enormous hand, formed from the blood-coloured mist, also tightened.

    Crack! Crack! Crack!

    "Ack! Um..." Noan clenched his teeth, his face contorting in pain. He could clearly feel his bones being crushed, his internal organs being compressed to the point of nearly exploding.

    Then...

    BAM!

    His body was crushed, bursting into a heap of blood and flesh.

    However, just a few minutes later, he recovered once more.

    Noan sat on the ice, breathing heavily, and said, "Could you stop this? I''m running out of clothes to change into."

    Carlotta furrowed her brows, looking at Noan in confusion. "Aren''t you afraid of dying?"

    "If you wanted to kill me, you would have done it the first time we met," Noan complained as he changed clothes. "You''ve ruined four sets of my clothes already."

    In reality, Noan could have used the ''Divine Garment'' he had received but didn''t want to waste its most powerful feature.

    Besides, he believed that Carlotta certainly wouldn''t kill him. If she had wanted to do that, he would have died the moment they first met, unable to survive to this day after insulting her so many times.

    Carlotta crossed her arms in front of her chest, her gaze directed at Noan, filled with confusion.

    "You still haven''t told me your name," Noan asked after changing his clothes, looking towards Carlotta.

    Carlotta furrowed her brows, thinking momentarily, and then decided to answer, "My name is Carlotta. Remember your master''s name well."

    "Ah! My master is like this?"

    BAM!

    Once again, Noan was blasted into a heap of flesh and blood, scattering across the ice.

    A moment later, Noan breathed heavily and said, "Can you stop hitting me? This is the last set of clothes I have. If you keep hitting me, I won''t have any clothes left to change into."

    "Huh!" Carlotta turned her head in the other direction, waiting for Noan to finish changing his clothes before saying, "If you came here just to annoy me, then you''ve succeeded."

    Upon hearing Carlotta''s words, Noan tilted his head and asked, "How long have you been here?"

    At that, Carlotta''s body seemed to tremble slightly, but it was only a small shiver, so small that even though Noan was standing right before her, he didn''t notice it.

    "I can''t remember because it''s been too long," Carlotta said.

    Noan frowned and asked, "With so much time passing, don''t you feel bored?"

    "Of course not," Carlotta hesitated slightly before answering, "I... I am the Bloodline Empress. How could something as trivial as this make me bored?"

    Although Noan couldn''t see Carlotta''s face at that moment since she had her back to him, he could feel her emotions.

    Noan realized that Carlotta was like a little cat, trying to puff up her fur to defend herself, even though deep down, she longed to be petted and embraced.

    ''Is this the typical Tsundere type?'' Noan thought to himself.

    However, Tsundere wasn''t quite right, because he remembered that before, she had been very bold, kissing him immediately and even doing things that were quite embarrassing.

    Noan shrugged and said, "I was afraid you''d be bored, so I came to visit you."

    Upon hearing that, Carlotta became slightly excited, but only briefly.

    Soon after, she regained her composure, her eyes became cold and chilled to the frightening point.

    "I don''t need pity from a lowly, filthy human like you."

    "Do you feel any pity in my words?" Noan smirked, saying, "Here!"

    He took out a cloth woven from Zhisse silk from his ''Storage Space,'' laid it on the ice, then took out a small, finely crafted wooden box, placing it on top of the cloth.

    Noan sat down and gestured for Carlotta to sit with him.

    But Carlotta seemed to pay no attention to him. Instead, she impatiently said, "Don''t act like we''re so close, human."

    "Oy! You can call me Noan, stop calling me ''human,''" Noan replied, slightly irritated by Carlotta''s way of addressing him.

    "Huh! All humans are the same, filthy and inferior," Carlotta said disdainfully. "I''m just using you to annoy someone I dislike. Otherwise, you''re no different from a dog."

    "Ah! Right, right, right, you''re right, I''m a dog. And if you''re doing that with a dog, you''re a dog too, right?" Noan said, smirking.

    "You..." Carlotta was meeting a shameless human for the first time, making her so angry that her face turned bright red.

    "Alright, enough. You''ve been stuck here for so long, you must be starving, right?" Noan sighed and said, "I brought you some food. Hurry up and eat while it''s still hot."

    Because Noan''s ''Storage Space'' was like a place where time was frozen, the food inside would remain exactly the same even after ten years.

    Carlotta sniffed, her arms crossed in front of her chest, showing no signs of moving.

    Noan didn''t care much. He opened the wooden box, revealing the food inside, which was still steaming, releasing a fragrant aroma that made anyone who smelled it crave it.

    After levelling up, Noan''s NPCs didn''t just increase in strength; their cooking skills also improved significantly. One of the female NPCs had the cooking skills of a three-star restaurant chef.

    Noan picked up a wooden fork, speared a piece of meat, and placed it in his mouth.

    "Hmm... Very delicious, the meat is cooked just right, tender, and even the flavour is very special," Noan said while eating.

    Carlotta gritted her teeth, her breath boiling like molten lava. Even though she didn''t turn around, Noan could feel her gaze as if it were about to tear him into pieces.

    Noan shivered, sighed, and said, "Carlotta, I can''t finish this alone. Come eat with me."

    Carlotta slightly tilted her head, glancing at Noan, then looking at the food box, frowning as she said, "A Bloodline Empress as noble as I would never eat such trivial things."

    "However, because you begged so earnestly, I will show you a little mercy and let you try some."

    Noan: "..."

    Carlotta walked over to sit opposite him, slowly lowering herself into a seated position. The movement was graceful and regal as if she were a member of royalty.

    Ah! She had just said she was the Bloodline Empress, so she must be a royal family member.

    Carlotta picked up the fork, gently spearing a piece of meat before bringing it to her mouth. Her small, delicate mouth and red lips slightly parted as she took a small bite.

    "Um... very good," Carlotta squinted her eyes, savouring the flavour of the meat.

    She glanced at the small box of food, feeling a slight discomfort in her heart.

    Noan immediately understood what Carlotta was thinking and quickly said, "You can take your time eating. I''m already full."

    Carlotta looked at Noan, then pouted, saying, "Because... because you begged me, that''s why I''m eating, not because this is good."

    "Ah! Right, right, right, consider it as me begging you." Noan sighed, feeling a bit weary from Carlotta''s attitude.

    Watching Carlotta slowly enjoy the meal, Noan could not grow bored. It was like watching a work of art; even while eating, she remained graceful and noble, each action clearly showing the beauty of a queen.

    Carlotta frowned and said impatiently, "You keep staring at me like that, it''s impolite. Humans are truly nothing but ignorant and barbaric creatures, unable to show even the slightest bit of decorum."

    "Ah! Call me whatever you like. A beautiful scene like this, even if you call me a dog, I will still continue to admire you," Noan shrugged, saying.

    "You..." Carlotta gritted her teeth, "You have no shame."

    Deciding to ignore Noan, Carlotta continued enjoying her meal.

    Noan watched her for a long time, then asked, "Why are you here?"

    Carlotta did not immediately answer but slowly finished the piece of meat in her mouth, then prepared to find a cloth.

    At that moment, Noan reached out to her, holding a cloth made from Zhisse silk in his hand. Of course, it also had several cute embroidery designs at the corners, not just a simple plain white.

    Carlotta furrowed her brows, her eyes filled with disdain.

    "Don''t worry, it''s a new cloth. I haven''t used it yet," Noan said.

    Carlotta glanced at him, then slowly took the cloth from his hand, gently wiping her mouth before saying, "Imprisoned."

    "Why were you imprisoned?" Noan asked.

    "You''re asking too many questions," Carlotta replied, her voice starting to lose patience.

    Noan shrugged, casually saying that he didn''t care about Carlotta''s current feelings, "It''s just a few basic questions. If you don''t want to answer, that''s fine."

    "Huh!" Carlotta sneered, unwilling to speak any further.

    "Do you recognize this?" Noan waved his hand, activating his spatial ability. The broken ice shards around them immediately came together, forming a statue made of ice.

    Seeing the shape of the statue, Carlotta furrowed her brows. Her eyes were full of vigilance, doubt, anxiety, and fear.

    "How do you know about this statue?!" she exclaimed.

 Chapter 161: Fool - Almighty Copy - Hellfire

    Noan noticed Carlotta''s expression and furrowed his brows. However, he remained calm and confused, immediately asking, "I saw it in a cave nearby. Do you know about it?"

    Carlotta glanced at Noan, then replied, "You don''t need to know about it. From now on, don''t go near that cave, and it''s best to seal it off."

    "Why?" Noan asked.

    "You''re asking too much. Just go away!" Carlotta waved her hand before Noan could respond, and a blood-coloured mist appeared, wrapping around Noan and pulling him away into the distance.

    Clang!

    The ice statue that Noan had created fell to the ground and shattered since his energy no longer supported it. However, Carlotta could still recognize that it was a statue of a crow with a fish-like tail.

    She frowned and raised her hand.

    Bang!

    The broken pieces exploded, turning into countless tiny shards of ice that flew through the air.

    "Could it be..." Carlotta muttered, "Has the wheel of fate started to turn?"

    She glanced at the food box lying on the ground, then looked at the small handkerchief in her hand, murmuring, "Alright, it seems that your fate and mine are now tied together, so I will help you."

    "Fool!"

    ...

    Outside, after being thrown out of the tomb by Carlotta, Noan didn''t stay. He immediately turned back to his domain.

    "Master..." Upon returning to his domain, Malrik appeared beside him immediately.

    Noan originally wanted to ask about the fish-tailed crow statue, but he knew that Malrik wouldn''t tell him any information. So, he decided not to ask anymore.

    He had previously asked Malrik about the statue, but the answer was the same as Carlotta''sˇŞhe shouldn''t know about it.

    Noan frowned, thought for a moment, and decided to give up. He wouldn''t try to learn more about the statue.

    His interest in it stemmed from his belief that the statue might be related to the Goddess of the Night.

    Noan knew that to help Vylyss, he needed to understand the statue. However, he would stop his investigation if the statue were linked to terrifying beings.

    After all, he didn''t have the strength to confront such entities, and delving too profoundly could lead to danger.

    Dying out of curiosity was one of the most pointless ways to die, and of course, he didn''t want to die in such a trivial manner.

    Noan glanced at Malrik and asked, "How is Alex doing now?"

    "Master, he has awakened and is now trying to absorb energy from the seal to enhance himself," Malrik bowed his head and replied. "Given the current situation, it seems he will need more time to absorb it than I initially anticipated."

    "Hm?! Has something happened?" Noan asked.

    "Master, your intellect is like sunlight, shining..."

    "Enough! Enough!" Noan put a hand to his forehead, sighing. "Get to the point."

    Malrik scratched his head, chuckling slightly, and said, "Master, after Alex woke up, he accidentally activated another layer of the seal in the tomb. As a result, the seal has become much stronger."

    "That''s also why he needs more time to absorb the energy. However, it''s good for him because a stronger seal means more energy."

    Noan nodded slightly. He knew that Alex''s unique ability, ''Devour,'' allowed him to convert all kinds of energy into power for himself. The stronger the seal, the better it was for Alex, as it meant more energy for him to absorb.

    For Noan, it was different. He didn''t have an ability like Alex''s and could only wait for Alex to absorb all the energy from the tomb to break the seal.

    Did Noan fear Alex becoming stronger than him?

    The answer was no.

    Even if Alex became stronger than him, Noan still had the heroes by his side. Unless Alex became strong enough to defeat Vylyss, that was when Noan would truly fear him.

    "Keep observing him carefully, understood?"

    "Understood, my master," Malrik bowed his head in response. "By the way, Drakhan seems to have something urgent to discuss with you."

    Noan nodded upon hearing that and said, "Call him to meet me."

    ...

    "This is the location where the invisible wall seems to be on the verge of collapsing," Drakhan said, pointing towards the invisible wall in front of Noan and Malrik.

    Noan was well aware that an invisible wall blocked this area, turning it into a massive prison. But now, in front of him, there was a spatial vortex with a diameter of over two meters, filled with chaotic and unstable energy. It was as if the slightest disturbance would cause it to explode.

    "When did you notice this?" Noan asked.

    Drakhan bowed and replied, "Master, since this morning, while patrolling the sky as usual, I felt that the energy in this area was somewhat unusual."

    "After checking other areas, it seems this situation is beginning to appear everywhere."

    Upon hearing this, Noan rubbed his chin, his gaze fixed on the spatial vortex, and asked softly, "Malrik, do you have any thoughts?"

    "Master, it seems your previous assumption was correct. It appears the areas are starting to merge," Malrik explained. "This vortex, although very unstable and chaotic, seems like it''s been struck by something similar to a collision."

    "When two sealing domes collide, there''s only one reason for thatˇŞtwo different areas are slowly merging together."

    Noan nodded, not feeling concerned. On the contrary, he was somewhat excited.

    If it merged with a higher-ranked area, perhaps he could further evolve his Lord rank.

    For him, this was good news. He might have to face Lords of rank D or higher, but that didn''t matter. He was confident he would have enough time to develop as long as he was careful.

    Suddenly, a strange thought crossed Noan''s mind. He smiled and whispered something into Malrik''s ear.

    "Kekeke..." Malrik laughed evilly after hearing, "Master, I think you''re even more cruel than I am. Perhaps the throne of the King of Hell is meant for you, my cruel master."

    Noan: "..."

    "However, I quite like it," Malrik continued. "Master, you are right. If we remain too silent in this world, others will think we are mute."

    "You misunderstood me," Noan shook his head. "I will not appear in my true form."

    "You mean...?" Malrik asked, confused.

    "No, Malrik, let me copy your abilityˇŞHellfire," Noan suddenly brought up a different topic, making Malrik even more puzzled.

    "Of course, it would be my honour, Master," Malrik replied with a grin. "If you want, I can help you learn how to use fire, just like Vylyss, I guarantee..."

    BAM!

    "ACK!"

    Before Malrik could finish, Noan used the Abyss Cube to transform into a mace and slammed it onto Malrik''s head.

    "Are you awake now?"

    "Huhuhu... Master, you''re really cruel. You can sleep with Vylyss, so why can''t you sleep with me?" Malrik said, half-crying. "Is it because I''m not beautiful enough? Does appearance really matter that much?"

    Noan: "..."

    He decided to ignore Malrik and turned to Drakhan, saying, "Keep monitoring the surrounding areas. If anything unusual happens, report to me immediately, understood?"

    "Yes, Master." Drakhan bowed and responded respectfully.

    Then, Noan used his "Almighty Copy" ability on Malrik, and at that moment, a system notification appeared before Noan.

    [Ding! Which ability of Malrik would you like to copy?]

    "Hellfire."

    [Ding! Hellfire - Rank SS, would you like to copy this ability?]

    "Accept!"

    [Ding! After copying, the ''Almighty Copy'' ability will enter a cooldown state for 90 days. Do you accept?]

    Noan was a little surprised by this and thought for a moment before deciding to go ahead and copy Malrik''s "Hellfire."

    After all, shortly, although he still had 4 hero summons left, he had no intention of using them yet. Moreover, the "Almighty Copy" ability wouldn''t work on Lords or monsters unless he summoned them.

    Therefore, copying Malrik''s Hellfire ability seemed the best option.

    "Accept!"

    [Ding! Copying begins. Please wait a moment.]

    Immediately, a flood of information entered Noan''s mind, causing his head to throb painfully. Every cell in his body felt like tiny needles were piercing it, making his face contort in agony.

    Fortunately, the sensation didn''t last long, and the pain disappeared just a few minutes later. Another system notification appeared before him.

    [Ding! Copy successful. Congratulations, you have gained a new abilityˇŞHellfire - Rank SS.]

 Chapter 162: Finally, back to this place.

    Noan felt that his physical strength didn''t increase much, but what grew the most was his energy and magical power. He raised his hand, and a blue-green fireball appeared before him, the size of a basketball. He could feel the overwhelming destructive power within this fireball, its energy immense.

    However, he had no intention of using the fireball right now. Instead, he returned to his domain and used the ''Simulation Training Room'' to practice.

    Noan opened his information panel to review his new ability.

    ...

    Name: Hellfire

    Rank: SS

    Description: A flame from Hell, used to burn the souls of the deceased.

    It not only tortures the soul but also causes the soul to disintegrate gradually, turning it into energy for the user of this flame.

    ...

    Noan was taken aback when he saw the description of the ability. He turned his gaze toward Malrik and asked, "You will burn the souls you''ve captured and turn them into energy for yourself, won''t you?"

    "Kekeke... Looks like you''ve figured it out, Master." Malrik scratched his head and said, "Yes, Master. However, there''s a deadly flaw in this methodˇŞif your mental strength isn''t strong enough, those souls will drive you insane."

    Noan shuddered at the thought of thousands of souls flooding his mind, causing his sanity to fracture and sending his thoughts into chaos. The idea was enough to frighten him.

    But for Malrik, it was different. This flame was originally his, so when Malrik used it to absorb energy from other souls, that weakness was nearly nonexistent.

    ''Perhaps that''s why Malrik is this strong,'' Noan thought.

    He also abandoned the idea of using ''Hellfire'' to enhance his magical power, just like Malrik.

    For Noan, safety was his top priority.

    ...

    Three days later, Noan returned to the Bloodline Tomb. This time, he stood in front of the door and, instead of searching for a way to open it, he shouted, "150cm! Open the door for me!"

    Immediately, Noan felt the space around him shift. When he opened his eyes, he found himself inside the tomb. Carlotta, with an annoyed expression, was staring at him.

    "How do you want to die?" she asked.

    "Hahaha..." Noan laughed nervously and pulled a warm food box from his ''Storage Space,'' placing it on a clean cloth. "Alright, don''t be angry anymore."

    "If I didn''t say it like that, how would you let me in here, right?"

    "I have a name, didn''t you forget?" Carlotta frowned.

    "Ah! I really forgot... your name is..." Noan trailed off.

    Crack!

    Carlotta clenched her fist so tightly that the sound of cracking bones could be heard. In an instant, she lunged toward him with a speed he couldn''t even see, swinging her legˇŞ

    BAM!

    Noan was sent flying backward, crashing through several large ice blocks before finally stopping. His stomach was torn open, blood and organs spilling out.

    But just a few minutes later, his body regenerated, and he stood up, cheerfully saying, "This time, you went easier on me than last time."

    Carlotta gritted her teeth. This was the first time she had met a human so shameless.

    Noan, seemingly indifferent to Carlotta''s fury, pulled out several items from his ''Storage Space.''

    He even brought out a large swing made of wood and silk threads by Zhisse: a bed, a mattress, chairs, and a table.

    "Hm... this is where the bed goes, and here''s where the chair goes..." Noan muttered to himself as he arranged the furniture in what he thought was best.

    Carlotta: "..."

    "Oy! What the hell are you doing?" Carlotta asked, confused. "I... I don''t need these things. If you dare put them here, I will smash them."

    "Ah! So, if I beg you, you won''t destroy them, right?" Noan didn''t look at Carlotta, continuing to set up the furniture as he asked.

    Carlotta frowned, crossing her arms over her chest, and said arrogantly, "That''s right, if you beg me, I might show you some mercy so you can serve me."

    "Then I beg you, is that alright?" Noan continued to arrange the furniture while speaking, his expression somewhat indifferent.

    Carlotta didn''t get angry. On the contrary, as she watched Noan setting up the exquisite furniture, something inexplicable warmed her heart, making her heartbeat quicken just a little.

    She pouted and sniffed in disdain, "Fine, because you begged me, I''ll allow you to leave those useless things here."

    "Yes! Yes! Thank you for your mercy, Queen of the Bloodline," Noan said as if teasing her.

    After he finished arranging the furniture, both Carlotta and Noan no longer sat on the cold ice but instead on the warm, soft cushions of the chairs.

    This time, Noan didn''t just bring food; he also brought a tea set and some tea.

    Carlotta drank the tea, her movements graceful and elegant, so much so that Noan couldn''t help but pay attention, watching her without tiring of it.

    "Huh! This tea tastes like river water, nothing special." Carlotta complained but still finished the tea in her cup. "Because you begged me, I''m drinking it."

    Noan rested his chin on his hand, watching Carlotta like a little cat puffing up its fur, and a smile spread across his face.

    "What are you laughing at?" Carlotta frowned, asking.

    "Ah! Just thinking that you''re a little cute," Noan said.

    Upon hearing that, Carlotta bit her lip, her face turning red like a glowing ember.

    Noan didn''t notice her embarrassment, sighing deeply and saying, "I came here to say goodbye."

    "What?!" Carlotta was startled, quickly shouting, "Where are you going?"

    "Ah! Are you worried about me?" Noan asked with a playful grin.

    "Huh! Worried about you? Are you dreaming?" Carlotta crossed her arms, saying disdainfully.

    "Don''t worry, I''m just going back to the city. I''ll be back here in ten days." Noan smiled and added, "I wanted to leave you some food and drink, but this place is too cold, so I can''t keep the food fresh."

    Carlotta frowned, her fingers gently twitching.

    Clink! Clink! Clink!

    Immediately after, several black stones, about the size of a thumb, appeared and fell onto the table.

    "Is that enough?" Carlotta asked.

    Noan, confused, tilted his head to look at her, then glanced at the stones on the table.

    "You really are a fool. Humans are all fools. How can such fools rule this world?" Carlotta impatiently shouted.

    "Those are ''Space Stones.'' They can store anything if it''s not a living being. Each one has a space as large as a small room."

    "You can put food inside, and no matter how long it takes, when you take it out, it will be just as fresh as when you put it in."

    Hearing Carlotta''s explanation, Noan widened his eyes as he stared at the stones on the table.

    If what Carlotta said was true, these stones had the same function as the ''Storage Space'' he possessed.

    "You can take them," Carlotta said generously, "Consider it payment for the meals."

    "Ah! You don''t need to do that," Noan replied, though he still picked up all the ''Space Stones'' from the table with both hands.

    Carlotta: "..."

    She had never met a human so shameless before.

    Noan then placed ten carefully packed boxes onto the table and said, "These are the food and tea for the days I''m not here. Don''t eat too much, or you''ll get fat."

    "You..." Carlotta gritted her teeth, then waved her hand.

    BAM!

    Noan''s body exploded into a pile of blood, his head thrown into a black vortex, disappearing from this place.

    Carlotta gasped in anger, but she couldn''t stay angry when she looked at the exquisite boxes on the table, accompanied by the enticing aroma of the food.

    A sudden warm feeling rose in her chest, leaving her puzzled.

    "Shameless!" Carlotta said disdainfully, but then her tone suddenly softened. "Humans... so strange."

    "No, looks like he''s the only one with the weirdo."

    ...

    Noan left the Bloodline Tomb and returned to his domain, awaiting the system''s notification. Not just him, but almost every other Lord was also waiting for this news.

    In this brutal and desolate world, they only hoped to return to the City and enjoy the modern conveniences and comforts. After all, they had grown up in the city, and even though they became Lords, they still lived within the safe zones where everything was provided.

    Now, being sent to such a barren place with insufficient food left them both mentally and physically exhausted.

    The news that they could return to the city was like a panacea, a remedy to help them feel more awake and happy.

    Although they would eventually be forced to return to this desolate area, at least they had ten days to relax.

    [Ding! You can return to the City. Which hero would you like to bring back with you?]

    "Malrik!" Noan immediately responded.

    [Ding! Hero to bring: Malrik - Legend Skeleton. Valid!]

    [Ding! Starting teleportation back to the city, please wait a moment.]

    Noan took a deep breath, feeling a bit nervous.

    Vylyss was currently hiding in the ''Summoning Space.'' If this worked, it would be the distinguishing factor between him and the other Lords.

    Not only would he bring a hero back to the City, but in the future, Noan could use this cheat trick to enter challenges where only one hero could be brought.

    At that moment, Noan noticed the space around him begin to shift. Within seconds, he realized he was standing in a place he was quite familiar with.

    Noan took a deep breath, then exhaled, smiling as he said, "Finally, back to this place."

 Chapter 163: Mystery person??

    Looking around, Noan felt that the chaotic scene before him was both familiar and somewhat amusing.

    "Mom! I''m back."

    "Hahahaha... I''m no longer in that hellish place."

    "God damn it! My beloved city, I''ve returned."

    "In the next ten days, I will eat to my heart''s content, eat everything."

    "Hurry up! I want to take a bath. Damn it, I haven''t bathed in a month."

    "Hahaha... I''m back, Dad, Mom, I''m back..."

    Everyone was happy to be back in the city. Perhaps it was only when something was lost that people learned to appreciate it truly.

    When they were still in the city, no one appreciated that time, until they were brought to a barren place, and only then did they realize how wonderful the city was.

    This place had all the amenities, all the food, and every service anyone could think of.

    It even had their loved ones.

    However, for Noan, it was different.

    He had no family, and life in the chaotic zone wasn''t bad.

    He had enough food, and Vylyss and other heroes kept him company.

    Life was incredibly leisurely and joyful. On the contrary, the city was a dangerous place for Noan.

    Why?

    This place not only had family members like a bunch of blood-sucking demons, but the risk of his SSS rank natural talent being exposed was also very high.

    Especially after the news of his success in clearing the 10th floor of the Trial Tower was announced to all the Lords.

    Although he had concealed his identity, the ability of the federal government and the empire to track him was incredibly formidable.

    Therefore, for Noan, the city was quite a dangerous place.

    On the other hand, in the chaotic zone, there was no interference from the Federal Government or the Empire, no laws, and he could do whatever he wanted.

    Noan shook his head, not wanting to think about it anymore, and stepped out of the teleportation gate, immediately checking the ''Summoning Space.''

    "Vylyss, are you still inside?" Noan communicated through his thoughts because if his hero was still in the ''Summoning Space,'' he could communicate with him using his mind.

    "Master, I am still by your side."

    Noan: "!!!"

    Hearing Vylyss''s voice, Noan felt immense joy but still tried hard not to show emotion.

    He took a deep breath, tried to calm down, and then turned toward the area where the hero summoning space was, walking toward it.

    Even though he already had Vylyss in the ''Summoning Space,'' he still needed to summon Malrik.

    "Noan!" Suddenly, a familiar voice sounded.

    A wave of fragrance wafted toward his face.

    The scent wasn''t too strong, but it was very pleasant, like the smell of jasmine flowers.

    "Halo!" Lylia stepped in front of him, her red hair and beautiful face still the same as before, wearing a JK dress accentuating her playful and cute demeanor.

    However, her face carried an additional layer of maturity this time, as if she had gone through a lot.

    "Lylia?!" Noan immediately recognized her.

    "Hehehe..." Lylia laughed mischievously, giving him a strong pat on the shoulder. "I didn''t think you were still alive."

    Noan chuckled, "Ah! You don''t want me to live, huh?"

    "Why wouldn''t I?" Lylia pouted, saying, "You still owe me a meal. We''re going to eat together today."

    Noan sighed and shook his head, "Not today. I have some things to take care of."

    Lylia pouted in a teasing manner, "Ah! Are you trying to run away?"

    "No, I do have something to solve."

    Hearing Noan''s words, which seemed genuine, Lylia was disappointed and said, "Fine, but you must invite me for a meal. No more excuses."

    "Last time we didn''t even get to eat because of Jankos'' interference, it was so annoying."

    Noan suddenly remembered Jankos. He had gotten a bit reckless back then, wanting to challenge Jankos over a small dispute.

    However, after that, all the Lords were sent to the chaotic zone, so the competition between the lords was canceled.

    "Alright, if you''re busy, I won''t bother you. However, if I text you, you have to reply within one minute, and if I call you, you have to pick up within ten seconds, deal?" Lylia said with a mischievous smile.

    Noan: "..."

    "Hey! Do you really want me to do that?" Noan asked in confusion.

    "Of course! I''m afraid you''ll run away," Lylia pouted and said.

    "Am I that kind of person?"

    "Yes!"

    Noan: "..."

    "Alright, I agree. Don''t worry, I will invite you to eat."

    "Hehehe..." Lylia laughed mischievously, her smile like a sunflower blooming in the sunlight. "I''ll wait for you."

    After saying that, Noan immediately left.

    Soon after, Lylia''s expression changed, becoming calm and somber, completely different from her earlier playful demeanor.

    It was as if the Lylia who had just spoken with Noan and the one standing now were two different people.

    She gazed at Noan''s back until he disappeared into the crowd, sighed, and left.

    "Well? Don''t want to tell the truth?" A middle-aged man''s voice suddenly spoke, causing Lylia to startle.

    She looked up and saw the man, saying, "Father?! Why are you here?"

    "Hm?! Can''t I come to see my daughter after she returns from a place full of danger and violence?" The middle-aged man was Lylia''s father, Simon.

    "No, what I mean is... You were supposed to be at the royal palace today, so why are you here?" Lylia tilted her head and asked.

    Simon sighed, saying, "A lot has happened, and you don''t need to know too much. Anyway, how have you been in that world? Are you okay?"

    "Father, you can see for yourself. I''m fine," Lylia smiled mischievously and replied.

    Simon looked at Lylia with eyes full of love and a hint of sadness. "Do you want to visit your grandfather?"

    Lylia lowered her head upon hearing that. "Father, you know I don''t want to meet him. Why do you have to force me to do something I don''t like?"

    "But..." Simon sighed. "Fine, you don''t have to go back, but at least send a message to your grandfather."

    "You know he cares a lot about you; it''s just... the promise he made back then; your grandfather definitely won''t change because he believes that doing so will help you live a better life."

    Lylia suddenly changed her attitude, her face clearly showing coldness and darkness. "Deciding my life for me, forcing me to marry someone I don''t like, is that really for my good? How laughable."

    "Father, please go back. I never want to return to that cold house again."

    Lylia finished speaking and turned to leave. Simon didn''t stop her; he sighed, shook his head, and eventually left.

    ...

    Noan arrived at the hero summoning area, waiting for his turn.

    However, the wait wasn''t long, and there weren''t many people here to summon heroes to the city either.

    He looked around and finally shook his head, no longer paying attention.

    Noan pulled out his phone, where numerous news articles were about the Lords returning to the City.

    [The Lords are allowed to return to the City.]

    [Over 40% of the Lords have died.]

    [Many Lords have fallen into depression and madness after returning from the Chaotic World.]

    [What on earth is going on?]

    [The Federal Government and the Empire remain silent, but we have the right to know the truth.]

    [Humanity''s main resource, the Lords, is gradually destroyed by an unforeseen event.]

    [Is this the Federal Government and the Empire''s plan, or is it the work of a higher entity that created the System?]

    There were a lot of news stories about the event where the Lords were sent to the Chaotic World.

    Additionally, most of the deceased Lords were rank F and E, while the rest had been seriously injured, mentally shattered, or had become slaves to other Lords.

    "Hm?!" Noan saw a post at the top of the ''Hot Search'' list and clicked to read it.

    [The first person to clear the 10th floor of the Trial Tower is a rank F Lord. Is this the System''s fault, or is it the truth?]

    Noan frowned, letting out a sigh of relief because the System had a function to conceal his identity. Otherwise, he would''ve likely drawn attention from everyone.

    Another news article appeared, gaining similar ''hot'' status.

    [The Federal Government and the Empire are trying to locate the Lord who cleared the 10th floor of the Trial Tower.

    The person who finds this Lord will be rewarded with 1,000 rank C Crystal Orbs.

    If the Lord appears on their own and contacts the Government, they will be rewarded with 1,000 rank A Crystal Orbs.]

    "What the hell?!"

 Chapter 164: What do you think of my plan?

    Noan frowned as he watched the stream of breaking news continuously appear on his phone screen.

    What caught his attention most was the announcement of a reward for anyone who could identify the Lord who had passed the 10th floor of the Trial Tower.

    At that moment, Noan grew even more anxious.

    Why were the Federal Government and the Empire showing such intense interest in him?

    Was it because they wanted to recruit a talent like him, or was there another reason?

    What if he were to reveal himself? Would the Empire recognise him as a genius and nurture him?

    Noan shook his head, immediately dismissing that thought.

    Even if the Empire and the Government did want to recruit him, so what? Those harbouring sinister intentions still surrounded him, all staring intently at him.

    He was in the light while his enemies lurked in the shadowsˇŞhe could not guard against them.

    There surely weren''t many who liked him, but those who hated him and envied him were certainly not few.

    Moreover, if the information about his SSS-rank talent were to be exposed, it would undoubtedly bring endless trouble his way.

    Because of that, he decided to stay silent, not to reveal himself.

    [Ting!]

    Suddenly, the sound of a message notification rang from Noan''s phone.

    He looked down and opened the message.

    [All Lords of rank E+ or below are to report to the nearest academies.

    Note: This is an emergency situation.]

    Upon reading this message, Noan immediately understood what was happening.

    The Government and the Empire truly wanted to find him.

    They didn''t know who he was, as the only clue he had left behind was his Lord rank.

    That was why the Government and the Empire were casting a wide net, summoning all Lords ranked E+ and below in an attempt to locate him.

    Noan frowned, feeling the unease within him growing stronger and stronger.

    His instincts were screaming at him that if his identity were exposed, it would undoubtedly mean his death.

    "Number 15!"

    Right at that moment, the voice of a female administrative staff member echoed through the announcement system.

    He held the slip with the number 15, walked over to the reception desk, completed a few necessary procedures, and entered the Hero Summoning area.

    [Ding! Please insert your Lord ID card into the machine.]

    Noan took out his Lord card and reached out to insert it into the machineˇŞbut abruptly stopped mid-action.

    He frowned, thought for a moment, then loudly said, "Excuse me, could you help me? It seems the system is experiencing some issues."

    Hearing Noan''s words, the female staff member entered the summoning area.

    When he saw the door close and confirmed that there were no security cameras in the room, he immediately gave a mental command: "Vylyss, hypnotize her."

    "Hehehe... Understood, Master!" Vylyss''s voice echoed in his mind.

    Immediately, a stream of black light shot from the centre of Noan''s forehead toward the girl.

    She was startled and instinctively tried to step back, but how could the speed of a regular person possibly compare to that of a level-4 rank B Hero?

    The black light swiftly transformed into Vylyss, whose eyes locked onto the girl''s gaze.

    Snap!

    Vylyss suddenly snapped her fingers. The girl''s eyes briefly flashed with a pink glow, then returned to normal.

    She stepped in front of Noan, her face devoid of any expression, like a lifeless doll, and bowed her head: "Master."

    Noan slightly nodded and asked, "If I insert my Lord ID card into the machine, will my information be accessed by the Government or stored in the System?"

    "Master, this system is completely independent. You don''t need to worry about your information being leaked," the girl replied. "However, the system may retain data from the past 30 days."

    "If the Government or the Empire conducts an inspection, it''s still possible they could retrieve your information. Therefore, I recommend deleting your data from the system once the Hero Summoning is complete."

    Noan stroked his chin. He wanted to erase his data, but the surveillance cameras outside had already captured his image.

    If a thorough investigation were conducted, his actions could very well arouse the Government''s suspicion.

    "Can you alter the stored data on the system?" Noan asked, frowning.

    "I''m sorry, Master, but I cannot do that," the female employee replied.

    Noan felt a slight headache coming on. He didn''t know what the best course of action was.

    "Master..." Vylyss suddenly rushed to his side, her expression tight. "I can sense magical detection spells in this area."

    "If we keep the hypnosis spell active on this girl for too long, we''ll be discovered."

    Noan sighed and quickly said, "Alright, I''ll begin the Hero Summoning now, but afterwards, delete all records of my summoning."

    "Yes, Master." The female staff member walked to the system screen near the entrance.

    Noan hurriedly inserted his Lord ID card into the slot. Immediately, an information panel appeared before him.

    [Ding! Please wait a moment.]

    Right after that, the stone altar in the Hero Summoning room began to emit a gloomy light.

    Malrik slowly emerged from within that dark glow, like a Grim Reaper arriving to reap souls.

    "Do it!" Noan shouted.

    The female staff member immediately began operating the system screen. Within seconds, his data appeared on display.

    She was just about to erase his information when Noan said, "Wait!"

    He quickly walked up to the screen, eyes fixed on his own data.

    ...

    Name: Noan

    Rank: F

    Level: 04

    Summoned Hero: Legend Skeleton (D Peak)

    Hero Level: 04

    ...

    Noan noticed that the system still listed his rank as F, reassuring him.

    ''It seems... the City''s System and the data verification system in the Trial Tower operate the same way,'' Noan thought to himself.

    Indeed, when he entered the Trial Tower, that place recognized him as a rank F Lord.

    "Good! Erase it!" Noan commanded.

    The staff member instantly manipulated the screen. Once his information had been deleted, she returned to her original position.

    When the girl returned to her place, she blinked in surprise and regained her senses.

    She tilted her head, feeling confused as if something very important had just happenedˇŞbut she couldn''t remember what it was.

    "Master!" Malrik bowed his head and spoke.

    "Let''s go. We need to leave this place first," Noan said. He didn''t want to linger here any longer.

    After all, this area was still within the academy''s grounds. If he hesitated too long, he might be discovered.

    Noan left with Malrik, while Vylyss remained hidden within the ''Summoning Space''.

    Although urgency pressed within him, he still walked calmly as if nothing had happened.

    When he reached the academy gates, he saw two academy staff members standing guard.

    The other students were lined up, waiting to have their Lord ID cards checked by them.

    "You''re a rank F Lord? Over there!"

    One of the staff members pointed toward a group off to the side after checking a student''s ID.

    The student, though confused, still followed the staff member''s instructions without question.

    Noan clenched his teeth, a growing unease gnawing at him.

    He wanted to runˇŞbut the academy had already activated its protective dome.

    Now, there was no way out, even if he wanted to escape. Even if he had wings, he couldn''t fly out of this place.

    Was activating the academy''s protective dome to catch a rank F Lord reasonable?

    He knew very wellˇŞthe protective dome was only ever activated when rank B or higher monsters attacked the academy.

    In the five years he''d been here, he had never even seen the academy''s dome deployed.

    "Malrik, is there any way to get out of here?" Noan asked, frowning.

    "Master, I do have a way, but it will definitely draw everyone''s attention," Malrik sighed and replied. "The protective dome here is no ordinary barrier. Even a rank A monster would struggle to break through it."

    Noan frowned even more deeply at those words, but Malrik didn''t stop there and continued:

    "However, I do have an idea. Master, would you like to hear it?"

    "Tell me!"

    Malrik leaned in and whispered something in Noan''s ear, then grinned and said:

    "Kekeke... Master, what do you think of my plan?"

    Noan gaped, staring at Malrik in shock. "Malrik, are you worried the world isn''t chaotic enough already?"

    Malrik: "..."

 Chapter 165 165: Could it beâ€¦?

    "Master, I''m trying to help you," Malrik sighed.

    "Ah! Sorry, it''s just... your plan is a bit too... hm... explosive, so it''s hard for me to accept it right away," Noan said with an awkward smile.

    "But can you guarantee no one will detect you?"

    "Master, don''t worry," Malrik replied with a grin. "When I first arrived here, I sensed that the academy has a rather large cemetery. If I hide among the spirits, no one will be able to find me."

    Noan frowned, still feeling uneasy. "What if an S-rank Hero appears?"

    "Master, even if an S-rank Hero or someone with an S-rank detection talent shows up, they still won''t be able to detect me," Malrik said confidently.

    Noan naturally trusted Malrik. After all, Malrik was a rather strange existence, so it wasn''t surprising that he possessed some extraordinary abilities.

    "Good!" Noan nodded and said, "Go. Be careful, understand?"

    "Yes, Master. Kekeke..." Malrik replied. Then he stepped back, transformed into a stream of black smoke, and vanished.

    Fortunately, no one was watching where Noan stood, so no one saw them.

    After confirming Malrik had left, Noan calmly walked toward the line of people waiting.

    A short while later, it was his turn to be checked.

    The staff member took his ID card, glanced at it briefly, then handed it back and said, "Head over there."

    Noan followed the man''s pointing finger and saw a group gathered in the distance.

    He walked over, and another staff member saw him approaching and said, "Stand here and wait a moment."

    Noan obeyed and stood with a group of other students.

    "Tsk!" In frustration, one student suddenly clicked his tongue and said, "Is that idiot serious? The Government and the Empire put a bounty on his head, and he''s still hiding. Because of him, we''re all stuck here for checks."

    Hearing that, Noan turned to look at the speaker.

    It wasn''t just that young manˇŞanother person also voiced their annoyance.

    "Exactly. In all of human history, no one''s ever made it past the 8th floor of the Trial Tower, and now someone just blew through the 10th."

    Others began chiming in at that moment.

    "And that person is just a rank F Lord, no less. Is this a joke? A rank F Lord cleared the 10th floor of the Trial Tower? Was there a glitch in the system?"

    "No, the system has been running without a single error for countless years. That means we can be certainˇŞhe really is a rank F Lord."

    "Damn it! Even terrifying SS-rank existences haven''t gotten past the 8th floorˇŞhow could a rank F Lord possibly do it?"

    "You guys probably haven''t been inside that Tower yet, so you don''t understand how it works."

    "Heh?! What do you mean?"

    "Ah! You really don''t know? The trials inside the Tower have nothing to do with a Lord''s rank or level."

    "Huh?! What the hell?"

    "What do you mean by that?"

    "It seems none of you have ever entered the Trial Tower before, right? The challenge there doesn''t involve fighting some kind of terrifying monster. You have to battle yourselfˇŞand the Hero you brought with you."

    "What?! Explain that in more detail."

    "I''m a level-3 Lord, currently gathering enough resources to advance to level 4, so I''ve done much research on this."

    "Yeah, I''ve heard the same thing. On the first floor, you must fight a mirror version of yourself and your Hero. On the second floor, the number of copies increases. By the third floor, the copies multiply, and their rank and level rise as well..."

    "What the hell?! So that means every Lord is on equal footing when they enter the Trial Tower?"

    "Exactly. It doesn''t matter what your rank is or how high your level might beˇŞonce inside the Tower, your opponent is your own copy."

    "That''s amazing. That also means the only way to win inside the Trial Tower is through willpower and strategyˇŞyou can''t rely on rank or level to overpower your enemy."

    "You''re right. An S-rank Lord will face an S-rank copy. A rank F Lord will face a rank F copy. The opportunity is the same for everyone."

    "Seems like I finally understand why no one has ever gotten past the 8th floor of the Trial Tower," one person said. "By that point, the number of copies and their level must be terrifying."

    "Of course. That''s exactly why the Government and the Empire are going all out to find a rank F Lord who managed to clear the 10th floor."

    "For an average Lord, clearing the first three floors is already enough to be called a genius. Anyone who gets past the fourth floor is considered a super-genius and would immediately be sought out and cultivated by the Empire or Government."

    "And now, someone cleared the 10th floorˇŞsomething even the previous Emperor couldn''t achieveˇŞso it''s no surprise that both the Empire and the Federal Government are desperately searching for this person."

    "Damn it! If I were that guy, I''d have shown up already. A reward of 1,000 A-rank Energy Crystals? I wouldn''t even dare dream of that, even in my dreams."

    "Hahaha... I still want to find him even if I''m not the one. A bounty of 1,000 B-rank crystals for whoever identifies him? Damn, if I knew who he was, I''d turn him in without hesitation."

    "Yeah, yeah, easier said than done. You really think someone capable of clearing the 10th floor of the Trial Tower is just going to let you catch them that easily?"

    "Hahahaha... True, but I''ll find more people if I can''t do it alone. I don''t believe that with ten or even a hundred of us, we still wouldn''t be able to catch that bastard."

    Listening to the chatter around him, Noan felt a wave of weariness wash over him.

    Thankfully, he had used the system''s function to conceal his identity beforehand. Otherwise, the trouble crashing down on him now would''ve been like a tidal wave.

    Noan waited for quite a while, and once all the students had been screened, the rank F and E Lords were escorted elsewhere.

    Around two hundred people, including Noan, were taken to a large hall.

    Noan recognized the placeˇŞit was used to evaluate a Lord''s potential. He had been here once before.

    After they entered, a group of staff in white cloaks stepped forward and surrounded everyone.

    Their overwhelming presence, along with the Heroes they had summoned, sent a chill through the crowd.

    It was as if the message was clear: anyone who dared make a strange move would be killed on the spot.

    At that moment, Noan became even more certainˇŞthe Empire and the Government were not looking for him with good intentions.

    BAM!

    Suddenly, a loud explosion echoed through the hall, startling everyone.

    "Damn it! That nearly scared me to death!"

    "What the hell was that?!"

    "Don''t tell me this place is under attack!"

    "No, look up! A magic formation''s been activated!"

    Everyone looked toward the ceiling, where a massive magic circle now hovered, enveloping the entire grand hall below.

    It glowed with a strange purple light, continuously spinning like the gears of some colossal machine.

    Crack! Crack! Crack!

    And not just oneˇŞother smaller magic circles began to appear, interlocking with one another like precisely engineered gears crafted by master machinists.

    They started turning...

    One gear spun, dragging the others along with it.

    As the magic circles rotated, they emitted a blinding light that forced everyone to shield their eyes.

    [Ding! Your information is currently being scanned. Please wait a moment.]

    "What?!"

    Noan''s eyes widened in shock as the notification appeared before him.

    Others began shouting, too:

    "What the hell is this?! Why is my information being scanned?"

    "Hey! This is a violation of my privacy and data protection rights!"

    "Yeah! I''m going to sue you for illegal invasion of personal information!"

    "Let me go! My father is a judgeˇŞhe''ll..."

    "Silence!"

    At that moment, a staff member in a white cloak shouted harshly. He swept his gaze across the crowd with clear contempt and sneered,

    "Trash like youˇŞso what if we look at your information?"

    "You''re nothing but rank F and E Lords. Tossed out on the streets, you''d be no more than useless sewer rats."

    "If you stay quiet, I''ll let you leave once this ends. But if you keep making noise, I''ll charge you with defying the Royal Guards."

    "You... you people..."

    The crowd immediately fell silent. No one dared speak another word.

    The Royal Guards were all Lords who had reached level 5 or higher. None of them were below rank D.

    To these freshly graduated academy studentsˇŞmost of whom were only rank F and EˇŞRoyal Guards were terrifying monsters, completely out of reach.

    "Damn it!" one young man suddenly yelled out. "Do you even know who I am? My father is a judge! If you dareˇŞ"

    Whoosh!

    The young man''s voice abruptly vanished.

    He suddenly realized the world around him was spinning. A moment later... he realized he was flying.

    But then he saw something familiarˇŞhis own body.

    Why could he see his own body...?

    WaitˇŞhis body had no head. Could it be...?

    When the young man understood what had happened, it was already too late.

    His head had landed on the floor.

 Chapter 166 166: This wasnt part of the plan

    "AAA!!!"

    No one knew who screamed first, but everyone soon shouted frantically.

    "AA!! Help! Help me!"

    "What are you all doing?"

    "Quick! Call the police!"

    "Damned! They are Royal Guards; even if we call the police, it''s pointless."

    Amidst the screams, blood from the young man''s severed throat gushed out like rain, splattering onto the people around him.

    The atmosphere was chaotic, and even Noan was slightly taken aback. He had never imagined that the Royal Guard officers would dare to kill someone right here.

    What''s more, the person he killed was a Lord.

    "I said... SHUT UP!!!" The Royal Guard shouted, his voice echoing throughout the grand hall, making everyone flinch into silence.

    All eyes turned toward him, filled with fear and anxiety, no longer arrogant or proud like before.

    The Royal Guard spoke calmly: "Aside from the one who just died... is there anyone else with an opinion?"

    Silence...

    It was so quiet that everyone could hear their own heartbeat and breathing.

    Everyone trembled, fearful and desperate.

    The Royal Guards... Everyone knew how powerful they were and how much authority they held.

    Even the police or judges had to obey their orders.

    Thus, the Lords here were no more than rats before them.

    "Good! You all just need to stand still for five minutes. After the inspection is done, you can leave this place." The Royal Guard said, smiling mockingly as he spoke.

    "After leaving here, you will forget everything that happened, understood?"

    By instinct, the crowd nodded, their eyes fixed on the monstrous figure resembling a machine with two razor-sharp blades for hands grinding against each other.

    Swish! Swish!

    The sound of metal grinding against metal made everyone shudder, goosebumps rising, cold sweat dripping down.

    Although the creature appeared small and compact, its power was terrifying.

    Just the fact that it had severed the young man''s head so quicklyˇŞwithout anyone even seeing how it happenedˇŞwas enough to show how horrifying it was.

    "Excuse me..." Suddenly, a girl raised her hand, trembling and stammering, "W-will we... Will we have our memories erased?"

    "Pfff!" The Royal Guard chuckled, shaking his head. "No! No! No! Little girl, I won''t erase anyone''s memories, but... everyone will forget about this alone, understand?"

    "Like soap bubbles, once you leave here... Poof! Gone, nothing left."

    The girl could only nod instinctively, her face turning pale.

    "Good! No more questions, you trash. Just stand still, don''t move, wait for five minutes, and then you can leave this place."

    Noan glanced at the guard, then lowered his head, looking at the Lord ID card in his hand, its gray light flickering. He felt a slight unease in his heart.

    Why?

    Because he didn''t know how his Lord ID card would be checked or what information would appear when it was scanned.

    [Ding! Error detected...]

    Suddenly, a notification appeared before him, emitting a red glow.

    [Ding! Ding! Ding!]

    The sound of alarm bells rang out from the magical circle floating above him, startling Noan.

    All the Royal Guards immediately focused on the magical circle, their eyes cold and deadly.

    Noan took a deep breath, trying to remain calm, pretending nothing unusual was happening, and raised his head to look at the magical circle above him.

    It blinked with a red light as if it had just discovered something terrible, trying to warn everyone.

    "Hahahaha... It looks like I''ve found the rat," the Royal Guard laughed loudly, snapping, "Everyone stays still. If any of you dare move even by 1 cm, I''ll make sure your heads end up on the ground just like that little brat from earlier."

    Swish! Swish!

    The monster beside him continuously sharpened its two blades, the dreadful sound echoing again.

    The Royal Guards scanned the crowd with cold, deadly eyes, searching for someone among the students who had been brought here.

    At that moment, the Royal Guard took out a glass sphere and threw it into the air.

    The sphere was pulled into the massive magical circle above, floating in its center.

    Then, a beam of light shot out from the sphere, starting to move over each person.

    Seeing the light getting closer, Noan grew more anxious.

    His hands clenched tightly, sweat soaking through his palms.

    He stared at the approaching beam of light, silently calling Vylyss''s name as if bracing himself for the worst.

    BAM!

    BAM!

    BAM!

    Suddenly, countless explosions rang out, so powerful that the entire room trembled violently as if an earthquake were occurring.

    "What the hell?!" The Captain of the Royal Guards shouted.

    Crack! Crack! Crack!

    The magical circle in the air seemed under immense pressure, causing it to crack in numerous places.

    BANG!

    The magical circle shattered into countless pieces, falling to the ground, turning into countless specks of light, and vanishing into the air.

    The glass sphere exploded, transforming into countless small fragments, shooting out in all directions like bullets.

    Crack! Crack!

    The ground split open, cracks spreading in every direction.

    The walls began to collapse, causing the ceiling to cave in.

    Tons of metal fell down, causing everyone to panic, forgetting about the Royal Guards still watching them intently.

    Immediately after, the crowd erupted into chaos, scattering in every direction.

    "Trash!" The Captain of the Royal Guards shouted, "Stay still! If any of you dare run, I will..."

    Boom! Boom! Boom!

    He couldn''t finish his sentence before the entire building collapsed.

    "Damned!" He shouted, swinging his hand.

    Krit!

    The monster beside him immediately reacted to his command.

    No one could see what it did, only flashes of light flashing, and then...

    Bang! Bang! Bang!

    A massive pile of metal was instantly cut into hundreds of pieces, falling like autumn leaves.

    "What the hell is happening?!" He furrowed his brows, shouting.

    Looking around, he only saw a pile of rubble.

    However, one thing was strange: all the Royal Guards were still alive and unharmed.

    As for the students brought here, they were not as fortunate or strong as the guards. Many were buried beneath the rubble, and some had even perished.

    Although they were Lords, they were just recent graduates and hadn''t participated in the Class selection event.

    Therefore, they were just ordinary people. In the face of the building''s collapse, they could not resist.

    Seeing this, the Captain of the Royal Guards was furious, his hands clenched so tightly they turned white, his face flushed with rage.

    "Captain Valtor!" At that moment, a guard came to his side, bowing his head and speaking, "It seems there has been a disturbance at the center of the academy as if the seal has been broken."

    "What?!" Valtor was startled, his eyes looking up to the sky.

    There, a dark cloud was gathering into a massive whirlwind.

    A beam of light appeared at the storm''s center, casting an eerie blue-green glow stretching from the sky to the ground.

    "Damned! Why is this happening now?" Valtor cursed, glancing at the wreckage, reluctant to leave.

    He had been tasked with finding the person who had passed the 10th floor of the Tower of Trials.

    But now, with this incident, he had to choose between supporting everyone to reinforce the seal or staying to find the person.

    "Wait! The Headmaster should be able to reinforce the seal," Valtor said.

    As if to prove his words wrong, the dark clouds suddenly began churning.

    They then merged together, forming a colossal skull in the sky, slowly descending toward the ground.

    "What the hell is going on?!" Valtor exclaimed, startled by the sight of the enormous skull.

    "Kekekeke... Kekekeke..." The laughter from the skull''s mouth was filled with malicious and cold tones as if it were coming from the depths of hell.

    "That''s..." Valtor''s eyes widened as he saw a coffin slowly rising in the center of the light beam.

    "Captain Valtor, it seems the Headmaster is not at the Academy," a guard said.

    Hearing this, Valtor''s face darkened like ink. "Damned! You all guard this place. I''ll go check what''s happening there. Remember, no one is allowed to leave, even if they''re dead. Their bodies must stay here!"

    After speaking, Valtor immediately rushed off in the distance, accompanied by his monster.

    Amid the wreckage, Noan lay still under a piece of broken wall.

    This wall unintentionally concealed him so no one could see him.

    "Master, he has left," Vylyss suddenly spoke up.

    Upon hearing that, Noan immediately nodded. "Good! It''s time for me to go."

    His body suddenly disappeared, and when he reappeared, Noan stood more than five thousand meters away from the Academy.

    He stood stunned as he saw the enormous skull in the sky, its eyes burning with blue-green flames and its mouth emitting a demonic laugh that seemed to come from the depths of hell.

    Noan mumbled, "Oy! Malrik, this wasn''t part of the plan, was it?"

 Chapter 167 167: Malrik and Rector Zaki

    "Kekeke... Kekeke..."

    "Foolish humans! Prepare yourselves for the wrath that comes from hell."

    "This world will be drowned in eternal darkness. The fires of hell will burn everything. You will scream and wail like pitiful sheep."

    "No one will save you. No gods will appear."

    "When the horn of the apocalypse sounds, that will be the moment the brutality and horrors of Hell consume this world."

    Noan opened his mouth wide after hearing the absurdly... no, incredibly "cringe" words from Malrik, who sounded like he was in some melodramatic fantasy.

    "Master, do you want him to speak like that?" Vylyss also couldn''t stand it, immediately asking.

    Although no one else was around and no one knew that Malrik was Noan''s monster, Noan still covered his face in embarrassment.

    "Do you think I could have said something like that?" Noan sighed deeply.

    At first, he thought Malrik would use the coffin, which was sealed at the center of the academy, to cause a commotion, then take advantage of the chaos to escape using his innate Space ability.

    But now, he felt that Malrik''s "commotion" seemed completely different from what he had imagined.

    Was this "causing chaos"? Damn it! It would be more accurate to say Malrik was conquering the world and attacking humanity!

    Noan didn''t know what to do next. He couldn''t go back to the academy and drag Malrik along.

    In the end, Noan decided to find a secluded spot to continue observing.

    ...

    At the center of the Academy, Valtor had arrived just in time.

    He looked at the coffin, still sealed in a mass of chains and magic threads, and took a long breath.

    However, the coffin was now floating in the air as if it would enter the dark cloud in the sky at any moment.

    "Damned!" Valtor shouted, drawing his sword, his brow furrowed. "Go, Steamlack, retrieve that coffin."

    Steamlack''s body began to change, with two jet-like propulsion units sprouting from its back. The units started to activate.

    Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

    Though the propulsion units were relatively small, their force was immense, allowing Steamlack to soar upwards and quickly head towards the coffin.

    At this point, both the Royal Guards and the Academy''s staff had gathered.

    They used their flying hero to try and retrieve the coffin, knowing full well its immense significance.

    Valtor commanded, "Hurry, take the coffin! Even if the Academy is destroyed, we must retrieve it!"

    Everyone knew how critical it was, and they did their utmost to seize the coffin.

    "Kekekeke... Foolish humans, your efforts are nothing more than a sandcastle," Malrik laughed as he spoke.

    His laughter was filled with a chilling, ominous, and malicious energy that made even Valtor shudder, feeling a cold chill down his spine.

    "Who are you?!" Valtor gritted his teeth and yelled.

    "Human, you are not worthy to know my name. You are nothing but trash, a mere rat. Even if you call your father here, he would only bow his head to me like a dog."

    Valtor: "..."

    "You... bastard! I''ll tear you to pieces!" Valtor''s rage reached its peak.

    The words he had said to the Lords were now thrown back at him by Malrik, who mocked him to the point where it felt like all his honor had been trampled underfoot.

    At this moment, Steamlack had reached the coffin, but it felt like an invisible hand was holding it in place, unable to move.

    "What the hell?!" Valtor gasped, grinding his teeth. He swung his sword and shouted, "Speed buff ¨C Wind''s Grace!"

    A green light surrounded Steamlack''s body, but just as that happened, a massive fireball, more than two meters in diameter, shot from the skull''s mouth, heading towards Steamlack at an incredible speed.

    "No!" Valtor screamed as he saw the approaching fireball, his eyes widening in horror.

    BAM!

    The fireball shot towards Steamlack with the speed of a bullet, crashing into the creature suspended in mid-air, causing an earth-shattering explosion.

    A shockwave blasted outward, sending the monsters trying to approach the coffin flying backward.

    "This is bad! I''ve lost connection with my hero!"

    "Damn it! Me too!"

    "That fire can burn through even magical energy."

    "What the hell?! What kind of cursed fire is that?"

    The surrounding staff members were startled as they realized they had lost control over their monsters.

    The beasts that had once charged with such strength now fell like leaves, crashing to the ground with loud thuds.

    BAM!

    BAM!

    BAM!

    BAM!

    The monsters fell, creating large craters in the ground, the sounds of impact ringing out, followed by a cloud of dust rising into the air.

    "Kekekeke... Foolish humans! You think your tiny ants can stop the steps of Hell?"

    "I bring disaster to this world and will burn it down. Humanity is inferior, I will..."

    "What will you do next?" Suddenly, a voice rang out, full of authority and power.

    On top of a tower, a woman stood there, dressed in a black suit, with skin the color of honey, long ears, and a face so beautiful it seemed otherworldly.

    Her skin only enhanced her allure and strength. Her beauty exuded an aura that made men feel inferior just by looking at her.

    Especially her long legs, which made women envious and men captivated.

    She stood there silently, but her presence was as commanding as an entire army.

    "You..." The gigantic skull in the sky turned towards her.

    Valtor heard the voice and immediately looked towards the woman, murmuring, "Rector Zaki?"

    Zaki crossed her arms before her chest, raising two large, alluring, soft mountains. Her voice was gentle yet carried an undeniable authority as she spoke: "Put that coffin back where it belongs, then... Leave!"

    "You... Humans are so inferior, don''t underestimate me!" Malrik roared, his voice full of utter fury.

    He opened his mouth, releasing a fiery vortex directly toward Zaki.

    She showed no fear, stepping back, clenching her fist. The surrounding space twisted as her overwhelming strength warped the air itself.

    BAM!

    Zaki punched forward, and the space shattered. The compressed air exploded with a deafening blast.

    The fiery vortex was immediately destroyed, but the shockwave continued its path toward the giant skull floating in the sky.

    BOOM!!!

    Another massive explosion sounded, and the skull and dark clouds were instantly disintegrated. The once-darkened sky cleared, looking fresh as if it had just experienced a heavy rainstorm.

    The light beam disappeared, and the coffin fell straight to the ground.

    Valtor flinched and immediately rushed to catch the falling coffin.

    However, another shadow appeared, moving faster than him several times.

    Zaki appeared right beneath the falling coffin like a beam of dark light.

    BAM!

    Zaki caught the coffin with one hand, the ground beneath her feet cracking open and creating a massive hole with a diameter of over ten meters.

    Cracks from the hole spread over a hundred meters in a web-like pattern, making the ground seem on the verge of collapsing.

    Zaki placed the coffin on her shoulder, her eyes fixed on Valtor as she calmly said, "Whatever you do, you must first consider whether you have the strength to do it."

    "Bravery is good, but rushing forward without enough power is foolish, understand?"

    Valtor gritted his teeth. He was already furious, and now Zaki''s words only made him angrier.

    However... no matter how angry he was, he had to swallow his rage because his opponent was Zaki, the Director of the Lord Academy.

    "Yes, I understand," Valtor gritted his teeth, bowing his head to hide his face, which was now filled with frustration.

    Zaki glanced at Valtor without saying anything more and then left with the coffin.

    She walked to a secret chamber deep underground, placing the coffin back in its original spot. With a soft wave of her hand, countless magical sigils appeared, surrounding the coffin as if trying to prevent whatever was inside from escaping.

    Zaki dusted off her clothes and took out a cigarette from her pocket.

    Her finger extended, and a flame appeared, igniting the cigarette.

    Zaki took a puff, releasing a cloud of white smoke, and lightly said, "You''ve caused me a bit too much trouble."

    "Kekekeke... Sorry, I just wanted my master to leave easily," came Malrik''s voice.

 Chapter 168: What happened to Maya?!

    "Your master?" Upon hearing this, Zaki furrowed her brows, inhaled a puff of smoke, and then spoke: "Is there really someone in this world qualified to be your master?"

    At this moment, Malrik stepped out from the shadows, wearing a sinister and dark smile.

    Laughing, he said, "Kekeke... you''re overestimating me."

    "Huh!" Zaki snorted disdainfully. "Do you really accept becoming someone else''s slave?"

    "Oy! Oy! Oy! I''m not a slave; I am merely serving my master," Malrik immediately rebutted Zaki''s words.

    She glanced at Malrik, then shifted her gaze toward the coffin, frowning as she asked, "Then... what exactly did you come back here for this time?"

    "Kekekeke... just messing around a little," Malrik laughed and continued, "My master is a humble person who dislikes drawing attention, so I don''t have much to do either."

    Zaki stared at Malrik, puzzling, asking, "Do you truly have a master?"

    "You think I''m joking with you?"

    Zaki: "..."

    "Fine then, who''s your master? At least let me see his face."

    "I''m afraid not. Kekeke..." Malrik spoke in a half-joking, half-serious voice, "As I''ve already mentioned, my master is humble; he dislikes trouble and doesn''t want others to know about him. Therefore, sorry, but I can''t let you meet him."

    "However... if you truly wish to meet him, I could arrange an appointment. After all, my master could use another woman to warm his bed."

    "Get lost!" Zaki snapped.

    Malrik laughed and stepped back, gradually fading into the darkness, yet his voice continued echoing through the room.

    "Remember clearly, if you ever want to become my master''s woman, I''ll gladly help you."

    Zaki paid no attention to Malrik''s words. She gazed intently at the coffin, murmuring to herself, "Idiot!"

    ...

    After seeing Malrik''s skull-shaped cloud being destroyed, Noan felt a slight worry for him.

    However, the System''s information indicated that Malrik was still safe, so he wasn''t too concerned.

    After all, Malrik was an extremely mysterious existence; despite being only a D Peak-ranked hero, he had already caused such turmoil within the AcademyˇŞthis alone proved just how powerful Malrik truly was.

    Especially after witnessing that skull-shaped cloud, Noan wondered deeply who exactly Malrik was. Just how strong was he? How could someone merely ranked D Peak possess such extraordinary strength?

    Still, Noan shook his head, unwilling to think about it further.

    Why?

    Because Malrik had once said himself that he carried many secretsˇŞsome of which were even related to the Gods.

    Noan knew clearly the price he would pay for curiosity, so he didn''t want to uncover those secrets.

    He only needed to know clearly that Malrik was incredibly powerful and that Malrik would never betray him. That was enough.

    After reviewing the information, Noan suddenly realized something.

    Taking a deep breath to steady himself, Noan gently moved his fingers across the System''s screen.

    He selected the tag ''Storage Space'' and then tried to take an energy crystal from within.

    Immediately, an energy crystal appeared in the palm of his hand.

    Noan startled, eyes widening in astonishment and disbelief.

    He had just retrieved an energy crystal that he previously obtained in the Chaotic World.

    Noan inhaled deeply, trying to calm himself, then continued to take out a few other items.

    Moments later, Noan realized that he could bring everything from the Chaotic World back to the City.

    More precisely, if he placed items into the ''Storage Space,'' he could retrieve them when he returned to the CityˇŞand perhaps the reverse was also possible.

    That meant... he could transfer items back and forth between the two worlds as long as he possessed the ''Storage Space'' and the System was functioning normally.

    At this moment, Noan suddenly realized he possessed an enormous cheat, powerful enough to surpass all other Lords.

    He frowned, contemplating how to utilize this cheat to its fullest potential.

    Noan recognized three essential things every Lord needed: building materials, soldier and hero cards, and food supplies.

    He still had many energy crystals, but since materials for building Territories couldn''t be bought or sold in the City, Noan had to abandon that idea.

    Next were the hero and soldier cards. However, when Noan searched for summon cards for heroes and soldiers, he encountered a significant problem.

    [Hero and soldier summon cards have lost their effectiveness. What''s happening?]

    [Is it a system error, or is this how the Government and Empire restrict the Lords'' power?]

    [Numerous card transactions suspended; Government and Empire claim it''s due to a System malfunction.]

    Noan looked at the news about hero and soldier cards, feeling puzzled.

    However, when he closely examined the timing of these reports, he noticed they coincided exactly with when the Lords were transported into the Chaotic World.

    "Could this possibly have something to do with that world?" Noan frowned.

    Regardless of whether or not there was a connection, it no longer mattered since the summon cards had already lost their function.

    Noan could no longer rely on bringing items from the City into the Chaotic World to build a formidable army capable of suppressing other Lords.

    He sighed deeply, ultimately concluding that his only viable option now was food supplies.

    However... the crucial point was that he didn''t lack food.

    Indeed, other Lords struggled desperately for food, but he did not.

    The ''Resource Production Center'' produced large quantities of ''Food Potions'' daily, and besides, his territory possessed a unique advantage.

    In the Chaotic World, people could neither raise livestock nor cultivate crops, yet his territory could easily do both.

    Moreover, he also had Greeny, an NPC who could enhance the harvesting capacity of crops within his territory.

    It could be said that, at the moment, the ability to transfer resources between the City and the Chaotic World seemed practically meaningless to him.

    "Aaa!" Noan sighed, murmuring, "Could it be that I really can''t use this cheat?"

    Noan pondered as he searched the internet, trying to find something he could bring to that world.

    Suddenly, he spotted some trading information posted by Lords who remained in this world.

    Most were either older Lords or had already surpassed Level 4 before the Chaotic World event.

    To put it precisely, the Lords transported to the Chaotic World were either newbies or those who hadn''t yet passed Level 4.

    Noan hurriedly clicked on the page and saw many requests for buying, selling, or exchanging resources within this group.

    [Buying iron materials x 3,500.]

    [Requesting custom crafting of a sword, specifics via private message.]

    [Buying construction materials, each type above 50,000.]

    [Buying Machine-type Hero, please exchange via private message.]

    [Buying materials and blueprints for Machine-type Heroes.]

    [Buying iron materials x 5,000, gold x 1,000, metal crystals x 10.]

    Many trading requests appeared involving items Noan had never heard of before.

    Metal crystals? Hero blueprints? Were hero blueprints even a thing?

    Machine-type HeroˇŞcould it be something like Steamlack, used by that royal guard?

    So much unfamiliar information made him feel somewhat puzzled.

    Noan frowned, deciding to first carefully research these things. He had ten days in the City, and trading here was quick and straightforward, so he wasn''t overly concerned.

    Having found another promising path, Noan felt more optimistic. He opened the contacts list on his phone, scrolling down to a familiar number.

    Then, Noan pressed the call button.

    [Ding! Sorry, the phone number you''re calling is currently unreachable. Please leave a message after the beep.]

    Seeing the automated message from the operator, Noan frowned and decided to call again.

    [Ding! Sorry, the phone number you''re calling...]

    Noan immediately hung up, feeling a sudden unease rising in his heart.

    "What happened to Maya?!"

 Chapter 169: Finding Maya

    That''s rightˇŞthe phone number he had just called belonged to Maya.

    Initially, upon returning to the City, Noan intended to reach out to her, but too many things had happened, and he hadn''t been able to do so yet.

    But now, when he finally tried contacting Maya, it seemed she had vanished entirely.

    Noan furrowed his brows. He couldn''t return to the Academy to inquire about her from the other staff members.

    In the end, he decided to wait for Malrik first, then head to the hospital to look for her.

    After all, earlier, he had arranged for Maya''s mother to receive better treatment, so he clearly knew the hospital where her mother was staying.

    A while later, Malrik appeared beside Noan, grinning broadly: "Master, how many points would you give my performance just now?"

    Seeing Malrik proudly boasting, Noan immediately wanted to smash a club against his skull.

    "Damn you!" Noan laughed coldly, radiating murderous intent. "When you said ''just messing around a little,'' did you really mean something like this?"

    "Heh?! Heh?!" Malrik jumped, startled by Noan''s murderous voice, and hurriedly explained: "Master, calm down a bit... I really was playing around!"

    "Think about what you''ve just done! If anyone investigates carefully, my identity will undoubtedly be exposed!" Noan said, clutching his forehead.

    "Master, rest assured," Malrik confidently laughed. "I''ve already cleaned everything thoroughly. Even if the Academy''s Rector or the Royal Guard tries to investigate, they''ll find nothing unusual."

    "All they''ll discover is a sudden attack by an ordinary monsterˇŞthat''s all."

    As Malrik spoke, he displayed an air of arrogance, the flames within his eye sockets dancing excitedly.

    Noan sighed deeply, temporarily choosing to trust Malrik. After all, Malrik had never disappointed him nor done anything detrimental to him before.

    "All right," Noan said. "Next time, don''t create such a big mess. Understood?"

    Malrik lowered his head, saying: "Master, I understand clearly. I''ll be more careful from now on."

    Noan instructed Malrik to hide back in the shadows, then headed toward the hospital.

    However, unknown to him, from afar, a strange one-eyed crow was silently watching the entire scene.

    After seeing Noan leave, it quickly flew off into the distance, vanishing as though it had never existed.

    ...

    At the hospital, Noan frowned as he watched a nurse searching for information about Maya''s mother.

    "You said she disappeared soon after arriving?" Noan asked.

    The nurse nodded slightly, replying, "Yes. After being transferred here for about a week, she left."

    "Are you absolutely certain that''s the person I''m looking for?" Noan questioned again.

    "Yes," the nurse confidently replied, trusting her memory entirely. "Not just me; everyone here remembers that woman clearly."

    "Hm?! Did something happen?" Noan asked, anxiety rising in his heart.

    "Actually, I''m not entirely sure," the nurse tilted her head, digging through her memories. "After being moved to the patient room here, people came by every single day demanding debt repayment."

    "The medical staff here tried to handle the situation, even forcibly removing the debt collectors. Although those debt collectors stopped coming after that, the woman insisted on being discharged quickly."

    "Since her condition had improved significantly, requiring only medication, the doctor agreed to let her leave. Afterwards, she never returned here."

    Noan listened, his eyebrows knitting even more tightly as he asked, "Then what about her daughter?"

    "Ah! You mean that pretty young girl was her daughter?"

    "Hm? What do you mean?" Noan asked, confused.

    "No, I just felt she might not really be that girl''s mother because they frequently argued. In fact, the woman once even physically struck her," the nurse explained. "But after hospital security chased away those debt collectors, that girl never showed up again either."

    Noan suddenly realized something and gently nodded, replying, "Thank you. Can I get information about that woman''s current residence?"

    "This..." The nurse hesitated slightly, as it involved personal information. Sharing it carelessly might cause legal issues.

    "Don''t worry. I''m her distant relative, and I previously paid her hospital bills. My details should be listed on the payment records," Noan assured her.

    Hearing this, the nurse nodded lightly and immediately provided Noan with the woman''s address and phone number.

    Leaving the hospital, Noan hoped deeply that what he had just suspected wasn''t true.

    He called the number given by the nurse. However, the same automated message indicating the number was unreachableˇŞjust like when he''d called MayaˇŞsounded again.

    Noan frowned deeply. He immediately wanted to use his spatial talent to teleport directly to Maya''s mother''s address.

    However, this was not the Chaotic World but the City.

    A formidable magical barrier enveloped the entire City. Anyone using magic, no matter how weak or strong, would immediately attract the attention of the Royal Guards.

    Even worse, the Royal Guards had methods of tracking magic users through residual magical energy, similar to tracing fingerprints.

    Hence, Noan didn''t dare act impulsively.

    As for Malrik, he dared to do so only because all information related to Malrik had already been wiped clean, making it impossible for the Government or the Empire to track them down in a short time.

    Thus, Noan called a taxi to take him to an apartment on the city''s outskirts.

    The building was an old complex, its walls cracked as if about to collapse.

    Following the address he received from the hospital, Noan reached a small apartment.

    However, there was already a notice taped on the door:

    [Vacant roomˇŞcontact the apartment owner directly for a preferential rental price.]

    Noan frowned, about to say something, when a voice suddenly sounded behind him.

    "Are you here to collect debts?"

    Noan immediately turned around upon hearing the voice, seeing a middle-aged woman dressed plainly, holding a small cardboard box.

    He frowned slightly and said, "No, I''m a relative of the person living here. I''m trying to find them. Do you know where they''ve gone?"

    "Ah! Do you mean Maya and Karen? I thought you were another debt collector," the middle-aged woman said, her expression filled with displeasure and contempt.

    "They used to stay here, but debt collectors kept coming, so I kicked them out. Even though they owed six months'' rent, me not forcing them to pay it was already a big favour," she added, irritated.

    Hearing this, Noan quickly realized that this woman was likely the owner of this old apartment complex.

    However, something was wrong with her words.

    When he''d left before, he''d clearly given Maya quite a lot of moneyˇŞso why had she still owed six months of rent?

    And what had Maya and her mother done that would cause so many debt collectors to harass them constantly?

    "Excuse me, could you explain in more detail?" Noan asked, frowning deeply.

    "Forget it! Don''t ask any further if you..."

    "I can pay their six months of rent right now," Noan interrupted immediately, knowing exactly what the woman wanted.

    "That... Ah! Actually, I only know a little bit..." the woman sighed, then began to recount everything she knew.

    ...

    After leaving the old apartment building, Noan''s heart grew even heavier with worry for Maya.

    According to the apartment owner, Maya''s mother, Karen, was addicted to gamblingˇŞand, naturally, burdened them with massive debts.

    Maya''s salary had always been meagre, making it impossible to cover Karen''s debts.

    Four months ago, Karen was diagnosed with early-stage kidney failure, requiring significant medical treatment expenses.

    Maya, already unable to manage their debts, was now forced to shoulder additional medical costs, leading her to take on multiple part-time jobs beyond her main one.

    However, about a month ago, Maya suddenly received a lot of money. Rumour had it she''d won the lottery, allowing her to repay debts and partially admit Karen to a better hospital.

    Of course, Noan knew exactly where that money had come fromˇŞit was the amount he''d given Maya before leaving.

    Upon learning this, Karen''s creditors repeatedly demanded repayment, and Maya bore the brunt of it.

    Ultimately, three weeks agoˇŞjust one week after Noan had entered the Chaotic WorldˇŞKaren suddenly disappeared.

    As for Maya''s whereabouts, even the apartment owner didn''t clearly know.

    "Maya... I hope you''re still safe," Noan whispered to himself.

 Chapter 170: Jankos family

    At Jankos'' family estate.

    As soon as he returned, his father, Janky, immediately planned to host a grand feast, inviting many other powerful families with whom Janky had business dealings.

    Why was he organizing such a grand party this time?

    It was because his son, Jankos, had encountered a tremendous opportunity and had evolved from a B-Rank Lord to a B+ Rank.

    To everyone, this was a remarkable achievement.

    "Father, do we need to host this party?" Jankos asked with a smile.

    In the living room, his father and he were enjoying tea, and a man stood beside them.

    Though the man was not dressed in servant attire, he stood there as though he were one.

    When Janky and Jankos finished their tea, he hurriedly poured more into their cups.

    If Noan were here, he would surely recognise this young man.

    This was Caleb.

    Hearing Jankos'' question, Janky chuckled and said, "Son, this is the time for us to show everyone our power."

    "You are so outstanding. Why hide it? Moreover, this is also an opportunity for me to tell everyone that you have become a king-like existence in the Chaotic World."

    "On top of that, I want that family to know that you are worthy of their daughter, understand?"

    Jankos smiled upon hearing this. He was a very proud person, and anything that could boost his pride, of course, he would not refuse.

    Moreover, his father was right. He wanted that family, especially that girl, to look at him, to pay attention to him.

    Janky suddenly burst into laughter: "Hahahaha... Jankos, you''ve done very well this time. The event in the Chaotic World is of tremendous significance. The more dazzling you are, the brighter our future will be."

    "Father, is this event organized by the Federation Government and the Empire?" Jankos asked in confusion.

    Janky shook his head: "No! You don''t need to know too much; it wouldn''t be good for you. I can only tell you one thing... in the future, the regions will merge together."

    "Moreover, a terrifying war will eventually break out. The one who stands firm in the end may surpass even Queen Catherine."

    Hearing this, Jankos'' face flushed with excitement. Although he was currently just a B+ Rank Lord, he could feel that he could evolve even further in the future.

    At that time, the A-Rank or S-Rank Lords, in his eyes, would be nothing more than mere ants.

    Why was he so sure? Because the energy inside his body would help him evolve once again.

    After leaving the Trial Tower, he had evolved to B Rank Peak, not just B+.

    However, he didn''t want to tell his father this because... the goals of him and his father were entirely different.

    Even though he had only passed the 5th floor, that was more than enough.

    That''s why when he heard Janky speak, Jankos felt immense excitement.

    ''To become a being even more terrifying than Queen Catherine... Hahahaha... I will definitely become such an existence,'' Jankos thought to himself.

    "Good! I''m very pleased with your performance this time. You can choose an item from the family''s vault," Janky suddenly sighed.

    "Unfortunately, if you could bring magical items into that world, it would be perfect. That way, you would have a significant advantage over the others."

    "Hahahaha..." Jankos laughed, saying, "Father, I think everything is great as it is. No one can bring anything into that world."

    "Only this way can everyone see just how dazzling my light truly is, right?"

    Janky nodded lightly. "You''re absolutely right. I heard that before entering the Chaotic World, did you have a conflict with someone?"

    Jankos suddenly remembered a rank F kid who dared to challenge him.

    Of course, he didn''t want to pay any attention to that foolish kid, but that bastard often hung out with Lylia, which annoyed him.

    "Father, don''t worry, he''s just trash," Jankos laughed. "I just want to play with him a bit."

    "What''s better than not only being able to kill him but also crush his hopes, making him fall into the depths of despair?"

    Janky lightly nodded at this, but then he suddenly looked at Caleb with disdain, saying, "Caleb, learn a little from your brother, understand?"

    Caleb gritted his teeth, his anger reaching its peak, but he still lowered his head and said, "Father, my brother is so brilliant and powerful. Even if I wanted to learn, I couldn''t."

    "Hahahaha... Father, he''s right." Jankos suddenly poured the teacup Caleb had just filled onto the floor. "There are some people whose fate, from the moment they were born, is to be dogs."

    "A dog can never compare to a human. Do you understand, my little brother?"

    After finishing his words, Jankos stood up and walked away. As he passed Caleb, he stopped momentarily and said, "There are many types of dogs. Some are loyal dogs, while others are dogs who dare to bite their master."

    "However, no matter what kind of dog it chooses to be, it will always be a dog, unable to compare to a human."

    "If the mother is a dog, then the child born will also be a dog. It''s so laughable, a dog always wanting to integrate into the human world."

    "Hahahaha..."

    Caleb clenched his fists until they were white, his face flushed with anger, his eyes almost shooting flames.

    Janky saw this and didn''t defend or console Caleb. Instead, he asked, "Did you gain anything from entering the Chaotic World this time?"

    Caleb gritted his teeth, his hands clenched for a long time before slowly relaxing. He then took a deep breath and said, "Father, everything is normal. It''s just... after the recent ''Zombie Wave'' event, my Heroes and soldiers all died. We are in the process of recovering."

    "Ah!" Janky only sighed, then took a sip of his tea and said, "The tea is cold now; it no longer smells good, and it can''t be drunk."

    After speaking, Janky poured the tea out of the cup into the tray and then stood up to leave.

    Caleb, of course, understood the implication behind Janky''s words. Though they were somewhat flowery, they were no different from what Jankos had just said.

    He stood still, tears suddenly streaming down his face, his features twisted with anger.

    He hated... he hated them and himself for being so weak.

    If he had been stronger, his mother would not have died, and his father would not treat him like a dog.

    No, even if he were stronger than Jankos, he still wouldn''t be welcome in this family.

    Because... his mother was...

    Ring! Ring! Ring!

    Suddenly, the sound of a phone ringing cut through Caleb''s thoughts.

    He frowned, took out his phone, and saw a strange number.

    Although he felt a bit annoyed, he still answered the call.

    "Who is it?"

    "It''s me!" A familiar voice came from the other end.

    Caleb immediately recognized who it was. He didn''t rush to respond but looked around, realizing that no one else was around, and then replied, "Master!"

    "Help me investigate someone; I need the results as soon as possible."

    Hearing that voice, Caleb immediately became serious and focused.

    "Master, just give me some information. I''m sure I can find this person." Caleb responded respectfully.

    "Check your messages."

    "Yes, Master." Caleb replied.

    Then, he saw a few basic messages. Of course, he didn''t dare delay and immediately took this information to the butler for investigation.

    Caleb took a deep breath and gripped the phone tightly in his hand. At that moment, a wildly improbable thought crossed his mind.

    He wanted to gamble.

    Yes, he was betting everythingˇŞhis future and his lifeˇŞon this gamble.

    ...

    In the bar''s basement, Raito sat on the sofa, smoking a cigarette while listening to the music playing from the four speakers in the room''s corners.

    The music was so loud that he couldn''t hear anything except the music and the sound from the cigarette.

    BAM!

    BAM!

    BAM!

    The sound of banging on the door echoed, but Raito remained seated as if he couldn''t care less.

    BAM!

    BAM!

    The banging continued, and Raito furrowed his brow, irritated, shouting, "Damn it! I told you not to disturb me right now. Are you deaf? I''ll..."

    BAM!

    The door was violently kicked open. The hinges were ripped off, causing the door to fly toward Raito.

    He was startled. In his drug-induced state from the cigarette, his actions and reflexes were slower than usual.

    BAM!

    The door hit him, sending him falling back onto the sofa. However, he was still strong enough to stand up, dusting himself off and glaring angrily at the door.

    "You... you..." Raito''s anger was extinguished when he saw the person standing in the doorway. He stammered, "Why... why are you here?"

    Noan slowly entered the room, pulled out a small card, and said, "There are 100 million credit points on this card. Help me capture a few people."

    "This..." Raito hesitated.

    "Ah! I understand." Noan took out a small bag and then turned it upside down.

    Clink! Clink!

    Some energy crystals fell onto the floor, making a loud, piercing sound.

    "Is this enough?" Noan frowned and asked.

    Raito trembled slightly. He stammered, "This... You... you know I''m a gangster, but I can''t..."

    "I''m here to inform you, not to negotiate. If you don''t do it, then you can disappear from this world."

    Raito: "..."

 Chapter 171 171: Stupid Negons family - Boss Santoro

    "Damn it! What the hell did you do to burn through all my money already?"

    The curse echoed in a small, somewhat dirty apartment.

    If Noan were here, he would certainly recognise the people in this apartment.

    Indeed, they were Noan''s father, mother, and younger brother, Negon.

    Negon''s father angrily shouted, his face already old and ugly, now even more so due to his rage.

    "Father! We still have plenty of money," Negon said, sitting on the couch with his legs up on the table, his attitude utterly cocky. "If we''re short on cash, we can just go to my brother for more. Why do you have to yell at me like that?"

    "Exactly," Negon''s mother chimed in, quickly walking out of the bedroom and patting Negon''s head. "My son spends a little money, and you yell at him. Do you even consider him your son anymore?"

    "You damn bitch, what the hell do you know?" Negon''s father yelled in anger, holding a bottle of liquor. "He spent all the money on gambling and lost it all. What are we supposed to live on now?"

    "Father, don''t talk like I''m a criminal, alright?" Negon sneered. "I feel like my luck is good right now, so I wanted to help the family make more money."

    "Of course, gambling is the quickest and easiest way to make money."

    "Out of money? Just go to my brother. Surely he''ll give us some, right?"

    "Exactly, Negon is right," Negon''s mother said, smiling and doting on him. "He''s just trying to think about our family, and it''s just that he was a bit unlucky this time."

    "You''re still defending that bastard?" Negon''s father shouted in fury. "If he doesn''t bring back the money today, I''ll beat him to death!"

    "How dare you?" Negon''s mother also shouted back, unwilling to back down. "All you do is drink and waste money. Negon can actually make money, and because you can''t do what he does, you''re angry and want to take it out on him?"

    "Damn you... you..." Negon''s father yelled, "You bastard! I''ll kill both of you!"

    CHENG!

    Negon''s father grabbed the neck of the wine bottle and smashed it violently into the wall. The bottle shattered, and wine and sharp shards of glass scattered all over the floor. Negon''s father held onto the remaining piece of the bottle, which had sharp and jagged edges, looking extremely dangerous.

    "What are you going to do?" Negon''s mother yelled, her face pale with fear.

    "You damn bastard! If you don''t bring the money back today, I''ll kill both of you!"

    "Father... Father... please calm down," Negon quickly shouted. "The money''s gone, but we can always go to Noan and get more."

    "I heard the Lords have returned from the Chaotic World. He must have returned too, and he probably has a lot of money with him."

    "Father, we can find him and demand some money from him. Or we could have Mother report him to the police, say he stole from usˇŞjust like before."

    Negon''s father heard this and felt it made some sense. He was just a cowardly man who wanted to scare Negon and his mother a bit.

    He obviously didn''t want to do this if there was another way to solve it.

    Compared to sitting in prison, being able to drink and live freely was certainly much better.

    "Exactly," Negon''s mother immediately added. "We just need to find my brother. He''s the police chief. All we need to do is beg him, and we can carry out that plan once again."

    "You damn bitch!" Negon''s father shouted. "Last time he took half of the money, if we ask him for help again, we''ll lose another half!"

    "Are you stupid? Even if we lose half, what''s the problem? At least we''ll still get money from that bastard Noan. Do you want to starve to death?" Negon''s mother argued, not backing down.

    Hearing this, Negon''s father finally accepted the solution they proposed.

    BAM!

    Suddenly, the door to their house was violently kicked open, and a thug with a club and baton walked into the house.

    "Who... who are you?" Negon''s father asked, terrified when he saw the scene.

    Although he was a man and the father of Negon, he was just a weak, cowardly drunkard.

    "Don''t come near me, I''ll... I''ll..."

    "Hey! Who are you? Get out of here, or I''ll call the police," Negon yelled in fear as he recognized the thugs who were the ones he had borrowed money from earlier.

    Negon''s mother was also frightened and quickly shouted, "That''s right, my brother is the police chief. If you..."

    BAM!

    Suddenly, one of the thugs slammed his baseball bat onto the table, smashing it into pieces.

    He frowned and said, "If you keep making noise, the next thing I break will be your heads."

    Silence...

    It was so quiet that everyone could hear the sound of their own breathing.

    "Alright, enough talking, take them away," the thug waved his hand and commanded.

    Immediately, the thugs took out ropes and duct tape to tie up the entire Negon family.

    Negon jerked and shouted, "No! What are you doing? Let me go?! I..."

    SLAP!

    "AAH!"

    Negon was suddenly slapped so hard that he spat out a mouthful of blood, along with a tooth.

    His face turned pale from the blood loss and fear. His mother, seeing this, trembled and screamed, "You... you dare hit my son? You''re committing a crime, I''ll... um... um..."

    Before she could finish her sentence, one of the thugs taped her mouth shut.

    All three were taken away. As they left, a few neighbours approached to see what was happening, as the noise was loud.

    When they saw the thugs, they immediately became scared. After all, they were just poor people living at the bottom of society.

    Seeing the thugs, they naturally felt fear.

    "If any of you talk about this, I''ll feed you to the fish tomorrow, understand?" One of the thugs, holding the baseball bat, pointed at the neighbours and shouted.

    Everyone nodded reflexively, then hurriedly returned to their homes and shut the doors tightly.

    ...

    Elsewhere, in a dimly lit bar.

    The sound coming from the speakers was blasting out bizarre, jarring music, and the people in the bar were acting like madmen, trying to dance with all their strength.

    In addition, there were people "high" lying everywhere, even in the toilet.

    At this moment, in a small corner, a middle-aged man wearing dark glasses and smoking a cigarette sat watching the scene in front of him. He smiled and sipped his drink.

    "Boss Santoro!" A man in a black suit approached the man, bowing his head and speaking respectfully, "The shipment has been trained, but there are still a few stubborn ones."

    Santoro took a drag from his cigarette, exhaling white smoke. His gaze was fixed on the smoke as his calm voice echoed, "After all, it''s money. We need to use it to make more. If they can''t work, then sell whatever they have on them that can be sold."

    "Yes, Boss," the man responded, knowing exactly what Santoro meant.

    He was talking about selling the internal organs of those people. Despite the laws in this world, power and strength ruled here.

    Who had the most power and strength in this world? Of course, it was the Lords.

    That''s why the law was just the surface while countless illegal activities remained behind it.

    Slave trading, organ trafficking, kidnappings... all of these things were happening. It was just that we didn''t see or acknowledge their existence.

    Suddenly, another man appeared before Santoro, bowing and speaking respectfully, "Boss, Raito wants to meet you."

    "Raito?" Santoro frowned, took another drag from his cigarette, and blew out a cloud of smoke, chuckling as he said, "That bastard is here? How many people did he bring?"

    "Boss, just one person," the man answered.

    "Just one person?!" Santoro stood up, his expression slightly confused, but he still said, "Let him in."

    "Yes, Boss."

    Outside, Raito and Noan were standing together.

    In fact, Noan could use Malrik and Vylyss to achieve his goal quickly, but doing so would bring more complications.

    As mentioned earlier, the entire city was surrounded by a magical dome.

    It was like a massive magical energy scanner; the protective dome would detect it as soon as he used magic.

    After that, the Royal Guards or the Government Police would come to arrest him.

    This was why, even though the city had many high-ranking Lords with incredibly powerful monsters, it still remained peaceful.

    If everyone in the city could use magic, this place would descend into chaos in no time.

    "Let''s go," a man in black clothing approached them with an arrogant expression. "My boss wants to meet you."

 Chapter 172 172: Noan and Santoro

    Noan walked behind while Raito and the other man walked ahead.

    He looked around and noticed that the place was very chaotic; everyone seemed oblivious to everything around them.

    Each person was immersed in their own world. However, the world they were immersed in was filled with desires and death.

    On Earth, Noan had also seen this many times on TV, and even witnessed many people die from drug overdoses.

    In this world, it was the same. In fact, the drugs in this world even carried a bit of magic, which made the high even more intense, causing the death rate to rise significantly, even with small doses.

    Why do such things still exist in a world where magic coexists with advanced technology?

    But Noan thought about it and found it somewhat reasonable. Although this world was one of magic and advanced technology, those things were reserved for the wealthy.

    To be more precise, only the rich and the lords could enjoy the benefits that magic and technology offered.

    As for the others, how they lived wasn''t a concern.

    In fact, this area was even outside the law, which is why criminal gangs and anything related to drugs were openly used here like this.

    Noan and Raito were led to a small corner where a man was sitting, smoking. His face held a hint of disdain as he looked towards them.

    "Hahaha... Look who''s here? The hungry wolf, Raito. I never thought you''d come to find me one day," Santoro laughed.

    Raito sat down before Santoro, frowning as he spoke, "I''m here to buy someone back from you."

    "Hm? My subordinate dared to take someone you were interested in? How strange, hahaha..." Santoro said contemptuously. "Fine, if you offer me a price that interests me, I''ll let you redeem that person."

    Noan stood behind Raito, listening to their conversation, with no intention of speaking further.

    After all, he wasn''t familiar with the relationships between the gangs, and he didn''t know where Maya was at the moment.

    If he acted hastily, the news about Maya might be cut off.

    Moreover, while this place was outside the law, it still lay within the range of the magic dome.

    If he used magic here, his identity would be exposed.

    Raito took out ten rank F crystals, placed them on the table, and said, "Will this be enough?"

    Santoro''s eyes lit up when he saw the ten rank F crystals.

    For the lords, these crystals were cheap and insignificant.

    But for an ordinary person, just ten rank F crystals were enough to live comfortably for a year.

    "Ah! Energy crystals, you''re quite generous," Santoro suddenly laughed viciously, revealing a set of teeth, some of which were made of gold, with two diamond front teeth, looking very bizarre.

    "But this still isn''t enough. You should know that the value of a person isn''t just ten rank F crystals."

    "How many do you want?" Raito frowned and said.

    "Ah! Don''t be so impatient," Santoro laughed, "You know I only take women. Apart from entertaining clients, they also serve the purpose of supplying organs."

    "If I wear down their value, a person is worth at least 100 rank F crystals."

    "What?!" Raito frowned, his face losing patience. "Don''t push it, Santoro. Ten is the highest price. If you..."

    His words suddenly stopped as Noan''s hand was placed on his shoulder.

    Raito turned to look at Noan, who gave a slight nod.

    At this moment, Raito took a deep breath and said, "Fine! 100 energy crystals. I want you to bring that girl here right now."

    Santoro observed the scene, feeling surprised. He knew who Raito was, so he had taken the time to sit here and talk with him.

    But he didn''t expect the young man to be able to give orders to Raito.

    Who was Raito? The hungry wolf, Raito, even though his gang wasn''t large, everyone feared him because he was genuinely strong.

    He was once an F+ rank lord but lost his territory and all his heroes, so he ended up as a thug in this area.

    At this moment, Santoro was certain that the person standing behind Raito had a very special identity, possibly a high-ranking lord who could give orders to Raito.

    Although Santoro was arrogant, he wasn''t a fool. If he were, he wouldn''t have built such a massive gang.

    He smiled and loudly said, "Hahahaha... I was kidding. Did you think I was serious?"

    Raito frowned and asked, "What do you mean?"

    Santoro continued, "What I mean is... I was really joking. Perhaps my subordinate made a mistake, so they accidentally took your acquaintance."

    "Don''t worry, I won''t take a single coin, and I''ll have my men bring her here right away."

    Raito noticed Santoro''s change in attitude and felt confused.

    Santoro wasn''t a fool. On the contrary, he was very clever, so his gang could survive in this area, between the government and the underworld.

    Indeed, Santoro was one of the suppliers of organs and people for the Government''s experiments.

    To be precise, Santoro was walking on a razor''s edge; one wrong move, and he would surely die.

    Perhaps it was because Raito''s attitude toward Noan was so clear that Santoro began to worry.

    Just as he thought, Santoro now looked at Noan, smiling, and asked, his tone no longer condescending like before: "This young man is...?"

    "Ah! This person is..." Raito hesitated, unsure of what to say.

    It wasn''t quite right to call him a friend, nor was it accurate to call him a partner.

    At that moment, Noan pulled out a chair next to Raito, sat down, and said: "Who I am, you don''t need to know. I won''t let you suffer if I can get the person I want."

    He spoke while pulling out five rank E crystals and tossing them onto the table.

    Clink! Clink!

    Seeing the five rank E crystals, Santoro lifted his sunglasses, his eyes widening as he stared at the two energy crystals on the table.

    At that moment, he was certain the young man in front of him had an extremely important background.

    A normal lord couldn''t easily produce rank E energy crystals like this.

    Santoro laughed and said: "Hahahaha... then let''s settle this. I can return the person you want, but I don''t need the energy crystals."

    "I just want to be able to befriend you. Is that okay? Of course, I''m not useless. I have plenty of information from the Government and large families."

    "As long as you offer me a good price, I can sell everything to you."

    Noan hesitated upon hearing this, then immediately agreed.

    Rather than having another enemy, it was better to have a helpful ally. No, Santoro wasn''t a friend; he was a business partner.

    "Good!" Noan extended his hand.

    Seeing this, Santoro happily shook Noan''s hand, smiling: "Here''s to a successful partnership."

    They shook hands briefly before letting go. Noan furrowed his brow and said: "I want to get back the girl named Maya, who was sold to you three weeks ago."

    "Ah! Of course," Santoro immediately called for a subordinate, gave some instructions, and sent him off.

    Then, Santoro looked at Noan and smiled flatteringly, "Wait a moment, I''ll bring her to you. I guarantee she''s still in perfect condition, just slightly injured, but it''s not serious."

    Clink!

    Noan tossed five rank E crystals onto the table, frowning as he said, "I want the one who hurt her."

    "This..." Santoro showed a hint of hesitation.

    Noan then tossed another five rank E crystals onto the table.

    "You know that''s one of my subordinates, I can''t..."

    Clink! Clink! Clink!

    Noan threw out another ten rank E crystals.

    Santoro''s eyes lit up, and he laughed, "Hahaha... Of course, that''s possible."

    After all, he had many subordinates, losing one wasn''t a big deal, it was like losing an ant from a colony.

    Santoro took out his phone, made a call, and then smiled at Noan, saying, "I''ll make sure to deliver both her and the one who hurt her to you, and you can handle it as you wish."

    Noan nodded slightly and asked, "Do you have any information from the government?"

    "Of course! But... if I sell you this information, I hope you won''t take it elsewhere or tell anyone else," Santoro said.

    Noan nodded, "I understand that. I want to buy some information. Is the government researching Zombies?"

    "This... Hm... 100 rank E crystals, I''ll tell you about this information," Santoro frowned and said, "After all, this information is quite confidential. If too many people know, it''ll put me in danger."

    Noan didn''t say much more; he took out 100 rank E crystals and tossed them onto the table.

    Santoro saw the energy crystals piled into a small mountain on the table and smiled so broadly he couldn''t hold it back.

    He laughed and said, "Generous, truly generous. I really enjoy working with generous people."

    He quickly gathered the energy crystals in his hands, gazing at them as if they were beautiful women, his face full of excitement.

    "Now, answer my question."

    "Ah! Right." Santoro snapped out of it, smiling and saying, "The government is indeed researching several projects related to Zombies, including a project involving human Zombies combined with Machine-type heroes."

 Chapter 173 173: Maya - 100% compatibility

    "I''m not exactly sure about the details of the experiment, but there have been some successes. First, they can create creatures like Machine Zombies, with terrifying combat power."

    "Secondly, they''ve managed to create a reactor to generate energy to sustain the Zombie''s activity, but the amount of energy required for that Zombie to function is immense. That''s why the research is currently at an impasse."

    "The peculiar thing is, I''ve also heard some strange news."

    Santoro suddenly looked around as if making sure no one was eavesdropping, his eyes darting to Raito, then back to Noan.

    Noan nodded slightly, signaling Santoro not to worry.

    Only then did Santoro continue: "I''ve heard that this experiment just started recently. Apparently, an S-rank lord accidentally obtained a design for creating a hybrid between zombies and Machine-type monsters, but the design isn''t perfect, so much more research is needed."

    "That''s also why the government has needed a lot of organs and human bodies for their research."

    Noan furrowed his brow, feeling confused.

    In fact, Machine-type monsters were already incredibly powerful, with bodies made of metal.

    So why would researchers want to crossbreed such a powerful monster with a weak Zombie?

    Suddenly, Noan remembered the Zombie Angels. Could this also be a government invention?

    Noan shook his head, not wanting to overthink it. That information was enough for now.

    At present, he was still very weak, and he knew it. To access the horrific secrets related to the Federation Government and the Empire, he needed to grow stronger, at least to rank S.

    So, thinking about it now wouldn''t help him much.

    Noan asked, "Do you have any information on the Chaos World?"

    "Ah! That information requires 10 rank E crystals; anyway, everyone can know about it; it''s not a huge secret."

    Noan, being generous, tossed 20 rank E energy crystals onto the table and said, "Tell me everything you know."

    "Hehehehe..." Santoro immediately collected all the energy crystals, smiling excitedly as he spoke: "It all started two months ago."

    "At that time, there was news that the areas where the Lords had been sent to had appeared with spatial rifts."

    "Additionally, many lords were sent to a ''Strange Point,'' but none returned. However, this was all kept completely secret."

    Noan was taken aback when he heard this. He had thought he was the only unlucky one sent to that place. However, he had overestimated his own importance.

    There were many other lords just like him, sent to the ''Strange Point,'' only they were less fortunate and could never return to the City.

    Santoro continued: "After that, the areas where the rookie lords were operating suddenly showed signs of collapse, which is why everyone was forced to return to the City."

    "Just one day later, the rookie areas completely collapsed and merged into a single world."

    "The Federation Government and the Empire call it the Chaos World. Even more special is that... the lords will be forced into that world without any protection from the Government or the Empire."

    "This implies that the System is outside the control of the Government and the Empire. They can only rely on the System to create a false system for ordinary purposes but cannot intervene in the main System."

    "High-rank lords know this, but they just don''t want to say it. If everyone knew the truth, everything would become chaotic, and no problems would be solved."

    Noan nodded lightly, once again feeling like a mysterious veil covered the entire world.

    "There''s another piece of news I received just two days ago. The regions in the Chaos World will merge, but this merging will occur in an order from low to high."

    "First, the E-rank and F-rank lords regions will merge with the D-rank lord''s region, the C-rank, and B-rank lord regions will merge together, and finally, the A-rank and S-rank regions."

    "I''ve also heard that there''s a region for SS-rank lords, but currently, there is no SS-rank lord that the Empire and Government don''t know about, so no one is sure if that region really exists."

    Upon hearing this, Noan sighed in relief. If his region could merge with a D-rank lord''s area, there was nothing to worry about.

    A D-rank lord could summon heroes up to C-rank Peak at most.

    With the strength of Vylyss and Malrik, he would be safe for now. Moreover, after the two regions merged, the rank limits for the lords would be expanded.

    He could then use his Lord Points to evolve to a higher rank.

    However, right now, he only had about 13,000 Lord Points, and he wasn''t sure if that would be enough for him to evolve to D-rank Peak.

    "Hehehe... I still don''t know your name. What is it?" Santoro laughed and asked.

    "Noan! You can investigate my information anywhere; it''s not a secret," Noan said indifferently.

    "No! No!" Santoro quickly replied. "Although I look like a thug, the truth is, I''m a businessman."

    "I need benefits, profits. I want to know your name so I can address you properly; as long as we continue to cooperate, I''ll never investigate your information."

    Noan nodded lightly and didn''t ask further because he had learned everything he needed to know. Now, he just wanted to meet Maya as quickly as possible.

    A moment later, a man hurriedly approached Santoro and whispered in his ear.

    Santoro''s eyes immediately widened. He looked at Noan, his gaze filled with confusion and concern.

    "What''s going on?" Noan could tell something related to him was happening, which was why Santoro was looking at him that way.

    Santoro hesitated, unsure whether to speak, but eventually revealed the truth. "Noan, it seems I made a big mistake."

    "The government seems to have acted sooner than I expected. They just arrived to check the materials for the experiment and discovered a person with nearly 100% compatibility with the Reactor, so they took her."

    Noan was stunned. He quickly asked, "The person is...?"

    "Yes, it''s the one you''re looking forˇŞMaya."

    BAM!

    Hearing Santoro''s words, Noan felt like he had been struck by lightning. His eyes widened in disbelief.

    But in just a few seconds, he regained his composure and urgently asked, "How long ago did they leave?"

    Santoro understood what Noan intended to do and immediately tried to stop him. "Noan, don''t be reckless. The government brought many soldiers. Even if you manage to rescue her, they will hunt you down."

    "I don''t have much time," Noan said as he stood up, his eyes filled with murderous intent so terrifying that it made both Santoro and Raito feel cold and fearful.

    Santoro swallowed hard, trying to remain calm, and said shakily, "They... they seem to be traveling on National Route 15, heading east."

    Noan immediately disappeared as if he had melted into thin air.

    Raito and Santoro both stared in surprise, realizing that what they had just witnessed was probably magic.

    Indeed, it seemed Noan had just used magic. A lord who could use magic meant that lord had reached at least level 4 or higher.

    Santoro now felt more confident that befriending Noan was the right decision.

    A level 4 lord had immense potential. If he had Noan''s protection, Santoro would feel like a tiger with wings.

    However, Noan was now rushing off to rescue the girl taken by the government, which made Santoro anxious.

    Whether Noan succeeded or failed, Santoro would still be implicated because he was the one who provided the information.

    Santoro sighed, glancing at Raito with a disapproving look.

    Raito sighed as well. He never imagined that this would involve the government.

    If he had known it was connected to the Federation Government or the Empire, even if he had nine lives, he wouldn''t have dared to bring Noan here.

    They could only sigh and hope things weren''t as bad as they feared.

 Chapter 174: New Fate Holder - Aldric

    Although Noan knew that using magic would be detected by the City''s Protective Dome, at this moment, he could no longer afford to think too much.

    Maya was in danger; she had been taken by the government, which was certainly related to Santoro''s experiment.

    "Compatibility reaching 100% with the energy reactor."

    After hearing that statement, Noan was fully aware that Maya''s outcome would definitely not be good if the government took her away.

    Therefore, Noan took the risk and used his "Space" talent to shorten the time.

    "Master, feel free to use your magic; I will help you conceal it." At that moment, Malrik''s voice echoed in his mind. "However, time is short, so we need to act quickly."

    "Thank you, Malrik," Noan silently said in his heart.

    Then, he continuously used teleportation magic, and in less than a minute, he saw a narrow highway cutting across an open area with no houses or structures.

    On either side of the road were only utility poles and vacant lots covered with grass and trees, resembling a forest.

    "Master." Vylyss suddenly spoke up. "Be careful; the person ahead seems very strong, and I can sense their threat."

    Hearing this, Noan looked toward the person riding a motorcycle at the head of the convoy moving along the road.

    The person was not wearing a helmet, so Noan could see that it was a young man with black hair and a handsome face like a Greek statue.

    He wore a white outfit with a white cloak draped over his back, carrying the symbol of the Royal Family.

    What was particularly noteworthy was that there were five small stars around the Royal Family emblem.

    Noan recognized the significance of the five stars as soon as he saw them. After all, he had studied the ranks of the Royal Guards at the academy.

    A five-star rank represented a Lord of rank A, with the lowest level rank 4 and the highest rank 8.

    "A Lord rank A?" Noan was slightly startled upon hearing this.

    He hadn''t expected that escorting a government convoy would involve the appearance of a rank A Lord, especially one who was a Royal Guard with a five-star rank.

    However, Noan had no other choice but to save Maya.

    He donned his Mythical attire for his class, covering his entire appearance, and then proceeded with his actions.

    As the convoy was moving, suddenly, the young man riding the motorcycle at the head of the convoy furrowed his brow, looked into the distance, and smiled, muttering to himself, "Looks like there are a few fearless rats causing trouble."

    "Good, it''s been a while since I''ve had a proper workout. I hope you don''t die too quickly."

    At that moment, a fireball with a diameter of over one meter, glowing blue-green, shot toward the convoy at bullet-like speed.

    Boom! Boom! Boom!

    The fireball skimmed along the road, tearing it up wherever it passed, leaving a deep, arc-shaped groove in its wake.

    "Huh!" The young man sneered, holding a lance in his hand, and threw it toward the fireball.

    Whoosh!

    A sharp wind sounded as the lancer flew from his hand, speeding toward the fireball with tremendous velocity.

    BAM!

    The lancer collided with the fireball, causing a massive explosion. The deafening blast echoed through the entire area, followed by a flash of blinding light.

    Like a furious storm, the shockwave blasted outward, causing the convoy to halt.

    "Captain Aldric, what''s going on?" someone from the group quickly asked.

    "Find cover. This fight isn''t for you," Aldric said with a smile.

    He stepped off the vehicle, extending his hand forward, and the lancer from earlier flew back toward him, where he caught it firmly in his grasp.

    Seeing the explosion before them, everyone shuddered and immediately obeyed Aldric''s command, staying out of the fight.

    After all, the battles of high-rank Lords were no different from nuclear disasters, and they didn''t want to get caught up in such a terrifying war.

    "Surround and protect the vehicle; don''t let anyone get near," Aldric ordered.

    "Understood, Captain," everyone responded in unison.

    They then armed themselves and positioned themselves around the container truck in the middle.

    At that moment, a shadow appeared on top of the container truck.

    Yes, it was Noan.

    He had only used the fireball to mislead them about his position.

    He wasn''t in front but always close to the truck carrying the people.

    While Aldric was focused on the front, Noan immediately approached the truck. However, he couldn''t teleport inside because there was a magical seal around the vehicle.

    The seal was very powerful, preventing him from teleporting in to save Maya.

    "Ah! This rat knows how to use Space magic?"

    "Hm?!" Noan was startled when he heard Aldric''s voice right next to him.

    He turned around and saw a handsome face with a ''friendly'' smile looking at him.

    Whoosh!

    The tip of the lancer was less than 10 cm from Noan''s head. In that brief moment, Noan''s nervous system tensed like a bowstring.

    He used all his strength and reflexes, activating his "Space" talent.

    Noan instantly disappeared, and the sharp tip of the lancer plunged into the air, the sound of the whistling wind echoing loudly.

    A spiral vortex of green light shot out like a drill, racing off into the distance.

    BAM!

    BAM!

    BAM!

    The loud explosions rang out as the vortex drill tore through everything in its path, even splitting large tree trunks.

    It then collided with a massive stone, exploding in a blast resembling the simultaneous detonation of ten tons of TNT.

    Although the explosion wasn''t huge, if one looked closely, they would see the incredible piercing power of the spiral drill as it tore through everything in its way.

    The stone shattered, and the ground was pierced, creating a deep pit tens of meters wide, with cracks spreading like a spider''s web.

    Noan reappeared, but he hid among the bushes this time, feeling a sense of fear deep within.

    Even more surprising was that he saw a notification board from the System appear in front of him.

    [Ding! A new ''Fate Holder'' was detected. Please check the ''Fate Holder List'' for more information.]

    Noan took a deep breath as he saw the notification. He immediately opened the ''Fate Holder List,'' and sure enough, there was new information about a ''Fate Holder.''

    ...

    Name: Aldric

    Rank: A

    Level: 07

    Class: Traveler - Aerial Knight (S)

    Talent:

    - Blessing of the Wind Goddess (S):

    Function 1: When fighting alone, without the assistance of any hero or monster, the power of the Aerial system is doubled.

    Function 2: The more opponents there are, the greater your power. It can increase up to 10 times with no side effects.

    - Infinitive Mana (S): When fighting, your mana pool and regeneration rate increase tenfold.

    *Note: Only effective when combat begins.

    - Aerial Knight (S):

    Function 1: Consumes a large amount of mana to trap enemies. Within a 1,000-meter radius, you can detect hidden or disguised enemies. The higher your strength, the more extensive the search range.

    Function 2: During combat, wind and air will be your allies.

    ...

    Noan stared wide-eyed at Aldric''s three S-rank talents.

    Not only was Aldric a Fate Holder, but he also possessed numerous S-rank talents, and on top of that, he was a rank A Lord at level 7.

    Moreover, his talents further complemented his class, which was the truly terrifying part.

    We don''t even need to mention what it means to have the Traveler Class.

    It''s enough to know that by choosing this Class, the Lord would no longer be a Lord but a Traveler, walking alone on the path of the future.

    However, Aldric''s talents enhanced his solo combat abilities, which made Noan begin to feel anxious.

    "This isn''t good!" Noan suddenly realized the implications of Aldric''s "Aerial Knight" talent.

    This talent could help Aldric lock down an enemy within a vast range.

    Noan jerked back, looking up just in time to see a vortex of green light, like a drill, hurtling toward him.

    He quickly activated his "Space" talent to teleport to another location.

    BAM!

    In an instant, Noan disappeared, and the spot where he had been standing exploded, creating a hole identical to the one formed by the earlier vortex drill.

    Noan reappeared, but before he could gather his thoughts, he shuddered, a chill running down his spine. His senses screamed that he was about to die.

    He didn''t have time to think, immediately teleporting again and vanishing again.

    Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

    Countless sharp sounds of whistling wind filled the air, and many green wind blades cut through everything in their path.

    The trees around him fell like soft sponge cakes, sliced into countless pieces by the wind blades, collapsing to the ground.

    "Ah! Space magic, huh? It''s the first time I''ve seen this kind of talent," Aldric said, standing atop the container truck, holding his lancer.

    With the sunset light behind him, he appeared like an undefeatable war god.

    "I don''t know why you''re attacking me, but facing the Federation and Empire is a foolish choice."

    "I''m quite intrigued by your talent. Why don''t you join the government and the Empire? With your abilities, I''m sure you''d be given a cloak of pride like mine."

 Chapter 175: Fighting with Fate Holder

    Noan frowned when he heard Aldric say he wanted to recruit him. Naturally, he couldn''t trust such nonsense.

    "Not going to answer?" Aldric remained calm, his face still wearing that ''friendly'' smile, though there was a slight indifference to it. "You should think this through carefully."

    "If you accept to join the government or the Royal Guard, I can help you. Consider today a misunderstanding, and I won''t report it to the leaders."

    "Otherwise, I''m sorry, but I won''t allow anyone to threaten the existence of the Empire and the government."

    Noan felt a chill run down his spine as Aldric''s words were filled with cold, murderous intent.

    It was fear born from instinct and his very soul, as Aldric''s rank and strength were far superior.

    "Let me guess." Aldric suddenly continued. "Although you possess Space magic, your rank is definitely below level 5, right?"

    Noan was a bit surprised. Could Aldric really read his information?

    "Hahaha... I must have guessed right. Even though Space magic is terrifying, the area around this truck is protected by a seal."

    "Even if you can use space magic if your rank is too low, you won''t be able to break through that seal."

    "Low rank and still daring to come here to cause trouble? I don''t know whether you''re foolish or just overconfident."

    "However, if you don''t make a choice, then I''ll have no choice but to..."

    "Kill you!"

    With that, Aldric''s body transformed into a gust of wind, racing toward Noan''s hiding spot.

    Noan wasn''t too surprised; he knew Aldric could ''lock'' enemies within a large radius and, therefore, knew that Aldric had already found his position.

    Immediately, Noan used his Space talent to teleport away.

    BAM!

    As soon as Noan disappeared, the spot he had been standing on was struck by a wind drill, causing a terrifying explosion.

    The earth and rocks were sent flying over twenty meters, and the trees around him fell as if an earthquake had struck.

    "Vylyss, can you get through that seal?" Noan asked, his brow furrowing.

    "Sorry, Master. I cannot break through the seal. Its energy source is too powerful."

    Noan felt a sense of despair as he heard Vylyss'' reply.

    Just as Noan was about to move, Aldric''s lancer''s sharp tip appeared right before him.

    "What the hell?!" Noan flinched, cursing inwardly.

    However, the distance was too close for him to avoid it, and he didn''t even have enough time to use his Space talent.

    Cling! Cling!

    Suddenly, countless chains pierced through the surrounding space, restraining the lancer that was aimed at Noan''s head.

    Vylyss emerged from the rift in space, her hand holding a spear formed from black-and-white energy, radiating an immense, terrifying power.

    KENG!

    The sound of the weapons clashing rang out loudly.

    Aldric''s lancer was pushed back, but Noan couldn''t see where he was.

    Vylyss was also taken aback by Aldric''s speed.

    In just a split second, Aldric vanished, his speed comparable to Vylyss'' Space talent.

    Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

    Suddenly, the sound of whistling wind filled the air. Vylyss flinched, seeing countless green wind blades slashing toward them with incredible speed.

    Vylyss immediately hugged Noan and then activated her Space talent.

    The wind blades missed, but from a distance, it appeared as if the entire space around them had been cut into countless pieces.

    As Vylyss and Noan reappeared, the feeling of imminent danger returned.

    It seemed Aldric knew exactly where they would appear and had already been waiting for them.

    "AH! Succubus? No, a Succubus cannot use space magic. You are a different kind of creature," Aldric said, looking at Vylyss with a greedy gleam.

    "You''re becoming more and more interesting. It''s a shame you''re not my ally. If you were, we might have been able to fight together."

    SNAP!

    Aldric snapped his fingers, and at that moment, both Vylyss and Noan felt the space around them become heavy as if they were being pulled into a swamp.

    Vylyss struggled but couldn''t escape the confinement.

    ''This isn''t good! Even though it''s not space magic, the power behind it is no different from space magic,'' Noan thought to himself.

    He realized that... Aldric was not just controlling the wind; he was controlling the air itself.

    Vylyss suddenly gritted her teeth, and a drop of blood dripped from the corner of her mouth, turning into a blinding beam of light.

    "What?!" Aldric was momentarily taken aback, unsure of what was happening.

    But the light beam enveloped the entire space around them before Aldric could act.

    Aldric opened his eyes again and realized he was standing in a strange dimension.

    He stood on a massive rock, surrounded by demons screeching loudly. The terrifying sounds, accompanied by gusts of cold wind carrying dust and the distant scent of blood, made anyone there feel a deep dread.

    However, Aldric curiously looked around. In the distance, he saw endless waves of demons and zombies, seemingly without end.

    The sky was dark and cloudy, with occasional flashes of lightning illuminating the blood-colored clouds.

    "Wow! Is this an illusion?" Aldric said with excitement. "You have Space magic and illusion magic as well."

    "You are truly strange and fascinating, making me very intrigued. However, I cannot allow you to continue existing if you are my enemy."

    Crack! Crack! Crack!

    Suddenly, the space around them cracked like glass, numerous fissures appearing before...

    BANG!

    The space shattered, and Vylyss coughed up a mouthful of blood, stumbling back.

    "Too weak! Don''t you know that their mind must be weaker than yours to pull someone into an illusionary world?"

    "If their mind is stronger than yours, the one who suffers the consequences is you."

    Hearing Aldric''s words, Noan looked at Vylyss, feeling confused.

    He truly didn''t understand what had just happened.

    Noan only saw Aldric suddenly pause, but in just a split second, Vylyss had spit blood.

    "Enough! Let''s finish this, and I don''t want my mission to be delayed," Aldric said with a smile.

    He swung his hand, and the lancer immediately flew to him, which he caught firmly.

    The tip of the lancer was aimed straight at Noan''s face, and a surge of green energy quickly focused, forming into a mini whirlwind like a tornado.

    However, Noan could feel the terrifying power emanating from the green vortex.

    "Goodbye! If there is a next life, be a little smarter and don''t do such stupid things again," Aldric said with a sneer, his words dripping with contempt.

    Suddenly, Aldric felt something and furrowed his brows.

    He swung the lancer behind him, but it seemed stuck in space, unable to move.

    "Little brat, no one can disrespect my master." Malrik''s voice echoed.

    Aldric looked at Malrik, then turned his gaze back to Vylyss and Noan, suddenly bursting into loud laughter: "Hahahaha... hahahaha..."

    "How interesting, so interesting. Not only can you bring two heroes to the city, but each hero also possesses incredible strength."

    "Hahahaha... you are quite interesting. Alright, I''ll give you one more chance."

    "If you join me and become my ally, I will help you become the captain of a Royal Guard squad."

    "Moreover, I''ll provide you with many resources to..."

    BAM!

    Suddenly, hellfire transformed into two massive hands with countless souls screaming within, grabbing Aldric and holding him tightly.

    Aldric felt the pain, and the smile on his face faded away.

    "Ah!" Noan sensed the surrounding space become lighter and immediately moved back.

    Vylyss, however, was different. After escaping from the confinement, she raised her hand, and a black-and-white spear materialized in her grasp.

    Without a word, Vylyss, holding the spear, fought through the intense pain that made her head feel like it was about to explode, charging toward Aldric.

    Vylyss seemed to transform into a stream of dark light, cutting through the space.

    Aldric tried to dodge but couldn''t, as the two massive hands seemed like an incredibly powerful magical seal.

    KENG!

    Suddenly, the lancer appeared out of nowhere and collided with Vylyss'' spear, throwing her trajectory off course.

    Vylyss gripped her spear tightly as countless chains emerged, wrapping around the spear and pulling it taut, turning it into a giant arrow.

    Then...

    WHOOSH!

    The sound of wind shrieking through the air was deafening as Vylyss'' spear was launched, transforming into a beam of light moving at a speed even more terrifying than a bullet, racing toward Aldric.

    Seeing the spear approaching, Aldric remained unnervingly calm. He didn''t try to dodge but muttered, "The blessing of the Wind Goddess. Your knight has arrived."

    At that moment, briefly, before Vylyss'' spear struck Aldric, his body emitted a blinding green aura.

    BAM!

 Chapter 176: Are you Vylyss??!!

    A terrifying explosion rang out, and the shockwave blew Noan far away.

    Fortunately, Malrik managed to catch him, but he didn''t have much time to thank Malrik.

    Noan immediately looked toward Vylyss and shouted, "Vylyss, don''t let your guard down! He''s not that easy to defeat. Attack him nowˇŞdon''t give him a moment to recover!"

    Startled by his words, Vylyss turned to the site of the explosion.

    The area was engulfed in flames and dust, completely obscuring Aldric''s figure.

    Vylyss began casting a spell to locate Aldric, but just as she was about to channel her magic, his voice echoed right beside her.

    "Very powerfulˇŞbut still not enough to kill me."

    "What the hell?!" Vylyss gasped.

    Before she could even turn around, a sharp pain shot through her abdomen.

    She looked down to see Aldric''s foot driving into her stomach.

    BAM!

    The force of the kick sent Vylyss hurtling backward like a bullet, crashing to the ground and leaving a massive crater.

    "This is bad! Malrik, help VylyssˇŞnow!" Noan said with a furrowed brow.

    Malrik didn''t waste any words and immediately dashed toward Vylyss.

    At that moment, Noan activated his teleportation gift. All he wanted now was to rescue Maya and get out.

    He didn''t want to keep fighting, realizing just how vast the gap in power between them truly was.

    Moreover, their opponent was a Fate HolderˇŞnot someone easily killed. In fact, when cornered, he might even strike back with overwhelming force.

    Using his Spatial Gift, Noan instantly appeared next to the container truck.

    The Abyss Cube in his hand transformed into a sword in an instant.

    Raising the blade high, Noan swung at the container''s rear door with all his strength.

    KENG!

    A sharp metallic clang rang out, accompanied by a few sparks.

    "What the hell?!"

    Noan''s eyes widened as he realized that his blade had only struck the protective barrier around the truckˇŞit hadn''t inflicted any damage at all.

    Gritting his teeth, he wrapped his blade in Hellfire and swung again, slashing downward with full force.

    "Useless." Aldric''s voice suddenly echoed right beside him.

    Noan had anticipated this and instantly activated his Spatial Gift to teleport away.

    But Aldric was faster. His hand clamped around Noan''s neck and lifted him into the air as if holding a chicken.

    "Foolish! If this seal could be broken so easily, I wouldn''t have bothered transporting it by land," Aldric sneered.

    "Master!" Vylyss''s eyes blazed with fury at the scene unfolding before her.

    She raised her arm with strength, unleashing countless chains that tore through space and surged toward Aldric like a tidal wave.

    But Aldric remained unfazed. With a casual motion of his free hand, he muttered,

    "Hero Defense!"

    Instantly, numerous small magical circles appeared before him, fusing together into a large shield.

    BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!

    A barrage of collisions shook the surrounding space, the ground trembling violently and splitting into countless fragments. Cracks spread across the earth like a massive spiderweb.

    Yet Aldric''s magical shield remained intact, standing firm and blocking every chain Vylyss had unleashed.

    "Pathetic," Aldric said with disdain.

    But the next instant, Vylyss appeared behind him, her black spear thrusting straight toward his head.

    Smash!

    "What?!" Vylyss gasped.

    Without turning his head, Aldric caught her spear with his bare hand.

    Noan clenched his teeth. He knew exactly why Aldric''s combat strength had increased dramaticallyˇŞhis Gift.

    When Aldric fought alone, his power doubled. And the more enemies surrounded him, the stronger he became.

    At this point, Aldric''s strength had multiplied to six times his normal power.

    Along with that came a tenfold increase in ManaˇŞmaking Aldric''s current state nearly invincible, which seemed perfectly reasonable.

    However, Aldric suddenly frowned. Looking down, he saw flames transforming into vine-like tendrils tightly coiling around both of his legs.

    The fire rapidly consumed the mana inside his body, causing a noticeable discomfort.

    "Seems your monster does have some use. But... in the face of absolute power, you''re nothing more than an insect," Aldric scoffed.

    "Lancer Knight!"

    As he shouted, the lancer from earlier reappeared, floating before him.

    This time, Aldric didn''t wield it himself. Instead, a magical circle materialized, summoning a knight clad in shining silvery-white heavy armour, radiating a divine and imposing aura.

    The knight grasped the lancer and charged straight toward Malrik.

    BAM!

    The ground beneath the knight shattered upon takeoff, a clear sign of its terrifying power.

    *What the hell?! How can he summon a Hero to fight for him? His class is supposed to be solo combat,* Noan thought in disbelief.

    But he didn''t have time to unravel the truth.

    Gritting her teeth, Vylyss swung her arm forward, releasing a chain with a sharp tip from her palm.

    "Huh." Aldric sneered and yanked the spear in his hand to block the chain.

    KENG!

    A sharp metallic clang pierced the air as Vylyss''s chain was stopped midair.

    But she didn''t pause. Her hand reached into space itself and yanked hard.

    A black curtain of energy appeared, enveloping both her and Aldric.

    Aldric calmly waved his hand, and a divine green light burst forth.

    It looked like holy fireˇŞinstantly incinerating the black curtain.

    Panic began to set in for Vylyss. She had no effective method to attack Aldric.

    Every move she made was effortlessly neutralized.

    She wanted to call for Malrik''s help, but the Lancer Knight was now assaulting him and couldn''t come to her aid.

    Worse still, Malrik was being pushed farther away from Noan and Vylyss.

    KENG!

    Suddenly, an extremely tiny needle struck Aldric''s head.

    However, it didn''t pierce his skull. In fact, it barely grazed the surfaceˇŞleaving no visible wound. There was only the sound of metal on metal and a few faint sparks.

    "Foolish. In my ''Hero Defense'' state, I''m immune to all physical attacks," Aldric said with a grin.

    His voice was soft yet brimming with contempt and arrogance.

    Noan wasn''t too surprisedˇŞhe already knew Aldric possessed such a skill.

    But... the duration of the ''Hero Defense'' state was far too long. Could Aldric truly be invincible?

    "AAAGH!" Vylyss screamed, causing the surrounding space to tremble violently as energy waves rippled outward.

    "Pfff!" Aldric suddenly coughed up a mouthful of blood, shock evident on his face.

    "This is... sound waves?! No... these are spatial waves..." he muttered.

    A searing pain surged through his entire body, and he could no longer hold on to Noan.

    Noan broke free from Aldric''s grasp and immediately teleported away.

    At that moment, waves of spatial energy began tearing through the surroundings.

    BAM! BAM! BAM!

    Explosions erupted, each wave of energy violently disrupting the space around them.

    BAMMM!!!

    A thunderous explosion rang out, and Noan felt his eardrums had pierced.

    It was as if a giant invisible hammer had smashed into the ground, creating a massive crater over a thousand meters wide and more than ten meters deep, with spiderweb-like cracks in every direction.

    "Why do you still want to help him?!" A voice echoed inside Vylyss''s head.

    It was Morgana.

    "He''s using you to save another whore, and you still wish to serve this piece of trash?"

    "Abandon him! Come with me. Seek freedom, and together we willˇŞ"

    "SHUT UP!!!" Vylyss screamed, clutching her head with both hands and gritting her teeth.

    Two streams of energyˇŞone black, one whiteˇŞburst from her body and shot into the sky, intertwining to form a massive eye.

    "AAAGH!!!" Vylyss continued to scream in agony, still clutching her head.

    The eye in the sky opened wide, its iris radiating both an ominous, dark power and a divine, overwhelming might.

    It was split in twoˇŞone-half white, the other black.

    These opposing energies coexisted in a dangerously unstable state, as though they might explode at any moment.

    "Damn it!" Aldric cursed under his breath. He stood at the crater''s centre, feeling as though he bore the weight of an entire mountain on his backˇŞunable to rise.

    The eye above suddenly extended two tendrilsˇŞone white, one black.

    They shot down toward Vylyss and pierced her back.

    In an instant, Vylyss fell silent. Then, she stood upright, her eyes losing their usual pink hue.

    Instead, they now mirrored the giant eye floating above.

    She spread her arms and slowly rose into the sky, a black spear appearing in one hand and a white chain in the other.

    Bathed in the fading light of the setting sun, Vylyss resembled a being of both corruption and absolute powerˇŞso terrifyingly majestic that anyone who laid eyes on her would feel compelled to kneel.

    "Vylyss??!!"

 Chapter 177 177: You areâ€¦

    Noan was stunned by the situation before him but knew there was no turning back now.

    If he couldn''t defeat Aldric, he couldn''t escape, nor could he save Maya.

    The Abyss Cube in Noan''s hand transformed into a chain, immediately shooting toward Aldric.

    Aldric sensed something approaching, but with an entire mountain weighing down on his back, he could not resist.

    A strange chain wrapped tightly around his body, its tip a spinning needle rotating at a terrifying speed.

    Aldric frowned, his eyes glancing toward Noan in the distance as he said irritably, "Do you really intend to go against the government?"

    Noan didn''t respond because he knew any words would be meaningless.

    If he asked for Maya, would Aldric hand her over? The answer was no.

    A 100% compatibilityˇŞjust that alone was enough to make Maya a gift from God in their eyes. How could they so easily throw away such a gift?

    Moreover, if he spoke up, even using magic to alter his voice, Aldric could still use it to trace information about him.

    Don''t think it''s unreasonableˇŞfor a ''Fate Holder,'' everything makes sense.

    The needle spun like a drill, lunging toward Aldric.

    CLANG!

    A harsh metallic sound rang out as the needle struck the centre of Aldric''s forehead, yet it caused no damage and didn''t even move forward a single millimetre.

    "Foolish! I told youˇŞ"

    BAM!

    "ACK!"

    Before Aldric could finish his sentence, a pressure even more terrifying than what he was already bearing crashed down upon him as if two mountains were now crushing his back.

    The ground sank deeper, shattering into countless pieces, with cracks spreading in all directions like a violent earthquake was tearing through the land.

    At that moment, a drop of fresh blood dripped from where the needle had pierced Aldric''s forehead.

    Noan realized Aldric''s defence was starting to weaken. He immediately attempted to use spatial magic.

    However, he soon realized that it was useless. Aldric''s level and defences were far too overwhelming.

    The same method he used to defeat Alex wouldn''t work on Aldric.

    Vylyss hovered above, unmoving, as if she had become a stone statue.

    Her face showed no emotion. The black wings stretching behind her slowly spread, consuming the space around her like ink bleeding through the water.

    ...

    In the distance, a government officer witnessed the scene unfolding. One raised a magic rifle, aiming it at Noan''s head.

    His finger was just about to pull the trigger when a crow suddenly appeared, perching right on the gun barrel.

    "What?! What the hell is this?" The officer flinched in shock upon realizing that the crow had only one eyeˇŞbut that eye was so large it sent a chill down his spine.

    "Shh!" At that moment, a voice whispered in his ear, "This is their battle. You are not allowed to interfere."

    The voice was haunting and seductive, yet it carried an overwhelming sense of menace.

    "Look!"

    "Feathers? No... crow feathers!"

    "What is going on? Crow feathers? Why are there so many of them?"

    Crow feathers filled the sky like rain, a surreal sight that began to stir unease among the government personnel.

    But then, an overwhelming wave of drowsiness suddenly swept over them, leaving them defenceless against it.

    One by one, they collapsed to the ground.

    ...

    Back to Noan.

    At this point, he couldn''t get too close to Aldric because the space around Aldric seemed to be compressed to its absolute limit.

    Even to the naked eye, the distortion in the air was visibleˇŞspace itself twisted and warped like fabric being crumpled by invisible hands.

    And yet, Aldric miraculously remained standing at the centre, alive.

    More than thatˇŞhe was still resisting. His hands were clenched so tightly they had turned white, and a needle was still lodged into his forehead, struggling to pierce through his skull.

    Aldric gritted his teeth, frowning as he muttered, "Quite strong... but this alone isn''t enough to defeat me."

    "With unshakable faith in justice, in the name of the Royal Guard, I summon youˇŞ"

    "Lancer!"

    In the distance, Malrik had been observing everythingˇŞfrom what happened to the government agents to the battle between Noan and Aldric.

    To say he had been pushed out of the battlefield would be wrong. More accurately, he had chosen to remove himself from it.

    At that moment, the knight Lancer was tightly bound by countless spirits, unable to move.

    It trembled as if desperately trying to break free, but there were too many spirits.

    In addition, the hellfire continuously burned away at its energy, rendering it unable to use any magic or skills.

    "Well! Well! Well! Calm down now. You''re nothing more than a suit of armour that can move," Malrik said, holding a thick book in his hand as he looked toward the knight Lancer. "If I wished it, you could become one of the tortured souls writhing in agony here."

    "However, you''re still useful, so I let you live. So stay quiet. I need to observe the wheel of fate turning for them."

    The knight Lancer, bound by countless spirits, suddenly vanished at that very moment.

    Even as he witnessed the scene, Malrik showed no surprise. He simply remained silent, watching it all unfold.

    "Aren''t you going to save him?" a voice suddenly spoke from behind Malrik.

    Malrik didn''t turn around. He responded softly, "This is the path of the wheel of fate. I do not need to interfere."

    "Though dangerous, this is a turning point for our master."

    At that, the person behind Malrik sighed quietly, then turned and walked away.

    ...

    Noan heard Aldric''s scream, and worry surged in his heart.

    He knew Aldric had many trump cards, and the fact that Aldric was a ''Fate Holder'' only made those cards even more terrifying.

    He turned and looked toward the container truck, despair flooding his chest.

    Noan tried again, charging toward the container, throwing a punch with all his might.

    BAM!

    The pressure exploded, turning into a shockwave that radiated outward.

    However, his fist only struck the protective barrier surrounding it, unable to even touch the container itself.

    "Maya..." Noan muttered. But he didn''t stopˇŞhe continued punching the vehicle with everything he had.

    BAM! BAM! BAM! BAM!

    However, the vehicle remained completely still, and the magical barrier surrounding it showed no signs of cracking under Noan''s power.

    At this point, Noan seemed to lose all patience. He unleashed the full extent of his talents.

    His fist turned pitch black, resembling Urlgan''s skin, and was engulfed in a flame of blue and green.

    Even the space around his fist began to warp and distort.

    The three most powerful innate abilities he possessed were now all focused on this one punch.

    If it failed, he would have to flee. But if it succeeded, then all of his efforts would be worth it.

    BAAAM!!!

    A thunderous explosion rang out. Countless space ripples burst from where his fist collided with the magical barrier, turning into fierce gusts of wind blowing in all directions.

    Crack!

    Suddenly, a small fracture appeared on the surface of the protective magic.

    Noan saw that crack as a beacon of hope and poured every ounce of strength into breaking through the magical defence.

    Aldric sensed it. He turned his gaze toward Noan, and his eyes became deadly serious.

    He reached out, and the Lancer from earlier materialized once more in his hand.

    "It seems I underestimated you," Aldric muttered. "If you won''t become my ally, then you must die."

    "Allowing someone like you to live would endanger the peace of the Empire and the Government."

    "In the name of justice and law, I will annihilate you with all my strengthˇŞeven if it costs my life."

    Aldric''s body radiated a divine and majestic glow as he finished speaking.

    BANG!

    The surrounding spatial pressure shattered. The energy compressed to its limit erupted in an explosion, unleashing a shockwave that swept out in all directions.

    BAM! BAM! BAM!

    The shockwave was so powerful that it blew away everything in its pathˇŞeven massive stones and multi-ton vehicles were hurled into the air, unable to resist the sheer force.

    Within a ten-mile radius, everything was scattered like leaves in the wind.

    Noan was blasted backward and flung through the air for an unknown distance before crashing into a large boulder that finally stopped his momentum.

    Aldric wore a suit of heavy white armour covered in glowing golden magical runes.

    In his hand was the Lancer, and his eyes locked onto Vylyss, who was still hovering high above, seemingly unaffected by the earlier explosion.

    Suddenly, Aldric bent slightly at the waist, and thenˇŞ

    BAM!

    A loud boom erupted beneath his feet as he launched like a cannonball, hurtling toward Vylyss at a terrifying speed.

    Seeing Aldric rushing toward her, Vylyss suddenly swung her spear.

    KENG!

    The spear and the lancer clashed, sending out a powerful energy wave in all directions.

    Aldric frowned. He sensed something strange.

    "You are..."

 Chapter 178 178: Power of Fate Holder - Aldric

    As Aldric was about to say something, Vylyss''s hand holding the chain swung up. The chain shot toward Aldric like a snake, but he was faster, retreating backward.

    There was nothing in the air to support him, but Aldric''s feet seemed to step on the ground, moving gently to any position he desired.

    With each step, a magical circle appeared beneath him, supporting him. He moved freely in the air, evading the chain chasing him.

    Vylyss did not look at him; her eyes remained fixed in the distance, vacant and devoid of emotion.

    "Can''t you hear me?" Morgana''s voice rang out in Vylyss''s mind: "Give up on him."

    "This is a good opportunity for us to do so. Let that boy kill him, and it will all be over."

    "We were not born to be slaves to others; wake up; you deserve something better."

    "He is using people to save another girl. Do you still want to help him? He doesn''t care about you, doesn''t care about your feelings."

    "He sees you only as a slave, a tool to help him fight. Do you still blindly love him?"

    At this moment, tears flowed from Vylyss''s eyes like two small streams on her beautiful face.

    Vylyss bit her lip, then said, "So what?"

    "You..." Morgana shouted angrily: "Don''t you want freedom?"

    "He... is my freedom." Vylyss responded with determination: "I will be his shield, his sword."

    "Scum! You..."

    "Enough, Morgana, you''ve failed," Nymeris spoke up.

    After hearing this, Morgana was silent for a long time, then said, "She''s just temporarily foolish. Once she sees the true nature of that boy, she will change."

    Vylyss was now more resolute than ever, with nothing that could compare.

    She held a spear in her hand, her eyes filled with determination and a fierce fighting spirit as she charged toward Aldric.

    Aldric, seeing Vylyss charging, was not afraid. The lancer in his hand swung out.

    Clang! Clang! Clang!

    The sound of constant clashes echoed.

    Aldric and Vylyss became two beams of black and green light, repeatedly colliding and separating mid-air.

    Each time they collided, a wave of energy spread around them like a whirlwind.

    Within a ten-mile radius, no one could approach, or the energy wave would destroy them.

    Aldric, while fighting, anxiously looked toward the government agents. His eyes constantly searched for them.

    Clang!

    In a moment of distraction, Aldric was struck by Vylyss''s spear.

    Luckily, Aldric''s armor was strong enough to block the tip of her spear.

    However, a small dent appeared on the armor, enough to prove that his armor was not indestructible.

    "Damn it!" Aldric shouted angrily, swinging the lancer in his hand down with all his strength.

    Vylyss didn''t raise her spear to block it but swung the chain in her hand.

    Cling! Cling!

    The chain quickly wrapped around Aldric''s lancer, fixing it in mid-air.

    "Huh!" Aldric contemptuously kicked toward Vylyss''s stomach.

    BAM!

    Vylyss, caught off guard by this, was immediately kicked backward, like a meteor falling to the ground.

    BAAAMM!!

    The ground where she landed sank deep, dust rising up to obscure her body.

    But Aldric didn''t let up. He dove down after her. The lancer in his hand aimed straight at Vylyss''s head, thrusting downward at bullet speed.

    Cling! Cling!

    At that moment, the space around him was punctured, and countless chains shot out, binding him tightly.

    Aldric, fixed in mid-air, showed no fear and immediately shouted,

    "Vortex!"

    A green glow suddenly emanated from Aldric''s body, and countless gusts of wind erupted from him.

    Clang! Clang! Clang!

    The gusts turned into countless wind blades, severing Vylyss''s chains.

    Immediately, a vortex formed in the air, with the vortex''s tail being the lancer''s sharp tip, rushing swiftly toward Vylyss.

    "Darkness!" Vylyss shouted.

    The space was suddenly enveloped in darkness, and the enormous eye in the sky came to life.

    It looked down at Aldric, and countless black chains surged like tentacles, making it appear like a giant octopus.

    In the sky, numerous chains from different directions rushed toward the green vortex.

    The majestic sight, filled with a destructive power, struck fear into anyone who saw it.

    The chains were pulled into the vortex and sliced apart by countless wind blades, but their number was vast and seemingly infinite.

    The severed chains turned into particles of light, instantly vanishing. But then, more chains immediately replaced them.

    The sound of metal clashing and the shrill whistle of wind rang out endlessly.

    Vylyss stood on the ground, holding her spear, her face resolute as she looked toward Aldric.

    Her body was now covered in cuts. Though the wounds weren''t too severe, the sheer number of them caused blood to flow, soaking her body.

    However, Vylyss paid no attention to this.

    The spear in her hand gradually shrank, transforming into a black energy sphere the size of a tennis ball.

    Yet, the wild energy within it was terrifying enough for Aldric, still in the air, to feel its presence.

    He even felt a bit of fear toward the energy sphere.

    Vylyss held the black sphere tightly with both hands. At the same time, a white chain shot out from behind her, wrapping around the black sphere and turning it into a star with six rotating rings around it.

    She released the sphere, letting it fly toward Aldric.

    Its speed was not fast, but wherever it passed, the space in that area was severely warped, even showing signs of shattering.

    It slowly flew toward Aldric, who, of course, saw the sphere coming.

    His instincts told him that the sphere was incredibly dangerous. If he confronted it head-on, there would surely be no good outcome.

    But countless chains around him, like snakes, relentlessly tried to bind him despite his wind blades constantly severing them.

    "Don''t think you can defeat me!" Aldric shouted angrily.

    "Justice will always prevail, and the hero will stand tall after the battle."

    "I... will surely win."

    "Hero Defense!"

    "The blessing of the Wind Goddess."

    "The Hymn of the Knights."

    Immediately, three types of magical symbols surrounded Aldric''s body.

    Each magical symbol exuded an air of majesty and divine power.

    They transformed into three beams of light, merging into Aldric''s body.

    At that moment, the black sphere appeared before him, and then...

    Silence...

    Everything suddenly fell into silence.

    The surrounding space instantly lost its color, leaving only black and white.

    Then, a blinding beam of light burst forth, enveloping the vast area.

    In the distance, Noan was startled by the sight. He could feel the destructive power of the white light, enough to send a shiver of fear through him.

    Malrik suddenly appeared beside him, waving the book in his hand.

    The book floated in mid-air, opening to a random page.

    WHOOSH!

    The destructive beam of light began to cover them, but the book emitted a mysterious purple glow at that moment.

    The glow formed a dome, enveloping Malrik and Noan inside, protecting them from the deadly light.

    Moments later, the light faded, replaced by the sound of a terrifying explosion.

    BOOMMM!!!!

    A mushroom-shaped smoke column over two hundred meters high appeared, followed by a devastating shockwave that swept outward like a raging storm.

    The ground shook violently, breaking apart into countless pieces. The shockwave carried a searing heat that burned everything within a ten-mile radius.

    The world was consumed by smoke and dust.

    The mushroom-shaped fire column was so tall that it could be seen from over fifty miles away.

    Noan was stunned and quickly asked, "Malrik, Vylyss is there, she..."

    "Don''t worry, master, she''s still safe, and it''s just... we can no longer save Maya."

    Upon hearing this, Noan clenched his fists. He knew that the explosion was so immense it would surely attract the government''s and the Empire''s attention.

    Because of this... he had no choice but to retreat. Even if he stayed, he wouldn''t be able to save Maya.

    Noan took a deep breath and made a difficult decision: "Malrik, let''s save Vylyss first, then retreat for now."

 Chapter 179 179: No!!!

    Aldric stood at the center of the explosion.

    The divine armor he wore was shattered, revealing a muscular body that was nearing perfection.

    However, that body was now covered in severe burn wounds, with fresh blood staining every inch of it.

    Despite the heavy injuries, he seemed unaffected by the pain, his gaze fixed on the distant horizon, filled with worry as though searching for something.

    After a while, he struggled to drag his wounded body to an area more than five miles away from the explosion site.

    With the little energy left in his body, he used wind magic to help him move faster.

    At this moment, his thoughts no longer dwelled on Vylyss, Noan, or anything else.

    He just wanted to find the government agents who had accompanied him quickly.

    Aldric arrived at the location where the government agents had hidden earlier.

    What he saw before he caused his heart to ache like a knife had been plunged into it.

    The vehicles were burned to ashes, bits of charred flesh scattered across the ground.

    He even saw a few charred bodies curled up on the ground.

    Thanks to its protective magic, the container truck was fortunately not affected too much, only slightly singed.

    Aldric clenched his fist so tightly that his nails dug into his palm, blood dripping onto the ground.

    "My friends... my comrades... those who lived for my justice..."

    "Damn it! Damn it! I will tear you into a thousand pieces..."

    ...

    Noan used teleportation magic to get closer to Vylyss.

    At this moment, her condition wasn''t good either. Her body was covered in burn wounds; one of her wings had been completely burned, and the other was also filled with scorch marks and countless holes.

    Vylyss knelt on the ground, propping herself up with her hands, her breath faint.

    Seeing Noan rushing toward her, she smiled cheerfully: "Master... are you... okay?"

    Seeing Vylyss''s condition, Noan was filled with self-blame. It was because of him that she had been hurt so badly.

    If only... if only he were stronger, everything wouldn''t be this bad today.

    "Let''s go, we need to..."

    "Be careful!" Malrik suddenly shouted.

    At that moment, a beam of light shot toward Noan at incredible speed.

    Noan reacted swiftly, and the Abyss Cube in his hand immediately transformed into a massive shield, blocking in front of him.

    BAM!

    The beam of light collided with the shield, emitting a deafening sound.

    The shield trembled violently, pushed backward.

    Noan quickly teleported to another location, but as soon as he appeared, Aldric appeared in front of him.

    Unlike before, Aldric''s body was now covered in wounds and bloodstains, his face twisted in anger, making him appear even more ferocious.

    "You''re dead, bastard!!!" Aldric shouted.

    BAM!

    "ACK!"

    Aldric''s foot kicked Noan in the stomach, sending him flying more than ten meters backward, rolling on the ground several times before finally stopping.

    Noan stood up, lucky that his physical strength had increased significantly; otherwise, that kick might have taken his life.

    Before he could even regain his composure, Aldric charged at him once again.

    Noan quickly teleported again to dodge, keeping his distance.

    But when he reappeared, his instincts screamed that he was about to die.

    Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

    The sound of countless wind blades whistling through the air filled the space, followed by a barrage of wind blades, as if they had been waiting for him for a long time.

    Clang! Clang! Clang!

    However, the wind blades didn''t hit Noan. Instead, they were shattered by a hand made of blue-green flame.

    The hand grabbed Noan and pulled him back.

    Malrik, holding Vylyss with one arm, held the black book in his other hand and began to flee.

    "Running away, huh?! You bastard! If you don''t die today, then I''m the dog!" Aldric roared angrily.

    At this moment, countless streaks of green light appeared on his body, wrapping around him like roots.

    "My friends... my comrades... you bastard! I''ll cut off your head and offer it as a sacrifice to their souls!"

    Aldric suddenly moved, his strength and speed increasing dramatically, causing Noan to feel a surge of fear.

    In a panic, Noan quickly used Teleportation, attempting to move everyone to the farthest possible location.

    However, as soon as he used Teleportation, he realized that the space around him had been locked, and he couldn''t teleport.

    "What the hell is going on?!" Noan exclaimed in shock.

    In that moment, Aldric rushed to Noan''s side, kicking him fiercely.

    BAM!

    The fire hand was shattered by Aldric''s kick, turning into small sparks flying everywhere.

    The force of the kick didn''t stop, continuing straight for Noan''s head.

    Noan didn''t hesitate and swung his arm to block the attack.

    BAM!

    Although Noan managed to block Aldric''s kick, he felt his arm aching as if it were about to break.

    Aldric didn''t give Noan a moment to breathe. He spun mid-air, his toe crashing straight down on Noan''s head.

    Noan, now fully alert, engaged every reflex nerve in his body.

    He extended his hands, crossing them over his head to block the descending kick, which felt like an axe coming down.

    BAM!

    This time, the impact was different. The kick was so powerful that Noan had to kneel on the ground.

    His head collided with the ground, causing a deep dent where he landed, with cracks spreading around him like a spider''s web.

    "Damn it!" Noan gritted his teeth in pain, unable to contain his inner curse.

    The Abyss Cube in his hand turned into a needle, piercing through space, aiming for Aldric''s eye.

    Smash!

    At that moment, Aldric''s hand caught the tiny needle with terrifying speed.

    For the first time, Noan saw someone able to catch a needle covered by his spatial magic with their bare hand.

    He didn''t hesitate, using all his strength to throw a punch at Aldric''s face.

    No matter how strong a human''s body is, the throat and nose remain two of the most vulnerable areas.

    However, as Noan''s fist was about to land, Aldric''s other hand struck directly at it.

    BAM!

    The two fists collided, but Noan felt a sharp pain in his fist, causing him to stagger backward.

    He looked down, seeing his fingers broken, the bones piercing through the skin and protruding out.

    Noan gritted his teeth, struggling to suppress the pain as he stumbled backward. He attempted to use Teleportation again, but he could not move once more.

    Aldric, like a madman, continued charging forward, attacking Noan with brutal punches and kicks.

    Noan relied on his instincts to dodge, but he was no match for Aldric''s speed and was repeatedly struck.

    BAM!

    Aldric''s kick landed once more, hitting Noan square in the chest.

    "PFFF!!" Noan spat out a mouthful of blood, stumbling back more than ten meters before collapsing to his knees.

    He struggled to breathe, feeling as though his ribcage had broken and punctured his lungs.

    The heavy bleeding caused blood to pour from his eyes, nose, mouth, and ears like small streams.

    Seeing Noan kneeling on the ground, Aldric took slow steps toward him.

    At that moment, Malrik appeared, his hand raised as countless souls charged toward Aldric.

    However, it was as if divine forces protected Aldric''s body. A flash of light appeared, instantly turning the approaching souls into ashes.

    Whoosh!

    Aldric suddenly vanished, only to reappear right before Malrik in the blink of an eye.

    His speed was so fast that Noan thought Aldric must have some Space ability.

    BAM!

    A kick sent Malrik flying backward over a hundred meters.

    Aldric didn''t stop, immediately charging toward Malrik, attacking him relentlessly.

    Noan knew Malrik was buying time, so he quickly rushed toward Vylyss, grabbing her to escape.

    But as soon as he moved, Aldric appeared right in front of him.

    The speed was so fast that Noan couldn''t help but believe that Aldric had some kind of Space ability.

    Just a moment ago, Aldric stood before Malrik, more than a hundred meters away.

    But now, in the blink of an eye, Aldric was standing right before Noan.

    The speed was on par with Noan''s own Space ability.

    "Want to run? I''ll leave your damn life for you!" Aldric growled.

    He swung his leg, kicking Noan in the face.

    Noan couldn''t think much, instinctively raising his arms to block.

    BAM!

    "ACK!"

    CRACK!

    The painful sound of Noan''s scream was accompanied by the sickening sound of bones snapping.

    Noan was sent flying backward over a hundred meters, both arms broken, the bones piercing through his flesh, protruding from the skin.

    He rolled several times on the ground before finally coming to a stop.

    But he didn''t care much about his broken arms. He immediately looked toward Vylyss.

    He only saw Aldric holding the lancer, aiming it straight at her head.

    "NO!!!"

 Chapter 180: Noans thinking

    Noan''s eyes looked like they were about to explode, his face filled with fear.

    At this moment, he could feel his own weakness. So what if he had an SSS-rank talent?

    When faced with powerful enemies, he still failed. He was still far too weakˇŞunless he had enough time to become stronger.

    But... now, he didn''t have that.

    The tip of the lancer was about to pierce through Vylyss''s head, and all he could do was scream in helpless despair.

    Not just VylyssˇŞhe couldn''t save Maya either.

    In the end, he was just a fool, not only cowardly but also weak.

    Despair... consumed his entire mind.

    Not only despairing over being unable to save anyone but also toward himself.

    At that very moment, the lancer in Aldric''s hand suddenly halted.

    Whoosh!

    Its momentum created a powerful gust of wind that blew against Vylyss''s face and rippled outward.

    Even Vylyss, who had prepared herself for death, was startled. She stared in confusion at the lancer in Aldric''s hand.

    "Hahaha... how could such a brilliant show go on without me, right?"

    A voice rang out, full of enchantment and seduction, accompanied by a storm of crow feathers that rained down from the sky.

    Aldric gritted his teeth, sensing something strange unfolding inside his bodyˇŞhis sense of touch fading away.

    Yes, his arms and legs were starting to numb, and his energy flow soon turned chaotic.

    Crop! Crop! Crop!

    The sound of high heels stepping on the ground echoed. From a distance, a woman in a black cloak approached.

    Though the cloak concealed her entire figure, revealing only part of her face, that alone was enough for others to recognize her as a stunning beauty.

    In particular, her sensual lips, painted with a shade of violet, made her seem even more bizarre and alluring.

    Noan jolted when he saw the woman because he knew who she was.

    It was IsabellˇŞthe woman he had met at the "Anomaly Point."

    However... how could someone from the "Anomaly Point" appear here?

    Isabell walked up beside Aldric. Reaching her hand, she gently tapped her index finger on his shoulder.

    Aldric, who had been strong just moments ago, now swayed, almost falling due to this small action.

    Fortunately, he drove the lancer into the ground, using it as a support point to keep himself standing barely.

    Aldric gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with hatred as he glared at Isabell. "Who are you?"

    "Ah! Can you guess who I am?" Isabell mocked him, her voice dripping with amusement.

    This only made Aldric even angrier. "Do you want to save him?"

    "That''s right," Isabell said as she stepped in front of Noan, extending her hand to gently lift his chin, positioning his face to meet hers.

    "No! He is a criminal!" Aldric immediately shouted. "He killed my friends, all of whom were employees of the Government and the Empire."

    "I must act on behalf of Justice and the Judiciary. I want to kill him and bring peace to this place."

    "So boring..." Isabell sighed and said, "Can you stop saying such boring things?"

    "Besides, I want to take him. Can you stop me?"

    "You..." Aldric gritted his teeth, but Isabell was right.

    At that moment, Aldric seemed to be in some strange state.

    His body was numb, and although he could still move, every action, even the smallest, drained him of so much energy.

    Now, don''t even mention fightingˇŞstanding was already a struggle.

    "You bastard! Do you want to become an enemy of the Empire and the Federation Government? If you want to die, I''ll..."

    Suddenly, Aldric''s words stopped as he saw something he had seen many times through the accounts of previous members of the Royal Guard.

    On the front of Isabell''s cloak was the symbol of a blue phoenix, its two wings curled into a circle, its head facing inward.

    "You are... a member of the Phoenix Guild?!" Aldric stammered.

    "That''s right. Hahaha... congratulations, you guessed correctly, but there''s no reward." Isabell laughed.

    She moved her finger from Noan''s chin to his neck, then pressed lightly on it.

    "Um!" Noan felt a sharp pain.

    A drop of blood dripped from the point of contact between Isabell''s fingernail and Noan''s neck.

    She raised her finger, stained with the blood, extended her long tongue, and licked it.

    Noan noticed a strange tattoo on her tongue, though he couldn''t make it out clearly.

    Isabell savoured Noan''s blood like she was enjoying a glass of expensive wine.

    She stood up, laughing as she said, "I''m not going to kill you because you''re the disciple of that bastard. If not, you would have been dead by now."

    "You... you know my master?" Aldric flinched, his face filled with confusion.

    "Can you guess?" Isabell replied in a teasing tone.

    She then snapped her fingers.

    Snap!

    A gust of wind arose, carrying countless crow feathers that covered the entire area.

    "If he comes back, tell him that the debt from before, I will collect it."

    Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

    The sound of the wind screeched, and the crow feathers vanished, along with Noan''s group.

    At that moment, Aldric could feel the numbness fading away.

    He lowered his head, looking at his hands, then gazed off into the distance, his face filled with confusion.

    However, right after, he furrowed his brow, his voice filled with determination and killing intent as he spoke: "For now, you may have escaped, but later, I will use these very hands to kill you."

    ...

    In a desolate place.

    Noan and Vylyss were laid side by side on the ground. Noan was still conscious, so he could tell this was an abandoned amusement park with no one else around.

    Malrik stood beside him, repeatedly thanking him: "Truly, thank you. We''re lucky you saved my Master. If not, the consequences would have been truly disastrous."

    Isabell, hearing this, didn''t seem to react much. She looked at Noan and smiled: "How many times have we met? This time I saved you, what do you plan to do to repay me?"

    Noan sighed long, then said, "Thank you, but I don''t think I can repay you."

    "Hm?! What do you mean by that..." Isabell didn''t get angry. On the contrary, she seemed more intrigued.

    "You''re so strong. What could I do for you?"

    "Hahaha..." Isabell laughed, her voice filled with allure: "Don''t say that, at least, you could make me happy."

    Noan: "..."

    "Alright, you can think of a way to repay me," Isabell said, standing up. She took a small jar from her pocket and tossed it to Malrik. "Give it to him and the girl to drink."

    "Next time we meet, I hope you''ll surprise me or offer something interesting."

    After speaking, she snapped her fingers.

    A gust of wind blew, scattering crow feathers everywhere.

    But after the wind died down, she disappeared.

    Malrik looked at Noan, but his hands, which had been broken, had completely healed.

    Noan sighed and said, "I''m fine. We need to help Vylyss first."

    Malrik nodded and handed the jar of medicine to Noan.

    Noan didn''t hesitate, opening the small jar in his hand and pouring out two black pills, about the size of his pinky finger, emitting a faint purple glow and a strong medicinal scent.

    Noan knew that Isabell wouldn''t harm him. If she wanted to, she would have done it already.

    After all, he was too weakˇŞhe had no means of resistance before her.

    He wasn''t even a match for Aldric, and in front of her, Aldric seemed like nothing more than a small chicken.

    That clearly showed that he was even worse than a chick.

    Therefore, he believed the medicine she gave him would likely heal him.

    Noan kept one pill for himself and put the other in Vylyss''s mouth.

    As soon as the pill touched her mouth, it completely dissolved without her having to swallow it.

    Immediately, a purple light enveloped Vylyss''s entire body, slowly healing her wounds.

    Her face also softened as if she were peacefully sleeping.

    Seeing this, Noan sighed again, then sat on the ground, lowering his head and saying nothing further.

    "Malrik, I''m very weak, aren''t I?" Noan suddenly asked.

    Malrik also sighed. He sat beside Noan, gently placing his bony hand on Noan''s shoulder and said, "Master, you''re not weak."

    "It''s just... the enemies you''ve encountered are too strong, strong enough to make us despair."

    "However, you need to be more proactive."

    "What do you mean..." Noan looked up, confused, at Malrik.

    Malrik laughed, saying, "Kekekeke... Master, I don''t know why you''re so cautious. Although it''s good, it makes your strength grow slower."

    "That''s why I think we should be more proactive. For example... we should take advantage of those around us to bring more benefits to us instead of waiting for them to come begging for our help."

    Noan was startled when he heard that. He suddenly thought of a certain group of people he could use to seize the opportunities of those around him.

    Yes, they were the ''Fate Holders''.

 Chapter 181: Aldrics decide

    At another location.

    In the office of Queen Catherine.

    BAM!

    Catherine sat at her desk, throwing a scroll at the head of a middle-aged man kneeling before her.

    "This morning, there was chaos at the academy, and almost the seal of that man was destroyed."

    "And tonight, a convoy of government staff and Royal Guards was attacked. Are you really in control of this city or not?"

    Hearing Catherine''s words, the middle-aged man lowered his head, pressing his lips tightly together.

    His determined expression showed slight difficulty, but then he sighed and said, "Your Majesty, security has been tightened a lot."

    "The Royal Guards and government staff have been deployed more around the city. However, this is truly strange. Please give me time to investigate."

    "Time?" Catherine coldly said, "How much time do you need? While you investigate, how much more chaos will this city descend into? Do you even know?"

    "I''m sorry, Your Majesty." The man bowed his head, seemingly unaffected by Catherine''s anger, remaining calm and composed to a frightening degree.

    Catherine, seeing how calm he was, felt her anger grow stronger.

    However, she tried to control her fury and asked, "Have you checked all the information on the Lords who just returned from the Chaos World?"

    "Checked, Your Majesty." The man nodded and said, "Even their summoning of the beasts to the city has been thoroughly examined."

    "All the data has been cross-referenced with the energy fluctuation levels at the Academy and tonight''s battle. However, the strange thing is that none of the information matches up."

    "This suggests... it seems those people came from outside."

    "What do you mean..." Catherine furrowed her brows.

    "That''s right, Your Majesty." The man continued, "According to the remaining witnesses and Aldric, it seems they came from the Phoenix Guild."

    Upon hearing this, Catherine sighed, feeling somewhat weary.

    "Aldric... is a disciple of that person?" Catherine suddenly asked.

    "That''s right."

    "Is he alright?" The Queen suddenly inquired about Aldric.

    However, the man replied, "He''s fine, just injured quite a bit."

    Catherine nodded slightly, sighing and saying, "Increase the patrols. Any suspicious persons, you may capture and investigate first."

    "Yes, Your Majesty."

    "Call Aldric here."

    "At once, Your Majesty." The man bowed, then left the room.

    Catherine leaned back in her chair, trying to calm herself.

    "Master, are you alright?" The maid standing beside Catherine gently asked, her voice filled with concern and worry.

    Catherine waved her hand dismissively. "I''m fine, don''t worry."

    She said it, but deep down, she felt uneasy.

    In truth, she wasn''t fine.

    An odd feeling had recently emerged in her heart, especially five days ago.

    That feeling made her heart beat faster, more anxiously, more hesitantly, and more prone to embarrassment.

    She didn''t know what kind of feeling it was; at first, she thought it was just her instinct that was telling her that something dangerous was happening.

    But a few days later, the feeling grew clearer, and she suddenly realized how strange it was.

    Catherine immediately thought of Carlotta.

    But why would Carlotta be feeling this way? Could it be...

    Catherine didn''t dare to think about it further because it was too horrifying, too unreasonable.

    Fortunately, that feeling had disappeared in the past two days, but instead, she felt a sense of sadness, exhaustion, and frustration.

    Catherine frowned, silently cursing: ''Damn it! Carlotta, what the hell are you doing?''

    Knock! Knock! Knock!

    Suddenly, a knock on the door interrupted Catherine''s thoughts.

    The maid beside her nodded at Catherine, then raised her voice: "Please come in!"

    Crack!

    The door to the room opened, and Aldric entered, his body wrapped in many white bandages, with several injuries on his face that hadn''t been treated yet.

    At this moment, he was still wearing the Royal Guard uniform, his face serious and determined as he stepped into the room.

    He approached Catherine, kneeling before her, respectfully saying, "Your Majesty, my most honourable and noble Queen."

    Catherine nodded slightly. "It seems you''ve just been through a difficult battle."

    Aldric felt deeply ashamed upon hearing this, bowing his head even lower, saying, "Please punish me, Your Majesty. I couldn''t protect everyone, so I let them die at the hands of those evil ones."

    "I willingly accept any punishment."

    As Aldric spoke, he removed his cloak from his back and offered it with both hands, his expression full of resolve.

    Catherine sighed upon seeing this and said, "This is not your fault. After all, this time, your opponent is a Phoenix Guild member. Even if it were someone else, preserving their life would have been difficult, let alone protecting others."

    "You are fortunate to have returned; I will not punish you."

    "However, Aldric, do you want revenge?"

    Aldric, hearing this, lifted his head, his eyes filled with hatred as he looked at Catherine. He nodded and said, "Definitely! Your Majesty, I want to kill the one responsible for the deaths of my comrades and the government staff."

    "I want to kill them not just for revenge but to preserve peace for this city, for this Empire."

    "Very well..." Catherine nodded, a look of satisfaction appearing in her eyes. "I will give you a chance, Aldric. Have you ever heard of the Dragon Realm?"

    "Dragon Realm?" Aldric was surprised, quickly replying, "I''ve heard of it. My master once said that the Dragon Realm truly exists, but I am not worthy to go there."

    "What if I give you a chance to go there?" Catherine asked.

    Aldric was taken aback. He clenched his fists and said resolutely, "Even if I die, I will not disappoint the Queen."

    "Good! That''s what I wanted to hear." Catherine nodded, then took out a card made of a special metal.

    The card showed signs of age as if it had been waiting for many years. It was engraved with numerous strange symbols in a crude fashion.

    "This is the Pass Card. With it, you can go to the Dragon Realm, but the journey to get there is extremely difficult and terrifying," Catherine explained. "You may die before you even reach it."

    "Aldric, do you wish to embark on this irreversible journey?"

    Aldric held his fist over his chest, saying resolutely, "Your Majesty, I do not want to be weak."

    "As long as I have the opportunity, I will seize it."

    "I will become stronger to serve this Empire, to serve my noble Queen."

    Catherine threw the metal card to Aldric.

    He respectfully caught the card, carefully holding it in his hand as if it were an invaluable treasure.

    Aldric bowed to the ground, respectfully saying, "Thank you, Your Majesty. I will surely return stronger than I am now."

    "Go, I look forward to your future," Catherine waved.

    Aldric bowed once more, then stood up and left.

    As soon as he exited the room, the maid beside Catherine spoke: "Master, do you think it''s too soon to give him that?"

    Catherine shook her head, replying, "No, this is the right time. After all, he has been stuck at level 7 for so long. It''s time for the Empire to have another Dragon Knight."

    "But..." The maid seemed to want to say something but fell silent.

    "I know what you''re about to say." Catherine sighed. "However, we can''t place all our trust in that person. We should have a piece strong enough to counter them on the board."

    ...

    The next day, in a secret room within Santoro''s bar.

    Noan looked at Vylyss lying on the bed, still unconscious, but he wasn''t too worried.

    Malrik had also said that she was recovering and sleeping would help speed up the healing.

    Noan, on the other hand, had the ''Immortal'' talent, so after the battle, all his wounds had almost fully healed.

    Knock! Knock!

    The sound of a knock echoed. Noan, hearing it, called out, "Come in!"

    The door opened, and Santoro and Raito entered.

    At that moment, Santoro was holding a tablet, looking worried as he spoke, "How could you have done this?"

    "Hm?!" Noan furrowed his brows, confused as he asked, "What do you mean?"

    Santoro handed the tablet to Noan, who displayed several news items related to the day''s events.

    [Explosion of the gas pipeline on National Route 19, causing severe damage. The gas company has taken responsibility and promised to remedy the situation.]

 Chapter 182: Noans plan

    Noan looked at the news and images on the tablet, frowning. However, he seemed to realize something immediately.

    It seemed that human experimentation wasn''t something the Federation Government and the Empire wanted the public to know about.

    As a result, they decided to cover it up and place the blame on the unfortunate gas company.

    Noan felt a sense of relief because it seemed that the attack on the convoy carrying the experimental subjects would not be widely known.

    But at the same time, he was also worried because this meant the experiments were likely inhumane.

    This made him even more concerned about Maya''s safety.

    However, even though he was worried, it didn''t mean much because he was too weak.

    Last night, the convoy had only one Royal Guard to protect it, and he couldn''t save Maya.

    Now, even if he knew the location of the laboratory headquarters, it would surely be heavily guarded. How could he possibly break in to rescue her?

    Noan sighed, hoping that Maya''s 100% compatibility with the Reactor Core would allow her to survive longer and be safer.

    He returned the tablet to Santoro and said, "I need your help with something. Afterwards, I will reward you appropriately."

    Santoro looked at Raito, who also looked at him, and then they both turned to Noan.

    Santoro, now worried, asked, "My friend, it''s not that I don''t want to help you, but you know I can''t..."

    "Don''t worry," Noan waved his hand, stopping Santoro''s words. "This time, I won''t act impulsively. I just need you to buy a few things."

    Hearing that Noan only needed them to buy a few things, Santoro and Raito breathed a sigh of relief.

    "My friend, what exactly are you looking to buy?" Santoro asked.

    Noan glanced at Vylyss lying on the bed, then replied, "I need materials for building a lord''s domain, along with plans for a Hero of the Machine system, as many as possible, regardless of rank."

    "Also, I need to buy food supplies, seeds, and various grains."

    Santoro nodded upon hearing this, smiling confidently, "Ah! Is that all? No problem, I''ll have it done in a few days."

    "But don''t you want to buy soldier and hero cards?"

    Noan shook his head and said, "Soldier cards and hero cards are useless now, there''s no need to waste money on them."

    "Ah! You''ll also need to buy materials for alchemy and weapon design blueprints."

    "I will transfer the energy crystals to you, but this must be done neatly and secretly. Don''t let anyone know you''re buying in bulk, understood?"

    "I know exactly what to do." Santoro said confidently.

    Raito nodded lightly; tasks like this were simple for him.

    "Alright, Santoro, you go out first. I need to talk to Raito."

    Santoro understood and immediately left.

    Raito stayed in the room, looking at Noan, and quietly said, "I''ve had people take that trash to a secret location. Do you want to meet them?"

    "Leave them there for now, but don''t let them be idle. You understand what I mean, right?"

    Hearing Noan''s cold tone, Raito shivered. He felt that the young man before him had changed somewhat.

    He was colder, more decisive, and far more lethal.

    "I understand," Raito nodded.

    "Raito, you''re a smart person, you know exactly what I want, don''t you?" Noan said.

    Raito sighed lightly, nodding: "You need a loyal dog."

    "Congratulations, you''re right. So... what is your answer?"

    Raito frowned, looking at Noan and asking, "Do I have the option to refuse?"

    "Why don''t you try to guess?"

    "Well, I suppose that means I have no chance to refuse." Raito said, bowing respectfully and adding, "Master."

    "Very good." Noan nodded in satisfaction. "I know you still feel uncomfortable about it, but in the future, you''ll realize that your decision today was the best of your life."

    Raito sighed inwardly. He wasn''t sure whether this decision was the right one. After all, he had no chance to refuse.

    However, he knew that he would face a lot of trouble from now on.

    Raito wasn''t afraid of trouble; it was just that he didn''t have the strength to fight the troubles coming his way.

    "For now, I don''t have any orders for you. Just focus on purchasing the things I need."

    "Yes, Master." Raito nodded and left.

    At that moment, Malrik stepped out from the shadows, speaking softly: "Master, Caleb and Austin have arrived at the location as you instructed."

    Noan nodded lightly, his gaze now more determined than before, with no trace of fear or worry remaining.

    ...

    At a luxurious restaurant.

    This place was reserved for Lords or the wealthy in the VIP room.

    "Do you think the two events today relate to our Master?" Austin said as he took a sip of wine.

    Caleb frowned and said, "Are you addicted to alcohol?"

    "No!" Austin replied irritably. "You know, in ten days, we''ll have to go back to that damn place. There won''t be any wine to drink there, so I want to enjoy it."

    Caleb sighed and shook his head. "Those two events were terrifying. I don''t think our Master is involved."

    "Anyway, each event has had a huge impact on the prestige of the Empire and the Government. I''m sure the Master isn''t the kind to recklessly do something like that."

    That''s right, both Caleb and Austin were well aware of the two events that had just occurred.

    Although the news and media claimed they were just unfortunate accidents, Caleb and Austin, coming from noble families, knew the truth.

    "Especially the attack on the government staff and Royal Guards. I think it was the Phoenix Guild behind it."

    Upon hearing Caleb''s words, Austin was startled. "What?! Has the Phoenix Guild already arrived in the city?"

    "Perhaps. After all, other than them, I can''t think of anyone else who could cause trouble for the Government and Empire while keeping everything so well hidden."

    Austin nodded lightly, feeling it made perfect sense.

    The attack at the academy was reported as an explosion in the research room caused by a mistake during a magical experiment.

    The attack on the government staff on National Route 19 was hidden and attributed to a gas pipeline explosion.

    If there were any other lords behind this, arrest warrants would likely already be everywhere.

    Crack!

    The door to the room suddenly opened without any knocking.

    Caleb and Austin were startled, their gazes shifting toward the door.

    There stood a young man with an ordinary face, slightly handsome but showing signs of fatigue.

    "Master!" Caleb and Austin bowed their heads and spoke.

    Even though this was the city, they maintained this habit, showing their true loyalty to him.

    "Sit down, let''s talk while eating." Noan waved his hand, signalling for them to sit.

    Once the server brought the dishes, Austin generously opened a very expensive bottle of wine and poured it into Noan''s glass.

    "Hehehe... Master, you called us here, so you must have orders for us, right?"

    Caleb shook his head at Austin''s humble expression, full of flattery, and silently sighed.

    It seemed that Austin truly viewed Noan as his master. However, they had no other choice.

    Besides, being a servant to Noan seemed quite beneficial. Caleb also had his own thoughts; he wanted to place all his bets on Noan.

    Why?

    Because his instincts told him that Noan might help him take revenge.

    Noan took a sip of the wine, finding it both bitter and spicy. He couldn''t understand why people liked it so much.

    He set the glass down, looked seriously at Austin and Caleb, and softly said, "Yes, I called you here because I have something for you to do."

    "Of course, it''s not too difficult. However, before I get into that, I need to know how much money you both have."

    "Heh?!" Noan''s question caught them off guard.

    However, Caleb and Austin both answered honestly.

    "If I ask my father for more, I can get... hmm... quite a lot, about 10 billion credit points."

    Caleb was surprised. He hadn''t thought that Austin could be so generous.

    Although he wasn''t sure what Noan intended with this question, Austin had no intention of keeping his credit points a secret.

    Austin''s thinking was simple; if he completed Noan''s task, Noan would provide him with more resources when they returned to the Chaos Zone.

    Caleb hesitated, then said, "I... this... my position in the family isn''t very high, so... I can only raise 1 billion at most."

    Noan nodded slightly, then said, "Would you be interested in doing business in the Chaos Zone?"

 Chapter 183 183: For our future

    Hearing Noan''s words, Caleb and Austin looked at each other, then turned their gaze back to Noan with expressions full of confusion.

    However, Caleb suddenly realized something and quickly asked, "Master, what you mean is... you want to bring resources from the City to the Chaos Zone to sell, right?"

    "That''s right." Noan didn''t hide it, nodding as he spoke.

    After all, Caleb and Austin thought he could bring resources from the City to the Chaos Zone, so he did not need to hide this matter. Moreover, Caleb and Austin were his slaves, and he held their lives in his hands. If he wished, they would die.

    Therefore, he knew they wouldn''t reveal this secret.

    "However, there are a few things I need to tell you. The transportation will not be as perfect as you think." Noan explained.

    "First, resources will be lost during transportation, leaving only about 30-40% of the original amount."

    "Second, I cannot transport living creatures."

    Caleb and Austin weren''t too surprised by this; on the contrary, they were so overjoyed that they wanted to shout out loud.

    They would still do it if only 10% or even 5% of the original resources remained.

    After all, bringing resources from the City to the Chaos Zone was incredibly insane, like a massive ''bug.''

    In a battle, the side with more resources would win.

    What if they controlled the distribution of resources? Caleb and Austin didn''t dare think too much about it because Noan was still here. However, they knew exactly what Noan''s intentions were. Therefore, they couldn''t control their excitement, and smiles appeared on their faces.

    "Master, if that''s the case, I can tell my father and mobilize our family''s resources."

    Upon hearing Austin''s words, Noan waved his hand and softly replied, "There''s no need to do that. This matter is very important, and it must not be exposed. The fewer people who know, the better."

    "I truly trust you, so this opportunity is for you. Do you understand?"

    "We understand, Master," Austin responded.

    At this moment, Caleb spoke up and asked, "Master, although I can''t raise much money, I can take resources from my family."

    "Also, Master, apart from food and construction resources, is there anything else you want to buy?"

    "Soldier and hero cards are no longer effective, so we can''t waste money buying them."

    Noan nodded. "I need you to buy more weapon blueprints, Machine-type Hero cards, and materials for alchemy."

    "Additionally, I need you to pay attention to potion recipes and other architectural blueprints."

    "I don''t care what they are, as long as they are useful and reasonably priced. You can gather as many as possible. The more, the better."

    "However, you must work efficiently and secretly. If this gets exposed, the secret will be out, and you''ll also be in danger."

    Caleb and Austin nodded, fully understanding what Noan had just said. After all, being able to transport resources from the City to the ''Chaos World'' was such a massive ''bug.''

    If this got exposed, it was likely that not just other lords but also the Empire and the Federal Government would take notice of them. At that point, they would be in mortal danger.

    The principle ''A commoner is innocent, but possessing a precious jade is guilty'' was well understood by everyone. However, Noan''s willingness to share this secret with them meant he truly trusted them.

    Moreover, it also meant that Noan intended to monopolize the entire flow of resources in the Chaos World.

    Naturally, the stronger Noan became and the more power he held, the more benefits Caleb and Austin would receive.

    They understood this and grew even more excited.

    "Wait!" Caleb suddenly asked. "Master, do you need the potion recipes and blueprints for alchemy?"

    "Yes." Noan nodded.

    "This...," Caleb hesitated.

    "Is there something wrong?"

    "This is a bit difficult." Caleb said, "Both of these items are listed under items managed by the Federal Government and the Empire, so acquiring them will be very challenging."

    "After all, these things are related to the economy and overall power of the Lords. Not only is trading them difficult, but their prices are also very high."

    "Buying these two items in large quantities will make it easy for the Government and Empire to track and discover us. So, I have a suggestion, and I hope Master will reconsider."

    Noan knew that what Caleb had just said was true. After all, the Alchemist and Alchemy Classes played extremely important roles in developing the Empire and the Lords'' power, so it was normal for the Government and Empire to manage them strictly.

    "Go ahead."

    Caleb hurriedly explained his thoughts: "Master, instead of buying large quantities of these items, I think we should only purchase what we truly need."

    "For example, if it''s potion recipes, we should prioritize recovery potions, strength-boosting potions, speed-boosting potions, or other basic potions."

    "As for the alchemy blueprints, it''s the same. We only need the simplest and most basic blueprints for now."

    "Of course, we can buy more advanced formulas and blueprints, but we can''t buy them in large quantities."

    "That way, even if the Government and Empire investigate, they''ll just think it''s normal because large families frequently purchase such items."

    Noan nodded upon hearing this, agreeing with Caleb''s suggestion. After all, he was still too weak and couldn''t allow anyone to discover his existence, especially because he possessed an SSS rank talent.

    Therefore, the harder it was for others to discover him, the better.

    "Good! Follow what you''ve said. You have five days to gather the resources, and once done, contact me, understood?"

    "Understood!" Austin and Caleb replied excitedly upon hearing Noan''s words.

    "One more thing, have you gathered any information on merging regions?" Noan frowned and asked.

    Austin, now in a cheerful mood, said, "Hahaha... Master, I know all about that, let me tell you."

    Austin then recounted what Santoro had told Noan, with a few additional pieces of new information.

    This information included upcoming events that would take place once the regions merged. Particularly, these events would be war-like, focusing on fighting for resources.

    Caleb frowned upon hearing this and said, "It seems... we''re in danger."

    "Hm?! What do you mean?" Austin asked, confused by Caleb''s words.

    "If the events are mostly war-related, then the D-rank lords might cooperate to eliminate all the E and F-rank lords first."

    "Heh?! Why?" Austin was taken aback and quickly asked.

    "It''s simple, and it''s a matter of resources." Caleb frowned and said, "Master also said we can trade resources and control the economic lifeblood of the Chaos World."

    "But the logic is simple. What do you think will happen if you''re just an ant but own a huge block of gold?"

    Caleb didn''t finish his sentence, but Austin knew exactly what he meant.

    Naturally, others would attack them to seize the resources they owned.

    "Don''t worry about that for now." Noan said, "I''ll ensure your safety, just focus on doing your work well."

    Caleb and Austin nodded upon hearing this, feeling a sense of reassurance in their hearts.

    Even if they faced D-rank lords, they weren''t too afraid.

    After all, Noan was an extremely mysterious existence. Even the army Noan lent them was D+ rank, so they were confident that Noan also had monsters more terrifying than D-rank.

    Austin stood up happily, holding a glass of wine, and said enthusiastically, "For our future, our loyalty to our Master!"

    Caleb also stood up, raising his glass towards Noan, respectfully saying, "For our Master, I am willing to dedicate all my strength."

    Noan smiled upon hearing this and gently nodded. Lifting his glass, he said, "For our future."

 Chapter 184 184: Grand Elder and Caleb

    Noan ate just a little before leaving. Caleb and Austin didn''t stay long either; they were eager to start carrying out the task that Noan had assigned them.

    Austin returned home and quickly went to another room, where he saw two people. One was a middle-aged man with a belly as if he were six months pregnant, and the other was a gentle middle-aged woman sitting and reading a book.

    "Father, Mother!" Austin said happily.

    The middle-aged woman, hearing him, put the book down and spoke softly, "How is it? Is something good happening?"

    The middle-aged man also laughed and said cheerfully, "Hahaha... Did you have fun? Do you need money? If you do, I can give you more, and you can spend it however you like."

    "Hehehe..." Austin scratched his head, smiling as he said, "Father, Mother, I''m indeed short on money, but... I need the money for some important matters, not for wasting."

    "Important matters?" The middle-aged man furrowed his brows, looking at his wife and then back at Austin, "What are you planning to do?"

    "Father, my big brother needs me to buy some things, and I need a lot of money. How much cash can you mobilize right now?" Austin didn''t hide it and immediately asked.

    Austin''s father stroked his chin upon hearing this, while Austin''s mother immediately spoke, "My son, what do you want to buy? Do you need that much money?"

    "Not too much, just a little of the essential items," Austin replied. "Hm... food, construction materials, potion recipes, weapon blueprints, and especially, we need to focus on the Machine-type Hero blueprint."

    "Generally, anything we can buy, just buy it all, don''t worry too much."

    "This..." Austin''s mother seemed slightly worried and asked, "Austin, who is your big brother? I''m afraid that..."

    "Alright! Alright!" Suddenly, Austin''s father laughed loudly and said, "Hahahaha... Don''t worry, and I can mobilize around 140 billion credit points. Besides that, our family has plenty of resources. I''ll give it all to you."

    "Heh?! Father, are you serious?" Austin couldn''t believe his ears and asked again in excitement.

    "Of course!" Austin''s father said firmly.

    Austin''s mother wanted to say something, but Austin''s father waved his hand, stopping her words. He even gestured for her not to say anything.

    "Father, if we mobilize that much money, will our company still operate normally?" Austin asked with concern.

    "Don''t worry. Do you think I haven''t accumulated anything over the years?" Austin''s father laughed and said, "I''m not worried, so why should you be worried?"

    "Hahahaha... Father, thank you," Austin said cheerfully. "I need to start the procurement process, but my big brother said it must be done secretly and that not many people can know about it."

    Austin''s father stroked his chin, and his eyes shone with determination.

    "I understand, don''t worry." He smiled and spoke, "You know who I am, right? Things like this are very easy for me. I promise no one will find out."

    "Hehehe... Thank you, Father," Austin said, excitedly leaving the room.

    As soon as the door closed, Austin''s mother frowned and asked, "Honey, do you trust this person Austin calls his Big Brother?"

    "Of course." Austin''s father laughed, "You know how lucky our boy is, right?"

    "Since the day he was born, even though his achievements haven''t been exceptional, I''ve noticed one thingˇŞhe''s incredibly lucky."

    "Whenever he''s in danger or trouble, someone always appears to help him."

    "This time, I trust Austin''s Big Brother too."

    "But..." Austin''s mother worriedly said, "We''ve never met this person nor had any contact with him. How can we trust him so completely like this?"

    "What if... what if... our son gets tricked?"

    Austin''s father laughed loudly: "Hahahaha... I think the chances of that are very low."

    "When he came back to the city, he said that his Big Brother helped him through the System event, even providing resources so he could develop. Don''t you remember?"

    "That... I remember, of course." Austin''s mother nodded in agreement.

    Austin''s father continued, "My wonderful wife, do you know that no lord can bring anything from the city to that world?"

    Austin''s mother nodded again: "I know that..."

    "Then..." Austin''s father laughed, "Why would Austin''s Big Brother want to buy so many things if he can''t bring them to that world?"

    Austin''s mother was taken aback, seemingly realizing something.

    "You''ve figured it out too, haven''t you?" Austin''s father smiled, "Everything a person wants to buy is necessities. So... why would he buy so many necessities for a Lord?"

    "There''s only one answer: He can bring these things to the Chaos World."

    Austin''s mother took a deep breath, trying to contain her surprise: "This... is too outrageous. How could anyone bypass the System''s rules?"

    "What if that person really exists? Or maybe we could say... a small loophole, or perhaps... it''s a special ability of that person."

    "Although I can''t be certain how that person can do this, I can say with 100% certainty that they can bring anything from this world to the Chaos World."

    "Honey... what should we do now?" Austin''s mother asked anxiously.

    "Hm?! Of course, we should help Austin, buy as many necessities as possible," Austin''s father replied.

    "But... that will affect the operation and cash flow of the companies we own."

    "Hahahaha..." Hearing Austin''s mother, he laughed loudly, "My dear wife, our company has grown so much already. Taking a small break won''t hurt."

    "Besides, we need to get involved in this grand game. The Frankyro family has been suppressing us for too long, even they..."

    Austin''s father suddenly fell silent, his gaze full of affection as he looked at Austin''s mother.

    "It''s been a long time, I... I don''t care anymore," Austin''s mother said, lowering her head, her eyes reflecting sadness and disappointment.

    "Don''t worry, this time, we can rise again," Austin''s father said confidently. "The Chaos World plays an extremely important role, affecting the power of the entire world."

    "As long as our son chooses the right person, we can rise again, and I can help you get your revenge."

    "Austin has always been very lucky. I believe this time, his luck will continue. I... will destroy the Frankyro family and kill that bastard Janky."

    ...

    At the Frankyro family estate, Caleb entered the family hall, bowed his head, and respectfully spoke to the old man sitting by the small tea table, "Elder..."

    The old man appeared in his seventies, his hair and beard nearly completely silver. But when he opened his eyes, a wave of pressure descended on Caleb, making it hard for him to breathe.

    Don''t be deceived by the old man''s age. Although he looked seventy, he was over one hundred and forty years old.

    Moreover, he was the Grand Elder of the Frankyro family.

    "Caleb, huh..." The Grand Elder spoke softly, and the pressure immediately disappeared. "What is it that you need to see me for?"

    "Grand Elder..." Caleb bowed his head, speaking respectfully. "I recall that since my arrival, I have not received any resources from the family, so I would like to ask for your help obtaining some resources."

    The Grand Elder nodded slightly, his gaze toward Caleb as if seeing through his thoughts.

    Caleb was startled and quickly lowered his head, hiding his face.

    "How long have you been here?" the Grand Elder asked.

    "Grand Elder, it''s been over fifteen years and four months," Caleb replied.

    "Ah! Has it been that fast?" The Grand Elder sighed, his voice hinting of weariness and sadness.

    "Good! Since you''ve been a member of this family for so long, based on the resources accumulated over these fifteen years, I can give you a Rank B magical item," the Grand Elder said.

    Caleb didn''t express joy at his generosity. On the contrary, he shook his head and said, "Elder, that would make you uncomfortable."

    "I don''t need a Rank B magical item, and I want to exchange it for something else. I hope you can help me."

    As Caleb spoke, he bowed his head close to the ground, showing his deep respect.

    "Hm?! What do you want?" the Grand Elder asked, confused.

    "Grand Elder, I want resources."

 Chapter 185: Caleb - Janky - Jankos

    The Grand Elder turned his head and looked at Caleb. Seeing the determination in his eyes, the Grand Elder felt somewhat confused.

    "You must understand that lords cannot bring resources into the Chaos World. Besides, it seems that you will be living there from now on instead of in this world," the Grand Elder said. "Your choice will not benefit you. On the contrary, the magical item would be a better choice."

    "Although you cannot bring it into that world, at least here, you can be safe thanks to it."

    Caleb didn''t change his mind upon hearing this. He remained firm and said, "Sorry, Grand Elder. But I still want the resources."

    The Grand Elder stared at him for a long moment, then asked, "Why?"

    "I''m sorry, I can''t tell you. If you feel this cannot be changed, I''ll take the Rank B magical item you mentioned," Caleb sighed and said.

    "Alright!" The Grand Elder nodded lightly, then threw Caleb a green card engraved with the words "Grand Elder."

    Caleb caught the card, immediately bowed his head, and said respectfully, "Thank you, Grand Elder."

    "There''s no need to thank me; this is something you deserve," the Grand Elder sighed and said. "After all, you are a member of the Frankyro family, and I can''t treat anyone unfairly."

    "Just... when the family is in danger, I hope you can give this family a way out."

    Caleb was somewhat confused upon hearing this, and his heart trembled with worry. Could it be that the Grand Elder knows I want to get revenge?

    However, as soon as this thought appeared, Caleb quickly discarded it.

    Even if the Grand Elder knew his intentions for revenge, what could he do? The Frankyro family was enormous, and he was only an E+ rank lord. He didn''t even have anything in his possession at the moment.

    Could he wipe out this colossal family?

    The answer was no.

    Thus, he just shook his head, saying nothing further. He felt like the Grand Elder had grown too old, and sometimes, saying meaningless things was normal.

    Caleb bowed and replied, "Yes, I understand."

    With that, Caleb left.

    The Grand Elder watched Caleb''s retreating figure leave the room and sighed deeply.

    His eyes were still bright and sharp, yet there was a hint of sadness and despair.

    The Grand Elder took a sip of tea, then murmured, "I truly hope the warmth I gave you will give this family a breath of life."

    ...

    Caleb tightly held the card from the Grand Elder, hurriedly heading to the Frankyro family''s storage area.

    When he arrived, he saw Jankos and several other young family members standing there. Caleb was about to leave, as he didn''t want to waste time with these worthless people.

    A mocking voice called out just as he was about to walk away.

    "Oy! Oy! Oy! Who''s this?" Jankos sneered, laughing contemptuously, "Looks like a dog just showed up."

    The young men around him immediately joined in mocking Caleb.

    "Hahaha..."

    "A dog?! How come there''s a dog in our family?"

    "You don''t know? A female dog ran into our family and gave birth to a puppy. Then, that female dog said that since the puppy was born in our family, it''s now part of the family."

    "Really? Hahahaha..."

    "That''s so ridiculous. How can something like this happen?"

    "Of course! You can see a dog standing right in front of us now."

    Caleb clenched his fists tightly. One could say that humiliation could happen anywhere.

    Wherever there were heroes, there were also miserable people everywhere.

    Just because someone was being bullied didn''t mean they were bad; on the contrary, they were just weak and unable to resist, which is why they were being tormented.

    Caleb was the illegitimate son of another woman, and that woman was a prostitute.

    Because of this, his existence in this place was considered filthy. But since the Grand Elder had brought him in, claiming that he had the bloodline of the Jankyro family, he was considered a member of the family.

    This caused everyone, already furious, to become even more frenzied.

    They wished they could tear Caleb into a thousand pieces and throw him into the garbage pit.

    His existence was undoubtedly a massive disgrace to a giant family like this.

    However, because Caleb had been brought in by the Grand Elder, everyone could only humiliate him a little, but they couldn''t harm him, let alone kill him.

    Caleb took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, then turned to leave.

    He wasn''t a fool, and losing his composure over a few taunts was beneath him. Besides, he had heard these kinds of insults many times before, so hearing them a little more wouldn''t matter.

    In his heart, he had already memorized the faces of those mocking him. When he had enough power, he would take revenge and kill all these filthy people.

    Jankos saw that Caleb paid him no attention, making him extremely uncomfortable.

    He frowned and said, "Oy! Why aren''t you kneeling when you see me?"

    Caleb suddenly stopped, turned around, and shot a sharp, cold glance at Jankos. However, he didn''t respond and immediately turned to leave.

    "Huh!" Jankos, furious, charged towards Caleb, but a figure appeared in front of him instantly.

    "You..." Jankos looked at the person standing before him and asked, "Father, why are you stopping me?"

    Janky said nothing, simply shaking his head. Jankos, sensing something was off, glanced at Caleb before looking away.

    When Caleb had completely left, Janky sighed deeply and said, "You''re too reckless, Jankos."

    "Father, seeing him makes me feel so uncomfortable. Can''t I teach him a lesson?" Jankos asked.

    Janky shook his head. "The Grand Elder brought him here, which means everything you do, the Grand Elder knows about. It''s just that the degree is not high enough, so he doesn''t want to interfere."

    "This time, he''s carrying the Grand Elder''s card, which means the Grand Elder has given him something or a task. If you teach him a lesson, then..."

    Although Janky didn''t finish his sentence, Jankos understood the implication clearly.

    It meant that Caleb was working for the Grand Elder. If Jankos caused trouble with Caleb, it would be akin to delaying the Grand Elder''s work.

    "Tsk!" Jankos clicked his tongue in frustration, muttering, "Just a dog... what can he possibly do?"

    "Alright, wait until you have enough power to become the Family Head. When that happens, you can chop him into pieces and feed him to the dogs. No one will dare to oppose you," Janky said with a frown.

    Jankos, hearing this, glanced in the direction Caleb had gone, then turned back to look at Janky, his frown deepening. "And it''s because of you. Why did you go outside to find that prostitute? Now you''ve brought trouble into our family."

    "You..." Janky wanted to rebut but couldn''t find any words to counter.

    Jankos was right. Back then, he was young and didn''t think things through. Caleb''s mother had been beautiful, and because of that, Janky had acted impulsively without considering the consequences.

    Later, when he became the Family Head of the Frankyro family, he remembered that girl. But she was just a prostitute, so he couldn''t marry her as a concubine.

    To handle the matter, he had no choice but to...

    Janky sighed. The events from that year were known only to him, the Grand Elder, and his wife.

    However, it seemed that Jankos knew about what he had done with that woman.

    So what?

    When standing before absolute power, love was nothing but an obstacle in the way.

    He frowned and said, "Jankos, tomorrow, go to Lylia''s family and meet with her for a bit. Understand?"

    Hearing this, Jankos felt uneasy. The day before, during his banquet, no one from that family had come to congratulate him.

    In fact, they didn''t even bother to send any gifts or greetings. Did that family no longer want to form an alliance with his family?

    However, Jankos, of course, didn''t give up. Thinking about Lylia, he felt a sense of joy in his heart.

    That girl not only had an incredibly high rank, but she also possessed a unique talent that everyone longed for.

    He... of course, wouldn''t let such a prize slip through his fingers.

    "Father, I know what I need to do." Jankos smiled confidently, his eyes gleaming with greed.

 Chapter 186: Weâ€™re going outside

    In the evening, Caleb returned to the Clan''s ''Archive.''

    Although it was already night, the light in the small room in front of the warehouse was still on.

    He walked to the door, bowed, and said, "Third Elder, I''ve come to collect the resources that the Grand Elder permitted me to take."

    "Card!" came the voice of an old man from inside the room, his tone slightly hoarse as if something were stuck in his throat.

    Caleb took out the card the Grand Elder had given him, held it with both hands and raised it before him.

    A moment later, the voice of the Third Elder came from the room: "Go inside, to slot number 077, and take what''s inside."

    "You may take one additional magical item of your choosing, but it must not exceed rank C."

    Krit! Krit! Krit!

    As soon as he finished speaking, the heavy stone door creaked open.

    "You have only 30 minutes; be quick!"

    Caleb hurried inside, but the scene before him was different from what he had imagined.

    At first, he had thought this place would be just a warehouse filled with magical items or resources thrown around haphazardly.

    But contrary to his expectations, this place resembled more of a display gallery.

    Along the surrounding walls were shelves lined with square compartments, though he couldn''t see what was inside them.

    Fortunately, each of those empty compartments had a serial number below, and above the shelves were information boards guiding visitors or indicating what kind of items each shelf held.

    Caleb only glanced at the shelves briefly, then walked deeper inside toward a chair painted gold and engraved with many magical symbols.

    He didn''t get greedy or take anything else, only what he needed.

    Slot number 077.

    Caleb took out the card that the Grand Elder had given him and scanned it over the slot.

    [Tick!]

    A signal sounded as the glass panel covering the compartment slowly opened, revealing another card inside.

    "This is..." Caleb frowned, feeling confused as he looked at the card.

    He picked it up and discovered it was another storage card.

    Storage cards were very common in this world. The bank that issued these cards didn''t just store credit points but also preserved many other resources related to the Lords.

    Looking at the black card with the words "S.VIP" printed on it, Caleb could clearly understand just how incredibly powerful this card was.

    Caleb carefully tucked the card into his pocket and then followed the Third Elder''s instructions, allowing him to take one more magical item, rank C or something similar.

    He wandered around the warehouse. Suddenly, his attention focused on a spot completely different from the rest of the surroundings.

    It wasn''t a wooden shelf like the others; instead, it was a small stone recess inside a stone about the size of a tennis ball.

    Caleb frowned as he looked at the stone. Its exterior seemed like an ordinary rock, but he felt it was a very special item for some reason.

    In fact, deep within his mind, a voice was screaming, telling him that he must take that item or else he would miss an incredible opportunity.

    Caleb swallowed, slowly stepping toward the stone recess in front of him.

    He reached out and grabbed the stone.

    A flash of black light emitted from the stone at that moment, but it quickly vanished.

    Caleb, of course, saw this, but nothing strange happened afterwards.

    Because of that, he decided to take the stone.

    Caleb quickly left the Clan''s ''Archive,'' as he had already obtained the needed items.

    Once outside, the heavy stone door closed, and the Third Elder''s voice echoed inside the small room: "Go, and remember the Grand Elder''s words."

    Caleb furrowed his brow, feeling confused, but still bowed and said, "I remember."

    Just as Caleb was about to leave, the Third Elder''s voice rang again: "Wait!"

    Caleb stopped, turned around, and respectfully said, "Third Elder, is there something else?"

    Crack!

    Whoosh!

    The door suddenly cracked open, and a bag flew out. Caleb quickly caught it by reflex.

    He opened the bag and looked inside. His eyes almost popped out of his head.

    Energy crystals, but not ordinary ones.

    There were many high-rank energy crystals, even one that emitted a dazzling triple-coloured glow.

    "Although these aren''t enough to make up for the time you endured the humiliation in this clan, I hope they can soothe a little of the anger in your heart."

    Upon hearing the Third Elder''s words, Caleb felt even more confused. Was the sun rising in the west today?

    The Grand Elder was the one who brought him in, and it was only natural for him to be favoured a bit.

    However, the Third Elder, known as the clan''s iceberg, not only had little contact with outsiders but also had a very peculiar personality.

    Even Jankos had been beaten by the Third Elder several times, once even to the point of being hospitalized, yet Janky never dared to speak up and could only remain silent.

    But now, the Third Elder was giving him a bag of high-quality energy crystals.

    It must be known that the resources given to clan members were not abundant.

    Even Jankos, a rank B Lord, only received about 200 rank E energy crystals and 10 rank D ones monthly.

    But this bag contained nothing but high-level energy crystals, and it was likely that even Janky, upon seeing this bag, would be so envious that his eyes might fall out.

    "Third Elder, this... it''s too precious, I cannot accept it," Caleb said.

    Although he wanted to take the bag, he knew the principle of ''no work, no reward.''

    There was no reason the Third Elder would give him such a valuable gift without asking for anything in return.

    "If I give it to you, then it''s yours. I only hope you remember the Grand Elder''s words clearly." The Third Elder said firmly, "When the clan is in danger, you will be able to provide this clan with a way to survive."

    Caleb, hearing this, felt even more confused. Was he so powerful in everyone''s eyes?

    However, if the Third Elder had no task, he could take the bag.

    "I remember," Caleb said, bowing before quickly leaving.

    A long sigh came from inside the small room, filled with a sense of fatigue and despair.

    ...

    At that moment, Noan saw Vylyss waking up and brought her a black dress.

    Vylyss, seeing the dress, looked confused.

    "Master... what is this...?"

    "Put it on. Can you hide your wings, tail, and horns? We''ll go for a walk." Noan smiled as she spoke.

    Vylyss, upon hearing that, flushed with embarrassment and excitement, but then, she became sad and said, "Master... back then... I''m sorry..."

    "Don''t worry..." Noan patted her head, then embraced her: "I''m the one who should apologise to you. It was my recklessness, not thinking things through, which led me to drag you into danger."

    Vylyss, hearing this, bit her lip tightly, her eyes welling up with tears as if she were about to cry.

    "Master, I... I am so weak, aren''t I?" Vylyss said through her sobs. "Time and time again, in the most critical moments, I haven''t been able to protect you."

    "I... I''m... useless."

    Vylyss said this while clutching Noan''s shirt, her emotions rising like a volcano about to erupt.

    Noan gently patted her back: "I''ve never blamed you. I''m the useless one."

    This was Noan''s heartfelt truth; he wasn''t saying it to comfort Vylyss.

    Why?

    If someone else had crossed over, someone with an SSS rank talent like him, they would probably be a terrifying existence by now.

    But for him, every step had to be taken with extreme caution. Even though he was careful, he encountered countless dangers that almost cost him his life many times.

    Perhaps he was the worst person to ever cross over in history.

    "No, Master... you''re not useless." Vylyss lifted her head, her face filled with concern as she looked at him and said, "I... I... you..."

    Noan, seeing Vylyss stammering, chuckled: "Hahaha... Vylyss, you''re really adorable right now."

    "Am I... adorable?" Vylyss heard that, her face turning red with happiness.

    "Alright, stop thinking about such things. Negative things need to be forgotten, we need to enjoy the present time," Noan said with a smile. "Change your clothes, we''re going outside."

    "You''ve never seen the human world, have you? I''ll take you to see it."

 Chapter 187: Try them all.

    On the street, a couple walked together, attracting the attention of everyone around.

    Of course, all the eyes were focused on the girl, not at all interested in the young man walking beside her.

    She wore a black dress that reached her knees, and her legs were accentuated by a pair of high-heeled shoes, which only made her long, perfect legs stand out even more.

    Her face was exquisitely beautiful as if she had just stepped out of a painting. Her long black hair reflected the sunlight, making it dazzlingly bright.

    She exuded an aura of immense arrogance as if telling the men around her not to dare approach her.

    But at the same time, she also gave off a seductive charm, drawing the gaze of those around her.

    "Wow! Who is that? So beautiful!"

    "Is she a new idol?"

    "I don''t know, but someone this beautiful must surely be a singer or an actress."

    "I think she''s a professional model."

    "Damn! Professional models are all skinny-like sticks. Look at her, and she''s so curvaceous."

    "Yeah, she''s probably not a model. She might have had cosmetic surgery."

    "I don''t think so. The beauty from cosmetic surgery often looks fake, but look at her; she''s so natural, and there''s nothing artificial about it."

    "She looks like she just stepped out of an anime. Is it possible for someone to be this beautiful in real life?"

    "Damn! Who is that guy walking beside her?"

    "It seems like he''s her boyfriend."

    "What the hell?! A guy like him is her boyfriend? He must be rich. Otherwise, how would he have the chance to walk beside her?"

    Noan overheard their conversation but didn''t really care. After all, he had already known this before bringing Vylyss outside.

    Vylyss was incredibly beautiful. Her natural looks were enough to overshadow any idol or beauty queen on Earth.

    Moreover, she was a Succubus, and with that, she exuded a natural allure that made everyone around her fall for her.

    Vylyss happily held Noan''s hand, walking and looking around, feeling that this place was so strange.

    The buildings were so tall that she couldn''t even see how high they were, completely covered in glass, reflecting the sunlight.

    All around were people and strange metal vehicles.

    On the walls, there were screens displaying something eye-catching, probably a kind of drink or some product.

    Vylyss eagerly looked around, feeling the atmosphere that the human world brought.

    She could especially hear conversations about her from the people around her.

    In her heart, Vylyss didn''t feel too happy when receiving compliments from others.

    On the contrary, she looked at Noan, her eyes full of anticipation: "Master, am I really beautiful?"

    "Yes, you are very beautiful," Noan said with a smile. "In the eyes of humans, you are beautiful enough to be listed among the world''s top ten most beautiful people."

    Vylyss blushed upon hearing this, smiling shyly: "Master, so... since I''m this beautiful, do you like me?"

    "Of course." Noan smiled, his hand tightening around hers.

    "Beauty!" At that moment, a group of young men suddenly appeared before her. The leader was a guy with dyed red hair and a nose ring shaped like a bull''s ring.

    "There''s a really good restaurant nearby, would you like to come with me? I promise you''ll have a lot of fun, hahahaha..."

    The red-haired thug laughed as he spoke, emphasizing the word ''fun'' as if he was letting Vylyss know what he planned to do with her.

    Vylyss tilted her head to look at him, then glanced at Noan and asked, "Is it okay?"

    "Go ahead!" Noan immediately let go of Vylyss''s hand and stepped back slightly.

    The people around immediately criticized Noan when they saw this.

    "Look at that loser. As soon as danger came, he immediately let go of her hand."

    "Coward! So cowardly!"

    "Damn! If I were that guy, I''d fight to protect her."

    "Easy to say, now show us your courage."

    "Ack! Well, I haven''t eaten breakfast today, so I''m a bit tired."

    "..."

    Noan also heard the words of the people around them, but he didn''t care.

    For Vylyss, these thugs were no different from ants; she just needed to let her enjoy herself momentarily.

    "Hahaha... Beautiful lady, your boyfriend has already run away." The red-haired thug laughed mockingly as he spoke.

    The other thugs behind him also laughed joyfully.

    "Hahaha... look at him, he''s no different than a dog."

    "Beautiful lady, come with us. We have so many people, and I''m sure we''ll make you very happy."

    "That''s right, each of us can protect you; we even know how to make you feel pleasure."

    Vylyss didn''t respond, walking right up to the red-haired thug.

    "You want me?" Vylyss said, smiling as she spoke.

    At that moment, Vylyss''s natural charm was automatically activated. It wasn''t magic, but a type of innate ability, a kind of aura, which the city''s protective barriers would not detect.

    The red-haired thug and the other thugs immediately became excited, their minds clouded with desire.

    After all, the innate charm of the Succubus race was formidable, and now that Vylyss''s rank had increased to rank B, her charm was even more overwhelming than before.

    As a result, the thugs were immediately overwhelmed by lust, their minds clouded.

    The red-haired thug reached out, wanting to touch Vylyss, but suddenly, he felt his wrist lose all sensation.

    "Huh?!" The red-haired thug was confused, looking down, and then he screamed in pain: "AAAA!!!"

    The other thugs jumped back when they saw the red-haired thug''s wrist twisted 360 degrees, his fingers bent in a zigzag pattern.

    But... how?

    In just a brief moment, Vylyss had done that.

    After all, they were just normal people hereˇŞhow could they have seen her action?

    As a result, the crowd shuddered in fear when they saw the thug''s arm, and they immediately understood why Noan had stepped back.

    Damn it! That kid wasn''t scared; he wanted to give his girlfriend more room to act.

    Vylyss now smiled devilishly, stepping up before the thugs: "Hahaha... You said it would be fun to go with you, right? Where do you want to take me?"

    "Ah! Monster!"

    "Run! Run quickly!"

    "Don''t... don''t come near me!"

    "Help!"

    The thugs immediately fled, leaving only the red-haired thug behind.

    Vylyss extended her finger, and the devilish smile on her face grew more pronounced.

    "That''s enough!" Noan suddenly spoke, grabbing Vylyss''s hand, looking at the red-haired thug, and saying, "Scram!"

    The red-haired thug shuddered, trying to control the pain, and then hurriedly fled.

    "Master, why didn''t you let me..."

    "Alright." Noan sighed and shook his head. "This place has laws. If we cause too much trouble, it will attract attention from others, especially the police and the royal guards."

    "Scaring him a little is enough; that should be enough to make anyone who wants to cause trouble with us keep quiet."

    After Noan spoke, he cast a glance around.

    Several people were in the shadows, paying attention to him and Vylyss. Of course, Noan was fully aware of their presence.

    After all, he had the same strength as a Rank D hero, so his ability to observe and sense things was far superior to that of a regular person.

    Noan immediately realized that some people were watching him and Vylyss. However, they weren''t strong, so Noan was confident that they weren''t government agents or royal guards.

    In the end, they were likely just kidnappers looking for a target. But after seeing Vylyss''s extraordinary power, they immediately backed off, further confirming his assumption.

    The thugs were just a short prelude. After witnessing Vylyss''s strength, no one else was foolish enough to approach them.

    Noan and Vylyss entered a high-end fashion store. The staff were very professional, not showing the disdain Noan had expected based on the stories he had read in novels.

    The staff saw Noan and Vylyss and noticed their cheap clothes, but they didn''t dare to look down on them.

    In a dangerous world like this, sometimes the person you think is ordinary is far from it.

    The female staff smiled professionally and bowed, saying, "Hello, I''m a staff member here. How may I assist you?"

    "I''d like to buy a few outfits for her," Noan said, pointing at Vylyss.

    Seeing Vylyss''s perfect beauty, the female staff was taken aback, her mouth agape. "This... I''m sorry, what outfit would your girlfriend like to buy? Casual wear or evening dresses?"

    Noan stroked his chin and decided: "Try them all."

 Chapter 188: Lylia?!

    The female staff was a bit surprised by Noan''s request, but she thought that a girl as perfectly beautiful as Vylyss wouldn''t agree to be the girlfriend of this young man unless he had something special about him.

    Or maybe... The young man was a Lord.

    That''s right, in this world, there was a profession that commanded respect: a Lord.

    Not daring to delay, the female staff immediately smiled and said, "Well then... please follow me."

    Vylyss was a bit confused initially, but when she saw Noan nodding and smiling, she immediately followed the female staff.

    Noan walked behind them, watching Vylyss eagerly choose clothes, and he felt a warmth in his heart.

    Vylyss was like a little kitten. Whenever she found a beautiful outfit, she would come to him and ask if it suited her and looked good on her.

    Noan was very patient, answering all of her questions.

    "Master, everything is beautiful. What should I do?" Vylyss asked, feeling troubled.

    The female staff was startled when she heard Vylyss call Noan ''Master,'' and she thought it seemed like the younger generation liked using such titles nowadays.

    Noan glanced at the female staff member, who was blushing at hearing Vylyss address him like that, but he had no intention of changing it.

    He looked at Vylyss, who was very excited, and smiled as he said, "Try them on first. Keep the ones that fit."

    "Ah!" Vylyss glanced at the outfits she had piled into the basket the female staff was holding, then tilted her head, pouting at Noan.

    Pock!

    Noan lightly tapped her head and smiled, saying, "What are you thinking? I''m not so poor that I can''t buy a few outfits for you."

    "Hehehe..." Vylyss laughed happily and then headed to the fitting room.

    After that, Noan felt like he had just taken a high-dose energy booster. It was the first time he had seen a woman who looked good in anything like Vylyss.

    Schoolgirl uniforms, office attire, suits, evening dresses, casual dresses, jeans...

    Vylyss looked even more perfect than mannequins. Anything she wore suited her beautifully.

    Of course, Noan wasn''t stingy and bought everything.

    Vylyss tried on many outfits, but she never got tired of it and became more excited the more she tried.

    She felt incredibly happy whenever she saw Noan''s surprised reaction to another outfit.

    She wanted Noan to look at her more, with more surprise, more excitement.

    The female staff saw Noan''s generosity and thought to herself, her heart racing with anticipation.

    However, she decided to take a risk this time. After all, the girl called Noan ''Master,'' so perhaps they would need these things.

    While helping Vylyss place the clothes into the basket, the female staff whispered to her, "Hey, you and him are..."

    "Ah!" Vylyss turned her head and saw Noan looking down at his phone and not paying attention to them. She took a deep breath before saying, "I... He... He is my Master."

    Seeing Vylyss''s shy expression, the female staff seemed to have confirmed her thoughts.

    "Hehehe... Girl, if that''s the case, we need to help your Master experience some different emotions."

    "Different emotions?" Vylyss asked, confused.

    The female staff whispered into Vylyss''s ear.

    The more Vylyss listened, the more confused she became, but then she was stunned. The next moment, she blushed furiously, her face red as a burning coal.

    ''This... when did humanity develop more ways to "play" than even a Succubus?''

    Though she was incredibly surprised, thinking about how her Master would be surprised and excited, she immediately agreed.

    While Noan looked at the news on his phone, the female staff took Vylyss to another area.

    In fact, Noan was reading a message from Caleb.

    [Master, I have acquired many resources but can''t carry them with me. I hope you can help.]

    "Already?" Noan frowned, not expecting Caleb to finish acquiring the resources so quickly.

    But thinking about it, since Caleb came from a large family, it was probably normal for him.

    [Alright! I''ll contact you when I''m free.] Noan replied to Caleb''s message.

    He then continued responding to messages from Santoro and Raito. After all, acquiring resources required a lot of credit points, so he exchanged many energy crystals for credit points.

    "Hm?" Noan paused as he realized the surrounding area had gone quiet, which seemed odd.

    He looked up, scanning around, but couldn''t find Vylyss or the female staff.

    Noan wasn''t worried; after all, Vylyss was a Rank B hero. To defeat her, it would probably take the presence of a Fate Holder like Aldric.

    He walked to another area and saw the female staff helping Vylyss choose clothes.

    Noan was about to approach, but when he saw the sign in front of the area, he stopped.

    "What the hell?!" Noan muttered angrily.

    At that moment, he wasn''t sure whether to go in, feeling a bit hesitant.

    Vylyss, holding the clothes, entered the fitting room. The female staff member, seeing Noan, hurriedly led him to the fitting room area for Vylyss and then quickly left.

    Noan watched the back of the female staff, knowing that she wanted to create some private space for him and Vylyss.

    Just a few minutes later, the fitting room curtain was pulled back, and Noan was stunned. He stared blankly at Vylyss, his face immediately turning bright red.

    Vylyss was now wearing a "Bunny Girl" outfit, with a pair of black bunny ears on her head. Her long, perfect legs were wrapped in fishnet stockings, making her even more alluring.

    Around her neck was a collar, along with a large pink bow that looked incredibly cute.

    Vylyss had always been attractive as a Succubus, but now, in this "Bunny Girl" outfit, she became even more irresistible.

    It made Noan''s heart race, and desire, like a flame, began to ignite in his mind.

    "Master..." Vylyss shyly said, "Am I... beautiful?"

    "So beautiful... you... are extremely beautiful, incredibly alluring."

    Noan''s compliment was like a stimulant directly injected into Vylyss''s heart, nearly causing her to lose control.

    But when she saw Noan''s excited expression, she didn''t want to hold back anymore. She immediately grabbed his hand and pulled him into the fitting room.

    "This..." Noan was startled, and after regaining his senses, he realized that he and Vylyss were now squeezed together in the narrow fitting room.

    Vylyss''s sweet and warm breath brushed against his neck, making his heart beat even faster.

    He could even feel Vylyss''s body pressed against his, the softness and warmth making him entranced.

    "Vylyss, there are others here, we can''t..."

    "Master, the girl earlier already told me. She said that... right now... there''s no one else here, it''s just us in this area."

    Noan: "..."

    Upon hearing Vylyss, Noan knew exactly what the female staff''s intentions were.

    It seems... that for just a small tip, many people are willing to do such shameless things.

    But... Noan really liked it.

    "Well... Um... Master..." Vylyss hadn''t finished speaking when Noan lowered his head and kissed her lips.

    The emotions that Noan had been holding back now began to explode, making Vylyss clearly feel his excitement.

    She, too, was extremely aroused, cooperating with him in all kinds of positions.

    In the small fitting room, a fierce battle was unfolding.

    The lewd sounds made the female staff member standing by the door of the area blush.

    But deep inside, she felt that her decision was absolutely correct.

    ...

    Two hours later, Noan and Vylyss went outside.

    Because the ''Bunny Girl'' outfit from earlier had been ruined during their battle, they had to buy another one.

    Of course, they still paid for the ruined outfit. In addition, Noan bought all the other outfits that the female staff member suggested.

    Police officer, nurse, female teacher, female CEO, school uniform... etc...

    You could say that whatever was available there, Noan bought a set of it. The female staff member, seeing how generous Noan was, couldn''t stop smiling, feeling lucky that she had made this decision earlier.

    After paying, Noan tipped the female staff member 100,000 credit points, equivalent to three month''s salary, which made her overjoyed.

    If Vylyss hadn''t been there, she would probably have rushed over to become Noan''s secret lover.

    Leaving the clothing store, Vylyss smiled contentedly, her face flushed, her eyes slightly misty, making anyone who saw her completely entranced.

    She tightly held Noan''s hand, pressing it between her two large breasts, happily saying, "Master, from now on I will wear these clothes so you can see them often."

    Noan: "..."

    Suddenly, he saw someone who surprised him a little.

    That person was equally surprised to see him, especially since he was holding Vylyss''s hand and smiling so joyfully.

    "Noan?!"

    "Lylia?!"

 Chapter 189: Why are you so stupid?

    Both of them saw each other, but each carried a different kind of emotion.

    At that moment, Lylia was still wearing a pink JK uniform, combined with her pink hair, making her look like an incredibly cute pink rabbit.

    However, the lovely face and the usual energetic vibe that she exuded were now overshadowed by confusion and disbelief.

    She saw Noan lying beside an incredibly beautiful girl, so beautiful that it made her feel jealous. Even looking at them, it seemed like they were very happy, and inside Lylia''s heart, she felt a sharp pain, as if a knife had just stabbed into her chest.

    But Noan was different. He didn''t think much about it. The look he gave Lylia was one of surprise, but there was no other emotion in his gaze.

    Meanwhile, Vylyss immediately noticed what was happening. After all, she was a Succubus, and her nose was extremely sensitive to emotions and feelings.

    Looking at Lylia''s expression, Vylyss could immediately tell her feelings and mood.

    "Noan... what a coincidence," Lylia took a deep breath, trying to calm herself, and said, "You... she... you and she... are you lovers?"

    "That''s right," Noan smiled, tightening his grip on Vylyss''s hand to emphasize his words.

    Lylia felt like she had been struck by lightning. Her whole body stiffened, her eyes filled with disbelief.

    But looking at Noan and the girl hugging his arm, nothing was fake about itˇŞthey were a couple.

    Pain... her heart hurt so much that she could hardly breathe.

    Lylia bit her lip, stuttering, "Since when?"

    "Heh?! This..." Noan thought back to the moment before, when they first arrived at the ''Strange Point'', probably when he summoned Vylyss: "It was probably the first time I was brought to another world."

    Lylia gritted her teeth, trying to hold back the tears. Her hands clenched so tightly that they turned pale, her body trembling, slowly retreating.

    "So... so... Noan, do you... do you remember what happened when you were little?"

    Hearing Lylia''s words, Noan furrowed his brows, trying to recall what had happened when he was young.

    But it must be known that he was not the master of this body; it was ''Old Noan''. Because of this, there were many memories he could not recall, especially those from long ago.

    "That... I..." Noan furrowed his brows, wanting to say he couldn''t remember what had happened.

    Could it be that he and she had met when they were children?

    "Ah! I understand..." Lylia lowered her head to hide the two tears running down her face.

    After that, she used all her strength and said, "Well, I wish you happiness."

    After saying that, she hurriedly turned around and ran away.

    Noan tilted his head, confused, watching Lylia''s back. At that moment, Vylyss suddenly spoke: "Master, aren''t you going to chase after her?"

    "Why should I chase after her?" Noan furrowed his brows and asked.

    Vylyss looked at him in confusion, then asked again: "Master, don''t you realize something?"

    "What?"

    Vylyss: "..."

    "Master, you''re really very foolish." Vylyss sighed and rubbed her forehead.

    "You... what do you mean?" Noan looked at Vylyss in confusion, not understanding what she was saying.

    "Master, can''t you see that she''s crying? She''s really heartbroken."

    "Really?" Noan said absent-mindedly: "It looks like she''s going through something really difficult."

    Vylyss: "..."

    "Master, you..." Vylyss didn''t know how to explain, and she could only sigh and speak directly to him: "Master, she likes you."

    "Huh?!" Noan was startled, his face filled with disbelief as he looked at Vylyss, but then he smiled again: "Hahaha... Vylyss, you think too much. She won''t like me."

    "Why are you so sure?" Vylyss looked at Noan in confusion as if waiting for his answer.

    Noan smiled and said: "Because my status and hers are completely different. She''s the young lady of a noble family, and I''m just an orphan."

    "But she seems very close to you, and I can even feel her feelings for you, which are love." Vylyss said.

    Noan shook his head and sighed: "Vylyss, you''re in the Demon Realm, so you probably don''t understand the unspoken rules of humans."

    "Maybe it''s just affection or friendship, but not love."

    Vylyss was really angry at this point. She wanted to open Noan''s mind and see what made him so sure of his thoughts.

    "Master, I don''t know what kind of rules humans have, but I can guarantee she likes you very much." Vylyss pouted and said.

    Noan sighed again, not knowing how to explain to Vylyss so she could understand.

    After all, he didn''t believe that Lylia would like him. He had to admit that he and she hadn''t met many times.

    The first official conversation between him and her was the day he started moving to a different area.

    There was no connection between them or any emotional foundation; how could they like each other?

    Could it be that Vylyss was mistaken? Or maybe... Noan suddenly remembered Lylia''s question.

    Had he and she met when they were children?

    "Alright! Master, stop thinking and go after her," Vylyss pouted and said, "Letting a girl cry and run away is impolite."

    "But..."

    "Don''t say anything else..." Vylyss pushed him, as she really wanted him to chase after Lylia.

    "But... what about your eye?" Noan furrowed his brow and asked.

    "It''s fine, I''ll wait for you here, my Master," Vylyss said while pointing at his nose with her finger.

    Noan finally followed Vylyss''s advice, running in the direction where Lylia had just left.

    Vylyss watched Noan''s back, smiling with joy. She didn''t feel jealous but rather felt that this was something she had to do.

    "Are you accepting this?" Suddenly, Morgana''s voice rang in Vylyss''s mind.

    "Look, he''s willing to chase after another girl and leave you behind..."

    "Enough!" Vylyss responded to Morgana through thought, and her voice filled with annoyance and fatigue. "If you continue, I''ll wake Nymeris up."

    "You..." Despite being very angry, Morgana dared not challenge Vylyss.

    After all, to Morgana, Nymeris was like a potent acid, a major threat to her.

    A moment later, Noan returned, shrugged, shook his head, and said, "I couldn''t find her."

    Vylyss pouted, lightly tapping his chest: "Master, you''re really foolish. Next time, don''t let her run away like that, understand?"

    Noan sighed, although he didn''t want to do this, but since Vylyss had said it, he had no choice but to follow.

    "I understand." Noan nodded and replied, "Let''s go to the amusement park."

    "Heh?! An amusement park?" Vylyss immediately became excited upon hearing that keyword and asked, "Is it a fun place?"

    "Of course." Noan smiled and said, "I assure you that you''ll have a great time there."

    Noan grabbed Vylyss''s hand and pulled her along. The two looked like the perfect couple, making the entire street glow, drowned in love.

    But in another corner of the street, Lylia sat on the ground, tears streaming down her face like rain.

    Her hands were tightly clutching her knees to the point where her nails dug into her skin, causing blood to flow.

    Her skin, as white as snow, made the fresh red blood running down her body even more glaring.

    At this moment, a woman suddenly appeared. She was incredibly beautiful, and her appearance was similar to Lylia''s but much more mature.

    She walked over to Lylia and slowly sat down. Seeing that Lylia was crying so much that she didn''t even notice the surroundings, the woman sighed, her face clearly showing sadness.

    "You''re so foolish. Why cry over someone who treats you so coldly?"

    "Wrong!" Lylia suddenly lifted her head and yelled.

    The woman saw Lylia''s tear-streaked face, and her heart ached so much that she bit her lip. She reached out her hand and gently stroked Lylia''s face.

    "Why is it wrong? He''s with another woman, and he doesn''t care about you. Meanwhile, you sacrificed your life so he could have a new one," the woman said through gritted teeth.

    "He''s a scoundrel. Do you really love someone like that?"

    "No!" Lylia shook her head repeatedly, "Mother, it''s because he doesn''t remember who I am. That''s why he treats me like this."

    "But he''s with that girl, and he''s confirmed that she''s his girlfriend," the woman frowned and said, "Do you want to be the third wheel?"

    "That... I..." Lylia gritted her teeth, more tears flowing, "I... I could be a little wife."

    "You..." Lylia''s mother heard this and sighed deeply, "Why are you so foolish, Lylia? Do you want to repeat my mistakes?"

    Lylia looked up at the woman before her, then bit her lip tightly, nodding slightly.

    "You... you fool. Why are you so stupid?"

 Chapter 190: Noan and Vylyss

    Lylia''s mother sighed. Today should have been joyful for them but in the end...

    It had been a month since she last met Lylia. Lylia had just returned from the Chaotic World, so she wanted to spend some time walking around the city with Lylia.

    But Lylia accidentally ran into Noan, who was out for a walk with his girlfriend.

    Everything was in chaos, and Lylia''s mother could only sigh in despair.

    "Let''s go, we''re going home." Lylia''s mother said.

    Looking at Lylia''s condition, she knew that Lylia couldn''t continue walking around anymore.

    Lylia pursed her lips, nodded lightly, and said, "Mother, I''m sorry. I... I didn''t want to ruin today."

    "I understand." Her mother smiled, gently patting her head. "Everything will be alright."

    As she held Lylia in her arms, a glint of determination and ruthlessness appeared in her eyes.

    ...

    At that moment, Noan suddenly shivered, feeling like someone was targeting him.

    He furrowed his brows and looked behind, using his sharp gaze to scan the area, but he couldn''t find anything unusual.

    "Could it be that woman?" Noan muttered to himself.

    He remembered the woman who had saved him, the same woman who had caused him trouble when he was at the ''Strange Point''.

    Isabell.

    He didn''t understand why Isabell had saved him, nor why she, who had been at the ''Strange Point'', was now appearing here.

    He didn''t know but was too lazy to think about it. If she really wanted to harm him, he would have died that day.

    He just felt something was off. He didn''t know exactly what Isabell wanted from him.

    "Master!" At that moment, Vylyss''s voice rang out.

    Noan turned around and saw her, now dressed in a two-piece swimsuit, with a thin white jacket over her shoulders and a straw hat on her head.

    It could be said that he was now looking at the coolest breeze of summer.

    People around the water park were also stunned when they saw her beauty.

    Her naturally fair, pinkish skin, long legs, perfect waistline, and two soft, seductive mountains made her even more captivating.

    Her beautiful face was so striking that even the women around her felt envious.

    Seeing Vylyss, Noan was also taken aback by her beauty and radiance.

    "Damn! Who is that? A new idol?"

    "Tsk! Why are you looking at her? She''s only beautiful because of cosmetic surgery. No one is really that beautiful in real life, right?"

    "Are you stupid? She looks so natural, definitely not plastic surgery."

    "I''m a cosmetic surgeon, and I can guarantee that she hasn''t had anything done. Her features are natural, and she''s way more perfect than any of us."

    "How envy-inducing, how can there be someone so beautiful in this world?"

    "Wait! Did you hear what she just said?"

    "Of course! Damn it, she called that bastard ''Master''."

    "Wow! The younger generation really knows how to have fun. Even saying the word ''Master'' like that, and saying it so loudly in public."

    "Who is that bastard? He''s not even as good-looking as me."

    "Maybe it''s because he comes from a rich family, or maybe... he''s a leader."

    "AAA!!! That should be me! How can it be him?"

    The crowd was chattering loudly, and all eyes were on them, making Noan uncomfortable.

    However, a hint of pride also appeared in his heart alongside that discomfort.

    A man can be normal, but if the woman by his side is unusually beautiful, everyone would surely think he is not ordinary.

    "Master, do... do I look beautiful?" Vylyss blushed, speaking while clasping her hands behind her back.

    Her shy and adorable expression made all the men around her fall into a sea of love.

    Noan didn''t answer immediately. He walked before her, reached out, and gently lifted her chin.

    "You''re very cute, very charming. You almost made me lose my self-control."

    Hearing Noan''s words, along with his actions, Vylyss''s face flushed, her eyes moist, looking incredibly enchanting.

    At that moment, the innate charm of the Succubus was fully unleashed, making everyone, whether male or female, captivated by her.

    Noan took Vylyss to play in the water park, trying out all kinds of rides and games.

    It could be said that today was the most fun Vylyss had ever had. No, not just VylyssˇŞNoan felt the same.

    Until now, whether it was ''Old Noan'' or Noan on Earth, neither of them had ever been to a water park.

    Why?

    Back on Earth, Noan was also an orphan, so how could he have ever gone to a water park?

    After growing up, his work piled up to the point where he almost slept at the company, so he never had time to go to places like that.

    But back then, when he saw everyone excited to go to the water park, he felt they were all just children.

    It was just water; what was so exciting about it?

    But that was just his thinking because he was jealous of them.

    When he finally got to the water park, he felt like he could stay there all day.

    At this moment, Noan had just bought two ice creams and saw Vylyss sitting on a stone bench in the distance, her legs swinging as she gazed off, looking lost.

    Vylyss, at this moment, had a very pure, adorable, and natural beauty, just like a ray of warm afternoon sunlight gently creeping into his heart.

    It felt as if as long as that sunlight existed, he could feel all the warmth of this world.

    Noan slowly walked over, offering one of the ice creams to Vylyss, smiling and saying, "Try this. It''s really good."

    Vylyss tilted her head, looking confused at the ice cream in Noan''s hand and asked, "Master, what is this?"

    "It''s ice cream, try it, it''s delicious," Noan smiled.

    Vylyss took the ice cream from Noan''s hand and took a small bite.

    Noan sat beside her, not rushing to eat his ice cream but focusing on her expression.

    As the ice cream entered her mouth, the cold and sweet sensation overwhelmed her taste buds.

    "Hm... It''s really good, Master, this is so delicious." Vylyss smiled brightly, like a sunflower blooming under the warm light.

    Vylyss suddenly glanced at Noan, then kissed his lips lightly.

    Her action surprised him, but he didn''t pull away.

    The kiss was light, like a butterfly fluttering over the water''s surface. Their lips touched briefly before pulling apart.

    Vylyss looked at Noan, smiled happily, and said, "Master, you''re sweet too."

    Noan: "..."

    He was stunned by Vylyss''s words. It seemed like no girl could escape from her if she were a man.

    They looked at each other, gazes full of unspoken words, but nothing needed to be said at that moment.

    "Hello!!!" Suddenly, a voice rang out next to them.

    This translation keeps the emotional nuances and progression intact. Let me know if you need further adjustments or additional translations!

    Noan and Vylyss turned their heads and saw someone wearing a cute monster costume.

    One hand held a bunch of balloons, and the other had a large stuffed bear.

    "Seeing both of you so happy, I wanted to give you both a gift to commemorate this wonderful date of yours."

    As the person spoke, they handed the cute stuffed bear to Noan, then, like magic, pulled out another bouquet of flowers from behind.

    Noan took the bouquet and the stuffed bear in his hands, nodding lightly. The person bowed to them and quickly left.

    Vylyss, still unsure of what was happening, watched as Noan handed the bouquet and the stuffed bear to her, smiling and saying, "Congratulations on our first date."

    Looking at the bouquet and the adorable stuffed bear, Vylyss''s first emotion was surprise, followed by excitement and happiness.

    She was so happy that she could feel every cell in her body filled with joy.

    Vylyss hugged the bouquet and the large stuffed bear, joyfully saying, "Thank you, Master. This is the happiest day of my life."

    "Ah! Every day by your side is so happy, hehehe..."

    Seeing Vylyss''s mischievous smile and face, Noan felt incredibly at ease and peaceful inside, as if wishing this moment would last forever.

    Suddenly, Vylyss lowered her head, bit her lip, and said, "But... I... I can''t protect you, Master, I..."

    Pock!

    Noan gently tapped her head, smiling and saying, "I told you not to mention that, don''t you understand?"

    "Master..." Vylyss looked up, her eyes filled with love as she gazed at him.

    Noan took a small box from his ''Storage Space,'' held it up before her, and opened it.

    Vylyss was surprised to see what was inside the box: "This is..."

 Chapter 191: What the hell is this?

    Inside the small box was a beautiful ring.

    It seemed to be made of crystal and slightly transparent, reflecting the sunset light, which made it even more beautiful, like a work of art created by nature.

    Noan took the ring in his hand, then slid it onto Vylyss''s middle finger, smiling and asking, "Do you know what this means?"

    Vylyss, hearing this, looked at him in confusion, tilting her head. Although she didn''t understand the meaning, the ritual excited her, her heart racing as if it were about to jump out of her chest.

    Her face flushed, tears suddenly welled in her eyes, making her even more adorable and charming.

    "This... I... I don''t know."

    Noan smiled and said, "Then you should try to figure it out."

    "Master..." Vylyss pouted, showing a hint of teasing: "You''re bullying me."

    "Hahaha..." Noan laughed but said nothing, gently caressing her face before lowering his head and kissing her lips.

    The space around them was bathed in the glow of the sunset, making it look like a romantic love ritual that anyone witnessing would be enchanted by.

    In the distance, the person dressed in the stuffed animal costume earlier hid behind a wall. He quickly removed the costume, sighed, and said, "Ah! I also want to go to the water park with the Master."

    Indeed, it was Malrik.

    At this moment, Malrik was dressed in modern clothes, wearing a hoodie, a mask, and sunglasses covering his face.

    People walking past him avoided him, as he looked too suspicious, like a stalker or a criminal.

    "But this is fine. The Master and Vylyss had a wonderful day, but I''m alone." Malrik said, his tears, streaks of blue-green fire, continuously falling to the ground and disappearing.

    Those around him grew even more cautious and moved away.

    "Damn! They''re over there." Suddenly, a sharp voice rang out.

    Malrik turned his head and saw the red-haired thug from earlier, who had caused trouble with Noan and Vylyss, approaching.

    The hand that Vylyss had broken was carefully bandaged, and now he was accompanied by several other thugs, all like him.

    "Kill that bastard! Leave that slut for me, I''ll play with her until she dies!" The red-haired thug pointed towards the distance, where Vylyss and Noan stood.

    The thugs behind him were stunned when they saw Vylyss''s beauty.

    At this moment, she was wearing a black two-piece swimsuit, which made it even easier for them to be captivated by her.

    The thugs looked at Vylyss as if starving wolves had spotted a fresh piece of meat, their faces filled with greed and their minds gradually losing control.

    The red-haired thug found Vylyss even more seductive than when he saw her in the morning, and he opened his mouth wide, saliva dripping out.

    Beautiful!

    So beautiful!

    So seductive!

    If he could have her for one night, he would die content.

    The red-haired thug was even more certain about his decision now.

    No matter what the consequences were, he didn''t care, as his lust had completely overtaken his mind.

    Suddenly, Malrik appeared in front of the thugs, his voice full of malice as he spoke: "This moment is theirs alone. You cannot cause trouble."

    Seeing a strange person dressed in full cover, the red-haired thug angrily shouted, "Damn it! A dog dares to stand in my way? Break his limbs, hurry up!"

    Malrik, hearing this, sneered contemptuously: "Ah! It seems... you truly want to die."

    ...

    At night, after eating, Vylyss drags Noan into the room.

    She wore a maid''s uniform, but the dress was short, only to the thigh.

    There is a necklace on the neck, and there is also a chain attached to that necklace.

    Vylyss knelt on the ground, held the other end of the chain, lifted it with both hands and looked at Noan with a pitiful face: "Master, punish me."

    Noan: "..."

    He took a deep breath. No matter how hard he tried to contain himself, he couldn''t control the fire of desire burning in his heart.

    Noan took the chain, looked at Vylyss'' pitiful face, and in his heart was like a voice, asking him to punish her, making her cry.

    He pulled the chain hard, causing Vylyss to fall to the ground.

    "Um... It hurts, Master..." Vylyss groaned. The sound was full of erotic and fascinating.

    Right now, she''s like an ordinary woman, without any resistance.

    Noan felt his body burning, his throat dry as if walking in the desert.

    Vylyss was already very attractive, combined with this kind of ''play'' that made him unable to control anymore, then...

    "Um! Master, don''t... Please, I..."

    Noan pulled the chain hard, causing Vylyss to be dragged under his feet.

    "Don''t you want me to punish you, too?" Noan said, holding Vylyss'' chin; her face looked up at him.

    "Master..." Vylyss looked at him with flooded eyes as if he were begging him to punish her more.

    Noan swallowed a drop of saliva, his breathing became more and more urgent.

    Vylyss reached out his arms and touched his thigh, his face a little dreamy, accompanied by a bit of shame: "Master, don''t be angry, let me help you..."

    Noan saw Vylyss''s actions, and at this moment, he completely gave up control and went crazy with her.

    ...

    He wasn''t sure how wild he had been the night before. Looking at Vylyss lying beside him, he felt a sense of relief.

    Noan took out his phone and saw many unread messages. He sighed, then began reading through each one.

    Most of the messages were about resource procurement, but none of them were about what he truly wanted.

    Indeed, Santoro, Raito, and Austin could only manage to procure building materials, food, and alchemical or potion-making supplies.

    As for things like weapon blueprints, Hero System: Machine blueprints, reactors, and so on, they were unattainable.

    Even if they could acquire them, it would take a long time to complete all the procedures with the Government and the Empire.

    However, his stay in the city was very briefˇŞonly 10 days. He wasn''t sure if he would be able to procure those items during his short time here.

    Noan glanced at the procurement reports, offering only brief replies.

    But then, his attention was caught by a message from Caleb.

    [Master, are you free this morning? This is quite important. Can we meet?]

    Noan read the message, furrowed his brow for a moment, and then replied: "Where?"

    ...

    At 10 a.m.

    Noan arrived at the agreed meeting place with Vylyss.

    Caleb, seeing Vylyss walking beside Noan, was immediately taken aback.

    Of course, he had met Vylyss many times when they were still in the ''Chaotic World,'' but this was the first time he had seen her in the City.

    She was wearing a knee-length red dress, with a ring on her finger that emitted a soft glow. On her feet were red high heels that perfectly matched the dress.

    Beautiful!

    So beautiful!

    This was the first time Caleb had seen such a stunning woman.

    However, Caleb dared not look too long because he knew she was Noan''s woman.

    "Master!" Caleb quickly bowed and spoke respectfully.

    "What''s the matter?" Noan frowned and asked.

    Caleb nodded and replied, "It''s not a bad thing, it''s a good thing, it''s just... I don''t know how to deal with it."

    "Hm?!" Noan felt even more confused. "Be more specific."

    "Master, words cannot fully express this, follow me." Caleb said.

    Noan nodded and followed Caleb with Vylyss behind him.

    They arrived at a large bank, and after Caleb presented a black card, the bank staff immediately escorted them to a room.

    The room appeared rather ordinary, but outside the door, there were numerous magical seals, as if what lay inside was extremely important.

    The staff signalled Caleb, who gave a slight nod, and then inserted the card into the door''s slot.

    After verifying there were no issues, the staff immediately left.

    Now, only Caleb, Vylyss, and Noan were left in the hallway.

    Crack!

    At this moment, the magic seals on the door started turning continuously, like gears, and then, the door slowly opened.

    After the door opened, Caleb excitedly said, "Master, please take a look."

    Noan furrowed his brows, then slowly walked up to the door and looked inside the room.

    At that moment, Noan couldn''t help but exclaim, "What the hell is this?"

 Chapter 192: Reveal my true identity

    The room is not large, only about 30 square meters. Inside the room are many shelves, each with small square compartments separated by glass panels. In these small compartments are neatly placed cards, blueprints, designs, or types of medicinal herbs that he had never seen before.

    "This place is...?" Noan frowned, his eyes glancing at Caleb as if waiting for his answer.

    Caleb, feeling proud, spoke up: "Master, this place is entirely the property provided to me. You can take all of it, so there is no need to worry."

    Upon hearing Caleb, Noan stared at him, furrowing his brows as he asked, "Is your family very wealthy? There are so many rare resources here, doesn''t your family mind?"

    Caleb smiled and replied, "Master, I haven''t received any resources from my family in over fifteen years. Now, I want to exchange all the resources from those fifteen years, so that''s why there are so many."

    "Of course, many things are hard to explain, but I can assure you that everything here belongs to you. Even if you take all of it, there won''t be any trouble."

    Hearing Caleb speak with such confidence, Noan nodded in agreement. Although he feared complications, the resources here far exceeded what he had anticipated. There were many things that he never thought he could afford, and yet they appeared here.

    It wouldn''t be wrong to call this place a treasure trove. It seems the families in this city are wealthier than he thought. Just the resources for one family member are this plentiful; how much more would the resources under the control of a Family Head be?

    Noan didn''t want to think too much about it. He immediately entered the room and began walking around.

    Caleb didn''t enter the room but stood outside because he knew Noan had secrets that could not be shared with others. He didn''t want to know either; all he needed to know was that Noan could bring these things to the Chaos World, and that was enough.

    Even just 10% of the resources in the room would be enough for him to rebuild his Territory and summon more soldiers.

    The door closed, leaving only Noan and Vylyss in the room.

    At this moment, Noan felt that Caleb''s IQ and EQ were very high. Someone like him, Noan would surely value and could not afford to discard.

    The only issue was that Caleb''s rank was too low. For now, he was useful, but no matter how intelligent Caleb became in the future, it would be useless. Once they reach rank C or above, all strategies will seem like child''s play; the only strength will be what they can rely on.

    However, Noan wasn''t too worried. After all, he possessed the SSS rank talent. Every time his Lord''s rank evolved, his talent would gain a new ability. He believed that his talent could affect many other things in the future, not just be limited to the soldiers and heroes he summoned.

    Noan didn''t think too much about it. He began to take inventory of what was here. Fortunately, an information board described the quantities of everything available in the room.

    After reading the information board, Noan felt even more uneasy. The resources here were far more than he had expectedˇŞso much so that a thought crossed his mind... Caleb''s family might be planning a rebellion.

    Indeed, although the amount of resources here was vast, it made Noan feel like these resources were meant to build a Lord''s army. Why would a family want to build the Lord''s army? There could only be one reason: they wanted to revolt.

    But that didn''t concern him. All he needed to do was take all the resources here. If Caleb''s family did indeed revolt, Noan would save Caleb during the most dangerous time.

    Noan couldn''t carry all these resources, so he used another ''Storage Space x99 slots.'' He had received this after opening a Mythical treasure chest. Even better, the number of ''Storage Spaces'' he could own was unlimited.

    Additionally, he still had the space stones that Carlotta had given him. Each stone contained a fairly large space, enough for him to store many resources inside.

    Noan didn''t bother examining each type of resource here. He was too lazy for that. He just needed to take everything, and once he reached the ''Chaos World,'' he would have the NPCs and his subordinates handle it.

    ...

    A little while later, Noan stepped outside. Caleb immediately approached him with a smile, asking, "Master, are you satisfied?"

    Noan nodded and smiled, saying, "You did very well. Don''t worry, once we get to that world, I won''t let you suffer."

    Upon hearing this, Caleb smiled happily. Of course, he trusted Noan, and Noan had no reason to deceive him. After all, he was already Noan''s slave; even if Noan gave him nothing, he would have to endure it. But if Noan said so, he was sure Noan would make good on his word.

    After chatting for a while, Noan left with Vylyss. Caleb, in turn, used some of the little money he had saved to purchase more resources.

    The more resources, the better. Caleb only wished he had more money to buy more resources. He started thinking about selling some things he had to buy additional resources. Or maybe... Caleb suddenly thought of something he could sell, but... selling this would be difficult.

    ...

    Leaving the bank, Noan walked through the streets joyfully and excitedly, holding Vylyss''s hand tightly. Seeing him so happy, Vylyss also felt incredibly happy inside. It seemed as if her emotions had synced with Noan''s. She didn''t know what could make him happy, but as long as he was pleased, she was happy too.

    Occasionally, Vylyss would glance at the ring on her middle finger, feeling an inexplicable warmth in her heart.

    Ring! Ring! Ring!

    Suddenly, Noan''s phone rang. He took out the phone and saw it was from Raito, so he answered it. Raito''s voice came through from the phone: "Master, there''s a bit of trouble."

    Noan frowned upon hearing this, his gaze sharpening slightly.

    ...

    In the evening, at an abandoned factory on the city''s outskirts.

    It seemed that no one ever came here, and the nearest residential area was more than thirty miles away. There were no other buildings or factories nearby, just this one abandoned factory.

    Noan arrived at the location with Raito and entered the factory. Though it appeared to be an abandoned factory, the interior had been renovated by Raito''s group into a base specifically for them.

    Raito led Noan to a large warehouse. Inside was dim and smelled strongly of dampness, causing Noan to furrow his brow.

    Ting!

    The lights turned on, and Noan immediately saw three people whose faces he would never forget, even if they were to die.

    "You bastards! Let me out!"

    "Damn it! Water, give me some water, just a little water."

    "Ha... ha... please, let me out. My brother is the head of the police department. If you don''t let me out, he will... he will..."

    Seeing Negon''s family groaning pitifully, Noan couldn''t help but smile with some satisfaction.

    Their condition wasn''t very good; their bodies were covered in wounds, and some of them had become infected.

    They had been imprisoned here, so all their bodily functions had to occur in this very spot. The foul smell of faeces, the scent of urine mixed with the musty odour, and the rusty metallic tang created an overwhelmingly disgusting stench.

    They were blindfolded, unable to tell whether it was day or night, only able to moan and groan in despair.

    Noan waved his hand, and Raito, understanding what needed to be done, nodded and signalled for his subordinates to take action.

    Three large men approached them, and because the stench was so overpowering, they had to cover their noses with masks. They dragged the three individuals into the center of the warehouse and then removed their blindfolds.

    The three didn''t dare open their eyes, having lived in darkness for so long. Now, even the smallest bit of light was so blinding that they couldn''t open their eyes.

    After a while, they slowly opened their eyes and saw the people standing before them, causing them to be startled.

    "Noan! Why... why are you here?" Negon gasped in fear. "You... you... are you the one behind my kidnapping?"

    "Noan! You bastard!" Negon''s father, furious, used the little strength left in him to shout, "What the hell are you doing? Do you know that kidnapping is illegal?"

    "Yes! Yes!" Negon''s mother quickly added, "My brother is the head of the police department. If you don''t release us, I will make you regret it!"

    Hearing their threats, Noan''s face curled into a cruel smile.

    At this moment, Raito respectfully brought over a chair. Noan sat down, his gaze fixed on Negon''s family. He frowned and said, "I''ll give you a chance. Reveal my true identity."

 Chapter 193: Who?!

    "You... What the hell are you talking about?" Negon''s mother stuttered, her gaze filled with a hint of avoidance.

    "Ah! If you won''t speak, that''s fine. Then, you can stay here until you die." Noan smiled cruelly, and his grin sent shivers down Negon''s family. "Don''t worry, this place is discreet. After you die, I will let your bodies dry out, grind them into powder, and scatter them in the sewers."

    "Or, I could use another method to ensure you don''t die. I''ll make sure you suffer endlessly."

    "Or..."

    Snap!

    Noan snapped his fingers, and Malrik immediately appeared beside him, raising his hand. A blue-green fireball appeared before Negon''s family. Despite its large size, the fireball didn''t emit high temperatures. Instead, it emitted an intensely cold chill, making Negon''s family shiver from the cold.

    Inside the fireball, countless tortured souls screamed, their faces twisted in agony and despair.

    "If you die, your souls will be trapped in this flame, suffering for years, until they are completely consumed and disappear from this world."

    Negon''s family shuddered, cold sweat pouring down from their fear. At this moment, Negon''s father suddenly knelt and slammed his forehead to the ground. "Please don''t kill me, don''t do this to me, it was all that bitch''s fault. I had nothing to do with it."

    "What?!" Negon''s mother was taken aback, then furiously shouted, "It was because you had too much debt that I had to do this. Why are you now putting all the blame on me?"

    "Damn it! It was you, you were the one who came up with the idea, I just followed your lead!" Negon''s father quickly retorted.

    He looked at Noan, tears in his eyes, looking pitiful. "Noan, please, I... I wasn''t the one who kidnapped you. It was that bitch, she''s the one who kidnapped you, sheˇŞ"

    "Enough!" Noan shouted, silencing everyone in the room.

    Negon, confused, sat still and watched as his parents continuously blamed each other.

    "Noan! You... don''t misunderstand. Demons controlled me, so I did what I did, I..." Negon''s mother began, her words broken, causing Noan to frown.

    He already knew that he wasn''t their biological child. If he were truly their son, why was there such a difference in treatment between him and Negon?

    There was only one reason: he was adopted. But the question that arose was... what was his true identity?

    It should be noted that Negon wasn''t much younger than him; they were only about one or two years apart. There was no reason why Negon''s family would adopt him and then have Negon afterwards. Furthermore, the nature of this family was that of scoundrels, and Noan believed they didn''t have the kindness to adopt an orphan.

    Therefore, there were only two possibilities: the first, they found him somewhere; the second, they kidnapped him. But based on their words, it seemed he wasn''t found but rather kidnapped.

    At this moment, Negon''s mother tried calming herself and said, "Noan, if I tell you the truth, will you let me go?"

    "Do you think you have a chance to leave?" Noan frowned, and a killing intent radiated from him, causing Negon''s mother to tremble in fear.

    "Do you... do you know who my brother is? He''s the Head of the Police Department of Sector 7. If he finds out that I was kidnapped, he will come looking for me," Negon''s mother said through gritted teeth.

    "Ah! So, because of your brother, you could take the credit points from my bank card?" Noan sneered.

    Negon''s mother froze, stuttering as she tried to explain: "That... you... after all, I raised you, and you... you should repay me, right?"

    "Besides, you''re a Lord. Why would you care about such a small change?"

    Noan furrowed his brow, and his gaze was filled with such killing intent that it made Raito, standing beside him, instinctively take a step back in fear.

    "You speak so simply. Do you know how I''ve lived for the past twenty years?" Noan''s voice was cold and ruthless, sending a wave of fear through Negon''s entire family.

    "What... what do you intend to do? I warn you, if you..." Negon''s mother began to speak of calling the police, but she quickly realised how she could do that in this situation.

    "You..." Noan interrupted, "You want to know your true identity, right?" Negon''s mother suddenly changed her tone, becoming calmer.

    "Let me and Negon go, and I''ll tell you the truth. If not, you''ll never know who you really are."

    "Damn it!" Negon''s father shouted angrily, "I''m your husband! Don''t you want to save me?"

    "Save you? Why should I save you? Bastard! Because of you, I had to kidnap that bastard. Why should I save you now?"

    "You..."

    Noan frowned, and suddenly, he laughed. "Hahaha... Hahaha..."

    "Do you think you have the right to bargain with me?"

    "You... you should think carefully, I..."

    "Enough!" Noan interrupted Negon''s mother''s words. "Whether you speak or not doesn''t matter. I can investigate it myself."

    "And it''s time for you to pay for what you''ve done to me."

    "Pain is just the beginning. There are plenty of fun things waiting for you."

    Noan waved his hand, and Malrik, seeing this, let out a loud laugh, his smile filled with malice and evil: "Kekekeke... Kekeke... Trash, are you ready?"

    "No! Noan, you need to think carefully. Even if you investigate, you will never find out who your parents are." Negon''s mother shouted.

    "Your identity is special, you... AAA!!!"

    "Noan! Spare me, I was just following that bitch''s orders!"

    "Noan! I have nothing to do with this. It''s all because of my parents. Let me go, please... AAA!!! Noan!"

    "Bastard! You''ll die a miserable death. I''ll be waiting for you in hell."

    "Bastard! Useless dog! You''ll never find your real parents!"

    Noan listened to their curses indifferently, not caring at all.

    He walked outside, closed the warehouse door, and inside, there was only a slight stir in his heart.

    In his past life, he had been an orphan, and now in this life, he was kidnapped from his real parents. He felt as though fate was mocking him.

    In reality, he didn''t have any emotional attachment to his biological parents in this world. He just wanted to fulfil the final wish of the ''old Noan.''

    Even if he never found out about his real parents, it didn''t matter. He had to continue moving forward and growing stronger.

    "Master!" At that moment, Raito walked up to him, bowed his head, and said, "The brother of that woman is the head of the police department in Sector 7."

    "Although his position is not very high, but... if he really wants to search for these people, we will be in big trouble."

    Noan frowned and softly said, "You have information on him?"

    "Master, are you planning to..." Raito stopped mid-sentence as he saw the murderous and determined look in Noan''s eyes.

    At this moment, Raito only hoped that Noan wouldn''t cause too much trouble.

    ...

    That evening, at the police station in Sector 7, a middle-aged man sat in his office, angrily shouting at his subordinates.

    "Damn it! Useless idiots! A whole family is missing, and you can''t find any leads? Are you eating shit or what?"

    "Chief, I investigated the area, but found nothing unusual," the young man said. "I even took statements from the neighbours, and they all said they didn''t know anything."

    "Damn it!" The middle-aged man angrily threw the notebook on his desk, hitting the young man in the head.

    BAM!

    "I want to have leads on those three by tomorrow, or you''re fired. Do you understand?"

    "Yes, Chief," the scared young man quickly left the room.

    As soon as the door closed, the middle-aged man angrily slammed his hand on the desk.

    BAM!

    "Damn it! My money, those bastards are trying to take my money and run?"

    "I''ll find every last of you, you lower-class dogs."

    The man yelled angrily. Fortunately, the room was soundproof. Otherwise, those outside would have heard his curses.

    In fact, after helping Negon''s family seize Noan''s money and getting half of it, the man became even greedier.

    How could Negon''s foolish family have stolen money from Noan''s bank account without him?

    A simple job, and the man had immediately earned hundreds of millions in credit points, a sum he could never have accumulated even if he worked hard for six years.

    That''s why he wanted to do it again. But when he tried contacting Negon''s family, they had disappeared, making him think they didn''t want to share the money with him anymore.

    He was furious and determined to find them. He wasn''t looking for them because he was Negon''s mother''s brother, nor out of any family ties, but only for the money.

    As he began to calm down, the light in the room suddenly flickered for a moment and then went out, plunging the room into darkness.

    "What the hell?!" The man shouted angrily, standing up and intending to go to the switch to check, when suddenly a hand grabbed his shoulder.

    "Who?!"

 Chapter 194: Your girlfriend!

    The man tried to turn around, but he couldn''t move. His body felt like it had turned to stone, cold sweat pouring down his face. His instincts screamed that the scythe of Death was already at his throat.

    "You... who are you? Do you want money? I... I can give you money." The man spoke, attempting to move his fingers to reach the gun at his side.

    "Kekeke... Money? Do you think I need that garbage?" A voice filled with malice and distortion echoed in the room, sounding like the voices of hundreds of people playing on a radio, warped and unnatural.

    The voice filled the man with terror, causing him to tremble. He wanted to scream, but no sound came out. After speaking, he realised his mouth was as frozen as if it had been sealed.

    "Kekeke... Fear, despair, tremble before death, foolish human."

    "Greedy, selfishˇŞthat is all you are. Death is the punishment for what you''ve done."

    "Humanity, no matter how much money you have, that money cannot save you now."

    "How unfortunate. If you were a good person, you might have lived a little longer and been happier. But you are a very... very... very bad person."

    Malrik''s bony hand moved from the man''s shoulder to his face, then to the top of his head.

    The man was so terrified that he lost control and wet himself. His mouth couldn''t form words, but his body trembled violently, tears streaming down his face.

    He was truly frightened...

    He wanted to scream for help, but couldn''t.

    He wanted to run, but his body felt frozen.

    He was desperate and scared. At that moment, every second felt like an entire day.

    "Kekeke... Are you scared? If you''re afraid, why did you do such evil deeds?" Malrik mocked. "It''s laughable how you feel comfortable committing evil acts, but when faced with the consequences of those acts, you''re filled with fear and regret."

    "Humanity... you are truly foolish..."

    "Um... um... um..." The man struggled violently, but in the end, no sound came out.

    A wisp of white smoke floated from his body, gathering in Malrik''s palm.

    The man''s body seemed to lose all balance, and he collapsed to the floor immediately.

    "A filthy, evil soul. Only the fire of Hell can purify you."

    As Malrik spoke, the white smoke, about the size of a tennis ball, trembled in his hand, as if it understood his words.

    Malrik then stepped back, disappearing into the darkness.

    Ting!

    The lights came back on, and the only thing left in the room was the lifeless body of the man lying on the ground.

    Knock! Knock! Knock!

    "Chief, I need to ask you something," suddenly came the knock, followed by another voice.

    "Chief!"

    Knock! Knock!

    "Chief!"

    BAM! BAM!

    The person outside seemed to sense something was wrong. He immediately rammed the door open with force. After just two hard knocks, the door was violently opened. He saw the Chief lying on the floor and immediately froze, shouting, "Help! Call an ambulance! Quickly!"

    ...

    Meanwhile, Malrik was walking into a quiet area, where he saw Noan waiting. He lowered his head and spoke, "Master, I have completed the task you assigned."

    Noan glanced at Malrik, sighed, and said, "Next time, you don''t need to say so much."

    In reality, Malrik was excellent at everything; his only flaw was that he spoke too much. If he didn''t say anything and just acted, it would only take him two seconds to take the soul of the Chief of Police. But in the end, he had spent nearly ten minutes completing the task.

    The long time could expose the magic dome of the city, which might attract the attention of the Royal Guard and government personnel, starting an investigation.

    Malrik scratched his head, smiling as he explained, "Kekeke... Master, don''t worry. I''ve carefully studied the magic dome surrounding this city."

    "If the energy used for the magic is not high, the dome will overlook it and not trigger an alarm. After all, so many activities in the city use magic; if the dome were too sensitive, the alarms would flood the city."

    "I just need to find the right magic frequency, and then use magic based on that frequency. The magic dome of the city will definitely not detect me."

    "What?!" Noan was surprised, frowning as he asked, "Is that how you used to capture the souls of those thugs?"

    "Kekeke... Master has figured it out, huh?"

    "Do you think I''m stupid? With so many thugs, Vylyss and I both noticed." Noan sighed and said, "If it weren''t for you, Vylyss and I would have already taken action."

    "Kekeke... That''s right, I was testing a little, and it seems everything is exactly as I thought." Malrik laughed.

    "Then... how can I use the magic frequency the magic dome won''t detect?" Noan frowned and asked.

    Malrik then took out a black book and flipped it to a specific page. A line of text flew out from the book and shot straight toward Noan''s head.

    Noan didn''t resist; he allowed the words to merge with his mind.

    After a moment, he opened his eyes, furrowed his brows, and waved his hand. A fireball appeared in his palm.

    One second...

    Ten seconds...

    One minute...

    Even though the fireball had a diameter of over a meter and illuminated a large area, the magic dome didn''t trigger any alarms.

    This meant that... he had found a loophole in the magic dome.

    No, more precisely, it was Malrik who had found this loophole.

    However, if this loophole had been so easy to find, the city would have fallen into chaos.

    This meant that only Malrik could have discovered this loophole.

    Noan, once again, recognised Malrik''s power not only from his magic but also from his knowledge.

    "You did very well!" Noan didn''t hold back his praise for Malrik.

    "Kekeke... Master, it''s just a small matter. If I had enough power, I could easily destroy this magic dome."

    Upon hearing this, Noan trusted him even more. After all, Malrik was a rather bizarre entity.

    He looked at the white smoke in Malrik''s hand, his eyes filled with a bit of killing intent.

    The white smoke seemed to sense Noan''s gaze and immediately trembled.

    "You helped your sister steal my money, and now, you must pay the price," Noan said, his voice cold and filled with malice. "Although that money means nothing to me, I will not allow someone who causes trouble for me to continue living."

    "Malrik, throw him into the fires of Hell, don''t let his soul dissipate too quickly."

    "Yes, Master. Kekekeke..." Malrik said as he swallowed the white smoke into his mouth.

    "Alright, let''s go," Noan said, using teleportation magic as he and Malrik left the area.

    Having figured out the frequency of the Magic Dome, Noan could now use magic freely without worrying about being detected or triggering an alarm.

    ...

    Two days later.

    In a room decorated in a very cute style, everything was in shades of pink. On a princess-style bed, a girl with pink hair was lying down. Her face looked slightly tired, her eyes slightly red as if she had been crying a lot.

    She lay still on the bed, her eyes closed as though she were sleeping. Both hands tightly hugged a pillow, her fingers clutching it as if trying to hold it close, not wanting to let it go.

    Yes, it was Lylia.

    At that moment, the door to the room creaked open slightly. Lylia''s mother peered inside and, upon seeing the scene, sighed deeply, her heart filled with pain.

    She gently closed the door, her eyes now filled with determination.

    Lylia''s mother took out her phone, dialling a number she had saved but never called before.

    Ring! Ring! Ring!

    The phone rang for a long time before someone picked up.

    "Sorry, may I know who is calling?" A young man''s voice came through the line. It wasn''t too enthusiastic; in fact, his voice carried a hint of indifference and a cold tone.

    "Are you Noan?" Lylia''s mother asked, frowning.

    Noan was silent for a moment before replying, "It''s me. Who are you?"

    "I''m Lylia''s mother. I want to meet you."

    Noan was silent for another moment, then responded, "Can I refuse?"

    "If you want Lylia to die from the pain and sorrow, you can refuse."

    "Alright! Address?"

    "I''ll send you the address. Hopefully, when we meet, you can bring that girl with you as well."

    "That girl?" Noan asked, confused.

    "Your girlfriend."

 Chapter 195: Accepting Lyliaâ€™s love?

    Noan and Vylyss arrived at a residential area on the city''s outskirts.

    This luxury villa neighborhood was for the wealthy, offering a peaceful atmosphere and fresh air, yet not too far from the city center.

    The value of each villa here was extremely high, ranging from 6 to 20 billion credit points.

    That alone proved that Lylia''s background was far from ordinary.

    Noan and Vylyss entered the villa compound and were guided by the security staff to a particularly large mansion nestled deep within the area.

    Looking at the grandest villa in the neighborhood, surrounded by the most beautiful scenery, Noan sighed and shook his head.

    He estimated that the value of this property must have reached 30 billion credit points. It would probably amount to 30 million USD if converted into Earth currency.

    Noan took a deep breath. Although he didn''t know why Lylia''s mother had called him over, or what her words on the phone truly meant, he couldn''t help but feel uneasy.

    "Alright, don''t worry!" Noan reassured himself. "It''s just a normal meeting. There''s nothing between me and Lylia."

    With that thought, Noan felt a bit more at ease. He reached out and pressed the doorbell.

    Ding dong!

    Ding dong!

    The bell rang. Noan didn''t press again, instead waiting patiently with Vylyss.

    After a while, the door opened, and a middle-aged woman with rather refined features stepped out.

    She was dressed in a white dress, her face adorned with meticulous makeup, exuding the poise and strength of a mature woman.

    Yes, she was none other than Lylia''s mother.

    She looked surprised upon seeing Noan and Vylyss.

    Although not extraordinarily handsome, the young man had a pleasant, neat appearance and wore proper clothing, not someone you''d expect to come from a poor family.

    After all, today was the day Noan was meeting Lylia''s parent, so he couldn''t dress carelessly or too casually.

    He also couldn''t behave like some protagonists in the novels he used to readˇŞ

    Dressing like a beggar just to be scolded and looked down upon, only to flex and slap faces with dramatic flair later.

    He wore a neatly pressed shirt, black trousers, and black leather shoes. Draped over his arm was a black blazer styled in a youthful fashion.

    His hair was also carefully styledˇŞclean and tidy- neither too shiny nor too eccentric.

    Lylia''s mother gave Noan a slight nod upon seeing him, feeling a bit satisfied, with a faint sense of good impression stirring within her.

    However, it was only a faint one. After all, this man had driven her daughter to despairˇŞhow could she warm up to him so easily?

    But the moment she laid eyes on the girl accompanying him, Lylia''s mother was taken aback.

    Today, Vylyss wore a white one-piece dress, a pink ribbon tied in her hair, and a pair of white ballet flats adorning her feet.

    At that moment, Vylyss looked like a radiant beam of sunshine, her face strikingly beautiful with a touch of innocence and allure, making anyone who saw her want to hold her close at once.

    Earlier, she hadn''t paid much attention to the girl due to her worry for Lylia.

    Now, looking closer, Lylia''s mother was genuinely surprisedˇŞthis girl was breathtakingly beautiful.

    Lylia''s mother had always taken pride in believing her daughter was among the most beautiful girls she had ever met.

    But when she saw Vylyss, she realized the gap between Lylia and Vylyss was not small.

    Beautiful to the point of envy.

    Could someone this beautiful even exist in the world?

    "Excuse me..." Noan greeted her first upon meeting Lylia''s mother. "I''m Noan, a friend of Lylia''s. And you are...?"

    Hearing Noan''s voice, Lylia''s mother tried to compose herself.

    She looked at Noan, frowning, her expression unreadableˇŞher face showed nothing but cold detachment.

    "I''m Lylia''s mother. You may call me Noralia."

    ...

    In the living room, Noralia sat on the sofa, facing Vylyss and Noan.

    She wasted no time with pleasantries and got straight to the point: "Do you like my daughter?"

    Noan was startled by the question. He looked at Noralia, sighed, and replied, "Aunt Noralia, it seems there''s been a misunderstanding. There''s nothing romantic between Lylia and me. We''re just friends."

    Hearing Noan''s words, Noralia felt a twinge of discomfort and relief.

    Relieved because it appeared Noan and Lylia hadn''t defined their relationship as romantic yet.

    But discomforted because her daughter, Lylia, had done so much for this young man, only to hear the words, "just friends."

    Noralia gripped her teacup tightly, frowning as she spoke, "Is that what you truly think?"

    Noan frowned, unable to grasp the deeper meaning behind Noralia''s words.

    "I''m just speaking the truth," Noan said, thinking she didn''t believe him, so he quickly clarified, "Although Lylia and I are in the same class at the Lord Academy, we''ve barely ever even spoken to each other."

    "We started talking on the day I was about to be transferred to the New Lord Zone."

    "Although we''ve spoken quite a bit since then, honestly, there''s never been any romantic feelings between us."

    Noan wasn''t wrong in saying that.

    The first time he and Lylia had a proper conversation, they''d only talked briefly about his ex-girlfriend before going their separate ways.

    The next time was when Jankos stirred up trouble. Although there was some conflict, it wasn''t anything major.

    They did message each other during that period, but most of their conversations were about resources.

    She had helped him a lot, but that didn''t mean she had feelings for him.

    They hadn''t spoken to each other muchˇŞfalling in love over just a few exchanges would be ridiculous.

    Noralia seemed to realize something. She frowned and asked, "Are you telling the truth?"

    "Yes," Noan nodded. "I think there''s been a bit of a misunderstanding between us. Unlike what you think, Lylia and I don''t have a romantic relationship."

    Seeing how sincere Noan was, Noralia didn''t believe he was lying.

    On the contrary, she truly believed himˇŞbecause she understood her daughter''s personality well.

    ''That foolish girl of mine,'' Noralia scolded inwardly. ''You like him so muchˇŞwhy didn''t you tell him? Now everything''s become such a mess.''

    Noralia let out a sigh. She looked at Noan and said, "I believe you. But I want to ask againˇŞdo you remember what happened when you were little?"

    "Well..." Noan sighed, then shook his head and said, "I''m sorry, Aunt Noralia. I don''t remember. When I was young, I went through a lot, and... there was even a time when I was beaten so badly by my adoptive parents that I lost my memory. That''s why..."

    "What?!"

    Though Noan hadn''t finished, Noralia was already stunned. Her eyes widened in disbelief as she looked at him.

    "You... you were beaten to the point of losing your memory? And... they were your adoptive parents?"

    "That''s right," Noan nodded. "When I returned from the ''Chaos Zone,'' my parents and younger brother had already disappeared."

    "I reported it to the police, but during the investigation, they discovered that I wasn''t their biological child."

    Of course, Noan had to come up with a reason to explain why he had forgotten some of the memories of the "old Noan." Naturally, the part about being beaten to the point of memory loss was a lieˇŞeverything else, however, was true.

    The harsh beatings, the cruel insults, the days he was thrown out of the house like a dog in the middle of pouring rain...

    He remembered those memories all too clearly.

    Noan told her everything and shared the injustices he had suffered in that household.

    Noralia, upon hearing all of it, felt deeply ashamed. It seemed she had wrongly blamed this young man.

    To have gone through so many terrible things, yet remain so calm and steadfastˇŞsuch gentleness and composure was truly admirable.

    If it had been someone else... perhaps...

    Noralia shook her head, not wanting to think any further. She looked at Noan again, her gaze now filled with much more warmth and kindness than before.

    "I''m sorry for misunderstanding you."

    Noan shook his head and replied, "Aunt Noralia, there''s no need to apologize. It was just a misunderstanding."

    "But... you mentioned that something might''ve happened when you were little? Please, tell me. It might be an important clue for me to find my biological parents."

    Noralia pressed her lips together tightly. Her original plan had fallen entirely apartˇŞnow, she didn''t even know what to do next.

    But thinking of her poor daughter, who had suffered so much because of love, crying until her eyes were red as fireˇŞshe could no longer hold back.

    Noralia took a deep breath. As a thought crossed her mind, her eyes drifted to the breathtakingly beautiful girl beside Noan, then shifted back to him.

    "Noan, what do you think about accepting Lylia''s love?"

    Noan: "??!!"

 Chapter 196 196: Noan and Noralia

    Noan was a little surprised to hear what Noralia said, but then he shook his head and replied, "Aunt Noralia, are you certain that Lylia loves me? Isn''t this just a misunderstanding?"

    Noralia looked at him suspiciously, then nodded and said, "Lylia is my daughter. As a woman, I naturally understand a woman''s heart. And besides, she''s my daughterˇŞso I know exactly what I''m talking about."

    Noan found it a bit hard to believe. He knew that there wasn''t any romantic relationship between him and Lylia.

    They had only met a few times, and even then, their conversations lacked emotional intimacyˇŞjust a few brief exchanges about resource trading.

    Noan could easily accept Lylia. After all, he was a man, and having another beautiful and wealthy woman wouldn''t be a bad thing.

    But he wasn''t the kind of scoundrel who ignored what the woman herself truly felt.

    Ack! But when he thought of Maya, he really *was* a scoundrel.

    Even so, he could use everything he had to make it up to her.

    But with Lylia... what if this was all just a misunderstanding?

    Seeing Noan hesitate, Noralia frowned and said, "Noan, do you know that Lylia sacrificed one of her lives just so you could survive today?"

    Noan looked at Noralia in confusion and asked softly, "Aunt Noralia, could you explain a bit more?"

    Noralia sighed, then began to explain:

    "When a Lord loses their territory, they only have two options."

    "Either become a rogue Lord, wandering from place to place like a ghost... or become someone else''s slave, with your life in their hands."

    "However, because Lylia comes from a great noble family, she had access to a third optionˇŞa way for her to become a Lord again, even if her territory was destroyed."

    "It''s called a ''Backup Core.'' It''s essentially the Lord''s second life. But Lylia gave up that second life... to help you escape from the ''Distorted Point.''"

    Noan was stunned upon hearing that, his eyes widening as he stared at Noralia.

    At that moment, he suddenly realized that the message from the System saying he could possess a second territory was all thanks to Lylia.

    He... was living on her second life.

    Noan lowered his head, his heart filled with countless emotions, as if he were adrift on a boat at Point Nemo, unable to see any shore.

    "I..." Noan stammered, "Aunt Noralia, I *can* accept Lylia''s loveˇŞbut I want to be sure, one more time... whether she truly loves me or not."

    "If she truly loves me, I will never break her heart. However, I don''t feel any romantic affection for Lylia right now, and I''m afraid this might hurt her feelings."

    Noralia nodded upon hearing that. "Don''t worry. Feelings can develop over time. You''re a man, after allˇŞaccepting a woman''s love will always be a bit easier for you."

    "However..."

    At that moment, Noralia suddenly looked toward Vylyss, who had remained quiet since they arrived.

    She resembled a flawless porcelain doll, the beauty that made anyone who saw her want to possess her by any means.

    "What''s your name?"

    Vylyss tilted her head and looked at Noralia. She had no concept of human politeness or etiquette, so she could only respond as best.

    "I am Vylyss."

    Aside from her Master, she owed no deference to anyone.

    Seeing Vylyss so proud and aloof, Noralia didn''t feel offended or angry. After all, with beauty like that, she had every right to be proud.

    "Vylyss, would you be jealous if my daughter were to become Noan''s lover too?"

    Vylyss smiled at Noralia''s question and gently replied, "No. The more women my Master has, the greater his power. That would only make me prouder."

    Hearing Vylyss refer to Noan as ''Master,'' Noralia was startled. Her gaze shifted with suspicion between Vylyss and Noan.

    Had the younger generation become so bold that they used such titles now?

    Seeing Noralia''s confusion, Noan sighed and explained, "Aunt Noralia, Vylyss is my girlfriend, but she''s also my Hero."

    "Ah!" Noralia immediately understood why Vylyss addressed Noan as ''Master.''

    So... everything made sense now. It wasn''t unusual for a Lord to fall in love with their Hero.

    In fact, most Heroes with human-like forms became lovers of their Lords.

    Even the Lords married their Heroes and let them live in the city like ordinary citizens.

    But... this was the first time Noralia had ever seen a Hero this beautiful.

    She couldn''t even detect anything unusual about VylyssˇŞit was as if Vylyss truly was human.

    However, this might be a good thing. There would be no rivalry within the haremˇŞafter all, Vylyss was Noan''s Hero and would never betray him.

    Because of that, she surely wouldn''t make things difficult for Lylia if both loved Noan.

    After all, in this world, it wasn''t uncommon for a man to have many womenˇŞor the reverse, for a woman to have multiple men.

    As long as you were strong and wealthy, you could have anything you wanted.

    "Aunt Noralia, may I ask what exactly happened between Lylia and me when we were young?" Noan asked curiously.

    Noralia wanted to say something, but she decided against it. "If you can''t remember, then it''s best to let Lylia remind you. I hope that from now on, you''ll take care of herˇŞdon''t let her suffer like this again."

    "This..." Noan was taken aback.

    This was the first time he had seen a mother so willing to let her daughter freely pursue love.

    At first, he''d thought Noralia would hand him some money and ask him to stay away from her.

    But... everything had gone too smoothlyˇŞso smoothly that it made Noan suspicious.

    Looks like he''d watched a bit too many TV dramas.

    "Hahaha..." Seeing Noan''s expression, Noralia laughed and said, "Surprised? At first, I didn''t want Lylia to love you either. But seeing her in so much pain made me think about myself... about my own life..."

    As Noralia spoke, she gazed off into the distance, her eyes clouded with memories of something sorrowful. "I once wished to love someone, too. But in the end, it was just a dream of mine."

    "But Lylia is different. I hope she can pursue the love she wants. I don''t want her to be like me, left only with regret."

    Noan tilted his head and looked at Noralia. She was still so beautiful. She appeared radiant under the sunlight pouring through the window, carrying the aura of maturity and quiet sorrow.

    "All right, Master, you should go see Lylia. Don''t keep her waiting," Vylyss suddenly said, gently pushing Noan forward as she spoke.

    "This... wait a moment, Aunt Noralia is still here," Noan sighed. He felt like Vylyss was even more eager than he was, as if she had been waiting for this moment for a long time.

    Noralia watched the scene unfold and gave a faint, melancholic smile. She guided Noan toward Lylia''s room, then returned to her seat.

    "You don''t get jealous?" Noralia looked at Vylyss and asked once more.

    Vylyss smiled and replied, "I won''t be jealous. I hope Master will have even more women."

    "Master is alone. If I can help him build a big family, wouldn''t that be even warmer?"

    Hearing Vylyss''s words, Noralia was a little surprised, but she chuckled and said, "You''re a strange one... but you''re not wrong either."

    ...

    Knock! Knock! Knock!

    "Um..."

    Lylia heard the knocking and slowly opened her eyes, feeling a dull ache.

    She had no idea how much she''d cried over the past two daysˇŞshe only knew that every time she finished crying, she would fall asleep. When she woke up, she would cry again. Even holding it in was useless; the tears would still come.

    Although Lylia had told Noralia that she could accept being Noan''s second wife, in her heart, the pain remained.

    And the fact that Noan didn''t remember their past only made her feel more hopeless.

    Eventually, she sank into such negative thoughts that she became depressed.

    "Mom?"

    Hearing the knocking, Lylia said tiredly, "I don''t want to eat right now. I''ll eat later."

    Knock! Knock!

    The knocking came again, but no voice responded to her words.

    She frowned, puzzled, and said again, "Mom, I''m really tired, I..."

    Knock! Knock!

    Lylia sighed, dragging her weary body toward the door.

    Crack!

    She opened the door slightly, revealing a small gap, and said weakly, "Mom, I said IˇŞHeh! Noan?!"

 Chapter 197 197: Youâ€¦ you jerk!

    Lylia saw Noan through the gap in the door and instinctively slammed it shut in surprise.

    BAM!

    However, the door didn''t close because Noan''s hand was in the way.

    When Lylia realized she had slammed the door on his hand, she panicked, hurriedly opened it, and anxiously looked at him. "I''m sorry... I''m sorry... I... I..."

    Lylia stammered, unable to find the right words. At that moment, she didn''t understand why her emotions had lost controlˇŞher tears began to flow again like twin streams.

    "It''s okay." Noan held the door and opened it. After all, his physical strength had already reached the level of a rank D Hero, so a minor accident like this didn''t affect him at all.

    "Can I come in?" Noan asked softly.

    Lylia glanced at her slightly messy room and quickly said, "Ah! Um... I... my room is..."

    "Don''t worry, I don''t mind any of that."

    Hearing Noan''s words, Lylia quickly wiped her tears, her face flushing red with embarrassment.

    She silently scolded Noralia in her heartˇŞwhy would she let Noan into her room so suddenly like this?

    At the very least, she should''ve had time to tidy up or touch up her makeup.

    So embarrassing!

    So embarrassing, she just wanted to crawl into a hole and hide.

    Seeing that Lylia didn''t answer, Noan stepped into the room and closed the door behind him.

    He noticed Lylia''s swollen, red eyes, and a twinge of discomfort stirred in his chest.

    He hadn''t thought she truly liked himˇŞnone of it made sense.

    But seeing Lylia''s expression, he had no choice but to believe it was true.

    They sat silently on the bed for a long time, neither saying a word.

    Lylia was wearing pink pajamas. With her pink hair, she looked incredibly adorable, like a creature one couldn''t help but want to cuddle.

    She sat still, lips pressed tightly together, clutching the fabric of her pants with both hands. Countless emotions surged within her, leaving her unsure what to do next.

    Noan sat quietly, waiting for Lylia to speak, but it seemed she had no intention of starting the conversation, which made things awkward for him as well.

    The atmosphere was silent, yet Lylia felt a strange mix of excitement and embarrassment.

    It was the first time she had ever sat next to Noan like thisˇŞand the first time a young man entered her bedroom and sat on her bed.

    Though she was embarrassed, a deep thrill bloomed in her chest.

    ''Noan came here... that means he cares about me. Maybe he likes me too,'' Lylia thought to herself.

    ''But... what about that other girl? Am I going to become a concubine? Is that okay?''

    ''What if she doesn''t like me? What if she wants me to stay away from Noan?''

    ''AAAH! What should I do? Mom, this is so embarrassing! I wasn''t even mentally prepared for this yet.''

    Noan sighed and said, "Lylia, do you like me?"

    He suddenly cut straight to the point, startling Lylia. Her hands instinctively gripped her thighs, her fingernails digging into her skin, the pain snapping her back to clarity.

    Lylia pressed her lips together, her face so red it looked like it might catch fire at any moment.

    But after a moment, she summoned all her courage and nodded.

    Noan glanced at her, then asked again, "Since when?"

    Lylia lowered her head and said nothing. The silence stretched on for quite a while, and finally, she spoke: "If I told you... I''ve liked you since we were kids... would you believe me?"

    Noan tilted his head and looked at the ceiling. After a moment, he gently nodded and said, "I believe you. But... I don''t remember any of that."

    He then repeated everything he had told Noralia.

    After listening, Lylia looked up at him, her eyes misty, her expression filled with surpriseˇŞand a mix of guilt and sympathy.

    "I''m sorry... I didn''t know you''d been through so much. I... I..."

    Before she could finish, she covered her face with both hands, but the tears still streamed down through the gaps between her fingers.

    Noan shook his head and gently patted her on the head. "Don''t worry, it doesn''t bother me. It''s just... there''s a lot I''ve forgotten. Can you remind me?"

    Upon hearing that, Lylia immediately took a deep breath, trying to calm herself.

    Even so, her heart was overwhelmed with guilt.

    ''Noan has been through so many terrible things, and not only did I fail to understand himˇŞI even blamed him for being cold.''

    ''AAAH!!! I''m so sorry, Noan! Truly, I''m sorry!''

    Lylia apologized to him repeatedly in her heart, though she tried her best to appear calm outwardly.

    But she couldn''t stay calm whenever she looked at his face.

    Someone who had suffered so much was now comforting someone who had grown up in a palace like her.

    That only made her feel even more ashamed.

    Lylia pressed her lips together, rearranged her memories, then said, "Back then, when I was seven years old, we met..."

    As Lylia recalled the past, the "old Noan" memories gradually became clearer.

    It was a story often seen in many novels.

    When Lylia was a child, she chased after a swan and fell into a lake.

    At that time, Noan had been nearby. Of course, he knew how to swimˇŞhe had survived in harsh environments all his life.

    He saved Lylia, but before her parents arrived, he had already left.

    It wasn''t because he wanted to be a hero without expecting her gratitude.

    It was because, at that time, he had been delivering newspapers.

    After rescuing Lylia, all the newspapers he carried fell into the lake and were soaked, making them unsellable.

    Panicked and terrified, he fled.

    However, in the end, he was found by the two scumbags who called themselves his parents.

    And of course, they beat him nearly to death.

    "Noan..."

    Suddenly, Lylia tilted her head, her tear-filled eyes filled with longing as she looked at him. "Did... did you remember?"

    Noan gave a gentle nod. "I remember. That day... it was because of that I was beaten so badly by my adoptive parents that I nearly died."

    "Heh?!" Lylia was shocked. "Why? You saved meˇŞwhy would they beat you?"

    Noan told her everything.

    Lylia clenched her fists tightly, her voice trembling angrily: "Bastards! Those monsters don''t even deserve to be called human."

    "How could they do that to you? They didn''t just abduct you as a childˇŞthey... they treated you so cruelly."

    "Noan, don''t worry. I''ll help you get justice. If I can''t do it through the law, then I''ll use the power of darkness."

    Noan shook his head, a gentle warmth rising in his chest. He hadn''t expected such a strong reaction from LyliaˇŞ

    as if she were the one who had suffered instead of him.

    He smiled and said, "It''s alright. This is my problem. I''ll deal with it. Besides, those people have already disappeared. I''m still trying to track them down."

    He said this because he didn''t believe Lylia could find them.

    If she did, it would just mean being transferred from one prison to another, with no real difference in outcome.

    Lylia pouted upon hearing that, clearly displeased. "Noan, do you think I can''t do it?"

    "No! I believe in you. It''s just... this is something I must face alone. I don''t want to trouble you," Noan replied.

    "We... we''re about to become... a couple soon, aren''t we? I don''t think it''s any trouble," Lylia said, her face blushing bright red, voice stammering.

    Noan laughed and said, "Aren''t you jealous? I already have a girlfriend."

    Lylia lowered her head, feeling a bit disheartened, but she immediately looked up, her gaze firm as she stared at Noan: "I don''t care! Noan, do you like me?"

    Noan looked at Lylia, nodded, and said, "I like you. You''re so beautifulˇŞanyone who sees you would like you. But I still want to make sure of one thing."

    "Lylia, saving you back then was just an instinctive act. Besides, we were both kids thenˇŞyou don''t have to repay me this way. You canˇŞ"

    "No!" Lylia suddenly shouted, her face filled with frustration as she looked at him: "This isn''t repaymentˇŞI truly like you. Ever since you saved me, I''ve always been watching, looking at, and paying attention to you."

    "But you''re like a stone! You never notice me and keep avoiding me like I''m some villain."

    "You... you... you jerk!"

    Lylia pressed her lips together tightly, then suddenly rested her head against his chest.

    Noan didn''t move away. He gently patted her head. He sighedˇŞhe never expected this girl to be so resolute.

    A flicker of affection from childhood had endured until now, and it hadn''t changed.

    "I don''t care if you like me or notˇŞyou have to accept me, you have to let me stay by your side," Lylia said, crying.

    "I can''t take it anymore, I can''t hold it in. You jerk! You... you... huhuhu..."

    Her hands gripped his shirt tightly, as if she wanted to tear it apart.

    Noan sighed again and gently patted her back: "I already have a girlfriend."

    "I don''t care! I don''t want to hear it! I don''t want to hear that!"

    Hearing Lylia''s words, Noan couldn''t reject her any further.

    At that moment, he pulled her into his arms. Lylia looked up at him, her teary eyes gazing into his, and he looked back at her.

    Their faces drew closer, their breaths mingled in a haze of warmth and tension.

    Suddenly, Lylia half-closed her eyes and tilted her head slightly upward. Noan knew exactly what she wanted to do, and he slowly lowered his head, bringing his face closer to hers.

    When their lips were less than a few centimeters apartˇŞ

    Suddenly, Noralia''s voice rang out from outside the room.

    "Lylia! Jankos is looking for you."

 Chapter 198 198: I need resources

    Both heard Noralia''s sound and immediately jumped in surprise, staring at each other with wide eyes.

    Lylia, at this moment, shyly stepped back, feeling her heart beat incessantly as if it would leap out of her chest.

    Her breath was hurried, her face flushed so much that it seemed it would catch fire, and her eyes were damp with a hint of tears.

    At this moment, Lylia resembled an orchid with a few dewdrops in the early morning.

    Wet and graceful, Noan could not restrain himself, so he grabbed her hand and pulled her toward him.

    Although Lylia was a Rank A Lord, her physique was still that of a normal person, and how could she resist a monster like Noan?

    But even if she could resist, she didn''t want to.

    Lylia allowed Noan to pull her toward him, and then he lowered his head, kissing her moist lips.

    However, the kiss didn''t last long; they pulled apart only a few seconds later, like a dragonfly skimming across the water''s surface.

    Boom!!!

    Although the kiss was very gentle, Lylia''s face seemed to explode after parting.

    Her face was so red that Noan could see the veins beneath her snow-white skin.

    "Oy! Are you... are you okay?" Noan asked with concern.

    Lylia didn''t hear his words at all. She opened her eyes wide, looking far into the distance, her mind in chaos with countless thoughts.

    ''I just kissed him.''

    ''I just kissed him, he initiated the kiss, my first kiss... he has taken it.''

    ''AAAA!!! I kissed him, this isn''t good, I can''t stay calm, hahahaha... finally, after so many years of waiting, I finally kissed him.''

    "Lylia!" At this moment, the voice wasn''t his, but Noralia''s.

    She didn''t hear any response from inside the room, and immediately said with concern: "I''m coming in!"

    Crit!

    The door to the room opened, and Noralia saw Noan holding Lylia in his arms, and Lylia''s expression... was just as she had imagined.

    It looked like she was lost in a beautiful dream, still not fully awake.

    Noralia''s mouth opened, and she was startled. The speed... how could it be so fast?

    Had they...

    Noan knew exactly what Noralia was thinking and quickly explained: "Aunt Noralia, I... we haven''t done anything yet, it''s just... a kiss."

    "Ah! No, I..."

    Noan sighed as he saw Noralia, and his words began to lose control.

    Was it reasonable to say that he just kissed their daughter in front of her parents?

    Noralia pursed her lips and quickly said, "Alright, Lylia, calm down a little. Jankos is outside; he wants to see you."

    "Ah!" Lylia immediately snapped out of her daze when she heard Noralia''s words.

    "Mom, why does he want to see me?" Lylia said irritably, her face, which was once immersed in happiness, now showing a hint of discomfort.

    "He''s your fiance?; it''s normal for him to come and see you," Noralia replied, frowning.

    Lylia glanced at Noan after hearing this and quickly explained, "Noan, don''t misunderstand, I don''t have any relationship with him."

    "My grandfather and his grandfather arranged this engagement. I... I didn''t want to accept the engagement, so I left the family and came to live with my mother."

    Noralia sighed after hearing this and added, "It''s a long story, but we should address the current situation first."

    "Lylia, you should go out and meet Jankos."

    "No!" Lylia shook her head, pouting and saying, "Why should I meet him? He''s just..."

    "Lylia!" Noralia snapped, "This is not the time for you to act like a child. Jankos'' family is very dangerous, they could harm you, and even Noan."

    "Do you want to see Noan in danger?"

    After saying this, Noralia realised she had misspoken and immediately explained, "Sorry, Noan. I didn''t mean it that way, what I meant is..."

    "It''s okay!" Noan smiled and said, "I understand. Aunt Noralia, can I talk to Lylia for a moment? It won''t be long, I can change her mind."

    Noralia glanced at the stubborn Lylia sitting in Noan''s lap, then sighed and said, "Alright, but make it quick. If you keep him waiting too long, he''ll get suspicious."

    After finishing her words, she immediately left the room.

    As soon as the door closed, Lylia said sadly, "Noan, you have to believe me, I won''t like him, and I definitely won''t marry him."

    Noan smiled and said, "Of course I believe you, but right now, we can''t act on our emotions."

    "You just heard your mother say, Jankos'' family is very dangerous; they will harm you."

    Lylia lowered her head and said sadly, "I''m sorry."

    "Hahaha... Lylia, you don''t need to apologise. On the contrary, I have a very interesting plan. Would you like to hear it?"

    "Heh?!" Lylia looked at Noan with confusion.

    Noan lowered his head, leaning close to her ear and whispered something.

    ...

    In the living room,

    At this moment, Jankos was sitting and drinking tea with Noralia. Vylyss had gone to another room; after all, she was Noan''s hero and couldn''t be seen by Jankos.

    "Aunt Noralia, you''re becoming more and more beautiful, making me think you''re only twenty-five years old."

    Noralia, hearing Jankos'' words, wasn''t pleased at all. On the contrary, she just nodded indifferently, "Thank you for the compliment, Young Master Jankos, but I am old now. No one needs me anymore, so I can only hide here and live alone."

    "Hahahaha... Aunt Noralia, if I marry Lylia in the future, I''ll move here to live with you," Jankos said with a smile. "I don''t want you to be lonely, and besides, the living conditions here aren''t bad. We''ll surely live together happily."

    Hearing Jankos'' words, Noralia genuinely felt disgusted.

    This bastard not only had his eyes on her daughter, but now he was also eyeing her.

    "Thank you, Young Master, but I just want to stay here alone," Noralia frowned and said indifferently.

    "Hahaha... Don''t worry, when the time comes, you''ll feel that having me live here will make you feel happier and warmer than ever," Jankos said with a greedy smile.

    His smile made Noralia shudder, inwardly cursing Jankos as a perverted and greedy man.

    But she couldn''t resist too harshly; after all, Jankos came from a powerful family. If he became upset, it was likely that her and Lylia''s lives would never be peaceful.

    Creak!

    "Looks like you''re having a pleasant conversation with my mother, right?" Lylia opened the door, her gaze filled with disgust as she looked at Jankos.

    Upon seeing Lylia, he couldn''t help but feel that she seemed even more alluring than before. However, he didn''t care much; the more beautiful Lylia was, the better.

    Jankos slowly stood up upon seeing Lylia, holding a bouquet of beautiful roses.

    He approached Lylia and smiled, "These are the roses you like."

    Lylia glanced at the bouquet of roses but didn''t take it. Instead, she said indifferently, "What are you here for?"

    Jankos, seeing her expression, wasn''t angry. On the contrary, he smiled excitedly, "I''m your fiance?, isn''t it normal to come see you?"

    Lylia''s heart burned with anger, as if her chest might explode, but remembering Noan''s words, she tried to restrain herself.

    "It''s an engagement arranged by my grandfather and your grandfather, and I don''t like you."

    "Hahahaha..." Jankos laughed loudly, "Love can develop over time. Don''t you want to see your family driven to ruin? Or... do you want to ruin your mother''s peaceful life?"

    "You... are you threatening me?" Lylia gritted her teeth, her eyes filled with anger.

    "Hahaha... Lylia, you misunderstand, I''m not threatening you, I''m just saying what could happen in the worst-case scenario," Jankos said, still laughing, his gaze filled with malice that made Lylia feel disgusted.

    But she quickly regained her composure, furrowing her brows and asking, "Did you come here just to bring flowers?"

    "Ah! You mean..." Jankos was somewhat surprised by Lylia''s question.

    "You''re meeting your fiance?e, yet you only bring a bouquet? It seems you don''t care much about your fiance?e, do you?" Lylia said, her voice conveying mockery that made Jankos uncomfortable.

    However, that discomfort quickly vanished, and he thought of a scenario that made him smile with satisfaction.

    ''Ah! It seems all women are the same. Even if you''re a young lady from a great family, you''re still a woman, just a parasite who loves to eat money.''

    "Hahaha... you''re right, I forgot about that. I have a card with me, it has more than a billion credit points," Jankos said with a smile. "The password is six zeros; you can use it as you wish. You can come to me to get more if it runs out."

    Lylia looked at the card, her face showing a hint of disgust. But then, she shook her head and said, "I don''t need a credit card, I just need you to help me with something."

    "Hm?! What do you mean..." Jankos frowned.

    "I need resources."

 Chapter 199: Vylyss and Jankos?

    "Resources?" Jankos asked in confusion, "What do you need resources for? After all, you can''t bring resources to that other world even if you have resources."

    "You''re overthinking it." Lylia shook her head. "I have a close friend whose family just went bankrupt, so she''s holding onto many resources to rebuild from scratch."

    "I want to help her, but I don''t have enough money or resources."

    "Ah!" Jankos immediately understood why Lylia was asking for resources.

    After all, running a Lord''s business was normal in this world.

    Many people relied on helping the Lords develop to exploit resources from other worlds or hunt monsters and collect their corpses.

    Some monsters carried rare items on them, which, when sold, could be extremely valuable.

    Others trained the Lords to become mercenaries.

    In general, in this world, almost every industry centres around the Lord for development.

    "Your friend, huh? I don''t know her, how can I trust and help her?" Jankos frowned.

    Lylia didn''t say much; she just waved her hand.

    Suddenly, Vylyss entered the room.

    Jankos immediately had his eyes fixed on Vylyss, his eyes sparkling, his mouth hanging open as if his tongue might fall out.

    Beautiful!

    So beautiful!

    More beautiful than Lylia.

    So beautiful that he just wanted to rush towards her, savouring every inch of her body.

    Is there anyone in this world who''s this beautiful?

    That face... truly perfect. When Jankos saw Vylyss, his first thought was that her beauty must have been altered.

    It must be artificial beauty.

    But as he looked closer, everything seemed so natural that he couldn''t find anything unusual.

    At that moment, Vylyss'' eyes suddenly emitted a faint pink glow, causing Jankos'' mind to falter as if he were under some control.

    However, the feeling didn''t last long, disappearing in the blink of an eye.

    Jankos didn''t even realise that something strange had just occurred.

    His vision only blurred slightly, but then everything returned to normal.

    "Nice to meet you, my name is Vylyss," Vylyss said, her tone quite indifferent, making her seem like a cold, distant iceberg.

    "I''m Jankos..." Jankos extended his hand as if wanting to shake hers.

    But his hand stopped mid-air, and Vylyss didn''t take his hand, nor did she pay him any attention.

    "Vylyss has a bit of a cold personality, and she also has a condition where she''s afraid of men, so you can''t touch her," Lylia explained.

    "Ah! My mistake," Jankos said, startled, retracting his hand. However, his gaze was still filled with greed as he looked at Vylyss, as if he wanted to devour her immediately.

    Jankos didn''t realise that Vylyss had already altered his mind. His eyes were now entirely focused on her.

    "So, Jankos, can you help her?"

    Hearing Lylia''s question, Jankos smiled and replied, "Of course, I''ll definitely help her. Don''t worry, I can buy any resources you want, as long as they''re not too expensive or too rare."

    Seeing Jankos so confident, Vylyss nodded slightly and indifferently said, "This is the list of items needed. If you buy everything on this list, you can contact me."

    "If you want, I can write you an IOU and pay you back later."

    At that moment, Vylyss'' eyes glowed with a pink light again. Although Jankos was standing right before her, he didn''t notice the change in her eyes.

    On the contrary, he looked like a fool, smiling as he said, "Hahaha... no need, really no need. I trust you."

    Jankos took the paper from Vylyss''s hand, deliberately brushing his hand against hers.

    Vylyss recoiled in fear, quickly pulling her hand back, her face flushed even more, making her even more alluring, which stunned Jankos.

    "Hahaha... sorry, I didn''t mean to," Jankos said, though he still raised the hand that had touched Vylyss'' and took a deep breath, savouring the enticing fragrance that captivated him.

    Vylyss frowned, quickly turning her head to leave.

    "You... I''m still standing here, and you''re flirting with another girl," Lylia pretended to be angry, frowning as she spoke.

    "Hahaha... Lylia, you have to trust me. I really didn''t mean it just now. But your friend is really beautiful. What company does she run? I could help her rebuild it," Jankos said with a smile.

    "I don''t know," Lylia pouted and replied, "Did I mention it so you could have a chance to meet her?"

    "You should remember, I am your fiance?e now."

    Jankos smirked inwardly.

    ''Huh! Stupid woman. Are you starting to feel like your position is unstable? Hahaha... wait until I marry you and take your first time, then the next target will be your mother.''

    ''After that... it will be Vylyss. Kekekeke... A beautiful girl like her, how could I let her go? Vylyss, you will definitely be mine. No one else can have you.''

    Jankos thought to himself.

    He didn''t stay long, taking Vylyss'' note with him, and immediately left.

    After Jankos left, Lylia let out a sigh of relief.

    Noralia, having witnessed everything, asked with confusion: "Lylia, just now you..."

    "Mom, don''t ask too much. This is Noan''s plan," Lylia said with a smile. "Huh! You should see how Noan and I handled that bastard."

    "Lylia, don''t act thoughtlessly," Noralia said with concern. "Jankos is no ordinary man, he..."

    "Okay, Mom, don''t worry. I know exactly what I''m doing," Lylia said confidently with a smile.

    However, Noralia didn''t share the same opinion; she could only sigh in response.

    At that moment, Noan appeared: "Sorry for troubling Aunt Noralia today, I''ll be leaving now. I promise I''ll return later, bringing some gifts to compensate for it."

    "No need!" Noralia shook her head. "Aren''t you staying? It would be better if you ate lunch first and then left."

    Noan shook his head: "I''m truly sorry, I have some matters to take care of and can''t stay long."

    Suddenly, Lylia rushed toward him and hugged him tightly: "You''re not allowed to leave."

    Noan shook his head: "Sorry, Lylia. I''ll come to see you tomorrow, but now I really have to take care of some issues."

    Lylia pouted, though unwilling, and eventually let him go. In a sulky tone, she said, "If you don''t see me, no matter where you hide, I will find you."

    "You must reply to my messages within a minute, understand?"

    Noan forced a smile, nodding: "I understand."

    He bowed his head to Noralia, then immediately left with Vylyss.

    Lylia watched Noan''s retreating figure, feeling a slight sense of loss in her heart.

    But today, she felt very satisfied, thinking that her future with Noan would be full of sweetness.

    Noralia, on the other hand, seeing Lylia''s expression, could only sigh and shake her head, unsure of what to say in this situation.

    But... it was the business of young people, and she couldn''t intervene too much.

    ...

    Noan and Vylyss used teleportation magic, instantly appearing in a secluded area.

    "Master, why didn''t you let me charm him and turn him into a slave?" Vylyss asked as she used a cloth, trying to wipe the spot where Jankos had touched her.

    "Too risky," Noan shook his head.

    In fact, he had helped Vylyss learn the frequency of the magical dome, which allowed her to now use magic as well.

    But Vylyss still felt confused. Jankos was just an ordinary person; if she used charm magic, he would undoubtedly become her slave.

    Noan understood Vylyss'' confusion and immediately explained: "Jankos'' status is special; he''s the eldest son of a large family."

    "You can use magic without the Magic Dome detecting it, but what if his family suspects something after Jankos has been manipulated by you?"

    "They could use magical items to investigate, and everything would collapse at that point."

    "Furthermore, if you use high-intensity charm magic, it could alert the City''s Magic Dome."

    "That''s why we need to act carefully and gradually change Jankos'' mind."

    "Although it will take more time, the result will be the same, but it''s much safer."

    Vylyss nodded lightly in agreement, obediently standing by his side.

    In fact, there was another reason Noan hadn''t mentioned: Jankos was a ''Fate Holder.''

    If he acted too hastily, it could cause a lot of problems. After all, a ''Fate Holder'' was like the protagonist of a novel.

    If he didn''t proceed carefully, it was certain that Noan would be in danger.

 Chapter 200: Vylyss and Lylia - Stealth?

    "That''s why we need to be a bit more careful," Noan said. "Vylyss, you''ll have to endure a bit in the coming days."

    "Every day, find a way to trick him into meeting you. Remember, you can only meet him privately, do you understand?"

    "Ah! You want me to use magic to enchant or approach him daily?" Vylyss tilted her head, tossing the cloth as she spoke.

    "Exactly, a little bit every day, and after five days, could we completely enchant him?" Noan raised an eyebrow and asked.

    Vylyss tilted her head, tapping her chin as if thinking about something.

    After a moment, she said, "It''s possible, but no one should realise he''s being enchanted during that process. If that''s the case, the success rate is 100%."

    Noan nodded lightly. Though this was risky, he had enough confidence to take the chance. If it were discovered, no one would think that a low-ranked Landlord like him could use a hero to enchant Jankos.

    Furthermore, information about Vylyss wasn''t even stored in the Hero Summoning System that brought her to this world. She arrived here through his "Summoning Space," so he didn''t worry about her being discovered.

    Even if she were discovered, as long as he allowed Vylyss to enter the "Summoning Space," no one could find her.

    Noan wanted to experiment with whether, upon returning to the city, the Fate Holders could resist his attack without the assistance of Heroes and Soldiers.

    Jankos was an example. If he could successfully manipulate Jankos, it would mean he had successfully manipulated a Fate Holder.

    This would open up many opportunities and methods for him to confront other Fate Holders.

    Noan nodded lightly and said, "I will have Lylia create more opportunities for you and him to meet."

    "Besides that, you know what you must do, right?"

    "Hehehe..." Vylyss chuckled mischievously. "You want me to strip him of his wealth, right, my evil Master?"

    She spoke as she wrapped her arms around Noan''s, pressing them between her soft breasts.

    "That''s right." Noan laughed. "We''ll strip him of all his assets and influence until he becomes our dog. Then, we''ll use his special abilities."

    Noan said this while looking at the information panel displaying Jankos'' data in the ''Fate Holder List.''

    He couldn''t believe that his enemy was a Fate Holder.

    At that moment, Noan felt that the previous conflict between him and Jankos might have been arranged by fate.

    It seemed like it was bound to happen. They would have found some foolish excuse to have a falling out if it hadn''t happened.

    Looking back now, Noan felt like there was a hand manipulating everything.

    ...

    Name: Frankyro J. Jankos

    Rank: B Peak

    Class: Warrior (D)

    Level: 04

    Innate Ability: Element Enchanter (B)

    - Can enhance the strength of soldiers or heroes with elemental power or add a new element.

    - Success rate: 20%

    - Requirements: Depending on the condition of the soldiers and heroes.

    ...

    The rest of the information was unimportant to Noan, but he focused on Jankos'' rank, class, and innate ability.

    Noan realised that Jankos'' innate ability wasn''t too powerful, but the description mentioned that Jankos could summon a Golem.

    If he combined this ability with the Golem, he could imagine that the Golem''s combat power would increase significantly.

    Additionally, since Jankos was a Fate Holder, Noan believed that Jankos'' power would rise even further.

    Because of this, while Jankos was still in the city, without any protection, Noan decided to turn Jankos into a test subject and experiment on enchanting him.

    If successful, he would have a Fate Holder as a slave; if he failed, he wouldn''t lose anything.

    After all, there had already been conflict between him and Jankos, and one of them would surely die in the future.

    "Vylyss, today you''re to follow Jankos. If anyone too powerful exists in his family, don''t recklessly charge in, understand?"

    "I understand, Master." Vylyss bowed her head and stepped back, disappearing into the shadows.

    ...

    The next day.

    Jankos had indeed procured many resources, even taking resources from his family''s storage.

    However, the resources he took weren''t too valuable, so the Elders and his Father didn''t pay much attention.

    Once he gathered all the resources, he tried to contact Vylyss but realised he didn''t have her phone number.

    Ultimately, he could only call Lylia to arrange a meeting with Vylyss. Naturally, he wanted to meet Lylia, so he found an excuse to invite both beautiful women to meet him.

    In Noralia''s living room.

    At this moment, Noralia was in the kitchen, and only Lylia, Noan, and Vylyss were in the living room.

    Though Lylia was still here, Vylyss acted as if she didn''t exist. She sat on Noan''s lap and gently placed a grape into his mouth with her finger.

    Noan sighed. Despite feeling a bit embarrassed, he still decided to follow Vylyss''s plan.

    Indeed, Vylyss had a plan that made him feel a little ashamed, but he understood it was necessary, so he followed her lead. It was simple: after all, Lylia and he had already established a romantic relationship, but there were still other women in his life, like Vylyss and Maya.

    That was why Vylyss devised a plan to help Lylia accept the idea of Noan having multiple women.

    Though the world allowed men to have harems, women could also. However, possessiveness was natural in anyone. If Lylia''s possessiveness became too strong, it could cause trouble and affect Noan.

    Vylyss didn''t want that to happen. As Noan''s woman, she wanted the harem to be harmonious and help Noan feel at peace.

    Lylia, sitting beside them, saw Vylyss''s actions and immediately grabbed her hands, her face flushed with embarrassment.

    Even though she had only ever loved Noan and had never interacted with any other man, Lylia knew very well that there were many types of relationships between men and women.

    Not only in TV shows, but she had also witnessed it in her own family.

    However, Lylia never imagined this would happen to her. But seeing Noan so pleased with Vylyss''s service, Lylia silently wondered if she too would have to serve him in the same way?

    Lylia didn''t want to do that, as she still hoped for a pure love, one full of romance like in the movies.

    But this was reality, and Lylia knew that clearly. Even if she didn''t want to accept it, she had to.

    Suddenly, Vylyss leaned her head against Noan''s neck, her eyes carrying a hint of a smile as she looked towards Lylia.

    Seeing Vylyss''s gaze, Lylia reacted like a kitten whose tail had been stepped on, immediately puffing up her fur in anger.

    "Ah! Master still has one leg free. Do you want to sit on it?" Vylyss smiled enchantingly: "I''ll just sit on one of Master''s legs. It''ll make Master lose balance."

    "If we sit on both sides, the Master will maintain balance."

    "You... have no shame." Lylia pursed her lips, her face flushed with jealousy and anger.

    "That''s right. I have no shame, so I get to be held by Master like this. If you have shame, what then? Sit alone?" Vylyss teased provocatively.

    Lylia gritted her teeth, her face even redder: "You... but what you do is too ordinary. I just don''t want to do it. If I did, I''m afraid you couldn''t compare to me."

    "Ordinary?" Vylyss laughed mockingly: "Seems like you can''t do anything, so you''re trying to spout boring words to cover up your incompetence, right?"

    "You... you..." Lylia stammered.

    "Good! Please go ahead and demonstrate, Miss Lylia." Vylyss leaned against Noan''s neck, her expression growing even more alluring as she spoke with a smile.

    Lylia clenched her teeth, refusing to pay her any more attention, her eyes pleading as she looked at Noan: "Noan, she... she''s teasing me."

    "Ah! Vylyss, you''re truly wicked." Noan pretended to be angry, his hand slapping Vylyss''s buttocks hard.

    Slap!

    "Um..." Vylyss trembled, letting out a strange, stimulating sound, her face flushed as she gazed at Noan: "Master, I''m sorry. Please punish me more."

    Slap!

    "Um... hm... Master..." Vylyss pressed her body tightly against Noan, her large breasts squashed against him to the point of deformation.

    Lylia''s jaw dropped at the sight: ''You bitch! Are you sure this is punishment? Why does it seem like she''s enjoying it even more?''

    "Lylia, does punishing Vylyss like this satisfy you?" Noan asked with a laugh.

    Lylia: "..."

 Chapter 201: Would you believe me?

    Lylia opened her mouth, wanting to say something, but in the end, she could only remain silent, angrily staring at him.

    "Hahaha... Master, don''t say anymore, she''s just an ordinary human, the young lady of a large family, she won''t do what I am doing," Vylyss laughed as she spoke, her eyes filled with blatant provocation as she looked towards Lylia.

    "You..." Lylia gritted her teeth, her face showing clear signs of anger. "What you can do, I can do. What you can''t do, I can do."

    "Ah! Easier said than done, Lady Lylia," Vylyss laughed and said. "Alright, I can help you a little."

    "You want pure love, huh? Very well, you can love the master. But at night, leave the master to me, I can make him happy from evening until morning, hahaha..."

    Krit!

    Lylia gritted her teeth in anger, the screeching sound echoing, which made Noan feel a bit worried.

    "Oy! Is she alright?" Noan whispered into Vylyss''s ear. After all, Lylia''s expression was terrifying, like a volcano ready to erupt.

    Vylyss didn''t say anything; she sat still, holding Noan and looking at Lylia with a provocative and disdainful gaze.

    Lylia clenched her fists, her eyes darting to the plate of grapes on the table before she sneered coldly.

    She stood up, walked to Noan''s side, and sat on his other thigh.

    Noan shivered slightly as he felt the soft, full curve of Lylia''s buttocks.

    Today, she wore her usual JK uniform. The short skirt failed to cover her bottom when she sat down, leaving Noan to feel their alluring softness through only a thin layer of fabric. Of course, everyone knew what lay beneath that skirt.

    Lylia didn''t stop there. She plucked a grape, paused thoughtfully, then clamped it between her lips.

    She turned her head, slowly bringing her face close to Noan''s, her red lips still holding the grape.

    Noan knew exactly what she intendedˇŞand didn''t refuse, accepting the grape from her.

    As the grape entered his mouth, something soft and wet clumsily slipped in.

    Noan immediately retaliated, sparking a tense, heated battle.

    But just then, Noralia entered the room carrying a tray of pastries.

    She froze at the sight before her, quickly hiding behind the door.

    Her eyes widened, her face flushed with embarrassment, her heartbeat racing as her breath grew faster.

    What in the world is happening?

    In the living room, two women sat on a man''s lapˇŞone of them her own daughter.

    Even worse, her daughter had just fed Noan a grape with her mouth, and then... they''d begun...

    Though Noralia was a mother, her figure remained flawless. Still, after leaving Lylia''s family, she struggled to accept such scandalous scenes.

    Vylyss noticed Noralia''s arrival. A wicked smile curled her lips, a faint pink glint flashing in her eyes before vanishing.

    A stream of pink smoke emanated from Vylyss''s mouth, barely visible.

    However, the smoke seemed to be controlled by Vylyss, slowly drifting out of the room through the gap in the door, then heading towards Noralia.

    After all, Noralia was just an ordinary human; how could she detect the magic that Vylyss was using?

    The pink smoke slowly entered her body through her nose, mouth, and ears.

    At that moment, Noralia suddenly felt her body growing hotter, her heart racing so fast that she felt it might leap out of her chest.

    In her mind, it seemed a voice was urging her to look inside the room, to gaze a little longer.

    Noralia trembled as she gently placed the tray of cakes down, making sure not to make a sound.

    Then, she slowly moved her body towards the gap in the door and peeked inside.

    Lylia, at that moment, was immersed in a new world. At first, she was quite clumsy, but now she had become even more professional.

    Vylyss was not idle either, her long, snake-like tongue continuously moving over Noan''s neck and ears.

    Noralia, upon witnessing the scene, trembled. Her body burned as if feverish, her eyes filled with tears. But... there was a kind of stimulating feeling rising within her, causing her to be unable to tear her gaze away, fixated solely on the image before her.

    Not knowing how much time had passed, Noralia felt as though her heart was being squeezed by an invisible hand, making it difficult for her to breathe.

    Ring! Ring! Ring!

    Just as the situation reached its peak, the sound of a phone ringing interrupted everything.

    Everyone was startled, especially Noralia.

    She quickly retreated, trying to avoid the gap in the door, but whether it was due to her haste or embarrassment, she accidentally kicked the tray of cakes she had placed on the ground earlier.

    CHENG!

    The sound of something breaking echoed once more, startling Noan and Lylia.

    Lylia turned her head towards the door, embarrassed to lower her head, hiding her face in Noan''s chest.

    After all, it was just Noan, Vylyss, Lylia, and her mother in this room. Who could have made the noise with three people here now?

    It had to be Noralia, and that''s why Lylia felt so embarrassed.

    If her mother had seen her doing reckless things with Noan, she would have just wanted to crawl into a hole and disappear.

    If Noralia knew what Lylia was thinking, she would want to crawl into a hole herself.

    Being caught eavesdropping, how could she ever face Noan and Lylia again?

    Noralia was so embarrassed she wanted to cry. She hurriedly picked up the broken pieces, but in her haste, one of the shards cut her hand.

    "Um..." Noralia cried out in pain as the shard cut her finger.

    Seeing the blood oozing from her fingertip, Noralia calmed down a bit. She quickly gathered everything and made her way to the kitchen.

    Noan sighed. Being seen by his girlfriend''s mother in such a situation, he didn''t know how to face Noralia in the future.

    Everyone was embarrassed, except Vylyss, who was so amused and excited that she couldn''t contain herself.

    Ring! Ring! Ring!

    The phone rang again, and Lylia realised it was her phone ringing.

    Lylia quickly took out her phone and saw that the caller was Jankos, and she felt calm again.

    A bit of disgust and anger surged within her.

    If Jankos hadn''t called, she and Noan would still enjoy each other''s sweetness.

    Noan gently patted Lylia''s head and smiled, "You take the call, I''ll help your mother a bit."

    Hearing Noan''s words, Lylia lowered her head, her face turning so red with embarrassment it felt like it was about to explode.

    Watching Noan and Vylyss leave the room, Lylia angrily pressed the ''answer call'' button.

    "What do you want?!"

    Jankos: "..."

    In the kitchen, Noralia leaned her hands on the table, looking at the pile of broken glasses and plates on the tray, feeling tired.

    Noralia never thought that one day she would sneak a peek at her daughter being intimate with her boyfriend.

    But... the feeling at that moment was strange. Even now, she still couldn''t calm down.

    Her large chest rose and fell with each breath, and her heart pounded like a war drum.

    "Aunt Noralia!"

    "AAH!" Noralia startled when she heard Noan''s voice, her hand knocked over a glass of water, sending it crashing to the ground.

    CHENG!

    The glass shattered into countless pieces, and water splashed everywhere. Noralia stepped back in fear, losing her balance like she was about to fall.

    In front of her were the sharp shards of glass. If she fell there, she''d likely be severely injured.

    Noralia didn''t dare to think further. She closed her eyes tightly, waiting for the pain to strike.

    But at that moment, a strong hand pulled Noralia back, and then a masculine scent invaded her nose, causing her to startle.

    Noralia slowly opened her eyes and saw Noan''s face less than ten centimetres from hers, their warm breaths brushing against each other''s faces.

    Noralia even felt her body being held tightly by Noan.

    "Ah! Ah! You... you..." Noralia stammered, immediately pulling away from Noan''s hand.

    Noan sighed and gave an awkward smile. He swore he didn''t mean to.

    He only wanted to check if Noralia''s injury was serious.

    Ever since he had gained the ''Immortal'' talent, he had become highly sensitive to the smell of blood.

    So, when Noralia got hurt behind the living room door, he smelled the blood and came to the kitchen to check on her.

    But he never expected this situation to happen.

    Noralia crossed her arms in front of her chest, breathing heavily, her face flushed, and her eyes were moist as if she were about to cry.

    However, at that moment, Noralia bit her lip tightly, trying to keep the tears from flowing.

    Noan sighed when he saw this and said, "If I say I didn''t do it on purpose, would you believe me?"

 Chapter 202: Letâ€™s go on a date

    Noralia pressed her lips together and nodded slightly. "I... I trust you."

    Noralia naturally trusted Noan because, if it weren''t for him, she would likely be in an ambulance heading to the hospital by now. But... the position earlier had been too ambiguous, making others think of some strange things.

    Noan sighed, but when he saw that Noralia''s finger was bleeding, he immediately approached her, frowning and saying, "You''re injured?"

    Noralia suddenly remembered the cut on her finger from the shard of glass. She bit her lip and nodded lightly, "Don''t worry, I... I have a small injury."

    "A small injury?" Noan frowned and said.

    The cut was quite deep, and blood was flowing out heavily. The more she clenched her hand, the more the blood kept flowing out. It even soaked her hand and stained her white dress.

    Noan gently took hold of Noralia''s wrist and said softly, "Let me take a look."

    "Really... it''s fine. I... I can handle it," Noralia stammered.

    "Handle it how? Hurry, if you don''t, the blood will keep flowing even more," Noan said, frowning.

    Noan''s assertiveness made Noralia shiver. She slowly brought her injured hand towards him.

    Noan saw that the wound was deep, and if left untreated, it could lead to infection. Such an injury needed to be treated at a hospital, but Noan could handle it without one.

    He reached out, and a purple energy surrounded the wound, quickly helping it heal.

    Within a few seconds, the wound disappeared, leaving no scar whatsoever.

    Noralia stood in shock at the sight, unable to believe this young man could use magic. However, after thinking about how many Landlords could also use magic, she didn''t find it so strange anymore.

    It was just... Noan seemed to be the same age as Lylia, yet Lylia couldn''t use magic, while Noan could use magic to heal Noralia''s wound.

    Although Noralia felt confused, she didn''t ask too many questions.

    She felt embarrassed by Noan holding her hand, but at the same time, she couldn''t help but feel warmth when she saw his face full of concern.

    So... this was what it felt like to be cared for by someone?

    This feeling was magical, and Noralia wanted to make this moment last forever.

    Although she knew well that this should never have happened, Noan was Lylia''s boyfriend, and what she had done was unacceptable. If Lylia found out, perhaps...

    "Mom!"

    "Ah!" Noralia heard Lylia''s voice suddenly and immediately pulled her hand back. She even took a few steps back, anxiously looking towards the kitchen door.

    "Lylia, you... you..." Noralia stammered, her face turning red with embarrassment.

    "Mom! What''s going on?" Lylia exclaimed, noticing the blood on Noralia''s hand.

    "It''s fine, just a small injury," Noralia said, trying to stay calm. "Noan helped me, don''t worry."

    Lylia quickly approached Noralia and checked her hand. Not seeing any wound, her face showed confusion and surprise.

    "This... I... he..." Noralia pressed her lips together, not knowing how to explain.

    Lylia looked at Noan, her eyes filled with gratitude. "Thank you, Noan. But... can you use magic?"

    "Yes," Noan nodded. "I''m a level 4 Lord. My Class leans towards support, so I know a bit of healing magic."

    Lylia admired Noan, realizing that the man she loved was not useless.

    This wasn''t magic from his Class, but something he had inherited from Malrik. After evolving Malrik, Noan gained many abilities, including healing magic. However, this magic wasn''t very powerful and could only heal small wounds.

    "Wait! If you use magic, the city''s Magic Dome will detect it," Lylia said, worried.

    Noralia was startled by this and looked at Noan with concern, feeling guilty. If Noan got into trouble, it would be because of her.

    "Don''t worry, it''s just a small spell. It won''t trigger the Magic Dome''s alarm."

    "Really?" Lylia asked, doubting him.

    "Of course. You noticed that there haven''t been any magic alarms going off since earlier, right?" Noan said with a smile.

    Lylia nodded lightly, and Noralia sighed with relief.

    "Alright, Mom, you should rest a bit, let me clean up here."

    "No need! You... you and Noan go to another room, I''ll clean up here," Noralia said, flustered, hurriedly pushing Noan and Lylia out of the kitchen.

    Once they left, Noralia sighed again. She looked down at her bloodstained hand, but she felt a little warmth inside. Her heart was still racing, but not as fast as before.

    Noralia shook her head, trying not to think of the embarrassing situation earlier, and focused on cleaning up.

    Outside, Lylia said irritably, "Noan, Jankos wants to meet Vylyss. What should we do?"

    "You don''t need to worry, Vylyss knows exactly what she needs to do."

    "Besides, why do you need so many resources?" Lylia tilted her head and asked.

    Noan glanced at her and sighed, "Can I trust you?"

    "Heh?! Of course," Lylia replied with a confident smile.

    "In fact, I''m holding onto a massive secret. If it gets out, I''ll be in danger," Noan sighed and said.

    "Ah! Is it really that terrifying? Well... you don''t need to tell me then," Lylia pouted.

    "Are you not curious?"

    Hearing Noan''s question, Lylia shook her head. Although her personality was a bit childish, she wasn''t a fool. She knew what was necessary to know and what should remain unknown.

    If she learned Noan''s secret and then got manipulated by someone bad, it would cause trouble for him.

    Therefore, she didn''t want to know the secret or want Noan to be in danger.

    However, deep inside, Lylia still felt a bit uncomfortable. After all, she was his girlfriend, and they had kissed.

    Noan smiled and ruffled Lylia''s head, saying, "I can tell you, of course."

    He wasn''t stingy. After all, Lylia had sacrificed her life for him, helping him get the opportunity to enter the ''Chaos World.'' Because of that, he truly trusted her.

    "I can bring resources from the City to the Chaos World."

    "What?!" Lylia was startled but quickly covered her mouth and whispered, "Are you... Are you serious?"

    "Of course, I have no reason to lie to you," Noan said with a smile.

    Lylia took a deep breath, fully aware of how terrifying Noan''s secret was. If it were to get out, it could be catastrophic.

    ''No! I can''t let anyone else know,'' Lylia thought to herself. ''I must keep this secret. Uhm! Even if I die, I can''t reveal it.''

    Seeing Lylia''s expression, like a little kitten puffing up its fur, Noan couldn''t help but chuckle.

    Suddenly, he remembered something and frowned, asking, "Lylia, did you encounter any danger in that world?"

    Lylia laughed and said, "No! I''m a Rank A Lord, how could I be in danger?"

    "Even though the ''Zombie Wave'' had many zombies, we could still defend ourselves."

    "However, after that event, one of my heroes and many other soldiers of mine died. If such an event occurs again, I''m afraid the Lords won''t be able to endure it," Lylia said.

    Noan frowned when he heard that. If only Lylia were in the same area as him, it would be much better; he could protect her. He couldn''t give her anything, after all, Lylia didn''t possess a system like Noan''s.

    That''s why, even if he gave her rare items, she couldn''t bring them to that world.

    He could only sigh and say, "Lylia, try to survive, don''t take unnecessary risks. If you can run, just run. Even if the territory is destroyed, you still have me."

    "Wait until our territories merge, then I can protect you."

    "Hehehe..." Lylia smiled mischievously, "Don''t worry, I''m not weak enough for that."

    Noan smiled, nodded, and softly asked, "Are you free today?"

    "Hm?! What do you mean..." Lylia looked at him expectantly.

    "Let''s go on a date."

    ...

    In the afternoon, Jankos sat inside a bank, waiting for someone he had always longed for.

    That girl... he felt he couldn''t control himself anymore.

    Since yesterday, the image of Vylyss had appeared in his mind constantly, even though he sought other women for relief. But no matter what he did, he couldn''t forget her.

    At first, he had planned not to rush to collect resources for Vylyss, but because he missed her so much, he quickly gathered a large amount of resources to have a reason to meet her.

    The main door opened, and a girl dressed in black with a cold and indifferent expression slowly walked in.

    Her long legs were hidden beneath the black dress, and she wore high heels. The simple dress and the beautiful necklace around her neck made her even more radiant.

    Seeing Vylyss, Jankos was both surprised and amazed, his body trembling slightly.

    At that moment, Vylyss''s eyes suddenly glowed with a pink light.

 Chapter 203: This is my girlfriendâ€™s mother

    Jankos, of course, didn''t notice the flash of light from Vylyss''s eyes. At that moment, his obsession with her grew stronger, and he wanted to rush forward, claim her, and make her his.

    However, as soon as that thought crossed his mind, Jankos became more rational. Although he was a Lord, this was the City, and if he broke the law, he would likely face the judgment of the Government and the Royal Guards.

    He quickly approached Vylyss, smiling, "Miss Vylyss, I''ve gathered the resources for you. Shall we go inside and take a look?"

    Vylyss gave a slight nod, her face still indifferent, as if everything before her was not worth her attention.

    ''Tsk! Damn woman!'' Jankos cursed inwardly. ''Your family''s ruined, and you''re still so proud? Just wait until I throw you on the bed, will you still be so proud then?''

    "Today, I brought some energy crystals to exchange for resources," Vylyss said, taking out a small bag filled with many energy crystals. "Although I know this amount isn''t enough, I promise to repay you fully later."

    Jankos felt even more confident that Vylyss came from a family that had fallen on hard times and was now trying to rebuild.

    "Hahaha... Miss Vylyss, you''re wrong. This is just a small gift from me to you," Jankos laughed and said, "If you want to repay me, you can have a meal with me."

    Vylyss tilted her head to look at him, then nodded lightly and said, "Fine! After transporting the resources, I''ll have a meal with you."

    Jankos smiled greedily, thinking: ''Woman, if you escape my grasp tonight, I''ll be a dog.''

    "Let''s go, I''ll take you there," Jankos said with a smile, presenting himself as a true gentleman.

    ...

    The afternoon passed, and Noan and Lylia wandered around. He learned more about Lylia during their time together.

    Her mother, Noralia, and her father, Simon, divorced long ago. Now, Lylia lived with her mother and had no intention of returning to her family.

    Although Simon frequently sent money to Lylia, it wasn''t enough to live comfortably, so she had to spend it carefully.

    Simon gave them the mansion they were living in, but Simon still owned it. If Simon wanted, he could take the mansion back at any time.

    Upon hearing this, Noan immediately took Lylia to luxury stores so she could shop to her heart''s content.

    It turned out women were creatures of shopping. When circumstances restricted them, they couldn''t shop as freely, but they made the most of it when given the opportunity.

    At first, Lylia had declined, but after seeing the amount of money Noan had, she decided to buy many things.

    Lylia laughed so much the whole day that she couldn''t stop smiling.

    Now, they were strolling down the street, the sunset casting its light over Lylia, making her even more striking.

    Noan, confused, asked, "Lylia, you always wear JK uniforms. Do you like this type of clothing?"

    Lylia turned to look at him, smiling mischievously. "Noan, don''t you remember? The first time we met, I also wore a JK uniform."

    "I thought you would recognize me if I only wore a JK uniform. Yet, all these years have passed, and you''ve been indifferent to me."

    Lylia pouted, her face full of sulking.

    Noan was startled by this. He recalled that moment and remembered Lylia wearing an adorable pink JK uniform.

    Could it be... that she wore this outfit all this time just so that he would recognize her?

    Noan once again realized how much Lylia loved him.

    Unable to hold back, he pulled her into his arms. Lylia didn''t resist, greedily inhaling his masculine scent.

    Under the sunset, in the park, they hugged each other, forgetting everything else outside.

    Their emotions seemed to blend in that moment.

    Noan lowered his head and kissed Lylia''s lips. She responded enthusiastically.

    They kissed until they could no longer breathe, then reluctantly pulled apart.

    Noan gently caressed Lylia''s cute face and smiled, saying, "Try to wait for me. I''m sure I''ll be able to protect you."

    "Uhm! I trust you," Lylia lightly nodded, happily replying.

    He felt it wouldn''t be long before his territory merged with Lylia''s.

    At that time, he could protect her.

    Although he was currently a Rank E+ Lord, he could evolve and reach a higher level.

    He believed that by the time their territories merged, he would have reached Rank B or even A.

    The two didn''t do anything else. Noan took Lylia back; by coincidence, he saw Noralia getting ready to go out.

    "Ah! Mom, where are you going?" Lylia asked when she saw Noralia.

    "I''m meeting a few friends. I''ll be back soon," Noralia smiled and replied.

    At this moment, Noralia was wearing a long black dress, which accentuated the delicate contours of her body. Especially her chest was full and enviable, making anyone who looked at her feel a twinge of jealousy.

    Noralia, at this moment, radiated allure and maturityˇŞshe was the ideal woman that any man would covet. Although Noralia was around forty, she looked no older than thirty.

    "Mom, it''s dangerous to go out at night. Why don''t you let Noan take you? Is that okay?"

    "Ah! This... how can I trouble him?" Noralia was startled when she heard Lylia''s suggestion.

    "Trouble him? It''s no trouble at all. Noan is my boyfriend, and I''m sure he''ll agree, right, Noan?" Lylia said, her voice innocent and cheerful.

    Noan nodded slightly, "If Aunt Noralia wants, I''d be more than happy to."

    Noralia bit her lip, feeling incredibly embarrassed. She hadn''t forgotten what had happened earlier that morning. Now, seeing Noan again, she felt even more embarrassed and unsure how to face him.

    Yet, for some reason, Lylia''s suggestion to have them ride together made Noralia feel even more self-conscious, as though she just wanted to hide in a hole.

    But... strangely, a part of her felt a little expectant. In the end, Noralia nodded and said, "Well... then, sorry to trouble you to take me."

    "Hahaha... it''s no trouble," Noan laughed.

    Noralia looked at Lylia, frowning as she said, "Make sure to lock the door carefully, and then..."

    "Mom!" Lylia impatiently interrupted, "I''m grown up now. I''m not a child anymore. I''m even a lord, you know?"

    "Besides, the security in this neighborhood is very good, so you don''t need to worry about me."

    Noralia nodded lightly and then got into the car. She sat in the passenger seat while Noan took the driver''s seat and drove out of the estate.

    Outside the car, Noralia felt the atmosphere was a bit stifling. She even detected the masculine scent coming from Noan''s body.

    Noralia couldn''t understand why she could smell it or why it made her feel so uneasy.

    It wasn''t the kind of discomfort that made her want to stop smelling it, but the more she inhaled, the more she felt something strange in her body.

    It grew hotˇŞher heartbeat quickened, her face flushed as if about to burst into flames.

    Noticing Noralia''s expression, Noan frowned. "Aunt Noralia, are you feeling hot?"

    "Ah! Y-yes, a little warm," Noralia stammered, startled by Noan''s voice.

    After speaking, she pressed her lips together and clenched her legs tightly, sensing something inside her truly on the verge of igniting.

    Noan turned the car''s air conditioning to its highest setting, his gaze occasionally flickering toward Noralia.

    Now, she rested her hands on her thighs, legs clamped together, her head bowed so low it seemed she wanted to bury it between the two ample mountains of her chest.

    Noan frowned in confusion: ''Could her wound from this morning be infected, causing a fever now?''

    ''Impossible.'' Though the recovery magic hadn''t been potent, it was only a minor cut. After casting it, the injury had healed instantly, leaving no scar.

    "Aunt Noralia, are you alright?" Noan asked worriedly.

    "Ah! IˇŞI''m fine. Don''t worry," Noralia mumbled.

    Even with her head down, she could inexplicably feel his gaze every time he glanced her way.

    Noralia''s breathing grew ragged, her heart pounding so violently it threatened to leap from her chest.

    Their destination wasn''t farˇŞjust twenty minutes by car. Yet, in those twenty minutes, Noralia felt such unbearable discomfort that she nearly cried.

    "Aunt Noralia, we''re here," Noan announced.

    Noralia lifted her head to look at him, her eyes glistening and cheeks flushed with a charm so mesmerizing it left Noan momentarily stunned.

    ''Damn it! This is my girlfriend''s mother! What the hell am I thinking?''

 Chapter 204: A rank Machine Hero

    Thank you ''Devon_Kombe_2766'' for your gift - A dragon and a Pizza (Bonus chapter)

    Noan silently cursed himself in his heart, but she was truly enchanting when he looked at Noralia. Her face was flushed, as if it were about to catch fire, making her even more alluring.

    Though in her forties, she appeared to be in her early thirties, radiating a mature and gentle aura.

    Aside from these two qualities, Noralia also carries the same essence as her mother, making any man who sees her want to call her ''mommy''.

    Noan swallowed, trying to control his desire, constantly reminding himself that this was his girlfriend''s mother, and he couldn''t do that.

    Noralia, at that moment, jolted when she saw Noan''s face so close to hers.

    Her breathing became heavier, as if she were waiting for something.

    But then Noan reached out, unlocked the car door, took a deep breath, and said, "We''ve arrived, Aunt Noralia."

    Noralia heard this, lowered her head, hurriedly grabbed her handbag and rushed out of the car.

    Tears suddenly streamed down her face, and she felt a sense of loss, though she couldn''t understand why.

    ''I''m going crazy...'' Noralia cursed herself.

    She didn''t even understand what she was doing or thinking anymore.

    Noan took a deep breath, sitting in the car, letting the cold air from the air conditioner lower his body temperature.

    Ring! Ring! Ring!

    Suddenly, the phone rang, making Noan a little more alert.

    Seeing that the caller was Austin, Noan immediately accepted the call.

    "Master, I''ve gathered a lot of resources, but... there''s one thing that feels strange. Can you come and check it out?"

    Noan glanced inside the restaurant, thinking that if Noralia met her friends, it might take a long time. After all, women like to talk; they need to talk to relieve stress, so Noan decided to check out the strange thing Austin mentioned.

    "Send me the address."

    ...

    Following the address, Noan drove for about fifteen minutes and arrived at a research centre.

    He felt something was offˇŞwhy would Austin meet him here? Could he have mistaken the address?

    But after confirming it again, Noan realised that this was indeed the place Austin had directed him to.

    Just as Noan was about to call Austin, a security guard holding a firearm approached his car.

    He frowned, his hand clenched, ready to use magic at any time. After all, the other party had a gun, and he needed to be prepared for self-defence.

    However, the man approached the car, lowered his head, and said, "Young Master Noan, Young Master Austin is waiting for you inside. Please follow my guidance."

    Noan was slightly surprised but still followed the security guard''s instructions.

    Upon entering the research centre, Noan noticed how large it was, filled with high-tech machinery.

    "Master!" Austin walked towards him, smiling as he spoke, "How do you feel about this place?"

    Seeing Austin, Noan frowned and asked, "Why did you call me here?"

    "Hehehe... Master, I have a surprise for you." Austin smiled, but then suddenly remembered something and quickly led Noan to another area.

    Noan followed Austin and saw a middle-aged man, chubby with a large belly.

    "Master, this is my father, Billy," Austin smiled and said.

    Noan frowned upon hearing this and remained cautious, his eyes suspiciously scanning both Billy and Austin.

    Austin didn''t know how to explain, but at that moment, Billy spoke up: "Hahaha... Don''t blame him, I guessed what you wanted, so I called you here."

    "Don''t worry, everyone has their own secrets. I hope you treat my son well," Billy added.

    Noan still didn''t relax his guard and frowned, saying, "So... what do you want to meet me for today?"

    Billy nodded lightly and then said, "I know you''re uncomfortable, but I can assure you that you and I are on the same boat."

    "Moreover, I can help you a lot. Of course, if I say this normally, you probably won''t believe me, which is why I can show you a few things."

    "Follow me."

    Billy led Austin and Noan into the elevator. This elevator didn''t go up; instead, it descended deep underground.

    Inside the elevator, Billy smiled and said, "Noan, do you know what the government is researching?"

    Noan felt slightly uncomfortable at the mention, his thoughts drifting to Maya.

    "Something about zombies and Machine Heroes," Noan answered simply.

    "Exactly," Billy smiled. "Do you know why they''re researching these things and trying to combine them?"

    Noan shook his head, not replying.

    Ding!

    The elevator stopped with a bell sound. Billy smiled and led Austin and Noan out.

    What greeted Noan''s eyes was an even larger research centre than the one above ground.

    The massive machines were constantly in operation, and the screens displayed some sort of graph, while many people in white lab coats moved around or talked to each other.

    "Noan, do you know the characteristics of zombies and Machine Heroes?" Billy said as he walked, without waiting for Noan''s response.

    He immediately explained: "First, zombies, their combat strength is low, and their bodies are weak, but they can evolve indefinitely."

    "As long as they survive long enough and assimilate enough other zombies, or energy entities, they can evolve."

    "On the other hand, Machine Heroes are the opposite. They have high strength and durability, but they can''t evolve. The best part is that we can create Machine Heroes."

    "So... what if we combine these two types of monsters?"

    Noan jerked back in surprise.

    Though not intelligent, he understood what would happen if the two types of monsters were combined.

    Based on the research article, aside from some disadvantages, they could create a creature with high strength and durability and the ability to evolve.

    And the most special thing about this is that this monster, created by humans, would not be affected by the summoning magic of the Lords.

    Seeing Noan''s expression, Billy knew Noan had realised what he was trying to say.

    Indeed, a perfect army of monsters created by humans would break all normal rules.

    "However, the unfortunate thing is that the power of natural laws is too great," Billy suddenly sighed and said.

    "Even with all the research, there''s no feasible result. Everything leads to a dead end."

    Noan frowned and asked, "So... why are you telling me all this?"

    "It''s very simple." Billy smiled in a strange way. "The laws of nature have limited the research in this world, so... what if we bring them to the Chaotic World?"

    Noan widened his eyes, staring at Billy in disbelief.

    It wasn''t because Billy knew how to bring the products to the Chaotic World, but because of Billy''s ambition.

    Looking at Billy, Noan would think of an ordinary, kind-hearted middle-aged man, busy with business matters.

    But when Billy expressed his idea, it was clear this was a colossal ambition.

    Moreover...

    Noan glanced around and asked, "Is this your private research facility?"

    Billy revealed a strange smile, "That''s right. So... we are on the same boat."

    "You''re not afraid of the government or the Empire?"

    "If I were afraid, I wouldn''t be doing this."

    Noan took a deep breath. This man... was terrifying. What he was doing was like dancing on the edge of a blade; one wrong move, and not only would he fall, but everyone around him would be buried with him.

    Billy continued, "I know you can bring items from this world to that world. Of course, I''m not threatening you; I bring this with good intentions, hoping we can cooperate."

    "I know your secret, and you know mine. This is my goodwill."

    Indeed, Billy knew Noan''s special ability, but in return, Billy also willingly revealed his secret to Noan.

    Both of them held each other''s secrets.

    Noan looked around, thought for a long moment, and then said, "It seems like you don''t just want me to do this much, right?"

    "Kekeke..." Billy laughed greedily. "Noan, would you like to own a Machine Hero rank A?"

 Chapter 205: Sorry, Lylia.

    "A! No, that''s not right. Perhaps having an A-rank hero would be too ordinary for you. I could offer you an S-rank Machine system hero; however, at the moment, I haven''t been able to research a hero that strong yet."

    "But an A-rank hero has a high success rate. At that point, whether it succeeds would depend only on your luck."

    Noan furrowed his brow, speaking softly: "Why do you want to go against the Government and the Empire?"

    "I don''t want to go against them. I just want to destroy the Frankyro clan," Billy said earnestly.

    Noan, hearing this, was even more confused, but then he suddenly realised which clan Billy was referring to.

    Isn''t that the clan of Jankos?

    At that moment, Noan was certain of his suspicion. Fate was manipulating everything, and in the end, the battle between him and Jankos would have to begin.

    However, fortunately, Noan had Vylyss helping him. Now, it wasn''t just a battle between him and Jankos but between two forces.

    Jankos would soon be manipulated by Vylyss, causing chaos within the Frankyro clan.

    But Noan didn''t want to reveal this to Billy. After all, Billy had his own large research centre, and Noan needed to extract all the benefits from Billy.

    "That clan is not small. Their power has even influenced the Federation Government and the Empire," Noan said with a frown.

    Earlier this morning, when meeting with Lylia, she had shared some information about Jankos''s clan.

    That was also why Lylia''s family pressured her to marry Jankos.

    "I naturally know that, which is why I''ve prepared all of this," Billy said with a smile.

    "If my research is successful, even if the Government and the Empire join in on this war, I won''t be afraid."

    Seeing Billy''s confidence, Noan couldn''t help but feel puzzled. Just how terrifying was the grudge that pushed Billy down this irreversible path?

    However, Noan didn''t care to learn about it. He only needed to know that Billy could bring him many benefits, and that was enough.

    As for the battle with Jankos''s clan, Noan knew it would come someday.

    Fate had already orchestrated it, forcing him and Jankos to face each other. Even if he tried to avoid it, the outcome wouldn''t change.

    If avoidance was not an option, then he would stir the waters to turn it into a giant whirlpool, sucking everyone in and crushing them.

    "But what you''re asking me to do doesn''t seem related to your revenge on the Frankyro clan, right?"

    "Kekeke..." Billy laughed, saying, "Of course, it''s not just a few small matters. However, the experiment must be done step by step, with each step solid and firm. Otherwise, everything will collapse quickly."

    "Good! I''ll cooperate with you," Noan said, smiling, and then extended his hand.

    Billy also happily shook hands with Noan: "Hahaha... It''s a pleasure to cooperate. Don''t worry, I certainly won''t betray you. We''re both in the same boat, and if the boat capsizes, neither of us will have a good outcome."

    "I understand," Noan said, understanding the hidden meaning in Billy''s words.

    It wasn''t just a statement of goodwill for cooperation, but also a threat.

    Billy was implying that he would drag Noan down with him if he failed.

    However, that would still depend on Noan''s strength at that time.

    If Noan had enough time, even if the attack on the Frankyro clan failed, he could easily leave or escape to the ''Singularity Point.''

    "Good! But right now, I also need your help," Noan said, frowning.

    "Hahaha... Of course, I know what you need. Everything has been placed in the warehouse; you can take it anytime. Even if you take everything, I don''t mind," Billy said generously.

    "It''s just... about the A-rank Machine system hero, do you have any requirements? But I must tell you in advance, this is just a theoretical model. If, when we get to that world, this hero doesn''t work, don''t blame me."

    Noan nodded and said, "I understand, but... is it possible for me to take more? Three or five A-rank Machine system heroes."

    "This..." Billy frowned. Although Noan''s request for three or five heroes surprised him, it was within his expectations.

    He also heard Austin say that over half of the items would be lost when transferring goods from the City to the Chaos World.

    Because of this, Billy could guess Noan''s intention in wanting so many heroes.

    "It''s possible, but I''ll need more time," Billy replied.

    Noan nodded in response. He wanted to test a bit of his hypothesis. If the experiment was successful, he could create a more terrifying monster than Billy could have imagined.

    "I can only give you five days. If not, let''s consider that we never met," Noan said, not allowing Billy to take the initiative. Therefore, he directly set a limit for Billy.

    Billy, who had fought in the business world for many years, naturally understood Noan''s intentions.

    But the more exceptional Noan''s performance was, the more exhausted Billy felt. This wasn''t related to their cooperation but rather... to Austin.

    Billy glanced at Austin with a confused expression, feeling even more exhausted inside.

    If only his son could be half of what Noan was, he wouldn''t have to struggle alone like this.

    Alright! Billy didn''t expect much. After all, Austin was a lucky star; his ability to attract good fortune was good.

    "I understand," Billy nodded and said, "In five days, I''ll surprise you. I hope you can treat my son a little better."

    "Don''t worry, I''ll protect him in that world, and won''t encounter any danger," Noan said sincerely.

    Of course, Austin wouldn''t be in danger. After all, Austin was a lucky star; wherever he went, he would find opportunities. Noan would certainly not let this lucky star die early.

    At the very least, Noan would drain all the benefits from Austin.

    After talking a bit more, Austin led Noan to the warehouse.

    Once again, he had made great gains, so his two ''Storage Spaces'' with 99 slots were nearly full.

    Fortunately, he still had a few space stones that Carlotta had given him, so he wasn''t too worried.

    ''If only I had one more Storage Space, that would be great. Then I could store even more,'' Noan sighed inwardly.

    In addition, he was also glad that the building resources were all placed inside a card called the Resource Card.

    This card type was very popular among the Landlords because it made transactions much easier.

    After buying and selling, one only needed to bring it to the Landlord''s area, activate the system, and it would be able to collect the resources inside the card.

    But these cards had become nearly useless ever since the rookie Landlords entered the Chaos Zone.

    No one could bring anything into that world, not even Resource Cards like these. But Noan was different, which could save a lot of space in his ''Storage Space.''

    After collecting the resources, Noan left the research centre.

    At that moment, Billy stood at the door, watching Noan''s car drive away, muttering, "I hope this move, I''ve chosen the right side in this game."

    ...

    Noan had originally planned to drive to pick up Noralia, but he received a message from Lylia saying that Noralia had gone home long ago.

    He was somewhat surprised, but the message clearly stated that Noralia had felt unwell when she arrived at the meeting point, so she took a taxi home right after that.

    Noan sighed, feeling that something was strange. But... he didn''t know exactly what was strange. Ultimately, he didn''t want to think about it anymore and decided to drive back.

    While Noan was puzzled, Noralia also felt both embarrassed and confused.

    After arriving home, she immediately rushed into her bedroom to change clothes.

    Noralia looked at the underwear that had gotten wet, feeling incredibly embarrassed, and tears suddenly began to fall: "What the hell am I doing?"

    "Mom! Are you okay?" Lylia''s voice came from outside: "I texted Noan. Mom, are you feeling unwell?"

    Hearing Lylia''s voice, Noralia felt deeply guilty for having those strange thoughts about her daughter''s boyfriend.

    Noralia took a deep breath, then said, "I... I''m fine, just a bit tired. I... I... I need to rest for a while."

    "Ah! Okay! Mom, if you need anything, just let me know."

    "I know!"

    Hearing Lylia''s footsteps grow fainter, Noralia breathed a sigh of relief.

    She pulled the blanket up, covering her body except for her head, her face flushed with embarrassment. She then bit her lip, her expression full of complexity.

    "Sorry, Lylia."

 Chapter 206 206: Noans secretary (R18)

    The next day, Vylyss returned, her face bearing a victorious smile.

    Noan asked in confusion, "What happened?"

    "Hehehe... Master, you must reward me." Vylyss cheerfully approached, sat on his lap, and wrapped her arms around his neck.

    "Did you enchant Jankos already?" Noan inquired, already guessing this matter was related to Jankos.

    "Hehehe... That''s right." Vylyss giggled as she spoke. "Master, the progress shouldn''t have been this fast. I thought it would take three or four days."

    "But I didn''t expect him to be so impatientˇŞhe directly wanted to sleep with me. I found a prostitute, then cast an enchantment spell on both of them, making them fall into an illusion."

    "Hahaha... That prostitute thought she was me, and Jankos also believed that girl was me. Then, hahahaha... hahahaha... It was so hilarious."

    "The next morning, he even arrogantly declared that I was his woman when he saw me."

    Watching Vylyss so delighted, Noan also smiled and kissed her cheek. "You did well. What reward do you want?"

    "Hehehe... Master, I haven''t thought of it yet, but I''ll make you happy." Vylyss traced circles on Noan''s chest with her index finger.

    Noan sighed and shook his head, but deep down, he also felt extremely pleased.

    It seemed... his experiment had yielded results. He could do many other things if he didn''t actively pose a fatal threat to the Fate Holder.

    Enchanting a Fate Holder so easily was likely due to him bringing Vylyss along. Moreover, this was the City where approaching a Fate Holder carried no other dangers.

    If it were the Chaos Zone, things would be different. Fate Holders were always accompanied by their monsters, and they could also use magic without restrictions.

    Fortunately, Malrik had helped him uncover the magic frequency of the City''s Protective Dome. Because of that, he and Vylyss could use magic to a certain extent without being detected.

    ''It seems... Fate Holders aren''t omnipotent either. With a clear plan and careful execution, they''re no different from ordinary Lords.''

    Noan stroked his chin, lost in thought, then said, "Continue enchanting him, but reduce the intensity a little."

    "After all, he comes from a major family. If the terrifying beings within that clan discover he''s been enchanted, we''ll fail."

    "Hehehe... Master, don''t worry, I definitely won''t disappoint you. But... I''ve worked so hard. Master, help me relax a little."

    Noan glanced at Vylyss, then pushed her down onto the sofa.

    "Ah! How relaxed do you want to be?" Noan murmured while stroking Vylyss'' hair.

    "Hehehe... Master, wait a moment. I have a little surprise for you." Vylyss licked Noan''s cheek, then hurried into the bathroom.

    A moment later, she stepped out. Seeing her now, Noan''s eyes gleamed.

    At this moment, Vylyss was dressed in office attireˇŞa long-sleeved white blouse stretched taut by her ample chest, its buttons straining against the fabric.

    Below, a tight-fitting miniskirt hugged her full hips, accentuating every perfect curve.

    Her tail, which she had previously hidden, now swayed provocatively behind her, as if teasing Noan.

    Her long legs were wrapped in sleek black stockings, exuding irresistible allure, and red-soled high heels.

    Her jet-black hair was tied in a high ponytail, and her beautiful face was adorned with round glasses.

    She looked like a stunning secretary from a Japanese "action" film.

    NoˇŞshe was far more beautiful and seductive than any of them.

    "Master, do you like it?" Vylyss adjusted her glasses as if she truly were a secretary.

    Without waiting for Noan''s answer, she walked over to the desk in the room and sat on its edge, crossing her legs and folding her arms beneath her chest, lifting her full bosom.

    "Director, I''m here to report on the company''s operations." Her expression suddenly shifted to one of seriousness as she looked at Noan.

    Noan was momentarily stunnedˇŞher acting was so convincing, it was as if she really was his secretary.

    He smirked, stepping closer until he stood right before her. His fingers gently lifted her chin, forcing her to meet his gaze.

    "Director! We''re at work right nowˇŞI''m not that kind of woman." Vylyss insisted firmly, her eyes flashing with feigned disdain and discomfort.

    Noan: "..."

    He realised Vylyss was truly a top-tier actress. Her expressions and emotions were flawlessly executed, indistinguishable from reality.

    This only excited Noan further. He grinned greedily.

    "Ah! You go ahead with your report... I''ll handle my business."

    As he spoke, he lowered his head, pressing his lips to her neck.

    "Mm... Director, IˇŞ"

    "Hm?" Noan''s tongue trailed from her neck to her chin before finally claiming her lips.

    "Mm... mm..." Vylyss moaned softly, still pretending to resist, weakly pushing against him.

    He knew she could shove him away if she wantedˇŞbut she deliberately played the role of a powerless woman, unable to fight back.

    Watching her "struggle in despair" only heightened Noan''s excitement.

    Their tongues tangled for a long moment before finally parting. A thin strand of saliva briefly connected their lips before gravity pulled it apart.

    "Director, I... I''m really not that kind of woman... please... let me go." Vylyss pleaded, her face flushed, voice trembling, eyes glistening as if on the verge of tears.

    Noan smiled like a devil: "Don''t worry, I''ll take responsibility."

    "No! DirectorˇŞ"

    Rip!

    Noan tore open her blouse with a sharp tug. The fabric, already strained by her voluptuous figure, gave way effortlessly.

    Buttons scattered everywhere as Vylyss''s voluptuous breasts burst free from the torn blouse, jiggling intenselyˇŞtheir softness and elasticity on full display.

    The simple black lace bra only deepened Noan''s excitement.

    "No! Director, I... I''ll scream, I swear I''llˇŞ" Vylyss bit her lip, her face a perfect picture of shame and distress.

    "Good! Scream, then." Noan laughed, fully embracing his role as her "Director."

    Then, he buried his face between the soft, fragrant peaks of her chest, inhaling deeply.

    The supple warmth, the intoxicating bounce, the sweet scentˇŞit was impossible to pull away. His tongue traced slow, deliberate circles, making Vylyss shudder violently.

    "Mm... Director... no... stop... please..." she whimpered, her body trembling under his touch.

    Rip!

    While still savouring her breasts, Noan''s hands tore away her skirt and stockings in one swift motion, leaving her gasping.

    "No! Stop... please... I''m begging you..." Vylyss pleaded, tears spilling down her cheeksˇŞonly fueling Noan''s desire further.

    And then... she felt ''it''ˇŞthick, burning, forcing its way inside, making her entire body convulse.

    Big and hot.

    Her legs stiffened, her face twisting in a mix of pleasure and pitiful surrender.

    Noan lifted her onto the desk, then began moving relentlessly. The wet, rhythmic slaps of skin against skin filled the room, mingling with Vylyss''s breathless cries.

    Their battle had only just begun.

    ...

    "Why do you need so many things?" Janky asked, confused.

    He looked at Jankos suspiciously, sensing something odd about him today, though he couldn''t pinpoint what was strange.

    "Father, I have a few friends who need resources to develop. If I provide them with these resources, it also helps me form some connections. Isn''t that acceptable?" Jankos replied irritably.

    Janky frowned, "But the resources you''re asking for are too precious. Some of them even require approval from the Government and the Empire. For now, we can''t give them to you."

    "Huh!" Jankos sneered disdainfully, inwardly cursing Janky for being stingy.

    "Fine, then I only need the formula for the medicinal concoctions and the designs for weapons and metallurgy. Is that acceptable?"

    "That...," Janky frowned, "I can only give you those things, but the quality will not be high. Will that be alright with you?"

    "Ah! That''s fine, I''ll take everything you have," Jankos immediately responded.

    "Alright! You can go to the family storage to pick it up," Janky said, tossing his copper token to Jankos.

    Jankos caught the token, smiling contentedly, then stood up and prepared to leave.

    "Wait!" Janky suddenly asked, "What''s going on between you and Lylia?"

    "Father, don''t worry. Whether Lylia wants it or not, she will have to marry me. Besides, buy one, get two free," Jankos laughed lasciviously.

    "What do you mean by that?" Janky frowned, asking in confusion.

    "Hahaha... just wait for the good news from me," Jankos said confidently.

    He was referring to Lylia, Noralia and Vylyss. Lylia was already betrothed, and she couldn''t escape his grasp.

    Vylyss had already slept with him, and the feeling from last night had been truly amazing, making him want to stay immersed in that sensation forever.

    Because of this, he had decided to marry Vylyss.

 Chapter 207 207: Wait for me...

    And Noralia, kekeke... After marrying Vylyss and Lylia, he directly moved into that villa, slowly controlling Noralia.

    Harvesting three beauties at once, this thought made him laugh so hard that he couldn''t stop.

    Janky watched Jankos'' figure as he walked away, his mind pondering something, but he felt this was very difficult.

    After all, the city was protected by a dome. Even the smallest magic would trigger an immediate alarm as long as it was used.

    Janky shook his head and sighed, then decided not to care about it anymore. Once Jankos married Lylia, his plan would also begin.

    At that point, he wouldn''t need Jankos anymore. If Jankos didn''t listen to him, he could just kill him.

    As for Caleb, the guy was a bit clever, but in the end, he was just an E+ rank landlord with no real threat to him. Letting Caleb live a little longer wouldn''t hurt.

    ...

    Three days passed.

    During these three days, Noan continuously took Vylyss and Lylia out to explore.

    Although he lived a leisurely life in the Chaos Zone, this was the City, and there were many things to enjoy.

    However, he also felt a bit strange because Noralia seemed to be trying to avoid him over the past three days.

    Noan didn''t pay too much attention to it; his girlfriend was Lylia, so he didn''t need to worry too much about Noralia. Just buying a few gifts to show his goodwill would be enough.

    The acquisition of resources had also stopped, and luckily, he hadn''t spent too much money yet had acquired a lot of things. The amount exceeded his expectations.

    This was all thanks to Austin and Caleb. Ah! Also, with the help of Jankos.

    After many days, Jankos no longer knew what was real and what was an illusion.

    Every time Jankos met Vylyss, she would make him enter the illusion and then fight with some prostitute until neither of them could move anymore.

    At this rate, before everyone entered the Chaos World again, Jankos might be able to live a normal life.

    But as soon as he encountered Vylyss, he would be manipulated by her, becoming her dog.

    In the evening, Noan planned to take Lylia out to dinner, but she received a message, and her face turned anxious.

    "Noan! Do you think my mother is acting a bit strange?"

    "Heh?! Why are you asking this?" Noan asked, confused as he looked at Lylia.

    "I don''t understand why she''s been avoiding me these past few days, even locking herself in her room. My mother hasn''t been cooking; we''ve had to order food from outside."

    Noan frowned and asked, "Is your mother sick?"

    Lylia sighed and shook her head, "It doesn''t seem like she''s ill, but there''s something heavy about it, as if I''ve done something wrong."

    Vylyss, who was listening nearby, smiled.

    Of course, Noan didn''t see her smile; he was only confused about Noralia''s situation.

    "Has your mother had any illnesses before?"

    "No!" Lylia shook her head. "In the past, even though my mother was always sad, she still took care of her daily tasks."

    "This is the first time I''ve seen her like this. We''ll be entering the Chaos Zone again soon, and I''m afraid my mother will face problems."

    Noan didn''t know how to help, so he could only remain silent.

    "Master, you can help Noralia," Vylyss suddenly spoke up.

    "Help her?" Noan frowned and asked, "How can I help her?"

    "Hehehe..." Vylyss suddenly whispered into Noan''s ear, and he widened his eyes, looking at her in disbelief, "Are you sure?"

    "Of course, I am a Succubus. I know very well how human emotions work," Vylyss said arrogantly.

    Noan glanced at Lylia, feeling a sense of guilt in his heart. He nodded and said, "Alright! I''ll meet her then."

    "Heh?! What are you two talking about?" Lylia looked at them in confusion.

    Noan didn''t know how to answer, but Vylyss spoke again, "What I mean is that Noralia is sick, but it''s a psychological illness, so only I and the master can heal her."

    "Heh?! Can you heal her?" Lylia asked in doubt.

    "Yes, I''m a Succubus, and I understand human psychology and emotions very well," Vylyss said with a smile. "That''s why I can also heal their emotions."

    "What about Noan?" Lylia asked, still confused.

    "I need the master''s help. After all, the master knows restorative magic, so with his help, everything will be easier."

    Hearing Vylyss, Lylia felt it made sense, so she finally nodded and said, "Alright! Then we need to hurry. Let''s go back now and heal my mother."

    ...

    "Ugh..." Noralia lay on her bed, feeling a feverish heat in her body.

    Even when she slept, strange thoughts plagued her, and those wet, vivid images made it unbearable.

    Noralia sighed, feeling a dampness between her legs, and her face instantly showed frustration and despair.

    She didn''t know what was happening anymore. Every time she dreamed of those images, the main character was Noan.

    Noralia had tried to avoid Noan, but in the end, she still met him in her dreams.

    Days passed, and she didn''t know how to face Lylia, especially Vylyss.

    Noralia felt her throat was dry, as if she had been walking through a desert all day, and her lips were cracked and dry.

    She got up from the bed, intending to go outside to get some water, when suddenly, the door to the room opened.

    "Lylia?! I''m fine, you don''t need to worry," Noralia said, not looking at who entered the room, as she slipped her feet into her pink slippers.

    Crack!

    The door slammed shut suddenly, causing Noralia to feel strange.

    She looked up and was startled to see Noan''s face, screaming, "AAA!!! Noan... why... why are you in my room?"

    Noralia stumbled backward, sitting on the bed, her hands covering her chest. She felt a mixture of fear and anticipation in her heart.

    Could it be... could what happened in the dream be happening in reality now?

    Noralia saw Noan slowly approach her, her eyes tightly shut, both afraid and hoping it would happen.

    However, instead of what she feared, a warm hand was gently placed on her head, and a stream of warm water appeared, flowing throughout her body.

    Noralia felt much more comfortable, and the dry, hot sensation she had felt earlier disappeared.

    This was the most comfortable she had felt in all the days that had passed.

    Noralia slowly drifted off to sleep, her face wearing a peaceful smile.

    Noan, seeing this scene, could only sigh. He glanced at Vylyss, who was hiding in the shadows, unsure of what to say.

    "Master, you can''t blame me. This is the only way to help her," Vylyss stepped out from the shadows, smiling and speaking cheerfully.

    "But what about later? How can I face Lylia?"

    "Ah! What''s so hard about it? As long as Lylia doesn''t find out, it''ll be fine," Vylyss tilted her head, feeling that it was no big deal.

    "Master, you probably don''t know. In the Demon World, relationships like this are very normal. As long as you''re strong enough, no one cares who your women are."

    Noan shook his head upon hearing this. The Demon World was different from the Human World. Besides, he was still human, not a demon, and there were still moral boundaries within him that he could not cross.

    "Alright, I''ll temporarily ease this situation. Later, I''ll find a way to resolve Noralia," Noan said, then left.

    That night, Noralia woke up and looked at the clock. It was already four in the morning. She wanted to sleep more, but she couldn''t. All she could do was lie still in bed, staring at the ceiling.

    She knew that Noan had come into the room earlier, but he hadn''t done anything; he had just helped her have a good sleep.

    In her dream, she still saw him. This time, both of them were sitting together, taking a walk, just like a couple in love.

    The dream was gentle, like the spring breeze, making Noralia feel a little nostalgic.

    At that moment, she saw a piece of paper on the table with a small note written on it.

    ''Wait for me.''

    Noralia recognised who had written it as soon as she saw the words. A heaviness filled her heart, and she hurriedly tore the paper to shreds and threw it in the trash.

    She sat curled up on the bed, hugging her knees, staring into the distance.

    But a little while later, she took the torn paper out of the trash and began to piece it together on the table.

    Though many pieces were still missing, the words ''Wait for me'' were still fully visible.

    She sighed, using tape to secure the pieces together, then nodded gently, "Hmm!"

 Chapter 208 208: The plan was discovered

    At this moment, Noan wasn''t sure whether Noralia had read the note he left behind, but he didn''t really care much.

    Right now, he was heading to Billy''s Research Centre.

    After being led to the underground research room, Billy appeared, his face still wearing a friendly smile.

    "Hahaha... You''re sure to be surprised by what you see," Billy said, smiling.

    Noan, confused, asked, "Has there been any progress in the research?"

    "Something like that," Billy nodded and said.

    He then led Noan to the laboratory.

    Although it was called a laboratory, it resembled a simulation area more closely.

    "Take a look..." Billy pointed to the screen, where a Machine-type hero was displayed.

    Standing about two meters tall, all parts were finely crafted, with a reactor on top, similar to Iron Man''s reactor, glowing with fluorescent light.

    "This is the basic form of a Machine-type hero. I''ve named it Alpha, and this is its combat capability as simulated by the system," Billy said with a smile.

    The screen then displayed the hero fighting a horde of over 2,000 zombies.

    Alpha rushed towards the zombies, its arms transforming into two blades, swiftly decapitating them.

    It surged forward with movements resembling a figure skater.

    Whoosh!

    The sound of wind whistling as Alpha''s blades spun, shooting out two green wind blades that immediately decapitated the entire zombie horde.

    The fight lasted less than five seconds from start to finish, indicating Alpha''s immense combat power.

    "Ah!" Billy sighed, "But all of this is just a simulation. If we can''t make Alpha ''live,'' everything will be pointless."

    "That''s why everything depends on your luck," he added.

    Noan nodded slightly, knowing that expecting too much from this was unrealistic.

    "I''ve created nine sets of components to assemble into nine fully functional Machine heroes of rank A. They are numbered from 1 to 9," Billy said with a grin.

    "Noan, if you can help them ''live,'' then this war will certainly be in our hands."

    Hearing Billy, Noan felt confused and asked, "But what if they can only live in that world? Wouldn''t that make them useless?"

    Billy suddenly smiled with a strange expression, as if wanting to say something, but just then, a voice sounded in Noan''s head.

    After hearing the voice, Noan furrowed his brows and said to Billy, "I have something to take care of. I''ll come back to take the nine machines later."

    With that, Noan immediately left, and Billy, confused, watched him go, not understanding what had just happened.

    Slap!

    Janky swung his hand and slapped Jankos hard enough to knock him off the bed.

    "You idiot, you worthless fool! You gave away all the resources in the house to others, and now you''re sleeping with a prostitute? Are you out of your mind?"

    Jankos, stunned by the slap, his face showing confusion, but he quickly became more alert.

    He looked around and saw Janky and another old man.

    "Father, Third Elder," Jankos asked in confusion, "What... what are you two doing here?"

    "Huh! You foolish brat!" Janky couldn''t contain his anger, raising his hand again to strike Jankos.

    "Enough!" The old man beside Janky grabbed his arm and calmly said, "Let me ask him a few questions. This situation is more complicated than it seems."

    The Third Elder then turned to Jankos, furrowing his brow, and asked, "Why are you here?"

    "I... I was looking for a woman to relieve myself, is that not allowed?" Jankos responded irritably.

    He didn''t expect that his father and the Third Elder would barge into his room, disrupting his affair with Vylyss.

    "Looking for a woman to relieve yourself is fine, but why did you pick a low-class prostitute like this?" the Third Elder asked further.

    "Low-class? A prostitute?" Jankos asked in confusion, then angrily shouted, "Are you disrespecting her? Are your eyes blind? Can''t you see how beautiful she is?"

    Perhaps due to the lingering effects of the enchantment magic, Jankos immediately rushed to defend Vylyss.

    "You..."

    Slap!

    Janky slapped Jankos again in anger.

    "I''m not blind, you are the blind one!" Janky shouted angrily. "Open your eyes and look at the slut lying on the bed!"

    Jankos refused to back down, yelling back, "Who are you calling blind? Don''t think just because you''re my father, you can insult me, you..."

    "Enough!" The Third Elder shouted. "Both of you, be quiet."

    Upon hearing the Third Elder, both Janky and Jankos fell silent.

    The Third Elder looked at Jankos, his eyes seemingly making a new discovery.

    He waved his hand, and a strange monster entered the room. The monster was about 150 cm tall, with a body similar to a Golem but much smaller than the usual Golem.

    What was particularly terrifying about the creature was its many eyes all over its body, making anyone who looked at it shiver in fear, their skin crawling.

    "Check him!" The Third Elder commanded.

    Jankos didn''t know what was happening and could only sit still. Although he might raise his voice at his father, he didn''t dare speak loudly to the Third Elder.

    A minute later, the Golem, standing next to the Third Elder, suddenly makes strange noises.

    The Third Elder furrowed his brow and said, "It seems... he''s been affected by enchantment magic."

    "Enchantment magic?" Janky exclaimed in surprise, his eyes full of disbelief as he looked at the Third Elder. "Third Elder, are you sure?"

    "Are you doubting me?" The Third Elder frowned.

    "Ack! I... no, I just..."

    "Enough talking. I''ll find out who cast the enchantment magic on Jankos. You take him back for now," the Third Elder said.

    At this moment, Jankos spoke, "Father, Third Elder, what are you talking about? What''s enchantment magic? What the hell is going on?"

    Janky furrowed his brow, about to say something, but the Third Elder asked, "Who did you sleep with today?"

    "This...," Jankos hesitated, but finally decided to speak, "It was Vylyss, she..."

    "Look at the person on the bed. Is that the girl you know?"

    Hearing the Third Elder''s words, Jankos frowned in confusion but still looked at the bed.

    "What the hell?! Damn it!" Jankos was stunned when he saw the person on the bed. His face turned pale, and he couldn''t hold it in, vomiting repeatedly.

    A woman was on the bed, but she wasn''t Vylyss.

    Instead, it was a middle-aged woman, around 45-50 years old, very overweight, with thick layers of fat all over her body. Her face was covered with an unbelievable amount of heavy makeup.

    She also emitted a foul smell that made Jankos nauseous.

    What was particularly alarming was that the woman had fainted, exhausted from "fighting" with Jankos, which caused her to pass out.

    Jankos couldn''t stop vomiting as he remembered what he had done to the woman on the bed.

    The Third Elder shook his head and gestured for Janky to handle the situation.

    He then motioned for the Golem to follow him as he left. Before leaving, he left one final command: "Call the government and tell them I need the permit to use magic today. The sooner the better. If not, the one responsible for this will escape."

    "Yes, Third Elder." Janky didn''t dare delay, immediately calling the government.

    Of course, he also wanted to find the one behind this incident. If not, the honour of the family would be severely tarnished.

    The Third Elder stood outside, and the Golem beside him began emitting a pink light, similar to the glow Vylyss'' eyes often gave off.

    "Have you found it?"

    The Golem nodded, producing strange sounds from the gaps in its body.

    "Good! Today, I want to see who dares to attack my family," the Third Elder said, his words filled with murderous intent and coldness.

    "You''re going alone? That''s too dangerous." Suddenly, a clear voice rang out.

    The Third Elder looked to the side, surprised to see a beautiful woman standing there.

    She had jet-black hair, stood about 165 cm tall, and her slender frame was wrapped in a loose grey robe.

    Though her face was stunningly beautiful, her chest was rather flatˇŞno, it was only slightly raised.

    Nature seemed to have compensated for her modest chest with a beauty that made others jealous.

    "Fourth Elder, this place is dangerous. You can''t come with me. The enemy might be very strong, and you''ll be in danger," the Third Elder sighed.

    "Huh! If the enemy were strong, those bastards wouldn''t be using such foolish tricks," the Fourth Elder said with a mocking smile.

    "But..."

    "Alright, we''ll act together. If the enemy is too strong, I''ll retreat first," the Fourth Elder said confidently.

    The Third Elder nodded lightly upon hearing this, saying nothing further. In his heart, he sighed at the Fourth Elder''s personality.

 Chapter 209 209: What are you??

    Noan went to a quiet area, parked his car, and used the teleportation magic to find Vylyss.

    "Master..." In a secluded park, Vylyss sat on a bench waiting for him, her face showing a hint of sadness.

    "What''s the matter?!" Noan asked, frowning.

    "I... failed." Vylyss sighed.

    "Explain in more detail."

    "Master, it seems the enemy has discovered that I enchanted Jankos, so they have started searching for me." Vylyss said.

    Noan looked at Vylyss''s expression, as if he guessed something, and immediately said: "It seems like this isn''t a big issue, that''s why you''re so calm, right?"

    "Hehehe... Master, you understand me." Vylyss grinned mischievously. "However, my mission has failed, Master. Will you be angry?"

    Noan glanced at Vylyss and felt no fear or regret in her words; on the contrary, they had a hint of anticipation.

    As if she were hoping that Noan would punish her.

    "Of course, I''m angry. When we get back tonight, I''ll punish you."

    Hearing Noan''s words, Vylyss was so happy that her face flushed red. "Hehehe... Thank you, Master, I''m looking forward to your punishment."

    Noan: "..."

    "Alright, explain the situation in more detail." Noan asked, frowning.

    "Master, it seems the enemy has a hero with energy simulation and tracking abilities. Because of this, they will find us very quickly."

    "However, hehehe... they''re not too strong. I''ve sensed them, it''s just a Mutant Golem monster of rank C Peak, probably level 6."

    Noan nodded lightly. Although the monster''s rank was 2 levels higher than Vylyss, it should be noted that Vylyss was a rank B hero.

    Moreover, her strength was not that of an ordinary Rank B hero who could be easily stopped.

    Therefore, it was normal for Vylyss not to be worried.

    "Is the enemy just one person?" Noan asked next. Although Vylyss was so confident, which made him feel quite at ease, he couldn''t afford to be too careless.

    It was important to know the enemy well, as a sudden appearance of a powerful being, like when he rescued Maya, could be too dangerous during the battle.

    "I investigated thoroughly after I enchanted Jankos." Vylyss confidently said. "Those beings won''t be able to fight while still in the city."

    "Moreover, anyone else who wants to fight or use magic must have permission from the Government and the Empire."

    "By the way, I''ll surprise you later, hehehe..."

    Noan frowned at her words, sensing that something was off. However, if Vylyss was confident, then surely nothing major would happen.

    He also felt a little curious, wondering what the big surprise Vylyss had mentioned would be.

    ...

    "Strange..." The Third Elder walked to an area quite far from the city center, frowning and muttering.

    This was a forest on the city''s outskirts, a desolate area. Within a radius of thirty kilometers, there seemed to be no one living around.

    "Are you sure this is the place?" The Fourth Elder frowned and said. "This place is so desolate. Is there really anyone living here?"

    "It can''t be wrong," The Third Elder said, looking toward his Mutant Golem.

    His Golem was very special, capable of copying and tracking any energy, with a near 100% success rate.

    Therefore, he was confident that this was the place he needed to find.

    "Be careful, the ones who enchanted Jankos might be around," The Third Elder said, frowning.

    The Fourth Elder also became alert. She took out an old-fashioned pair of glasses from her bag. The frame was made of wood, and the lens had many scratches, as if someone had scratched it with a knife.

    This place was already quite dark during the day, and now it was even darker.

    Both could barely make out their surroundings by the faint moonlight.

    After all, this was a forest, and there were no streetlights.

    They had been in a hurry when they left, so they didn''t bring any flashlights. Moreover, they didn''t expect the enemy to hide so deep in the forest like this.

    Krit! Krit! Krit!

    Suddenly, the Mutant Golem of the Third Elder emitted strange sounds.

    "This is bad! Fourth Elder, you..."

    Clank! Clank!

    Before the Third Elder could finish his sentence, countless chains appeared, binding him and his Mutant Golem tightly, lifting them into the air.

    "Hehehe... You are quite foolish." Vylyss stepped out from the shadows, sitting on a chain suspended in mid-air.

    Under the dim moonlight, Vylyss looked like an angel from hell.

    "You... Who are you?" The Third Elder struggled but couldn''t escape the chains.

    However, when he saw that the chains could pierce through space to bind him, he realized... this was not someone he could defeat.

    "Golem! Use illusion magic!" The Third Elder shouted.

    Although the Mutant Golem was bound, its eyes remained unaffected.

    A beam of purple light radiated from its eyes, focusing on Vylyss.

    "Huh! Trying to use illusions on me? You need to study for another 100 years." Vylyss opened her eyes wide, and pink light radiated from them, countering the purple light.

    Kritt!!!

    ...

    The Mutant Golem suddenly let out a shrill scream, and the purple light around it immediately vanished, replaced by an eerie pink light.

    Crack! Crack! Crack!

    Its body began to develop numerous cracks, spreading like a spider''s web, and then...

    BOOM!

    The Mutant Golem exploded into countless fragments that fell to the ground.

    "No!" The Third Elder saw this scene, his eyes nearly bursting with rage.

    His Golem, his pride, was destroyed by a mere glance from that woman.

    What kind of terrifying existence was he facing?

    The Third Elder wanted to scream, but he found that he couldn''t open his mouth or move.

    The pink light slowly enveloped his entire body, causing him to panic and struggle fiercely.

    But just a few minutes later, the Third Elder stopped struggling. He quietly stared at Vylyss with lifeless eyes.

    Clank! Clank!

    The chains binding him immediately loosened, causing him to fall.

    After falling to the ground, one of his arms was broken, but he still lay motionless as if he felt no pain at all.

    His eyes remained vacant and emotionless, staring into the distance.

    "That was too easy!" Vylyss said disdainfully. "I wonder if Master has finished his task yet? Hehehe... I hope Master enjoys the gift I''ve prepared for him."

    ...

    The Fourth Elder didn''t understand why she was here in another area.

    While holding the mirror, she felt a gust of wind pass by, and then... when she opened her eyes, she found herself in this place.

    Even though she had called out several times, she received no response from the Third Elder.

    She took out her phone and discovered no signal since they were in the forest.

    The Fourth Elder frowned and gripped the mirror tightly, knowing that she and the Third Elder had likely fallen into a trap set by the enemy.

    Rustle! Rustle!

    Suddenly, a sound came from the bushes, startling her, and she shouted, "Who''s there?!"

    She turned and saw a small rabbit hop out from the bushes. It stared at her with its round eyes before quickly hopping away.

    The Fourth Elder sighed with relief, but immediately afterward, she shuddered. A horrible and unsettling feeling washed over her.

    She turned her head and saw a shadow moving slowly toward her.

    "You... Who are you?!" The Fourth Elder shouted, her voice trembling as she felt the threat and overwhelming killing intent emanating from the young man.

    "Stay back!" The Fourth Elder shouted. "If you come any closer, I''ll attack."

    Noan was dressed as he had been when he attacked Alex. His face was covered, and he had even gone as far as altering his voice.

    When he heard the Fourth Elder shout, he briefly paused, then continued moving forward.

    "Damn it!" The Fourth Elder held the mirror tightly in her hands, and numerous strange magical runes instantly appeared around it.

    The mirror began to glow, and soon, Noan''s image appeared inside it.

    The Fourth Elder extended her hand toward the mirror and pulled a magical character floating around, forcing it into the mirror on Noan''s arm.

    BAM!

    A loud explosion echoed, and Noan''s left arm exploded. From his elbow down, it turned into a pile of shredded flesh that fell to the ground.

    Noan paused and lowered his head, looking at his severed arm.

    "I warn you, if you keep coming closer, I''ll make your head explode." The Fourth Elder said, but her voice had become incredibly fatigued.

    Even sweat had begun to bead on her forehead, causing her hair to stick together, making her look utterly miserable.

    However, the next scene made her gasp, her eyes wide with disbelief.

    Noan''s exploded arm slowly began to heal at a rate visible to her eyes.

    Just a minute later, the arm had completely healed, as if nothing had happened.

    "No... It''s impossible! How... how can you heal? What... what are you, a human or a monster?"

 Chapter 210: My clan is...

    Seeing Noan continue to approach, getting closer and closer, she quickly grabbed a magical sigil and directed it toward Noan''s head.

    BAM!

    Noan''s head exploded, no, more precisely, it was only slightly injured on the outside.

    However, the mask was shattered, revealing his face, which was severely burned.

    But thirty seconds later, his face immediately healed, and even his hair returned to its original state.

    The Fourth Elder stared at Noan, her mouth hanging open, unsure of what to say due to her overwhelming shock.

    Was that... human? How could he survive two magical explosions like this?

    "You... don''t come any closer..." The Fourth Elder stepped back but was so exhausted that she collapsed.

    "You... stop. If you let me go, I won''t tell anyone about today, I''ll... I''ll..."

    Hearing the Fourth Elder speak, Noan replied disdainfully, "You''ve seen my face. Do you think I''ll let you go?"

    "You..." The Fourth Elder gritted her teeth. "Do you think I came here alone? I have teammates, and soon, someone will come looking for me."

    "Hahaha... By the time they arrive, I''ll have raped and killed you ten times over."

    "You... bastard!" The Fourth Elder gritted her teeth, her face flushed, unsure if it was from anger or exhaustion.

    "Do you think you''ve won? I''ve used magic, and government personnel will be here in just a few minutes. You won''t be able to escape." The Fourth Elder shouted in anger.

    "By the time they arrive, even if you kneel and beg, I won''t let you go. I''ll make you suffer unbearable pain."

    Slap!

    "Ack!"

    Noan didn''t hold back, immediately raising his hand and slapping the Fourth Elder''s face.

    The slap wasn''t very strong, but it left a clear red handprint on her face, and blood started pouring from her nose.

    "You... you... you dare hit me?" The Fourth Elder couldn''t believe what had just happened.

    She had just been slapped, and by a young man no less, causing her nose to bleed.

    "No one has ever dared to hit me, no one has ever dared to speak to me like that, and yet you... you dare hit me?"

    "If you keep talking, I might slap the other side of your face to make it balanced." Noan said, his voice filled with coldness.

    The Fourth Elder shuddered in fear, her body trembling, tears streaming down her face like rivers.

    "Bastard! I''m a woman, why would you dare hit me?" The Fourth Elder cried as she spoke.

    Noan replied disdainfully.

    Earlier, she had blown off one of his arms and his headˇŞhow could he not take revenge?

    Is there any injustice in the world like this? If a woman can hit you, is it unjust for you to hit a woman?

    Noan didn''t care about other women; he only cared about his women.

    Therefore, seeing the Fourth Elder cry, Noan felt no special emotion. Even though she was very beautiful, it didn''t affect his thoughts.

    Is she beautiful? Yes, the Fourth Elder was a bit more beautiful than Lylia, but she couldn''t compare to Vylyss.

    "I''ll ask you, you answer. Otherwise, you''ll..."

    "You..." The Fourth Elder gritted her teeth as she looked at Noan, raising his hand as if he was about to slap her again.

    "Ah! That is..." The Fourth Elder flinched, desperately trying to grab the mirror back.

    But she was just an ordinary mage. How could she fight against someone with physical strength on par with a rank D monster?

    "That''s my magic mirror!" The Fourth Elder shouted, "Give it back to me, you bastard!"

    "Huh!" Noan glanced at the mirror, unsure of its function.

    But remembering how she had used it earlier to make his arm and head explode, he realized this magical item was not ordinary.

    So, he tossed the mirror into his ''Storage Space'' to use it later.

    The Fourth Elder immediately froze when she saw the mirror disappear, and she struggled to get up.

    But she was exhausted; the two uses of the forbidden magic had drained all the mana from her body.

    "You... bastard! Give it back to me, now! Or I''ll... I''ll..."

    Watching the Fourth Elder stammer, Noan grabbed her face and coldly asked, "What will you do?"

    The Fourth Elder felt some pain as Noan gripped her face, especially on the cheek he had just slapped, which made it hurt even more.

    Tears streamed down her beautiful face, making her look even more miserable. Anyone who saw her would want to comfort her and embrace her immediately.

    But her eyes were still filled with determination and arrogance, as if she refused to give in.

    "Very brave, very tough, very beautiful... you look like an angel. But I wonder... if I threw you into the mud, would the angel still be beautiful?"

    "Specifically... a place full of Goblins and Orcs, where they continuously rape you, making you die in pain and shame."

    "You... bastard! If you''re so good, just kill me already, don''t threaten me!" The Fourth Elder gritted her teeth, angrily speaking, her tears flowing even more.

    "Hahaha... Killing you would be too easy. I want to play until your mind shatters, then I''ll kill you." Noan laughed, his smile cold as if a demon from hell had arrived.

    At that moment, a shadow appeared next to him, bowed its head, and respectfully said, "Master!"

    "Vylyss? Is it done?" Noan asked.

    "Yes!" Vylyss raised her head, revealing a face so beautiful that it startled the Fourth Elder.

    She was stunning! Was there anyone in the world this beautiful?

    But the Fourth Elder was shocked when she saw someone standing next to her.

    "Third Elder, save me!" The Fourth Elder screamed.

    But the Third Elder stood still, his eyes emotionless as he stared into the distance, like a puppet.

    "What... What did you do to the Third Elder?" The Fourth Elder knew that the Third Elder seemed enchanted, and her heart tightened.

    "If you keep making noise, I''ll break all your teeth," Noan coldly warned.

    The Fourth Elder shuddered, biting her lip, her face pale. "You... demon."

    "Yes, I am a demon," Noan frowned, his face showing no emotion.

    "Hehehe... Master, after all, she''s a woman. Can you not hurt her?" Vylyss laughed, her index finger tracing from the Fourth Elder''s forehead to her mouth, then to her neck.

    "Alright, we shouldn''t stay here for long, let''s go." Noan frowned.

    Immediately, all four of them vanished without leaving any trace behind.

    Thirty minutes later, a group including government officials and the head of the Frankyro Clan, Janky, arrived.

    He brought several Lords from his clan, along with government police, to the location.

    But when they arrived, all traces of the people had disappeared, as if they had been pulled into a black hole.

    Janky, at this moment, shouted in anxiety: "Search for them! Search everywhere. Even if we have to turn the whole forest upside down, we must find the Third Elder and the Fourth Elder. Do we understand?"

    "Understood!" The group shouted, then began to scatter and search.

    Janky gritted his teeth, muttering, "Damn it! My Forbidden Mirror... you bastards, if you take it and the Fourth Elder, I swear I''ll grind you into ash."

    ...

    In a small, dark room, there was only a bed on the floor, with a small bathroom beside it.

    When she appeared here, the Fourth Elder was startled and quickly looked around.

    She couldn''t understand how she ended up here.

    ''Could it be... spatial magic?'' The Fourth Elder thought to herself.

    Yes, only spatial magic could bring her to places like this.

    ''But this place has a Magic Dome, doesn''t it trigger any alarms when these people use magic?''

    The Fourth Elder felt very confused. She knew that using spatial magic required enormous energy, which would definitely trigger the Magic Dome''s alarm system.

    But they moved continuously like this, and the Magic Dome of the city hadn''t issued any warning. This left the Fourth Elder extremely puzzled.

    Is it broken? No! The Magic Dome can never be broken because it protects millions of lives here.

    If it were broken, the entire city would fall into chaos, blood would flow like rivers, and corpses would pile up like mountains.

    But... why were these two able to use magic so freely?

    "Damn it! If this place is a Lord''s area, I''m sure I could defeat these two bastards," the Fourth Elder muttered.

    "Are you serious?" Suddenly, a seductive voice rang out, startling her.

    She turned around and saw the beautiful woman from before sitting on the bed, angrily saying, "You... let me go. If not, my clan will destroy you."

    "Ah! Is your clan really that terrifying?" Vylyss pretended to be scared, covering her full chest with her hands, her eyes contemptuously looking at the Fourth Elder''s chest.

    The Fourth Elder: "..."

    Damn it! I feel like I''ve just been humiliated. What good is having big breasts? They''re just for men to look at!

    Damn milk cow! Damn milk cow! Damn milk cow!

    The Fourth Elder cursed inwardly, but she didn''t dare say it aloud.

    "Of course!" The Fourth Elder arrogantly said. "My clan is... Um..."

 Chapter 211: Appetizer? (R18)

    Clink! Clink!

    Suddenly, a chain appeared, tying her up tightly.

    The Fourth Elder, enraged, shouted, "What do you want?! Let me go, or the wrath of the Frankyro clan is something you won''t be able to withstand!"

    Vylyss sneered disdainfully, "I didn''t know the Frankyro clan was so poor that they had to strip a girl of her chest."

    The Fourth Elder: "..."

    "You... you... you..." The Fourth Elder, furious, turned bright red, stammering but unable to say anything.

    "Alright, stop joking." At this moment, Noan appeared.

    The Fourth Elder saw the man appear, and the door still didn''t open, feeling anxious in her heart.

    Both of them were like insane beings, yet they could use magic. What was especially strange was that they could use magic without the Magic Dome of the City detecting it.

    How could they do that?

    Noan looked at the Fourth Elder, his eyes showing a mix of disbelief and a desire to explore her.

    Vylyss hypnotized the Third Elder, and because of that, he had gathered much information.

    Although the Third Elder was a Peak Rank D Lord, level 6, he was still easily defeated by Vylyss.

    That made Noan think of Aldric. Perhaps, except for Fate Holders, other Lords were nothing to mention in front of Vylyss.

    Returning to the present situation, according to the Third Elder, this girl''s name was Frankyro Elara.

    Don''t be fooled by her appearance, looking like a twenty-year-old girl; she was already over eighty years old.

    Yes, she was over eighty years old. The Frankyro clan discovered she had been in a cryogenic sleep for sixty years, encased in a block of ice.

    They brought her back to the clan, and a few years later, when the ice block shattered, she woke up with a strange mirror.

    She had no memories of herself and believed she was one of the Frankyro clan members.

    The clan leader, Janky, had wanted to marry her several times, but could not because the Grand Elder had declared that no one was allowed to touch her.

    Thus, she became the Fourth Elder and lived without worrying about the future.

    Elara felt Noan''s gaze and shuddered, hurriedly shouting, "What... what are you looking at? I... I am..."

    Slap!

    "Um!" Elara jerked back as Noan slapped her. This was the second time she had been slapped.

    Elara gritted her teeth, glaring at Noan, but the words made her lower her gaze.

    "Right now, you are my slave. If you keep looking at me like that, I guarantee the next thing won''t just be a slap."

    Elara lowered her head, her hands covering her eyes as she struggled to hold back the tears.

    Noan sat down, and Vylyss obediently stood behind him. At this moment, Noan furrowed his brows and asked, "What is your name?"

    Elara remained silent, pouting, her eyes wet with tears as she fought to endure, making sure no sounds escaped her.

    "Very good..." Noan smirked, "Very brave. I hope you can stay this brave longer."

    "Vylyss..."

    "Hehehe..." Hearing her Master''s command, she naturally knew what he wanted.

    Immediately, she took out a whip and handed it to Noan: "Master, please don''t hit her face. A beautiful face like hers would be too regrettable to ruin."

    "You... what do you want? I warn you, I..."

    Smash!

    "UM!" Elara gasped as the whip struck her back, the pain causing tears to flow immediately.

    But at that same moment, a strange feeling emerged in her mind.

    It was a very strange sensation, as if she wanted to feel the pain even more.

    Noan saw Elara lying on the ground, her body trembling violently, but her face seemed to carry a kind of enjoyment that made him furrow his brows.

    "Hehehe... Master, how do you feel about this gift?" Vylyss giggled slyly, "Sometimes, we should try different kinds of food, right?"

    Noan shook his head, smiling as he replied, "I like it, but this girl has a few flaws."

    He said this while looking at Elara''s chest. Though she was over twenty years old, her front only slightly protruded.

    People might even mistake her for a man if she wore men''s clothing.

    "What is your name?" Noan asked again, though he already knew Elara''s name.

    Elara frowned, shouting, "You scoundrel! Even if you kill me, I won''t tell you! You bastard!"

    Smash!

    "UMM!!!" Elara was struck again, this time the whip landing on her thighs. The excruciating pain spread throughout her body, making her tremble uncontrollably.

    But the strange sensation only became clearer, like a seed beginning to sprout in her mind.

    Elara gritted her teeth, sweat starting to bead on her forehead, and her face turned bright red. But in her gaze, as she looked at him, there wasn''t as much hostility as before.

    Instead of anticipation and excitement.

    Noan smirked contemptuously, using his hand to squeeze her soft, elastic face, forcing her to look straight into his eyes.

    "Well? If you obediently become my woman, I''ll help you..."

    "Hah! You bastard! I''d rather die than submit." Elara said firmly.

    Yet, Noan could see her eyes brimming with expectation, as if they were saying: ''Hit me, keep hitting me, hurry up.''

    "Tsk!" Noan clicked his tongue, then swung his hand, striking her plump buttocks.

    Slap!

    "Umm!!" Elara trembled violently, her legs stiffening as she clenched her teeth. Her face was full of pain, yet flushed red, with a hint of pleasure mixed in.

    "It hurts... it hurts so much... you... If you''re so tough, just kill me, I... I won''t..."

    Slap!

    "UMM!!!" Elara was struck again on her other cheek, her body shaking uncontrollably, tears streaming like a river, her face growing even redder.

    "Well?! Still stubborn?" Noan brought his lips close to her ear and whispered.

    His warm breath and masculine scent made Elara shudder.

    "You... bastard! Scoundrel! Damn you! I''ll... I''ll..." Elara stammered between tremors.

    "Don''t worry, the night is still long. We''ll continue later." Noan smiled faintly, then vanished from the room.

    Vylyss also disappeared, but before leaving, she shot Elara a glance full of mockery.

    Seeing both of them leave, Elara let out a sigh of relief.

    Yet, alongside that, she also felt a slight disappointment... and a faint sense of anticipation for the next time she''d meet Noan.

    "Hah?! Why am I looking forward to seeing him?" Elara shook her head, feeling like she''d gone mad.

    But remembering how Noan had struck her earlier, she felt a strange emotion, as if a current was running through her body.

    Elara suddenly became aware of something: her legs tightened together, and her face burned red.

    "Damn it! It''s all because of that bastard! I''m not that kind of person."

    "Hmph! He must have used some despicable magic to make me feel this way. Just waitˇŞonce my family finds me, I''ll make sure he suffers a hundred times worse."

    ...

    Inside the private room, Noan sat on the bed, completely unconcerned about the Frankyro family tracking him down.

    Vylyss had used a type of magic that enveloped the entire room. If anyone attempted to use tracking magic, she would immediately detect it and relocate elsewhere.

    However, the crucial part was... Vylyss had used the Three Elders as bait, placing them far from here in a completely different location.

    At this moment, Vylyss climbed onto his lap and pulled out a black card, handing it to him: "Master, Ta da!"

    Noan recognized the card at a glance. It was the same kind Caleb had used to access the resource storage bank.

    He took the card, smiling faintly at Vylyss: "You did very well today. Want a reward?"

    Vylyss grinned greedily: "Master... from now until morningˇŞwould that be possible?"

    "Hahaha... of course. But you''d better not bore me." Noan smirked.

    "Hehehe... Master, I guarantee you won''t feel bored tonight." Vylyss stroked his face lightly before slipping into the bathroom.

    Noan leaned back in his chair, gazing into the distance. This place was a grand hotelˇŞhis current room was on the 30th floor.

    Thanks to his innate spatial ability, he could travel anywhere he pleased. That was why moving between Elara''s prison and this place was effortless.

    Looking down, the bustling city glittered with countless bright lights.

    Before long, Vylyss reemergedˇŞnow clad in a maid outfit, though the skirt was much shorter than usual, revealing her long legs wrapped in adorable white thigh-high stockings.

    The top plunged low, exposing the deep valley between two ample peaks, while a small bellˇŞlike those fastened to petsˇŞhung around her neck.

    Vylyss smiled and walked slowly towards Noan. "Master, are you satisfied?"

    She touched the bell on her neck while talking so that it sounded ''Tinkling''.

    Noan saw her constantly confused, then smiled, feeling that Vylyss was getting more interesting.

    He fell backwards, laughing, "Start your performance."

    Vylyss smiled greedily, then knelt between his legs.

    His hands gently stroked the sides of his thighs while she began to unlock his trousers with her mouth.

    Seeing that, Vylyss smacked his lips full of greed, his tongue was unbelievably long, and he also carried a little bit of sticky stuff on top.

    It''s like a snake, huddled around Noan''s thing, carrying warmth and wetness.

    "Um!" Noan caressed you, feeling her tongue playing with that thing, nagging inside him.

    Tinkling! Tinkling!

    Vylyss''s head kept moving, making the bell on her neck ring.

    It doesn''t make Noan uncomfortable; on the contrary, it makes him feel even more excited.

    Vylyss saw Noan enjoying her service, growing more and more excited.

    The long tongue goes around that thing and then goes into the mouth.

    "UM!" Noan couldn''t control his making of a baby noise.

    This kind of feeling is so magical. Although he slept with Maya, the feeling of having sex with Vylyss is still extraordinary.

    It''s as if a substance in her water stimulates him, makes his body more sensitive, and makes him more easily stimulated.

    He can feel it wrapped in softness, warmth, and thirst.

    Sluff! Sluff! Sluff!

    Tinkling! Tinkling! Tinkling!

    Every time Vylyss nods his head, a kind of weird sound rings, followed by a bell.

    Noan''s head falls back, and he feels like he''s looking at heaven.

    Vylyss'' hands moved on his knees and stomach, constantly touching his sensitive spots.

    Sluff! Sluff! Sluff!

    Sluff! Sluff! Sluff!

    Tinkling! Tinkling! Tinkling!

    Suddenly, Vylyss accelerated, hoping to start burning his mind.

    As the friction grew, his thing heated up. Vylyss seemed to feel something; she immediately held it in her mouth.

    "Um... um... ha..."

    Vylyss can feel what she''s waiting to get into her mouth.

    Her eyes glowed with a pinkish glow, but were also very attractive.

    At this time, Noan and Vylyss did not notice that Vylyss''s horn was a little pink, but it soon disappeared.

    Vylyss took Noan''s stuff for a while, then wiped it clean with his tongue, ensuring no milk drop fell out.

    She used her hands to hold the face, which is coming to the world full of happiness and satisfaction: "Um... "Thank you, master, for the meal."

    Suddenly, Rohan pulled Vylyss to his joke, laughing, "It''s just an appetizer, the main dish is ready."

 Chapter 212: Noan and Vylyss (R18)

    Vylyss smiled with intoxicating allure. Noan pulled her close, breathing in her strange, hypnotic fragrance - that signature scent he knew was part of her succubus nature.

    Yet he offered no resistance as his hand slipped beneath the thin fabric, seeking the soft fullness of her breasts. Vylyss melted into his touch, her entire body molding against his as she gazed up through dampened lashes.

    "Mmm...Master...Master..." Her voice dripped with lewd sweetness as she arched into his exploring hands.

    Noan kneaded her supple flesh, watching it grow beneath his fingers. A feverish heat spread through Vylyss''s body, painting her cheeks crimson.

    "Master...be gentler..." she whimpered.

    "Oh? I thought you enjoyed punishment like that other girl," Noan murmured against her ear before nipping the delicate lobe.

    "Ngh..." Vylyss bit her lip, her entire body trembling with need so intense she nearly pinned him down then and there.

    But Noan kept teasing, drawing out her torment until she was dripping and desperate.

    "Master, I''m not like her. I prefer you...gentle with me." Her voice quivered with enchantment and barely restrained desire.

    Her expression begged him to devour her immediately.

    "However..." Suddenly, her long tongue darted out, tracing his neck before swirling around his ear: "If Master wishes...you may punish me...a little."

    That was all it took.

    Noan tossed her onto the bed without hesitation.

    "Ah! Master, so rough...!" Vylyss cried out in feigned pain, but before she could recover, Noan was upon her, sliding himself between the tight valley of her breasts.

    The warm, soft pressure enveloped him completely. Vylyss grinned with pure delight, her pink tongue flicking out to tease the swollen tip, drawing a shudder from Noan.

    He began moving, sliding himself between the plush valley of Vylyss''s breasts.

    Jingle~ Jingle~ Jingle~

    With every thrust, the little bell around her neck chimed sweetly, driving his arousal higher.

    Each time he rocked forward, the swollen tip brushed against her flicking tongue, soon glistening with her slick saliva.

    His hands squeezed her ample curves tighter, pressing them together to heighten the delicious friction.

    Before long, he couldn''t hold backˇŞhot streaks of "milk" splashed across her chest and face.

    "Mmm..." Vylyss purred, her long tongue darting out to catch every drop, lapping greedily. The pink glow in her eyes burned brighter, hungrier, silently begging for more.

    "Master, shall we move to the bath?" She wrapped her fingers around his length, grinning playfully.

    Noan gave a slight nod, and together, they stepped into the lavish bathroom.

    This was a luxury hotelˇŞthe bathing area was spacious enough for three or four, the water''s surface dotted with rose petals. The floor-to-ceiling one-way glass offered a breathtaking city view, though outsiders couldn''t see in.

    Yet, as Noan and Vylyss settled into the tub, the transparent wall stirred something primal in themˇŞa mix of nervousness, shamelessness, and raw excitement.

    Vylyss began kneading his muscles with her hands.

    "Mmm... When did you learn this?" Noan groaned, his body melting under her touch.

    Her fingers worked magic, easing tension while teasing his senses just enough to keep him on edge.

    "Hehehe... Do you like it, Master? I learned from the girls in the Territory."

    As Vylyss spoke, Noan recalled the female NPCs. After their evolution, they had become more beautiful, human-like, and had mastered many daily living skills. This massage technique was likely one of the skills they''d acquired.

    But he never imagined Vylyss would learn something like this.

    It seemed... she had gone to great lengths to please him.

    Noan lay still, savoring the kneading of Vylyss''s hands. But after a while, he sensed something... different.

    At first, she massaged him with her hands.

    Then, she switched to using her... tongue.

    That wicked tongue trailed from his neck down to his chest, teasing every sensitive spot before gradually moving lower.

    Once again, Noan''s ''thing'' was enveloped in the warm, wet softness of Vylyss''s mouth.

    He indulged in the pleasure for a while, but this time, he didn''t let her drink his "milk." Instead, he pushed her toward the glass wall.

    "Ah! Master, this is... so embarrassing..." Vylyss pressed her hands against the glass, turning her head to look at him with a mix of shyness and seduction.

    "Don''t worry..." Noan embraced her from behind, chuckling. "No one can see us."

    "But... but... MmmˇŞ!" Vylyss whimpered, her eyes glistening as if on the verge of tearsˇŞbecause she had just felt him push ''it'' inside.

    "Master... it''s... amazing... you... you... ahˇŞ!"

    Pressed against the glass, her voluptuous body and soft, ample breasts were flattened against the surface, their shape visible.

    From the outside, this scene would have been intensely arousingˇŞenough to make any man''s nose bleed and his desires explode.

    But alas for them... this was one-way glass.

    No one outside could see in.

    "Um... um... um..."

    Smash! Smash! Smash!

    The wet, rhythmic slapping sounds echoed continuously through the room, accompanied by lewd, squelching noises.

    From Vylyss''s mouth spilled increasingly wanton moans that only drove Noan wilder.

    "Mmm... Master... slower... go slower... Ah! Ah! Ah!"

    "No! Master!"

    Her pleading cries didn''t make him stopˇŞif anything, they excited him more, pushing him to move even faster.

    Slap! Slap! Slap!

    Slap! Slap! Slap!

    "Master... master..." Vylyss trembled as she spoke, her voice laced with moans of pure ecstasy.

    Of course, she thoroughly enjoyed thisˇŞshe just wanted to tease Noan a little, to excite him even more.

    And Noan knew it.

    Pleasure flooded his entire body and mind.

    In this position... he could see Vylyss''s plump, soft rear jiggling violently with each thrust, the sight driving him into a frenzy.

    After more than thirty minutes, Noan suddenly pulled Vylyss tight against him. A hot stream of "milk" poured into her, sending her into such intense pleasure that her legs stiffened and her body convulsed violently.

    The Succubus Mark below her navel glowed with a deep pink light, as if declaring just how aroused she was.

    "Master... so good..." Vylyss moaned weakly.

    Then, without warning, Noan scooped her up in a princess carry, grinning. "The night is still long."

    "Hehehe... Master, tonight I''ll go wild with you."

    Noan heard that and brought Vylyss to the bedroom, then...

    ...

    While Vylyss and Noan were engaged in an intense battle within their hearts, Janky felt an overwhelming sense of confusion.

    In an abandoned warehouse located ten miles north of the city, they found the Third Elder.

    Janky saw the Third Elder sitting quietly on a chair, his eyes wide open, staring into the distance without blinking.

    The clan members were about to approach, but were stopped by Janky.

    "Are you all stupid? This might be a trap. Be careful, it seems like the other group is still around here," Janky shouted. The clan members gritted their teeth and stood still, unable to move.

    At that moment, government officials arrived and began setting up some strange device.

    Next to the device, a female mage wearing a robe began clasping her hands together, creating a floating magical circle before her.

    After a moment, the girl looked at Janky and nodded lightly.

    Janky let out a long sigh and hurried toward the Third Elder.

    However, no matter how much he called, the Third Elder did not respond, as if he were merely a puppet with no soul.

    "What happened to him?" Janky furrowed his brow, looking at the mage and asking.

    The mage checked the condition of the Third Elder, and then her eyes widened in disbelief.

    "This... Your Third Elder... he... he..." The mage hesitated, unsure whether to speak.

    "Speak! What happened?!" Seeing the mage hesitate, Janky became more urgent.

    "His spirit has shattered. Right now, he''s no different from a puppet with no soul or emotions."

    "What?!"

 Chapter 213: D rank - Level 5

    When Janky heard the mage say that the Third Elder''s mind had been shattered, the first thing that came to his mind was... he couldn''t believe it.

    Indeed, he didn''t believe what the girl had just said.

    It must be known that although the Third Elder''s combat strength wasn''t high, his fighting methods were incredibly unique. Even when facing powerful Heroes or high-ranking Lords, he could fight evenly or even easily escape.

    The Third Elder was a Lord belonging to the Support Class, but his strength came from attacking the mind. His warriors also belonged to the spiritual system, so the Third Elder''s spirit was incredibly tough, like a mountain that could not be destroyed.

    But now, this mage was saying that the Third Elder''s mind had been shattered, and Janky couldn''t believe it.

    Was this a joke? Or had he gone mad? The Third Elder, whose strength was purely based on mental attacks, had his mind shattered by the enemy.

    If people said a pig could climb a tree, Janky might believe that more easily than this story.

    But the truth was the truth.

    Right before him, the Third Elder sat motionless, his eyes wide open, emotionless, not moving a finger.

    He knew the mage was right, but his mind couldn''t accept it.

    "Damn it!" Janky gritted his teeth, his hands clenched so tightly that they turned white. "Who the hell is targeting my clan?"

    He knew that normal Lords couldn''t do something like this.

    Unless it was a large organisation or high-ranking Lords, those powerful enough to make Janky feel fear.

    Only those people could do something like this.

    Janky tried to dig through his memories, wondering which organisation could be responsible for this.

    But no matter how much he thought about it, he couldn''t find a fitting name.

    Janky had hidden himself very well. On the outside, he was friendly, easy-going, and did not care about fame, so he didn''t have many enemies.

    He clenched his fists in anger, reaching a breaking point, but in the end, he could only sigh and give the order: "Take the Third Elder back, continue searching for the whereabouts of the Fourth Elder."

    "Yes!" The other members of the clan bowed their heads in response.

    Janky looked into the distance, muttering: "I don''t know who you are, but if you''ve chosen to oppose the Frankyro clan, I will make you regret it."

    ...

    The next morning, Noan woke up, feeling two soft masses pressed against his chest, accompanied by a fragrance that made him dizzy with pleasure.

    He lowered his head and saw Vylyss resting her head on his arm, her soft and full chest pressed against his, with two adorable pink cherry blossom-shaped flowers on her chest, tightly pressed against his own.

    Noan let out a long sigh, feeling overwhelming satisfaction in his heart.

    Yesterday, he and Vylyss had been so passionate that no one could hold them back. Only when Vylyss was full to the point where she could no longer accept any more "milk" from Noan did he finally stop.

    Noan rubbed his forehead, opening his system interface as he remembered receiving a new notification yesterday.

    However, he had been too focused on battling with Vylyss to check the notification at that time.

    [Ding! You have received a new notification from the system. Do you want to view it?]

    "Yes!"

    Immediately, a notification appeared in front of Noan.

    [Notification to all Lords: Area 27 of Lords Rank E and F will be merged with areas 25, 26, 28, 29, and 30.

    The highest rank limit for Lords in this area is Peak of rank D.

    New features and events will be announced once the Lords enter the Chaos World.]

    [Ding! Your rank limit has been lifted. You can now advance to the highest rank, Peak of rank D.]

    Noan saw the notification and immediately felt overjoyed. He happily opened his personal information screen.

    ...

    Name: Noan

    Landlord''s Rank: E+ (0/10,000 Landlord''s Points)

    Level: 04

    Innate Abilities:

    Almighty Fusion (SSS):

    Description: Can merge three soldiers of the same rank to create a stronger soldier. Noan can now select classes for soldiers of rank D or higher.

    ''Evolution'' Mark: When soldiers or heroes receive this mark, their strength increases by 10%. The more soldiers or heroes with this mark, the stronger Noan becomes.

    Enhancement Ability (Evolution): Increases the strength of soldiers and heroes by 10%, boosting Noan''s strength.

    Additional Description: Noan can use higher-ranking soldiers to raise the rank of summoned heroes. Additionally, Noan can use leftover materials after fusion to enhance other creatures. He can also merge all his skills to create higher-level skills.

    Immortal (SS - Fake):

    Description: Noan can resurrect unless his head is crushed or turned to ash. The speed of his resurrection depends on the internal energy within his body.

    Space (SS):

    Description: Noan can use space magic to control and utilise space based on his internal energy.

    Almighty Copy (SS+): (Currently in cooldown)

    Description: Noan can copy any skill with a rank of SS or lower. The copied skill''s cooldown time increases as the skill''s rank increases.

    Hellfire (SS):

    Description: A fire from the underworld that can burn the soul and energy of the enemy.

    Class:

    Whisper of the Forgotten (SS+):

    Description: Noan can hear the voices of forgotten beings, including gods and demons. They do not seek help, but need someone to listen to them.

    ...

    Noan looked at the number of Landlord''s points required to advance to Rank D, which was 10,000, and felt a bit weary.

    However, he quickly regained his focus. He knew he couldn''t afford to stay the same as before. He had to become stronger, much stronger.

    If the treasure chests didn''t provide Landlord''s points, Noan would have no choice but to eliminate other Lords instead.

    After deciding, Noan gave the order: "Advance!"

    [Ding! Do you wish to spend 10,000 Landlord''s points to advance to Rank D?]

    "Accept!"

    [Ding! Payment successful, the advancement process is starting. Please wait a moment.]

    Noan could feel the power within his body increasing at an incredible rate.

    Not only was it double what it was before, but his strength continued to rise.

    Vylyss also noticed something was happening. She widened her eyes and looked at Noan.

    At that moment, she waved her hand, and a dark veil of night covered the entire room, preventing anyone from detecting what was happening.

    Malrik appeared as well. He stood on top of the building, the black book in his hand, began flipping to a specific page.

    After a moment, the book stopped, and a strange character flew out from within the pages, transforming into countless particles of light that enveloped the entire room where Noan was.

    Noan could feel that Malrik and Vylyss were helping him conceal the fact that he was advancing, so he relaxed and immersed himself in the strange sensation.

    Each of his cells became stronger and filled with energy.

    [Ding! Congratulations! You have reached Rank D.]

    [Ding! The rank limit has been unlocked. You can now advance to Level 5.]

    [Ding! The ''Almighty Fusion'' innate ability has gained a new feature ¨C ''Core Fusion''

    Description: Now, you can merge mutated soldiers if you meet the necessary conditions for fusion.

    After fusion, the mutated soldiers retain their consciousness, without being replaced by another evolutionary form.]

    [Ding! Class Whisper of the Forgotten (SS+) has gained an additional listening ability.]

    After ten minutes, the evolution process was complete. Noan let out a light sigh, focusing on feeling the power inside his body.

    In addition, he noticed that the ''Almighty Fusion'' ability had gained the feature he had been hoping for, making him feel even more joyful.

    "Now I can evolve the Mutant Skeletons along with Urlgan and Urlgug," Noan murmured.

    After all, Urlgan and Urlgug had been with him since he became a Lord, and he never wanted to leave them behind. On the contrary, he always wanted to find a way to make them stronger, but he had yet to find a solution.

    Now, thanks to the ''Core Fusion'' feature, he could strengthen them.

    Noan didn''t rush; instead, he looked at his rank and realised he could advance to Level 5 immediately, which made him even happier.

    "System, how many resources are required to upgrade to Level 5?"

    [Ding! To upgrade to Level 5, you need 1,000 Rank D energy crystals.]

    Noan rubbed his chin, relieved he had enough energy crystals for the upgrade.

    "Upgrade!"

    [Ding! Upgrade in progress!]

    Noan could feel his strength continuing to increase, but at the same time, he saw the black space from before.

    "This is..."

 Chapter 214: Voidlight Execution (S+)

    Noan felt confused because he was again in this strange, black space.

    He tilted his head up and saw the woman who had been chained earlier also staring at him, her eyes now filled with a hint of joy and anticipation.

    "It seems... you''ve developed faster than I expected," she said.

    "Who exactly are you?" Noan furrowed his brows and asked.

    "You don''t need to know, but you also don''t need to worry because I won''t harm you."

    "Won''t harm me?" Noan truly wanted to curse at her: "Isn''t this harming me?"

    "Fate always forces me to confront Fate Holders when I am still so weak. Tell me, what can I do in this situation?"

    Even though Noan shouted at her loudly, the woman didn''t get angry. Instead, she smiled gently.

    That smile was so beautiful that it made Noan pause.

    He had seen many beautiful women like Vylyss, Carlotta, Lylia, Noralia, Elara... but this was the most beautiful woman he had ever seen.

    It seemed as though such beauty should not even exist in this world.

    "Fate, though cruel, also serves as the driving force that pushes you to keep moving forward."

    "Trust me, you will surely win everything, stand above all."

    Noan furrowed his brows, his face showing discomfort: "What exactly am I fighting for?"

    "For yourself and the future of this world."

    Hearing her words, he sighed and replied, "For the future of this world? Fine, I don''t want to be a hero, you can find someone else."

    "No, you are the only one I can trust," the mysterious woman said. "Don''t worry, I will help you."

    "Could it be... that you created the current system as well?" Noan asked.

    She nodded, then nodded: "You don''t need to know too much, that would not benefit you."

    "Tsk!" Noan grumbled, "I''m just like your employee, working for you but not getting paid."

    "So... what do you want?" the woman asked with a smile.

    "At least give me a reason to keep working for you, right? How about a kiss?" Noan smiled, saying.

    He said this only to tease the woman, of course, he also wanted to vent a little of his frustration.

    After all, Noan was caught up in a war he never asked for. Furthermore, he still had no clear understanding of who he worked for and his enemies.

    Did he not have the right to be angry?

    "Alright," Noan sighed deeply and said, "You... um..."

    Suddenly, he jumped in surprise as he saw the woman''s face right in front of his, her face shrinking to match his size.

    Then, their lips met, but it was just a brief touch, and they quickly pulled apart.

    "You... you really kissed me?" Noan looked at her in confusion.

    "This is just a little benefit for you," the woman said with a smile. "If you can continue fighting, continue going until the end, then I might become your woman."

    "Ah! Are you serious?" Noan was a bit taken aback because the reward seemed too great.

    "Of course..." she replied modestly. "Believe it or not, it''s up to you, but I don''t have any other choice."

    Noan felt confused hearing this, but he didn''t want to understand.

    He lightly nodded and said, "Fine! I hope you can keep your promise."

    The woman smiled, and right after that, Noan''s consciousness returned to reality.

    At this moment, Noan felt the energy within his body seemed to become stronger.

    The quantity didn''t increase, but the quality improved significantly.

    If before, the energy in his body was like silver, now it had turned into gold.

    The quality doubled, which proved that with the same amount of energy consumption, his strength when using his abilities also increased considerably.

    Noan clenched his hands, took a deep breath, and exhaled, feeling the strength surging through his body like lava preparing to erupt.

    He looked towards Vylyss, his gaze filled with greed and heat.

    Vylyss also sensed his gaze, and although her heart was full of anticipation, she still pretended to be scared.

    "Master... I... I''m a bit tired, you... Ah!"

    Then, the two continued fighting until noon, to the point where Vylyss had to beg him because she couldn''t ''digest'' all the ''milk'' he had pumped into her.

    Noan happily lay on the bed, using the spiritual energy to level up his heroes.

    Although after using the spiritual energy to purchase resources, because of the vast amount of resources Caleb had given him, he had enough energy to level up all of his heroes.

    [Ding! Vylyss has successfully leveled up to level 5.]

    [Ding! Malrik has successfully leveled up to level 5.]

    [Ding! Zhisse has successfully leveled up to level 5.]

    [Ding! Drakhan has successfully leveled up to level 5.]

    Noan looked at the stats, feeling extremely pleased.

    Before, he had four summoning chances for heroes, but after upgrading to level 5, he now had six summoning chances.

    However, Noan had no intention of using these summoning chances.

    Why?

    As his rank increased, the heroes he summoned would also increase.

    With the number of mutated heroes and soldiers he possessed, he had enough to utilise.

    If he summoned too many without enough resources to evolve or resources for them to use, those heroes would become useless.

    Therefore, Noan wanted to focus on his current heroes to help them reach their maximum strength, and only then would he continue summoning new ones.

    Noan''s goal was to reach rank A, after which he could summon new heroes.

    At that time, the heroes he summoned could reach rank S, allowing him to save a lot of resources for evolution.

    Noan stroked his chin, trying to merge all his skills to create a higher-level skill.

    After all, he had gathered many skills, but these were all derived from heroes and soldiers who carried the "Evolution" mark.

    In reality, the strength and purity of these skills were only 20% of the standard level.

    That''s why he wanted to create a higher-level skill that was his own.

    [Ding! Please specify your request, the system will start calculating and provide the appropriate result.]

    Noan frowned, starting to think about the skills he possessed.

    "Currently, I have excellent close combat abilities, but I can''t always risk my life to fight," Noan mumbled.

    Suddenly, he thought of something that would suit him perfectly. At this moment, Noan immediately asked the system, "Can I merge long-range attack skills?"

    [Ding! Yes, you can. You possess eight long-range attack skills, with the skills ''Web Shot,'' ''Armorbreaker Arrow,'' and ''Shatterstorm Barrage'' being the highest quality.]

    "Good! What if I merge all of these skills?"

    [Ding! To merge these skills, you will need 1,000 D-rank energy crystals, 100 C-rank energy crystals, and 10 B-rank energy crystals.]

    [The ratio: 45% rank D, 30% rank C, 15% rank B, 8% rank A, 1.99999% rank S, 0.00001% rank SS.]

    Noan took a deep breath, glancing over at Vylyss sitting on the bed. He then slapped her on the backside.

    SLAP!

    "Um! Master, that hurts..." Vylyss pouted, her face showing a playful grievance.

    "Hahaha... just a little bit of luck," Noan laughed.

    After that, he decided to merge the skills.

    [Ding! Payment successful, beginning skill merge.]

    [Ding! Congratulations, you have acquired a new skill.]

    ...

    Name: Voidlight Execution

    Rank: S+

    Description: A transparent light beam like glass, visible only to the target. It immediately eliminates an enemy whose rank and level are equal to or lower than the user of this skill.

    It has a spatial journey, bypassing all physical or magical barriers of equal rank or lower.

    The closer the distance, the stronger its power.

 Chapter 215: Beg me!

    Noan looked at the skill and was stunned. Although it was rank S+, based on the description, it was truly terrifying.

    It could immediately eliminate enemies whose rank and level were equal to or lower than the user of this skill.

    Furthermore, the skill''s journey could bypass all physical and magical barriers.

    It was too overwhelming.

    Noan glanced at Vylyss, a satisfied smile spreading across his face: "Vylyss, you truly are my lucky star."

    He lowered his head and gave her a deep kiss. Though Vylyss didn''t understand what was happening, seeing him so happy made her equally joyful.

    After kissing for a while, Noan allowed Vylyss to rest while he dressed and headed outside.

    He truly wanted to test this new skill, but knowing that this was the city, he could only wait until he returned to the Chaos Zone.

    At that moment, Vylyss wanted to help Noan with his clothing, but as she helped him get dressed, her eyes gleamed with a pink, greedy light.

    Noan knew what she wanted, so he allowed her to kneel on the ground and serve him with her mouth.

    It took more than thirty minutes for him to get dressed.

    Vylyss, now satisfied, licked her lips and said, "Master, do you want to meet that girl?"

    "Yes. There''s something strange about her, especially the mirror she carries. Its ability is unique, and even Malrik doesn''t know what it is."

    Upon hearing this, Vylyss wasn''t angry. Instead, she smiled and approached Noan, "Master, if she likes to be punished like that, we can try this method..."

    Vylyss whispered something into Noan''s ear, making his eyes widen in surprise. He looked at her with a knowing gaze: "Vylyss, you are truly spoiled."

    "Hehehehe... it''s all for you, Master. Besides, it would be better for you to meet Noralia for a while today."

    "Hm..." Noan pondered.

    When Noralia was mentioned, he felt a bit awkward. Was Noralia beautiful? Of course, she was gorgeous. She carried a gentle, feminine aura that was full of grace.

    Although she was over 40 years old, she looked as though she were just over 30.

    Noan shook his head and said, "Vylyss, she is Lylia''s mother."

    "So what?" Vylyss tilted her head and looked at him, her eyes filled with confusion.

    She was genuinely confused, not trying to deceive him. Noan suddenly realised that Vylyss''s worldview was utterly different from that of humans.

    In the Demon Realm, life was incredibly chaotic, and due to everyone''s long lifespans, the appearances of mothers, grandmothers, and daughters weren''t very different.

    Therefore, it is not unusual for one person to marry three women from three different generations in many cases.

    But this is the Human Realm, the world of humanity. Indeed, people can have harems here, but that doesn''t mean they can live in such chaos.

    "Master, I think you''re overthinking this," Vylyss pouted and said. "Love is love; if you don''t love, you don''t love. Noralia seems to have feelings for you, and if you don''t respond, it might turn into a shadow in her heart."

    "But..." Noan said, still confused, "I''ve only met her a few times, how could she love me?"

    "Master, Noralia is like dry grass, and your pupils are like a blazing flame," Vylyss smiled and said, drawing a circle on his chest with her finger.

    "If I''m not mistaken, Noralia has never been in love. She must have felt a little jealous when she saw you and Lylia together."

    "But after you showed concern for her, the wall in her heart gradually began to crumble. The clearest proof is when she locked herself in her room."

    "Do you accept that a beautiful woman suffers because of you, Master?"

    Hearing Vylyss''s words, Noan felt they were both accurate and invalid. However, he didn''t understand exactly what was wrong.

    "Alright, I''ll try it," Noan nodded and said.

    Although this situation was a bit chaotic, the mother and the daughter were his women, which was quite thrilling.

    Vylyss smiled strangely, like she had just achieved something evil.

    Noan ignored her smile and immediately used teleportation magic to go to Elara''s cell.

    ...

    "Ah! So hungry..." Elara sat on the bed, hugging her knees, her pale face showing signs of starvation.

    From yesterday until now, she hadn''t eaten or even drunk a single drop of water.

    Her once soft lips were now dry and cracked.

    "Very thirsty, huh?"

    Upon hearing the familiar voice, Elara flinched and looked up, seeing the wretched man sitting on the chair, his eyes full of contempt and teasing as he looked at her.

    "You scoundrel! You... you..." Elara was too exhausted to curse him anymore.

    But then, Noan took out a bottle of water and smiled. "Do you want this?"

    "Give it to me!" Elara shouted.

    "Ah! Is this your attitude?"

    "You''re..." Elara gritted her teeth, her eyes filled with hatred as she glared at Noan, though her hatred was minimal, almost entirely replaced with anticipation.

    Indeed, it was strange, and it seemed like this was precisely what Elara had been waiting for all this time.

    "I... I will not kneel before you, you bastard!" Elara hissed through her teeth.

    "Hahaha... Good, then continue to suffer from thirst," Noan said, opening the water bottle and drinking it all.

    "Are you... a demon?" Elara genuinely wanted to cry. Her gaze turned greedily toward the bottle of water.

    "Hahaha, you said yourself that you wouldn''t kneel before me, so you can continue to suffer from thirst," Noan laughed, his cold smile terrifying. "Don''t worry, after you die, I''ll strip you of your clothes and leave you in the middle of a shopping mall for everyone to admire."

    "You''re... you..." Elara was so furious that tears began to fall. Her face was flushed, and she just wanted to rush over and bite the young man in front of her to death.

    "Come here!" Noan said, his voice filled with an absolute command, making Elara flinch.

    Elara turned her head, looking away, but immediately, Noan pulled out a whip and lashed it toward her.

    Smash!

    "AGH!"

    The whip struck Elara''s back, and she screamed in pain. "It hurts so much! You... bastard! Damn you! I will... I will..."

    Smash!

    "AAAH!"

    Noan lashed again, and Elara writhed in agony on the bed, her body trembling violently.

    But at the same time, she felt an unbearable wetness spreading from below, almost unbelievable.

    "Come here! I won''t say it for the third time," Noan said, his voice dripping coldly.

    Elara gritted her teeth, forcing herself to endure the pain, slowly getting off the bed.

    However, her gait was quite odd, her thighs pressed tightly together, as if she were hiding something.

    Of course, Noan noticed that oddity, and a strange sense of pleasure stirred within him.

    Elara stood before Noan, her hands clenched so tightly they turned pale, her eyes still wet, with tears running down her face.

    "Do you want to drink?" Noan asked, holding up the water bottle and shaking it before Elara''s face.

    "Give it to me!" Elara reached out to grab the water bottle, but Noan was quicker, snatching it away from her grasp.

    "Beg me..." Noan frowned, his eyes brimming with greed and aggression, making Elara trembleˇŞyet deep down, she couldn''t deny a strange, inexplicable thrill.

    "Keep dreaming! I''ll neverˇŞ"

    Smash!

    "AHHG!" Elara screamed as the whip struck her thigh, the pain so intense that she crumpled to the ground, sobbing like a child.

    "You bastard! I''ll tear you into pieces, I''llˇŞ"

    "I won''t say it a third time." Noan cut her off sharply.

    She gritted her teeth, slowly rising to her feet, lips pressed tight as if holding back words.

    Smash!

    This time, Noan swung his hand, landing a sharp slap on her plump rear.

    "AGH!!!" Elara''s tears overflowed, her face flushed crimsonˇŞbut at the same time, she couldn''t ignore the growing wetness between her thighs.

    Noan was slightly startled. He hadn''t expected a girl with such a flat chest to possess such a perfectly rounded, elastic, and irresistibly firm backside.

    Honestly, it was even more supple than Vylyss''s. Had all of Elara''s softness migrated from her front to her rear?

    A wicked smirk curled on Noan''s lips, sending a shiver down Elara''s spine.

    She clenched her jaw and whispered, "Please... just... give me... the water."

    Noan didn''t answer. Instead, he took a sipˇŞbut instead of swallowing, he pulled Elara into his arms, pressed her close, and tilted her head back.

    Then, he leaned in, sealing his lips over hersˇŞhelping her... ''drink''.

 Chapter 216: Elara and Noan

    "Um... um... hm..." Elara struggled to free herself from Noan.

    But she was just an ordinary person. How could she resist the strength of a man, especially when Noan''s physical strength was even greater than that of a Rank D monster?

    Elara felt the stream of water entering her mouth. Perhaps because she was too thirsty, she almost gave up resisting, greedily drinking the water from Noan''s mouth.

    This type of drinking made her feel stimulated, a strange sensation enveloping her mind, causing her to tremble.

    "Um... mm..." After a while, Elara completely consumed the water, but Noan did not stop. He extended his tongue into her mouth.

    Elara jolted, hurriedly pushing Noan away, but she couldn''t resist because he was too powerful.

    Finally, she bit his tongue, causing him pain, and he quickly retracted his tongue.

    They both pulled apart. Noan''s mouth bled, and there was even a bit of blood left in Elara''s mouth.

    She wanted to spit it out, but Noan immediately covered her mouth, forcing her to swallow all of it.

    "Mm... mm..." Elara cried and struggled, but it was all in vain.

    In the end, she had to swallow all of Noan''s blood.

    Of course, Noan wasn''t angry. After all, he had the innate ability ''Immortal.'' A small wound like this could heal in just a few seconds without leaving scars.

    "Bastard! Don''t let me get away, or else I''ll..."

    Slap!

    Noan swung his hand, slapping her beautiful face.

    Elara was slapped so hard that she fell to the ground, her hands covering the spot where she was hit, tears flowing like rain, and blood pouring from her nose.

    Noan walked over to her and sat down, speaking softly, "Submit to me, or... die."

    Although his words were gentle, they carried an overwhelming aura, like a mountain pressing down on Elara''s back.

    "You... you..." Elara gritted her teeth, trying not to show weakness in front of the young man.

    However, deep down, she longed, as if she wanted to follow him.

    Noan smiled, knowing precisely what Elara was thinking because Vylyss had told him about her personality.

    Though she appeared tough on the outside, she liked being tormented.

    Her expression was clear, and Noan could see it.

    What mattered most was that this girl was very mysterious, as if she had some secret.

    Noan smiled, pulled out his phone, and placed it before her. On the screen, a short video was playing.

    In the video, Elara is being beaten by Noan, yet her face looks extremely pleased, as if she genuinely enjoyed the torment.

    "No! That... that''s not me, you faked the video, you..." Elara swung her hand to try to grab Noan''s phone.

    But he was faster, immediately stepping back, causing Elara to miss and fall to the ground.

    "Fake or real, it''s obvious," Noan said with a smile. "I never expected the Fourth Elder of the Frankyro family to have such a preference."

    "If I release this video on the internet and throw you into a thug zone, what do you think will happen?"

    Elara shuddered in fear upon hearing this, a cold sensation running down her spine.

    "Are you a demon? Why are you so cruel?" Elara cried and said, "Huhuhu... What did I do wrong? I... I..."

    "You used that mirror to blow up my hands and head. Isn''t that enough of a wrong?" Noan said, his voice cold as ice.

    "That... I... I was defending myself. You weren''t even hurt, so why are you treating me like this?"

    "Hahaha... I''d probably be dead if I didn''t have my potent healing ability. Of course, I need to take revenge," Noan laughed. "Besides, you''ve seen my abilities, and I can''t let you live."

    "You... demon, damn you, you will die a miserable death," Elara kept cursing.

    "Hahaha... I don''t know if I''ll die or not, but I know this... If you don''t obediently become my slave, your death will be very miserable."

    Hearing Noan''s cold voice, Elara trembled violently, clenched her lips and said, "I... I..."

    "Alright, I don''t want to wait. I''ll give you one day to think it over." Noan said, then disappeared.

    In the room, only Elara remained.

    She sat on the floor, biting her lip, tears streaming down her face like rain. The lingering pain on her cheek made her unable to hold back her tears.

    Thud!

    Suddenly, the sound of something falling echoed. Elara looked up and saw a hamburger with a water bottle next to it.

    Elara pouted, ignoring it. But her stomach growled loudly like a chainsaw, and in the end, she reluctantly ate the hamburger.

    "Huh! You bastard! At least you still have a bit of humanity, not letting me starve to death."

    "Um... so good, why is this hamburger so delicious?"

    ...

    Noan used teleportation magic to reach Billy''s research centre.

    At this time, Billy was sitting, drinking tea, and reviewing the results of the experiment. Upon hearing that Noan had arrived, he immediately walked to the door.

    Seeing Noan, Billy recalled the news he had heard earlier that morning. Something crossed his mind, and his attitude became even more cautious.

    "Noan, you''ve finally come. I''ve fully prepared the components for the 9 Heroes Machine, and you can take them whenever you want."

    Noan nodded slightly and followed Billy into the research area. Along the way, neither of them spoke.

    But when they reached the door to the research room, Billy couldn''t hold himself back any longer and asked, "Noan, were you busy yesterday? Do you need my help?"

    Noan inwardly chuckled upon hearing this, knowing that Billy had likely heard about what happened the previous day.

    After all, Billy had a grudge against the Frankyro family, so he always kept track of news about them.

    Thus, it wasn''t surprising that Billy knew about it.

    Noan nodded slightly and said, "Nothing important, just killed two elders of the Frankyro family."

    Billy inhaled sharply upon hearing this, his body slightly trembling, a cold shiver running down his spine.

    Although Billy had already heard the news this morning from the Frankyro family about the death of the Third Elder and the disappearance of the Fourth Elder, hearing it from Noan still caused him to lose control of his emotions.

    The two elders... One must understand how terrifying these two elders were.

    Sitting in the position of Elder in the Frankyro family meant that they were far from weak.

    Yet Noan spoke of killing these two elders as casually as if it were a regular event, making it impossible for Billy to remain calm.

    Just how strong was this young man?

    Billy also felt incredibly fortunate. At this moment, he could be sure that he had chosen the right side in this game.

    "Hahahaha..." Billy suddenly laughed loudly, his face becoming so joyful that it turned red, and the fat on his body shook with the laughter.

    "Very good! Very good! Hahahaha..." Billy laughed and said, looking at Noan and bowing, "Thank you, Noan."

    "You don''t need to thank me, I killed them simply because it was a personal matter of mine, it has nothing to do with you," Noan replied.

    That''s right, he did it because Vylyss''s mind control of Jankos had been exposed, and then, because the Third and Fourth Elders were pursuing him, he decided to act.

    Otherwise, he wouldn''t have wanted to do this.

    "Has the Frankyro family done anything?" Noan asked.

    Billy shook his head, "No, they''ve just been searching vigorously and trying to cover it up. After all, the elders are the strongest combat force of the family. Losing two of them will affect the family''s position."

    "The Frankyro family also has many enemies, and if this gets out, they will face many major problems."

    Noan nodded, "It''s fine. Even if they discover it, I''ll leave here tomorrow."

    Billy didn''t find this odd. Tomorrow was the end of the 10 days in the city, and all the Lords had to return to the Chaos World.

    "Let''s go inside." Billy smiled and gestured for Noan to enter.

    Inside, Noan saw nine massive panels displaying the parts of the nine Hero Machines that Billy had created.

    "Noan, these are all the parts of the nine Hero Machines. Once fully assembled, their rank will be A, and they will reach level 4."

    "Furthermore..." Billy suddenly smiled, clapping his hands. A vast machine was lowered from above by a rotating axis.

    The machine slowly parted, revealing a stone about the size of a tennis ball inside, glowing with a dazzling light.

    Billy laughed as he spoke, "Noan, this is something the researchers and I couldn''t figure out. I think it will be useful for you."

    "I don''t know what it''s called, so I can only name it ''World-Destruction Stone.''"

 Chapter 217: We must stop

    "Apocalypse Stone?" Noan furrowed his brow upon hearing this.

    Billy nodded and said, "That''s right. I have experimented with it countless times and concluded that the energy inside it is both incredibly powerful and highly unstable."

    "With just a small trigger, it will immediately create a shockwave that annihilates everything within a 100-meter radius."

    "Moreover, its destructive capacity is terrifying, capable of destroying objects at an atomic level, leaving no chance for recovery."

    "Noan, I feel that this stone is meant for you. Therefore, please take it."

    Noan, upon hearing this, did not refuse. He waved his hand, and the stone immediately vanished. Naturally, it was placed into his ''Storage Space.''

    He would study it later.

    As for the components of the Machine Heroes that Billy had shown him, he also immediately placed them into the ''Storage Space.''

    Seeing Noan''s strange abilities, Billy gaped, wanting to say something, but in the end, he restrained his curiosity.

    After all, this secret was too terrifying, and even if he asked, Noan might not tell him.

    However, he knew that the stronger Noan became, the higher the chances that Noan would help him exact revenge on the Frankyro clan.

    Billy then chuckled and said, "Let''s go. I''ll take you to the warehouse. I bought a lot of resources yesterday, and I hope you''ll like them."

    Noan did not refuse and immediately followed Billy to the warehouse, collecting everything into the ''Storage Space.''

    After completing the resource gathering, Noan smiled and said, "Don''t worry, I will protect your son."

    Billy nodded lightly, "My son is a bit foolish, but he''s lucky, and his thoughts are simple."

    "That''s why I only hope he can develop normally, and there''s no need for him to become someone standing at the pinnacle."

    Noan gently patted Billy''s shoulder and then left.

    Billy watched Noan''s retreating figure, feeling somewhat more at ease.

    Suddenly, he laughed and muttered, "Hahaha... Janky, your clan has lost two Elders. Let''s see how you handle this."

    Billy tapped on his phone and called someone: "Start spreading the news."

    ...

    Noan did not use a vehicle but instead used teleportation magic, arriving instantly at Lylia''s house.

    Ding Dong!

    Noan rang the doorbell and waited for a while before someone came to open the door.

    As soon as the door opened, Noralia saw Noan, her face shifting from surprise to embarrassment, turning so red it seemed like it would catch fire.

    Noan, witnessing this, recalled Vylyss''s words and sighed deeply. He took a breath and then looked at Noralia, smiling as he said, "That dress suits you very well."

    Noralia was wearing a simple brown dress with a pink apron over it. Her pink hair was tied up in a bun behind her head, making her look even younger and exuding the aura of a caring and gentle housewife.

    Hearing Noan''s compliment, Noralia bit her lip and lowered her head. "It''s just... just a regular outfit."

    "No, you look beautiful to me," Noan said, still smiling.

    Noralia, hearing this, felt embarrassed and pleased at the same time.

    "Mom! Who is it?" Suddenly, Lylia''s voice came from behind, startling Noralia.

    She quickly steadied her emotions, took a deep breath, and said, "It''s Noan! He''s here to see you."

    "Ah! Noan!" Lylia, who was in the living room, immediately rushed to the door upon hearing Noan''s name.

    "Noan! You''re here!" Lylia rushed into Noan''s arms, hugging him tightly, greedily inhaling his masculine scent.

    Seeing Lylia so happily hugging Noan, Noralia felt a twinge of jealousy, which confused her.

    She immediately shook her head, telling herself she couldn''t be jealous of Lylia.

    That was her daughter, and she had no right to be envious of her.

    Noan gently patted Lylia''s back, but his gaze, still full of heat, was directed at Noralia, making her blush.

    He winked and mumbled something. Noralia saw his lips as if saying, "I''ll come to you later," which made her blush immediately. She hurried into the house.

    Lylia looked up, pouting, and said, "Don''t you miss me?"

    Seeing Lylia''s pouty face, Noan smiled and shook his head, saying, "No, I miss you very much, that''s why I came to see you."

    "Hehehe... But didn''t you come with Vylyss today?" Lylia asked, confused.

    "She''s exhausted," Noan replied.

    "Exhausted?"

    While Lylia was puzzled, Noan bent down and whispered something into her ear.

    At first, Lylia listened to what Noan said, her eyes wide open, filled with disbelief. Then her face turned red as if it were about to catch fire.

    She lightly hit Noan''s chest and pouted, saying, "You''re a bad person. Can you not say things like that to a girl like me?"

    "Ah! You don''t want to do that?" Noan tilted his head and asked.

    Lylia, embarrassed, clenched the fabric of her dress and pouted, saying, "Of course... of course I do, but... I... I..."

    "AGH!!! You''re such a bad person, I don''t want to talk to you anymore."

    Lylia shouted, then ran into the house. At this moment, she saw Noralia about to go outside and asked, "Mom, where are you going?"

    "Ah! I... I didn''t know Noan was coming today, so I wanted to go out and buy some food."

    "Aunt Noralia, you don''t have to do that." Noan smiled and said, "I''m not hungry, there''s no need to buy food."

    "That''s not good." Noralia said, embarrassed, "It''s almost noon now, stay and have lunch with Lylia. I''ll go out to buy some food."

    "Mom, let me go." Lylia spoke up. She immediately ran outside after saying that.

    "Wait... Lylia, I haven''t even told you what to buy yet." Noralia looked at Lylia, feeling quite confused.

    Noan, of course, understood why Lylia acted this way. Perhaps the girl was too embarrassed, so she tried to avoid him for a while.

    However, this also created space for Noan and Noralia to be alone together.

    Noralia, too, realised that it was just her and Noan left in the house, and her heartbeat raced as if it were about to jump out of her chest.

    Seeing Noralia''s flushed face, Noan approached her and gently touched her forehead. "Do you have a fever?"

    "AGH!" Noralia was startled by Noan''s touch and quickly stepped back, lowering her head. "No... no, I''m fine, it''s just... it''s just..."

    Noan felt that Noralia and Lylia were very similar. Despite appearing mature on the outside, both had hearts as fragile as little rabbits, easily startled by even the slightest movement.

    "I... I''ll go cook. You can sit in the living room and have tea," Noralia said, quickly heading to the kitchen.

    Noan''s eyes followed her, and it seemed he had made a decision in his heart.

    In the kitchen, Noralia let out a deep sigh, her heart still racing, making it impossible for her to calm down.

    Although she had already accepted Noan in her heart, she still couldn''t bring herself to face him whenever she saw him.

    Noralia hugged her chest, trying to steady herself, but the thought that it was just her and Noan left in the house made it impossible for her to stay calm.

    Suddenly, images from the dreams she had been having popped into her mind. She dreamed of her and him lost in desire, merging into one.

    "Aunt Noralia..."

    "AGH!" Noralia, startled by Noan''s voice, quickly turned and saw him standing in the kitchen doorway.

    "You... what are you doing here? I... I haven''t finished cooking yet, you... you..." Noralia stammered.

    Noan didn''t respond, taking slow steps toward her.

    She could feel what Noan was about to do, wanting to step back, but the kitchen was small and cramped, offering nowhere for her to escape.

    "Are you planning to run away?" Noan asked with a smile.

    "No, I... I... Noan, we can''t do this. You''re Lylia''s boyfriend, and I... I''m her mother. Our relationship is wrong," Noralia stammered, her eyes moist as if she were about to cry.

    Contrary to what she had expected, Noan didn''t continue to approach her. Instead, he stopped and looked at her thoughtfully, nodding as he said, "You''re right. Our relationship is wrong. We must stop."

    "You..."

 Chapter 218: Whats going on, Noan? (R18)

    Noralia heard Noan''s words, and instead of feeling happy, a sense of loss filled her heart, causing it to ache painfully. This was not the outcome she had hoped for.

    He should have protested vehemently, saying he didn''t care about Lylia and wanted to be with her, even if it meant their relationship had to be a secret.

    But instead, he immediately gave up, which made Noralia feel so disappointed that tears instantly began to fall like rain.

    She clutched the fabric at her chest, feeling as if someone was crushing her heart.

    ''Why has this happened?'' Noralia thought to herself. ''I don''t want it to end like this. Could it be... that I rejected him too strongly, and he thinks I don''t like him?''

    ''Or perhaps he doesn''t like me, so he gave up on me immediately.''

    ''Why?''

    Noralia''s heart was in turmoil, and she didn''t know what to do next. She could only sit there, crying like a child.

    Suddenly, a warm and strong pair of arms enveloped her in an embrace. Noralia was startled, wanting to resist and break free from the embrace.

    However, she didn''t understand why, but as the arms surrounded her, she felt so happy, so content, and an overwhelming sense of joy filled her heart.

    "Did you think I would give up?" Noan asked.

    At that moment, Noralia''s defences crumbled, and she shook her head repeatedly. "No... I... I didn''t mean that."

    "Then why did you reject me?"

    "You... you bad person. Can''t I pretend to reject you a little? If I agreed too quickly, I''d be no different from that kind of woman."

    Noan chuckled.

    Hearing his laughter, Noralia pouted and said, "You''re not allowed to laugh."

    "Hahaha... Alright, I won''t laugh anymore." Noan caressed Noralia''s beautiful face, feeling its softness.

    "But... about this... Noan, please don''t let Lylia know about this, okay?" Noralia said shyly.

    "Why? We love each other. Why can''t others know?"

    When she heard Noan''s words, Noralia felt so embarrassed that she wanted to find a hole to crawl into.

    A mother fighting for a lover with her daughter... if this got out, she wouldn''t be able to live in this city anymore.

    She might even be unable to face Lylia.

    "Please, don''t tell Lylia, okay? This... this is just our secret." Noralia bit her lip, pleading.

    Noan rubbed his chin, a hint of weariness flashing in his eyes: "Fine, I can help you keep the secret, but... you''ll have to pay a price."

    "That..." Noralia was no child, of course, she understood what Noan was implying.

    Her heart felt conflictedˇŞpart of her wanted to agree, yet another part wanted to refuse.

    Noan didn''t press her further and cheerfully said, "Alright, wait until the next time I return. You''ll have to compensate me more than."

    "Ah! Okay, I... I understand." Noralia nodded, though an inexplicable disappointment lingered in her chest.

    "But... this time when I leave, when I go to that world... I don''t even know if I''ll make it back." Noan sighed.

    Hearing this, Noralia knew all too well just how terrifying that world was.

    Over 20% of the Lords who entered that world had perished. It proved that the place was pure chaos, lawless and perilous.

    Noralia could only pray for Lylia''s safe return whenever she saw the news.

    Now, she wasn''t just worried about LyliaˇŞshe was worried about Noan too.

    But she had only met Noan a few times. Taking things that far would be too sudden.

    A restless discomfort churned inside her, leaving her unsure of what to do next.

    Then, suddenly, she remembered something. Her face flushed red like a ripe apple, her lips pressed tightly together as if she wanted to speak but couldn''t.

    "Hm?! You have something to say?" Noan asked.

    Noralia shook her head, but her gaze drifted downward toward ''that'' part of Noan. Finally, she whispered, "Noan, I... I can''t do ''that'' with you, but... but... I can help you."

    "Ah! How will you help me?" Noan seemed to have caught on, yet he pretended not to understand, his voice soft as he prodded.

    "That... I... I can use... I can use my mouth... to help you." Noralia was so embarrassed that she could have cried just saying those words.

    Noan listened, then sat back on the kitchen chair and grinned. "Well then... please do me this favour."

    Noralia pinched her lips, not knowing if this should be done, but still walked up to Noan, kneeling between his legs.

    Although she had a bizarre marriage and had no experience in it, she also watched romantic movies on television and heard from her friends.

    There are many ways to satisfy a man, and using his mouth is one of the best.

    Noralia was also curious because she had never done this before, so when she heard from her friends, she saw it on the Internet.

    Of course, she just watched it momentarily and couldn''t because she was too embarrassed.

    But now, she doesn''t think she has to use it one day with a young man nearly twenty years younger than her.

    This young man is even Lylia''s daughter''s boyfriend.

    Noralia''s hands were a little shaky, and Noan''s pants were awkwardly unlocked.

    Seeing that big thing, Noralia was startled. She used to do it with Noan in her dreams, but now, when she faced reality, she was scared.

    Holding it gently with both hands, the burning sensation caused Noralia to take a deep breath, and her heart rate increased astonishingly.

    She''s based on the memory she''s seen in the videos that she''s seen, starting to stick out her tongue, gently moving at the beginning of that thing.

    In the past, when she saw those videos, she even scolded the women in the video for being shameless, for being prostitutes.

    But now, she acts like those women, both shy and nervous.

    "Um... Aunt Noralia, your tongue is so warm." Noan suddenly said.

    His words shook Noralia a little. Noralia doesn''t know if it''s because he praises her or because his way of addressing her excites her.

    But at this moment, her mind was engulfed by lust, a kind of weird feeling that came into her mind, wanting her to do more.

    That tongue carries a little bit of wetness to the body of that thing.

    Although Noralia was clumsy, Noan also enjoyed her awkwardness.

    Noralia doesn''t understand why she''s increasingly enjoying doing this; there''s still a sense of shame, but another feeling makes her appreciate what''s happening.

    She reached down with her tongue, gently moving between the two marbles.

    "Um..." Noan sensed that Noralia''s tongue was moving there, unable to control it, and immediately made a sound a little... lewd.

    Noralia heard that sound, and somehow, she felt even more excited and happier in her heart because it seemed that Noan also liked it.

    She opened her mouth, took two marbles inside, and her tongue repeatedly attacked them awkwardly.

    "Um... Aunt Noralia, you... Um..."Noan put his head back, enjoying Noralia''s service.

    His words made her even more excited, as soon as she let go of the lower part, she moved her tongue to the body, as if she wanted to cover it with her saliva.

    Ring! Ring! Ring!

    At this moment, Noan''s phone suddenly rang, which startled Noralia.

    She wanted to move back, but Noan immediately held her head back, his eyes looking at her, signalling her to continue.

    Noralia was embarrassed but excited, as if what they were about to do would be discovered.

    She continued to serve Noan, and while he saw the caller, he had an interesting smile.

    He accepts the call, then asks, "Lylia, what did you call me about?"

    Noralia: "??!!!"

    Her face was full of incredible looks at him, as if confirming whether the caller was Lylia.

    Noan is not responding, choose the loudspeaker.

    [Noan, are you with my mother?] Lylia''s voice echoed from the inside of Noan''s phone, startling Noralia.

    But Noan wouldn''t let her leave, her hands still held her head.

    Noralia had no choice but to continue to serve him.

    But in her heart, she felt a bit of excitement, as if she wanted Noan not to let Lylia hear this story and not to let it out.

    "I''m in the living room, your mother''s in the kitchen."

    Fortunately, you asked my mother what she needed to buy. I was in such a hurry earlier, I didn''t have time to ask.]

    "Hahaha... Are you afraid?"

    [ You... Of course, I''m a little embarrassed. Anyway, your words are too... so... you''re so bad.]

    Noan smiled and tried to say something, but he could sense that his thing was in Noralia''s mouth.

    "Um...um..."

    [Hm?! What''s going on, Noan?]

    Noan: "??!!!"

 Chapter 219: Noan and Noralia - new place to live

    The sounds of passion echoed, but fortunately, Lylia did not know what kind of sound it was, so she immediately asked.

    "No... I... I am just drinking water. Wait a moment, I''ll have your mother call you back." Noan quickly responded.

    [Okay~ Thank you.]

    "Hahaha... With the relationship between us, do you really need to thank me?"

    [Huh! What kind of relationship is this between us?]

    "You think the relationship between us is what it is? Then it is exactly that."

    [You''re despicable, I''m not talking to you anymore.]

    Lylia finished speaking and hung up the call. Noan saw that the call had ended and sighed a light sigh of relief.

    He glanced at Noralia, who was ''serving'' him, feeling that this woman was quite bold.

    If he hadn''t explained things earlier, Lylia would surely have suspected something.

    "Aunt Noralia, you need to call Lylia back," Noan said while taking a deep breath. He lowered his head to look at Noralia.

    His words seemed only to excite her more, making her speed up and more forceful.

    Moments later, the ''milk'' shot directly into Noralia''s mouth, causing her to startle, and she hurriedly ran into the bathroom.

    Noan watched as she left, feeling that this was enough.

    After all, she had already confirmed she would be his woman, so there was no need to rush.

    Noan looked around, remembering the words Lylia had said.

    Soon, Noralia emerged from the bathroom, one hand covering her mouth and the other holding the phone to speak with Lylia. Her face flushed red, making her even more enchanting.

    She spoke with Lylia while stealing glances at Noan, her wet eyes full of love for him.

    After finishing the conversation, she sighed lightly: "That was really dangerous."

    Suddenly, Noan pulled her into his arms, laughing as he said, "But it was also very exciting, wasn''t it?"

    Noralia didn''t object, biting her lips, lowering her head because of her deep shame.

    But a moment later, she said: "Noan, do you think I am a dirty woman?"

    "Hm?! Why do you say that?" Noan furrowed his brows and asked.

    Noralia dared not look at his face, only lowering her head and leaning into his chest, crying as she said: "Noan, I... I haven''t divorced my ex-husband yet; I''m also Lylia''s mother. I''m no different from a dirty woman."

    "No..." Noan gently patted Noralia''s back and comforted her, saying: "Do you love your husband?"

    "That... I... I don''t like him at all."

    "Then you haven''t done anything wrong. You''re just looking for your true love," Noan said with a smile. "Don''t worry, Lylia will accept us."

    "No!" Noralia started, looking up at him while tears streamed down her beautiful face. "Noan, please, don''t tell Lylia. I... I don''t know how to face her."

    Noan sighed: "But I don''t want you to suffer."

    Hearing Noan''s words, Noralia felt incredibly warm inside.

    But she still firmly said: "Noan, this is enough, I... I don''t want anyone else to know, okay?"

    Noan thought momentarily, then said: "Alright, I will make it up to you."

    "No need!" Noralia quickly said. "I... I don''t need you to make it up to me."

    "You must listen to me, or I''ll tell Lylia about this."

    "Ah! This..." Noralia pursed her lips, gently nodded. "I... I understand."

    "First, this place is too dangerous." Noan sighed and said: "This villa belongs to your ex-husband, and the Frankyro family knows where this place is. That''s why I want you to move somewhere else."

    "Uhm! I... I will listen to you." Like a bird, Noralia obediently replied, snuggling into Noan''s arms.

    "Don''t worry, the new place won''t be much different from this one. Both Lylia and I feel more at ease about you in this chaotic world," Noan said.

    Noralia only nodded lightly, not objecting.

    Noan held her tightly in his arms, and Noralia enjoyed the safety and warmth she had never felt.

    ...

    A while later, Lylia returned and helped Noralia cook, while Noan sat on the sofa waiting.

    He wanted to help them, but Lylia and Noralia insisted he stay out of the kitchen and wait in the living room.

    At this moment, Noan wasn''t in the mood to argue; he was deep in thought about bringing Noralia to the Chaotic World.

    After all, he could bring one person to that world with him, but upon further reflection, he felt that doing so was too reckless.

    Although the person he brought could have a random Class, Noralia was not the type of woman who could be thrown into battle.

    That''s why he needed to think more thoroughly about the matter.

    Noan took out his phone and called Austin.

    [Master!]

    "I need a villa far from the city, with guards and surveillance. Can you do that?"

    [This... I''m not sure. Wait a moment, I''ll ask my father.]

    "Good! I''ll wait for your update." Noan said before hanging up the phone.

    After all, Billy''s son was his slave, so that Noan could trust Billy.

    A moment later, Billy called back and assured him that a villa matching his request would be ready by that afternoon.

    Noan was satisfied with Billy''s work, but his thoughts were still occupied with how to help Lylia.

    Noralia would be safe in the new place for now, but what about Lylia?

    Although she was a Rank A Lord, that didn''t mean she wouldn''t face danger.

    Noan, despite his pitiful state, wouldn''t be stingy when it came to his women.

    He thought for a long time, unsure how to help Lylia.

    Noan couldn''t provide her with resources, as she couldn''t bring resources from the City to the Chaotic World, like he could.

    He also couldn''t assist her when encountering difficulties, as his domain and Lylia''s were completely different.

    Noan sighed, feeling a bit disappointed.

    Lylia had helped him so much, even giving him a new life. But now, when he wanted to help her, he couldn''t find a way.

    Suddenly, a notification from the system appeared before Noan.

    [Ding! You have a gift package from ???, do you want to accept it?]

    "A gift package?!" Noan frowned, feeling very puzzled.

    Firstly, the System didn''t have the function to send gifts. Secondly, the sender''s name was hidden, making him feel uneasy.

    He wasn''t sure if this was a trap or if it had some hidden danger, so he hesitated.

    "Accept!" Noan issued the command.

    He felt there was no need to overthink it. After all, the person behind this could potentially affect the system, which meant they had enough power to kill him without using such a strange method.

    [Ding! Congratulations, you have received the supplemental ability for the innate ability ''Space.'']

    At that moment, a stream of information appeared in his mind. Fortunately, Noan''s mental strength had grown much stronger, so he only felt a slight headache.

    Noan closed his eyes and ''processed'' the information he had just received.

    Opening his eyes, he muttered, "Looks like... this is the gift that woman mentioned."

    Noan remembered the words of the mysterious woman in the world filled with blackness that he had encountered before.

    Although her existence was still a mystery, Noan didn''t care much. As long as she helped him become stronger, that was enough.

    Moreover, he had agreed to be a pawn for her because it benefited him.

    Noan had thought this through carefully. Whether he agreed or not, his path would face many dangers.

    Rather than going alone, he could find a powerful ally to support him.

    Facing the Fate Holders was likely extremely dangerous, but even without the help of that woman, he would still have to confront them.

    There was no guarantee that, during his development, he wouldn''t run into other Fate Holders.

    That''s why he decided to accept becoming a pawn for that woman.

    At least, he would know who his current enemy was, and he could receive much support from her.

    Noan sighed and shook his head, no longer overthinking it. The only thing on his mind now was finding a way to help Lylia.

    And besides that, he could also rely on the newly acquired supplemental ability to do many things.

    Especially... to transcend the boundaries of the Chaotic Worlds.

 Chapter 220 220: You and Noralia canâ€¦

    The newly added function to his ''Space'' Gift allowed him to bypass the barriers between different areas within the Chaotic World.

    However, the number of times it could be used was minimal, and each use consumed enormous resources.

    Because of this, he could not move completely freely between the regions.

    Yet, even so, it was enough for him to assist Lylia.

    After finishing their meal, Noan placed an ''Anchor Point'' on Lylia.

    This was precisely the new function of the ''Space'' Gift. He could teleport to that point as long as he placed an anchor point on any creature or object.

    The farther the distance, the more resources were consumed to teleport to it. After each use, this function would enter a ''Cooldown'' state.

    Of course, Lylia had no idea about this, and he had no intention of telling her either. He planned to give her a surprise when the time came.

    After the meal, Noan met Noralia and Lylia in the living room. He looked at them and said, "This place is no longer safe. I want to move Aunt Noralia to a new residence. Lylia, what do you think?"

    "Ah!" Lylia was slightly surprised but quickly agreed: "You''re right, Noan. This place, after all, still belongs to my father. If he wants to, he can reclaim it at any time."

    "Moreover, my family and the Frankyro family know about this place. After we enter the Chaotic World, my mother will surely encounter trouble, even danger."

    "That''s why I completely agree with you. It''s just that... I don''t know where would be a suitable place for my mother to live, and... I... I don''t have enough money."

    Lylia felt a bit embarrassed. She had long wanted to move her mother to a new home.

    Jankos and her father, Simon, often came here to visit Noralia.

    Although Noralia and Simon were divorced, Simon still treated Lylia very well, but Lylia knew very clearly... why Simon treated them so kindly.

    Because of that, she just wanted to get Noralia out of this place as soon as possible.

    Noralia herself also wished to leave this mansion.

    Although it looked beautiful and luxurious, to her, it was no different from a cage imprisoning a bird.

    However, Noralia thought of something and hurriedly said: "Noan, perhaps we don''t need to go through so much trouble. After all, both Lylia''s family and the Frankyro family are so powerful. No matter where I hide, they would eventually find me."

    "I have lived here for so many years already; I can continue to stay here."

    Noan shook his head and said, "Aunt Noralia, Lylia and I are about to enter the Chaotic World. I don''t want both of us to keep worrying about you."

    "Your safety will help us fight more confidently in that terrifying world."

    Hearing this, Noralia felt a warmth rise in her heart, as if even if the sky were to collapse, he would hold it up for her.

    Lylia also felt touched. She hadn''t expected Noan to care so much about her mother. His words made perfect sense, and she found nothing strange about them.

    Noan continued, "Don''t worry, I have found a safe place for you. Over there, neither of those two families will be able to find you."

    "Ah!" Both women were startled, looking at him with eyes full of disbelief.

    ...

    In the afternoon, after gathering the most essential belongings into the ''Space Stone,'' Noan used teleportation magic to take them to Billy''s research centre.

    Upon arriving, Noralia and Lylia looked at Noan with eyes filled with incredulity.

    "Noan, can you use magic?" Lylia exclaimed, "No, wait! Why didn''t the magic dome sound the alarm if you used magic?"

    Noralia was so stunned she couldn''t say a word. Was this really her man? He... he had truly surpassed everything she had ever imagined.

    Suddenly, a sense of absolute security flooded her mind, making her feel even more at easeˇŞand deepening her feelings for Noan.

    Billy, seeing Noan arrive with Lylia and Noralia, was visibly shocked.

    He quickly approached them: "Noan, Lylia, Noralia, you all..."

    "This is Lylia, my girlfriend," Noan said casually. "And this is Aunt Noralia, her mother. You probably already know about them, right?"

    Hearing Noan''s introduction, Lylia blushed with embarrassment, but deep down she was overwhelmed with happiness.

    Noralia, hearing Noan call her ''Aunt Noralia,'' felt a complicated mix of emotions and embarrassment, her face flushing red.

    Billy, witnessing the scene, widened his eyes in disbelief, glancing between Noralia, Lylia, and then back at Noan.

    After all, he had battled on the business battlefield for many yearsˇŞhe had seen all kinds of people.

    Thus, observing Noralia and Lylia''s expressions, he immediately understood what was happening.

    Damn it! This young man... was incredible.

    He had the mother and daughter firmly in his handsˇŞthis was the first time Billy had seen anyone pull off such a feat.

    He looked at Noan and, secretly, gave him a thumbs-up.

    Noan looked at him, his expression seeming to say: ''This is nothing unusual.''

    Of course, Billy knew Lylia and Noralia.

    Especially Noralia, because her situation was rather peculiar. She was like a bird trapped in Simon''s cage.

    Billy knew very well what kind of person Simon was, and thus, he admired Noan even more for being able to have Noralia in his grasp.

    "Alright, don''t just stand there," Noan spoke up. "Billy, take us to the new villa you''ve prepared."

    Billy was startled, hurriedly nodding, and then led everyone to a car, heading towards an area far from the city.

    This place was about a 30-minute drive from the city, followed by a 30-minute cable car ride to reach the villa Billy had prepared.

    It was a huge villa, nestled on a mountainside, surrounded by nature, forming a majestic and soothing landscape with fresh air.

    "Hehehe..." Billy chuckled as he spoke: "Noan, although this place is a bit far from the city, it''s very safe, and the living conditions are excellent."

    "Below, there''s also a secret escape route in case of danger. This place has enough food supplies for one person to survive three years without needing to leave."

    "Besides that, if Miss Lylia and Madam Noralia wish to live here, I can arrange for drones to deliver necessities continuously."

    Hearing Billy''s words, Noralia and Lylia both felt greatly reassured.

    However, they still looked toward Noan, waiting for his decision.

    Before, when their relationship with Noan had not been established, they were decisive and able to make their own choices.

    But ever since becoming his woman, their sense of security and warmth made them rely on him, letting Noan make all the decisions.

    Noan did not rush to answer. He looked around, then placed another anchor point on Noralia so that he could teleport to her at any time.

    After finishing, he smiled and said, "This place is very good, just a bit boring."

    "That''s alright," Noralia quickly spoke up. "I have already lived a rather boring life for a long time. Living here won''t be any different from staying at the other villa."

    "Besides, I can still use my phone and other devices, so I definitely won''t feel bored."

    Hearing that, Noan nodded and said, "Good! Then we can stay here."

    Billy, understanding perfectly, immediately took his leave, giving them their private space.

    Noan spent the remaining time staying by Lylia and Noralia''s side.

    After all, the next day, he and Lylia would have to enter the Chaotic World, leaving Noralia alone.

    In the evening, Noan happily enjoyed an outdoor barbecue party with Lylia, Noralia, and Vylyss.

    There were only the four of them here, surrounded by darkness.

    Yet, that didn''t frighten them; on the contrary, it made the place feel even more private and warm.

    Above them, the sky, untouched by light pollution, revealed a stunning view of sparkling stars and a beautiful, painting-like moon.

    That night, he returned to his room with Vylyss.

    Of course, with Noralia and Lylia present tonight, he and Vylyss could not engage in anything beyond that.

    While Noan was checking the items he had taken from the ''Storage Space,'' suddenly, Vylyss approached him and said, "Master, it''s time."

    Noan looked at Vylyss in confusion, frowning slightly as he asked, "What do you mean?"

    "Hehehe... Lylia has already fallen into a deep sleep. You and Noralia can... Hehehehe..."

 Chapter 221 221: Noan and Noralia (R18)

    Noan felt a strange sensation stirring within him upon hearing that. Looking over at Vylyss, he frowned, confused.

    "You''re not jealous?"

    "Hehehe... Master, the more women you have, the happier I am. Why would I be jealous?" Vylyss laughed and said, "Besides, I think it''s much more fun when many people sleep together on a big bed."

    Noan could only shake his head and lightly tap her forehead. "You''re truly strange."

    "Hehehe... Master, hurry and go, Noralia is about to fall asleep," Vylyss urged.

    Noan smiled, then used teleportation magic and instantly vanished.

    ...

    Noralia kept tossing and turning in the bedroom, but still couldn''t fall asleep.

    Every time she closed her eyes, the images from earlier resurfaced vividly in her mind.

    Yet now, it all felt like a dream.

    Ever since she had asked Noan to clarify his relationship with Lylia, she had secretly witnessed Lylia and Noan kissing...

    No, to be precise, she had spied on them kissing ˇŞ and after that, everything between her and Noan had spiralled out of control.

    Noralia sighed, but she did not regret it. Everything Noan had done proved how much he truly liked and cared for her.

    That thought warmed her heart.

    Moreover, their forbidden relationship only made her feel exhilarated and thrilled.

    Suddenly, a hand rested on Noralia''s waist, startling her into almost crying out.

    However, another hand swiftly covered her mouth.

    "Shh, it''s me," Noan''s voice sounded, accompanied by the firm press of his body against hers.

    At that moment, Noralia was wearing a thin nightgown without any undergarments, making her feel embarrassed and excited.

    Noan slowly released his hand and whispered, "Aunt Noralia, you look wonderful tonight."

    Noralia''s face flushed red, so hot it seemed like it might catch fire. She could even feel her body heating up like her blood was boiling.

    "Noan, the room next door... it''s Lylia''s. She might hear us," Noralia said in a panic.

    "Don''t worry, she''s already asleep, and besides, the soundproofing here is excellent," Noan said with a smile.

    Noralia trembled as she felt his hands moving all over her body.

    His touch made Noralia even more sensitive, and soft moans escaped her lips, as if trying to stir Noan''s desire.

    "No, Noan. I... I''m not ready for this," Noralia pleaded.

    "Then why are you dressed like this?"

    "I... I..." Noralia didn''t know how to answer.

    Tonight, she had deliberately bathed thoroughly, sprayed herself with a seductive perfume, and even chosen an alluring nightgown.

    Although she told herself she didn''t want to deepen this relationship with Noan, she was secretly yearning for it.

    As if she had been waiting for something forbidden to happen tonight.

    "Noan, please... not tonight," Noralia whispered, her voice trembling, still afraid that Lylia might hear, even though she knew the villa''s soundproofing was excellent.

    Noan sighed. "Noralia, tomorrow I must leave you, and I don''t know when I''ll return. Perhaps... I may never come back."

    "No!" Noralia gasped and immediately turned her head to look at him.

    Her cheeks were flushed, her eyes brimming with tears as if about to cry. Her face now was so breathtakingly beautiful that it seemed to invite sin.

    "Noan, you will come back. Don''t say things like that," Noralia hurriedly said.

    "Uhm! But you must give me something to ease my heart before I leave," Noan said with a smile.

    Noralia blushed deeply, but in the end, the last walls of her resistance crumbled.

    She slightly nodded and said, "But... you mustn''t let Lylia hear us."

    "Of course ˇŞ unless you lose control," Noan teased.

    Hearing that, Noralia didn''t think much of it. After all, she had never truly given herself to any other man before, so she didn''t believe she would make any loud sounds.

    "Noan, I... I''m no longer a virgin. Will you... will you hate me? Will you think I''m a filthy woman?" Noralia asked anxiously.

    Noan shook his head. "I won''t. You were forced; I don''t blame you."

    Noralia bit her lip, tightly clutching Noan''s shirt, her voice tinged with sadness. "I... he and I were both forced. It was only... just once. After that, he went to find the woman he truly loved. I was nothing more than a shield for him to hide that woman behind."

    Hearing that, Noan understood Noralia''s situation clearly.

    Whether or not she still had her first time wasn''t important to him.

    That was enough as long as this woman loved him wholeheartedly and would never betray him.

    He would use all his strength to protect her, never letting her suffer any injustice.

    Noan gently nodded. "I trust you. Don''t worry, I don''t care about that. As long as you love me, that''s all that matters."

    Hearing those words, Noralia felt reassured and deeply warmed inside.

    "Uhm! Noan, you... you *will* come back, right?"

    At that moment, Noralia no longer felt any distance between herself and him. She immediately embraced him tightly and asked.

    She was truly worried. The two people she loved most ˇŞ Lylia and Noan ˇŞ were both heading into the most dangerous place, and she didn''t know if they would ever return.

    It tormented her because she was just an ordinary person, unable to do anything to help them.

    "Of course. Later, I might bring you with me so you can see that world too."

    "Uhm! I trust you." Noralia nodded without hesitation.

    Noan knew well that Noralia didn''t entirely believe it, but he truly meant what he said.

    Only... right now, he wasn''t strong enough. Bringing Noralia into that world would be too dangerous ˇŞ he might be unable to protect her.

    He would wait until he became stronger, and then take her with him.

    Naturally, he would also return to rescue Maya.

    She, too, was his woman. He would not abandon her.

    Noan smiled and said, "So... shall we begin?"

    "Uhm... Noan... um..." Noralia moaned softly as Noan began to kiss her lips.

    These lips have never been felt through true love. When Noan kisses it, it is like a wanderer in the desert encountering a shower.

    Wet and soft, Noralia''s a little clumsy in responding to his kiss. But after a while, under Noan''s, she was no longer clumsy.

    Noralia is now immersed in the sweetness of kissing her lover, even proactively reaching into Noan''s mouth.

    Her arms held him so tightly that her full breasts pressed against his chest to the point of deformity.

    Noan''s hands were also not free; they explored all over Noralia''s body, making her constantly shiver, her mouth making provocative sexual sounds.

    His hands began to move to Noralia''s ass, then...

    Slap!

    "Um!" Noralia was immediately struck in the butt, opening her eyes wide at him while their mouths were still wrapped in tangerines.

    Slap!

    "UM... um... mm..." Noralia groaned, her eyes moistened at him as if begging.

    Although it hurts a little, a weird feeling percolates her mind.

    It made her more excited, wanting Noan to keep doing it.

    His hands began to move upwards, then sculpted two large Noralia mountains into his hands.

    "Um... mm..." Noralia couldn''t stand it anymore, and tears flowed out.

    This is the first time she''s had this feeling that''s different from Simon''s.

    At that time, she was like a doll, just lying in bed, feeling the awful pain from him.

    But it''s different now, so happy that she can feel all her cells being happy.

    A moment later, breathless Noralia separated, with a drop of saliva connecting their lips like a twinkling thread in the night, then falling below.

    Noralia bowed, watching Noan''s hands constantly sculpting her two mountains. In her heart, she was both embarrassed and happy.

    "You... Do you like them?" Noralia asked.

    "Of course." Noan replied with a smile, bowed his head, stretched out his tongue, and began to enjoy those soft and sweet mountains.

    "Um... Noan... Noan... mm..."Noralia covered her mouth with her hands so that she wouldn''t make any sound, but the moaning still came out.

    Knock! Knock! Knock!

    "Mom, are you asleep?"

    Noan:?!!"

    Noralia:?!!"

 Chapter 222: I believe in you

    Lylia''s voice rang out, startling both Noan and Noralia.

    They looked at each other, but as Noralia was about to speak, Noan gestured for her to remain silent, then lowered his head and continued savouring the two soft mounds that exuded the sweet scent of milk.

    "Mm... Um... Noan... you... stop... Lylia is outside," Noralia tried to suppress her voice, lowering it to the faintest whisper.

    Noan didn''t respond, simply continuing to indulge himself with her breasts, leaving her feeling both embarrassed and anxious, unsure of what to do next.

    His wet, warm tongue engulfed her in a wave of desire, making her reluctant for it to endˇŞshe only wished for it to continue.

    "Mm... Noan, don''t... stop, Lylia will find us... mm..." Noralia moaned, pleading with Noan.

    Yet he seemed oblivious, wholly engrossed in what he was doing.

    "Mom!" Lylia called again from outside, "Are you already asleep?"

    Noralia wanted to answer, but fear of being discovered by Lylia made her hurriedly cover her mouth with both hands, trying to stifle any sound escaping her lips.

    At first, she hadn''t expected that doing this would make her lose control, but lewd sounds kept slipping out against her will.

    Now she realised this act was not painfulˇŞon the contrary, it was a kind of pleasure she had long yearned for.

    It was so intoxicating that Noralia could no longer control herself.

    But at this moment, with Lylia standing just outside the door, Noralia felt not only embarrassment and anxiety, but also an inexplicable sense of thrilling excitement.

    "UM!" Noralia suddenly gasped, letting out a louder moan, which made her hastily clamp her hand over her mouth again.

    "Mom! Are you still awake? Strange... what''s that sound?" Lylia said from outside, confused.

    She had come because she was feeling a bit anxious about tomorrow and wanted to have a little chat with her mother.

    But perhaps Noralia was already asleep, so Lylia could only sigh and return to her room.

    Hearing Lylia''s footsteps fade, Noralia pouted and said, "Noan, you''re terrible. Do you realise Lylia almost caught us?"

    Noan looked up, smiling as he said, "That would''ve been even better. We could all sleep together and erase any barriers between us."

    "Huh! You''re so greedy," Noralia pouted, but despite her protest, her body responded all too honestly.

    Noan lowered his head again, capturing the pink blossom atop Noralia''s breast in his mouth, teasing it relentlessly with his tongue.

    "Hm... Noan... "Don''t do this..." Noralia groaned.

    Her voice made Noan more stimulating, not only did he enjoy Noralia''s full breasts, but he also attacked below, starting to enjoy her place.

    "Don''t! Um... don''t... Noan, I beg you... that place... It''s so dirty..." Noralia is so embarrassed that she almost cried at the moment.

    However, the desire inside her mind says she doesn''t have to fight back, lie still and enjoy this feeling.

    Noralia sensed that her body was incredibly itchy and even heated up as if she had a fever.

    She''s beginning to fall in love with this kind of feeling.

    "UM!!!" Noralia gripped the bedspread, her legs stretched out as she sensed his tongue had come inside.

    The feeling was so great that her tears came out, her face was red, and her breasts were constantly bulging up and down as she breathed.

    A moment later, Noralia''s legs stretched again, realising that something had just sprung out that made her so comfortable that she saw a new world.

    "Ha...ha... Noan... ha..."Noralia gasped, her beautiful face looked at him.

    Noan was also unruly, starting to get that thing inside Noralia.

    "UM... Noan... "Noralia groaned, her hands clung to Noan''s back, her nails clung to his back to the point of bleeding.

    But Noan didn''t care, anyway, he owned the "Importal" genius, even if his body was blown up, as long as his head wasn''t too badly injured, he could still revive.

    That''s why he and Noralia started fighting. The sound was like clapping, filled with wetness and eroticism.

    Along with that comes Noralia''s moan when she discovers a new world.

    It wasn''t as painful as it was then; happiness and the flames of desire spread throughout her body.

    Noralia hugged Noan as if she didn''t want him to leave and wanted to be one with him.

    More than thirty minutes later, everything finally came to an end.

    Noralia could feel the searing hot liquid filling her body, a deep sense of joy and warmth blooming in her heart.

    She embraced Noan, only to notice a bit of blood on his back. Startled, she remembered how her nails had dug into his skin earlier, causing her to panic.

    "Noan, you... your back..." Noralia stammered, her face clearly showing her worry as tears suddenly welled up in her eyes.

    "It''s alright. I don''t feel any pain," Noan replied with a smile.

    "But... but... I... I made you bleed. I''m sorry... I''m sorry... I..." Noralia mumbled.

    Noan turned his back for her to see and said, "Look, the wound has completely healed. There''s not even a scar."

    "Ah!" Noralia exclaimed when she saw that while there was still blood on Noan''s back, there were no wounds, not even a trace of a scar, leaving her astonished.

    However, recalling that Noan could use magic even within the city, she figured he must have used magic to heal himself.

    Still, guilt lingered in her heart. She gently stroked his back and softly said, "I''m sorry, at that moment... I... I couldn''t control myself."

    "Are you hurt?"

    Noan took Noralia''s hand, pulling her closer and embracing her.

    "No, but I do feel a little uncomfortable," Noan said with a chuckle.

    Noralia asked worriedly, "Ah! Then... what should I do?"

    Noan lifted Noralia''s chin, making her face him directly.

    "Help me a little... so I can forget this discomfort."

    Hearing his words, Noralia immediately understood what she needed to do. Though she still felt a bit shy, thinking about what they had just done, she realised there was no longer any reason to refuse.

    Instead, she easily followed Noan''s lead, lowering her head and extending her soft tongue, beginning to serve him.

    Twenty minutes later, Noralia covered her mouth and hurried into the bathroom.

    Noan lay sprawled on the bed, staring at the ceiling in satisfaction.

    At this moment, he had four women by his side: Vylyss, Maya, Noralia, and Lylia.

    Although Noralia was Lylia''s mother, he believed that one day, Lylia would accept this situation.

    He wasn''t too concerned about conflicts within his harem; instead, he was more worried about how to protect them.

    The "anchor point" allowed him to appear in time to protect them whenever they were in danger.

    However, even that wasn''t enough.

    Lylia was a Landlord ranked A, possessing immense potential, and her lifespan could increase significantly.

    For most Landlords ranked B and above, living over 300 years was considered normal.

    For those ranked A, it was even longer.

    Some even said that Landlords ranked SS could live up to 1,000 years while maintaining their youthful appearance.

    Noan was fully confident that he could reach that level ˇŞ but what about Noralia? She was merely an ordinary person.

    Though she appeared to be in her thirties, she was already forty years old, and there wasn''t much time left.

    Not to mention, many illnesses would inevitably surface as Noralia''s age advanced.

    Noan sighed, feeling a bit uneasy.

    "Wait! I still have that special NPC," Noan suddenly remembered, and a wave of happiness rose.

    That''s right, he recalled that he had an NPC who was an Alchemist Master.

    In the world of Fantasy, there were countless potions with miraculous effects.

    Thus, Noan believed he could find a potion to help Noralia extend her lifespan.

    Moreover, Noan possessed the talent "Almighty Fusion." He was confident that he could grow even stronger, even capable of merging with other things.

    This thought reassured him.

    At that moment, Noralia stepped out of the bathroom, walked over, and lay beside Noan, tightly embracing him.

    "Noan, thank you," Noralia suddenly said.

    Noan asked in confusion, "Why are you thanking me?"

    "Because you made me feel warmth."

    Noan chuckled. He hadn''t even done much ˇŞ he had reassured Noralia and ensured she was safe when moving to a new place.

    He laughed and said, "Don''t worry. As my woman, you will never be wronged."

    "Uhm! I believe in you."

 Chapter 223: See you again, Noan

    After Noralia had fallen into a deep sleep at night, Noan didn''t stay but headed to a familiar place.

    Elara was lying on the bed, exhausted, with images from the morning constantly replaying.

    She hugged a pillow and let out a long sigh, feeling confused inside.

    Could she be that kind of woman?

    Elara immediately shook her head, not wanting to think about it anymore, only wishing to find a way to leave this place as soon as possible.

    But... did she genuinely want to leave?

    Elara didn''t even know what she wanted anymore. She tried to leave, but at the same time, she didn''t want to go.

    She sighed again, trying to push those thoughts away.

    "What are you thinking about?"

    Suddenly, a familiar voice startled Elara.

    She realised that the voice wasn''t as hateful as she had expected. On the contrary, some of her had hoped for Noan to appear.

    However, outwardly, she pretended not to care and angrily said, "I warn you, if you don''t let me leave, I willˇŞ"

    "I''m not here to negotiate with you," Noan suddenly interrupted her. "I''m here to kill you."

    "What?! What... what did you say?!" Elara stammered in fear, trembling.

    "Didn''t you hear me clearly?" Noan said with a cold smile. "I came here to kill you."

    Elara sat frozen on the bed, staring at Noan with a face full of confusion.

    "You... you enjoy tormenting me, don''t you? If that''s the case... then... then keep tormenting me, but please don''t kill me, okay?" Elara stuttered.

    Faced with the threat to her life, she no longer had the firmness and courage she once showed.

    "Torturing you is indeed quite enjoyable," Noan said. "However, tomorrow I must venture into the Chaotic World. I can''t stay here any longer."

    "That''s why I have to kill you."

    "That..."

    Elara wanted to cry. She tried to stay calm and said, "You... I... I..."

    She didn''t know what else to say because she knew Noan was right.

    She was like a ticking time bomb. If she stayed, the Frankyro Clan would eventually find her, putting him at significant risk.

    Thus, killing her was the best way to protect his secret.

    "However, there''s another way for you to stay alive," Noan suddenly added.

    Upon hearing that, Elara clung to the hope like grabbing a life-saving float and exclaimed, "What way?"

    "I can bring one person with me into the Chaotic World. So, if you agree to come with me, I can spare your life," Noan said with a smile.

    "If not... then I''m sorry, but I''ll have to kill you. Don''t worry, before I do, we can have a little fun together, and afterwards, I''ll toss your body at a shopping mall so your clan can easily find it."

    Hearing that, Elara shivered, her face turning pale.

    At first, she thought Noan wouldn''t dare kill her, but now, she truly believed he would.

    After killing her, Noan would escape into the Chaotic World, and no one would be able to trace her death back to him.

    Elara pressed her lips tightly together. She didn''t want to follow Noan, but... inside her, a voice urged her to agree.

    ''Alright! I''ll agree, but not because I enjoy being humiliated. I''m only trying to protect my own life,''

    Elara told herself firmly.

    ''That''s right, I''m just trying to survive. When the opportunity comes, I''ll run away, I''ll take my revenge, I''ll tear him into a hundred pieces.''

    She took a deep breath and said, "Fine! I agree."

    Hearing her response, Noan smiled.

    He wasn''t worried that Elara would betray or run away because he already had a firm grasp on her weakness.

    Moreover, Vylyss would also help him "train" Elara to make her truly loyal.

    "Alright, I''ll come to pick you up tomorrow," Noan said, and then he disappeared.

    Startled, Elara shouted, "Wait! Aren''t you going to feed me? Wait!"

    "Hey! I''m really starving over here!"

    "Hey!!!"

    ...

    The next morning, Lylia and Noralia tearfully bid each other farewell.

    Previously, the Landlords would be transported to a safe zone, where most would only suffer minor injuries and sporadic deaths.

    But now, the mortality rate was terrifyingly high.

    Even the Federal Government and the Empire couldn''t intervene to protect the Landlords anymore.

    Thus, every trip into that world was like stepping onto a brutal battlefield.

    This time, upon departure, it was uncertain when ˇŞ or if ˇŞ they would meet again.

    Perhaps... many would never return.

    However, Noan didn''t care about that. It didn''t matter who died, as long as he and his women survived.

    Besides, he was sure he wouldn''t die in that world.

    Noan didn''t waste time. He went to the resource storage bank, used the Elder Councillor''s card, swept up everything inside, and then headed again for that secret room.

    Noan looked at Elara lying on the bed and immediately activated the function to bring one person with him into the Chaotic World.

    Naturally, Elara didn''t dare resist and was instantly sucked into a swirling vortex of space.

    After handling that, he returned to Noralia''s villa.

    Seeing Lylia stepping outside, Noan lightly nodded and smiled, "Let''s go."

    "Uhm!"

    Lylia turned back to glance at Noralia, her eyes still slightly misty, then turned away and walked forward.

    Noan cast a glance at Noralia, smiled, and followed alongside Lylia.

    Noralia watched as Lylia and Noan departed, her heart overwhelmed with complex emotions, but above all, worry and fear.

    She feared she might never see them again ˇŞ the one she loved, and her daughter.

    They were her entire world, and she couldn''t hold back the surge of emotions pouring out in streams of tears.

    "Lylia, Noan... you will surely return, won''t you?"

    ...

    Noan and Lylia arrived at the gathering area.

    Since the summoning space could only accommodate one person, he had to send Malrik through the Hero transfer zone.

    After completing the formalities and using an enchantment spell to have the staff erase all related records, he returned to Lylia.

    Noan looked around and scoffed, "Seems like many people have decided to run away."

    Lylia lightly nodded upon hearing that: "Yes, but they won''t be able to escape. If they''re forcibly thrown into the Chaotic World by the System, their ranks will be reduced."

    "Even if they leave the city, they can''t escape the System''s control."

    "A few days ago, someone left the city and burned their Landlord Card, but right after, they lost all their levels and dropped from rank C to rank F."

    "That''s the System''s punishment?" Noan asked, a little surprised.

    "Yes. I don''t know how the System finds out, but in short, there''s no way for us to escape," Lylia said tiredly.

    She sat down, resting her head on Noan''s shoulder, her eyes half-closed as if she were about to fall asleep.

    "Noan, if I die in that world, please take care of my mother for me," Lylia said sadly.

    "What nonsense are you talking about? You''re not going to die," Noan said, frowning.

    Besides, even if she hadn''t said it, he would have cared for Noralia anyway. However, that was just a thought he kept to himself, not something he would say aloud.

    Hearing his response, Lylia thought Noan was trying to comfort her, and she responded with a faint smile.

    "I''m a rank F Landlord, and I''m not even worried. You''re a rank A Landlord, yet you''re more worried than I am," Noan chuckled, teasing her a little.

    "Ah! You can use magic here, which proves your strength far surpasses rank F. Besides, you can even bring resources into the Chaotic World," Lylia pouted.

    "Jealous?" Noan said while gently caressing Lylia''s face.

    She shook her head. "No, on the contrary, I feel relieved that you have such abilities. That way, I don''t have to worry about not being able to see you again when I return to the city."

    Noan suddenly realised that Lylia seemed melancholic, as if she believed this might be their final farewell.

    He glanced at her and saw that the ''Anchor Point'' he had placed on her was still there.

    Currently, he can set up to 10 anchor points. With each level he gained, he could place two additional anchor points.

    However, the number of anchor points wasn''t the issue ˇŞ the real question was whether he could teleport to the anchor points he had set.

    [Ding! All Landlords, please proceed to the transfer area.]

    The announcement echoed through the air.

    Lylia sat up straight, stretching her arms above her head, causing the twin peaks on her chest to become even more prominent and alluring.

    She turned to him, smiling: "See you again, Noan."

    Noan nodded lightly but immediately reached out, grabbed her hand, and pulled her toward him.

    "Um..."

 Chapter 224: The teaâ€¦

    While Lylia was still dazed, Noan had already sealed her lips with his own.

    Lylia didn''t resist; instead, she responded to him, sinking into the kiss''s sweetness.

    After a while, they pulled apart.

    Lylia''s face was flushed red, her eyes slightly misty.

    "You''re so bad. Is bullying me all you know how to do?" Lylia pouted.

    "I don''t just bully you. I can also ''teach'' you a few things in bed," Noan said with a mischievous grin.

    Hearing those words, Lylia''s face turned even redder.

    She gave him a light smack on the chest, then quickly ran toward the teleportation gate.

    Noan watched her retreating figure slowly disappear into the crowd, then turned toward the teleportation gate designated for him.

    After waiting in line for quite a while, it was finally his turn.

    Noan stepped into the familiar teleportation gate, where the four surrounding pillars began to radiate a blinding light.

    Immediately after, a notification panel appeared before him.

    [Ding! Would you like to teleport to the ''Singularity Point'' or the ''Chaotic World''?]

    Seeing this message, Noan wasn''t particularly surprised.

    "If I choose the ''Singularity Point,'' what happens?"

    [Ding! You will have 10 days in the ''Singularity Point,'' after which you will be forcibly transferred to the ''Chaotic World.'']

    "Good! Then I''ll choose the ''Singularity Point.''"

    [Ding! Beginning teleportation to the ''Singularity Point.'' Please prepare yourself.]

    Right after that, darkness enveloped Noan''s vision.

    ...

    [Ding! Welcome back to the ''Singularity Point.'']

    The mechanical voice snapped Noan into greater alertness.

    He slowly opened his eyes, and the sight before him was one he had almost forgottenˇŞ

    His bedroom is at the base of the ''Singularity Point.''

    He stood up and softly called out, "Malrik?!"

    There was no response.

    He tried again, "Malrik?"

    Still no response.

    ''Could he have been sent straight to the Chaotic Zone?'' Noan wondered.

    Frowning, he decided to call someone else: "Vylyss?"

    "I''m here, Master. Hehehe..."

    Vylyss''s mischievous voice rang out, bringing a smile to Noan''s face.

    "Looks like the teleportation gate for Heroes can now only transfer directly to the ''Chaotic World'',"

    Noan sighed, hoping that in the future, the ''Summoning Space'' would expand to accommodate more heroes.

    Suddenly, he frowned as he caught a familiar scent lingering on the bed, though he couldn''t identify where it came from or who it belonged to.

    He shook his head, feeling like he was overthinking things.

    Noan didn''t rush to check the ''Storage Space''; instead, he decided to head outside and inspect the surroundings of his territory.

    He stepped into the elevator and noticed that everything was functioning normally.

    The elevator ascended to the surface ˇŞ the ground floor.

    As the doors slid open, Noan frowned upon seeing that the observation and defence area had been transformed into a tea room.

    Around him were numerous furnishings: glass cabinets, wooden shelves, and bookcases. There were even a few books resting on the shelves.

    A small tea table with a half-finished cup of tea and a neatly placed book stood by the window.

    Noan frowned deeper, mumbling, "Could it be... someone came here and stayed?"

    Becoming more alert, he immediately summoned Vylyss.

    She appeared at his side, her expression tense and vigilant.

    "Vylyss, youˇŞ"

    Before Noan could finish his sentence, another voice cut him off.

    "So you''ve finally arrived?"

    The familiar voice had barely echoed when Vylyss immediately raised her hand.

    Countless chains tore through the air, lunging toward the source of the sound.

    "Ah! No need to be so hostile..."

    That seductive voice rang out again.

    Clang! Clang!

    But the chains struck nothing but empty air.

    Realising she had been tricked, Vylyss swiftly turned her head ˇŞ

    Yet before she could react, a strange sensation flooded her entire body.

    A numbness and discomfort paralysed her, forcing her to her knees, clutching her neck as if she were struggling to breathe.

    Noan frowned, his gaze shifting toward the tea table.

    Earlier, there had been no one there ˇŞ but now, a woman clad in a black robe sat calmly at the table.

    Her nails and lips were painted an eerie shade of violet.

    Only the lower half of her face was visible, but it was enough for Noan to realise she was stunningly beautiful.

    She sat elegantly, sipping tea with the refined grace of a noble.

    "Please, have a seat."

    Yes ˇŞ it was Isabell.

    Noan glanced at Vylyss, frowning as he said, "Let her go first."

    Isabell smiled faintly and gently waved her hand, releasing a swirl of purplish blood mist that enveloped Vylyss''s entire body.

    Soon after, the deathly pallor on Vylyss''s face gradually gave way to a healthier flush.

    Still kneeling on the ground, Vylyss clenched her teeth, her eyes burning with fury as she glared at Isabell.

    "You''d better keep that lustful dog of yours under control," Isabell said, her voice cold as an iceberg adrift in the ocean. "Otherwise, I''ll make sure she dies in excruciating pain."

    "YouˇŞ"

    "Enough," Noan barked, cutting off Vylyss.

    He waved his hand and said, "Go back to the bedroom first."

    "But... Master..." Vylyss protested reluctantly, not wanting to leave Noan alone with Isabell.

    Noan understood Vylyss''s concern ˇŞ but what choice did he have?

    The opponent was too strong.

    Even though Vylyss was already rank B, level 5, she couldn''t resist Isabell.

    Not to mention Vylyss ˇŞ even Aldric, a Fate Holder, wouldn''t stand a chance against her.

    This clearly showed that Isabell''s power far surpassed both Aldric and Vylyss.

    Noan wasn''t foolish; if Isabell hadn''t killed him yet, she needed something from him.

    And that meant negotiation was possible.

    Vylyss bit her lip tightly, then slowly turned and left.

    "Wait! The old bedroom is now mine," Isabell suddenly said. "You''ll need to find another room."

    Noan instantly recalled the strange yet alluring scent in his bedroom.

    He frowned and said, "That''s supposed to be my room."

    "Ah! But now, it''s ''our'' room," Isabell replied.

    Hearing her words, Noan felt puzzled.

    Nonetheless, he did his best to reassure Vylyss before having her move to a bedroom on a lower floor.

    Once Vylyss had left, only Noan and Isabell remained in the room.

    He walked over to the chair opposite Isabell and sat down.

    Although his face showed little emotion, his mind remained extremely alert.

    Even though he was no match for Isabell, he still had teleportation magic ˇŞ he could escape at any time if necessary.

    However, thinking about how Isabell had appeared here and in the city, it suggested she possessed some ability similar to his own "Space" talent.

    Seeing the look on Noan''s face, Isabell chuckled seductively,

    "Hahaha... don''t worry, I won''t harm you. Besides... your scent isn''t bad. I like it very much."

    She rested her elbows on the table, intertwining her fingers under her chin as she gazed at him with her stunning face.

    "You slept in my room?" Noan asked.

    "That''s right. Your scent was so wonderful that I chose that room to sleep in," Isabell replied with a smile. "This place isn''t bad either. I''ve decided to make it my temporary shelter."

    "Look around ˇŞ do you like how I redecorated it?"

    Noan glanced around. Indeed, besides the furniture, there were many flower pots scattered throughout.

    Though their appearance was a bit strange, most were in shades of purple.

    "Seems like you really love the colour purple," Noan remarked as he poured himself a cup of tea and took a sip.

    He wasn''t afraid of being poisoned ˇŞ after all, Isabell was so powerful that if she genuinely wanted him dead, he would have died long ago.

    Yes, back in the day when Isabell had commanded a swarm of Lickers to attack this place.

    As the tea entered his mouth, Noan immediately tasted a slight bitterness, a lingering sweetness at the throat, and finally, an enchanting aroma filling his nose.

    One cup of tea had managed to stir so many sensations within him ˇŞ clearly, Isabell had a natural gift for brewing tea.

    "Does it taste good?" Isabell asked, laughing softly.

    Noan nodded honestly, "It''s very good. A slight bitterness, a hint of sweetness, and an incredibly fragrant aroma that isn''t overpowering."

    "Hahahaha..." Suddenly, Isabell burst out laughing.

    "Do you know what kind of tea that is?"

    Hearing that, Noan stiffened, a suspicion flashing through his mind ˇŞ ''Could there really be poison in it?''

    "Hahahaha... hahaha... You fool..."

    Isabell extended a slender finger and tapped lightly on the tip of Noan''s nose, saying with a mischievous grin,

    "The tea... has my sweat in it."

    Noan: "..."

 Chapter 225: Noan and Isabell

    Noan swore continuously in his mind.

    "Goddamn it! Are you crazy? Why put your sweat into the tea?"

    Your so-called refined pleasure?

    "Delicious. Hahahaha... hahahaha..." Isabell laughed loudly upon seeing Noan''s face as if he had just eaten ten hot peppers.

    He was both angry and uncomfortable, yet also worried.

    He had just drunk tea with her sweat, but it tasted so good. Could he really be a pervert too?

    But he shook his head, immediately dismissing that thought. He wasn''t a pervert; he was just concerned that Isabell''s sweat seemed to have something strange about it.

    After all, this was a strange world that blended advanced technology with magic, so it was normal for someone to possess some bizarre ability.

    "Don''t worry, my sweat isn''t poisonous, it just makes you remember the taste of my body."

    Hearing Isabell''s words, Noan frowned, feeling confused.

    "What do you mean? What do you mean by remembering the taste of your body?" Noan asked, frowning.

    Isabell didn''t answer him but asked another question: "Are you interested in joining me?"

    "Join you? Do you belong to some organization?"

    "Yes, but I''m a bit disgusted by this organization. That''s why I want to create a new one." Isabell said, laughing as she spoke.

    Noan, after hearing this, didn''t immediately refuse. On the contrary, he felt a bit intrigued.

    He knew that he was acting alone right now, without any organization or powerful existence to rely on.

    What about that mysterious woman?

    She seemed bound by some rule, and although she could influence the system, she couldn''t help him directly.

    But Isabell was differentˇŞshe had superior strength and was far more intelligent than he.

    Moreover, it seemed that Isabell was holding many valuable pieces of information; he could rely on her to learn more about this world and the other Fate Holders.

    "What''s your goal?" Noan asked, frowning.

    He wanted to take another sip of the tea, but when he remembered it had Isabell''s sweat in it, he immediately stopped.

    Isabell noticed his action, but she wasn''t angry. Instead, she happily took the teapot and filled his cup with tea.

    "Drink it, it''s very beneficial for you," Isabell said with a smile.

    Noan: "..."

    Noan cursed vehemently in his heart many times. He''d prefer it far more if he had to drink sweat in another way.

    For example, on the bed, where he and Isabell engaged in vigorous exercise, sweating profuselyˇŞhe wouldn''t mind tasting a bit of her sweat then.

    But this was different. Pouring sweat into tea? Did she think she was some water mage?

    Isabell took a sip of tea, then said, "My purpose is straightforward. It''s just that you can''t know it yet. Otherwise, you''d be in great danger."

    Noan: "..."

    "So... can I refuse?" Noan asked.

    "Guess..."

    Looking at Isabell''s smile, he sighed, feeling somewhat weary inside. When would he finally uncover the secrets of this world?

    Still, it was only mild discomfort. Noan turned his gaze to Isabell and asked, "What do you need me to do?"

    Isabell retrieved a strange purple petal and dropped it into the teacup. Instantly, the tea shifted from golden to violet, bubbles rising continuously as if boiling.

    Unfazed, she picked up the cup, drained it in one go, then used her slender, flawless finger to wipe away a droplet at the corner of her lips.

    After savoring the tea, she smiled at him. "You''re still too weak now, but not entirely useless."

    "I need you to help me establish a base in this area. From now on, I''ll be living here."

    "Moreover, I also require a great deal of resources. I hope you can supply me with what I need to grow."

    Hearing this, Noan realized Isabell likely knew his secret. However, he sensed she only understood his ability to transport resources between worldsˇŞnot the full extent of his ''Almighty Fusion'' talent.

    "In other words..." Noan crossed his arms, frowning. "You''re treating me like a free deliveryman?"

    "Hahaha... not necessarily, of course I''ll provide you with some benefits." Isabell smiled, her fingers lightly pulling her collar down to reveal two snow-white peaks wrapped in purple lingerie.

    Faint blue, purple, and pink veins spread across the twin mountains, making them even more enticing.

    "I can give you sensations no other woman could provide," Isabell said with a charming laugh.

    But Noan still didn''t show much emotion. He shook his head: "That''s still not enough. You know I already have Vylyss. Even without you, it wouldn''t affect my pleasures."

    "Ah! You are a greedy one." Isabell pulled her collar back up, covering those twin peaks again, and said with a smile: "Then... what do you want?"

    Noan rubbed his chin, frowning as he said: "Straightforward. We''re in a cooperative relationship, so everything must be shared."

    "Not just resources, but also information, and you must protect me too."

    Hearing Noan''s words, a hint of coldness flashed across Isabell''s beautiful face.

    "Are you testing my patience?"

    Noan showed no fear, replying with a smile: "No, I''m telling you... Right now, I''m the only one who can cooperate with you."

    "Can you find anyone in all the cities and Empires who can transport resources between worlds like I can?"

    "If such a person exists, I''ll immediately gift this place to you and never come here again."

    Isabell silently stared at Noan, then suddenly laughed and said: "You''re brilliant, just... if I kill you, this place will belong to me."

    "But you''ll have no resources at all, Miss Isabell." He smiled back.

    Both sides smiled at each other, but between them burned an invisible flame. The atmosphere grew heavy, thick with the scent of gunpowder.

    It seemed just a small spark would immediately make this place explode, destroying everything.

    Isabell smiled: " Let''s have a pleasant cooperation."

    She spoke as she reached out her hand, seemingly wanting to shake his. Noan, not thinking much, shook her hand.

    "Let''s have a pleasant cooperation."

    He just grasped her hand, quickly letting go. Isabell frowned and, dissatisfied, said, "Am I really that scary?"

    Noan shrugged. "Yes, indeed. I don''t want to risk wondering if you have any hidden motives, so it''s better to be cautious."

    "Huh! You''re such a coward." Isabell pouted.

    "A coward is better than being dead, right, Miss Isabell?" Noan replied with a smile.

    Isabell took a sip of tea and said, "So, can you provide me with resources to build?"

    "You want to build a domain?" Noan frowned, asking.

    "Not exactly," Isabell didn''t hide it, immediately replying, "I''m just a ''Traveler,'' without a domain. I want to supply resources to my subordinates."

    "Ah! How many subordinates do you have?" Noan asked, still frowning.

    Isabell glanced at him before answering, "About 20 people, all Landlords rank C or higher. Out of them, 15 are currently in the Chaotic World."

    "Don''t worry, they''re all women, only two are men, but those two men wouldn''t dare do anything strange."

    Noan chuckled. Though he didn''t care much, if those women were indeed beautiful, he could always ask for some benefits.

    "Huh! I can tell exactly what you''re thinking just by looking at you," Isabell said disdainfully. "Is that all that''s on your mind?"

    Noan shrugged. "Well, I''m still a man, not a saint or a god, and my desires are quite strong."

    Isabell glanced at Noan and said, "Right now, I need a lot of resources, but I won''t take them from you. I hope you can help transport these resources to my subordinates."

    "Additionally, I also need some resources for those still at the ''Anomaly Point.''"

    Noan frowned, thinking momentarily before saying, "How many resources do you need?"

    "As many as possible," Isabell replied.

    He nodded and sighed, "I need to check the resources first; I need to develop myself, so I can''t give you too many."

    "I understand," Isabell simply replied.

    But at that moment, Noan looked at Isabell and asked, confused, "How can you freely travel between the ''Anomaly Point'' and the City?"

    Isabell smiled and said, "Do you want to know? You''ll have to pay the price."

    Noan: "..."

 Chapter 226 226: Save someone?

    Noan could only smile upon hearing this: "Fine, if you don''t want to tell me, it''s alright."

    He didn''t care much to know Isabell''s secret. He had wanted to find a way to travel easily between the ''Anomaly Point'' and the City before.

    This way, he could accomplish a lot, especially with transporting supplies.

    But now, things had changed. He had gained the ability to create ''Anchor Points.'' He could cross the gap between the two worlds as long as he had enough energy and resources.

    When he first arrived here, he had tried using the ''Anchor Point'' function, and he could return to the ''Anchor Point'' he had placed on Noralia.

    It just required a huge amount of energy and many energy crystals.

    Even though the cost was high, this proved that the ''Anchor Point'' function was compelling.

    Isabell, seeing that Noan had easily given up, silently speculated on his thoughts.

    "It seems you''re truly more impressive than I thought," Isabell said with a smile.

    "Ah! I have another incredibly powerful ability. Would you like to try it now?" Noan smiled, his words revealing a great deal of desire.

    Isabell wasn''t angry. She only smiled and responded, "I hope you can handle it. If not, dying in the middle of the fun would be disappointing."

    Noan smiled without saying anything, then stood and headed toward his room.

    At that moment, Isabell''s voice echoed from behind, "Remember, that room is ''our'' bedroom."

    She intentionally emphasized the phrase ''our'' for Noan to hear. He just waved his hand as a gesture of goodbye, then entered the elevator.

    Isabell took another sip of tea, but as the cup touched her lips, she noticed something on the table.

    A single black hair.

    Yes, it was Noan''s hair.

    She smiled, extending her snow-white hand, as perfect as a work of art, toward the hair.

    Isabell used her nails to pick up Noan''s hair precisely, then... placed it in her mouth.

    She began savoring it, and then a strange and twisted smile appeared on her face: "Delicious... I wonder... how good you will taste, Noan..."

    ...

    Noan returned to his room and felt a chill, as if someone was watching him.

    But he didn''t think much about it, lying down on the bed to rest for a bit.

    Facing Isabell, he had been under an immense, invisible pressure, leaving his mind utterly exhausted.

    He lay on the bed, but he wasn''t idle. Instead, he decided to try using a resource card.

    Since the resource cards were useless for the Lords forced into the ''Chaotic World,'' he didn''t want to bring these cards there.

    If these cards couldn''t be used in the ''Chaotic World,'' he would suffer a huge loss.

    Therefore, he decided to try using them here.

    Moreover, each resource card could only hold up to 20 million units of resources, and there were various types. They couldn''t all be stacked together in one slot, which took up a lot of space in his ''Storage Space.''

    [Ding! You have successfully used a resource card and received 7 million units of wood, 5 million units of stone, 1 million units of iron, 10,000 units of gold, and 1,000 units of metal.

    All have been placed in the ''Storage Space.'']

    Noan was pleased upon seeing this. It seemed that he could use the resource cards at the ''Anomaly Point'' and then bring them into the ''Chaotic World.''

    "Damn it!" Noan cursed as he looked at the electronic board displaying the ''Storage Space.''

    The ''Storage Space,'' which had once had plenty of room, was immediately filled with resources, leaving only two empty slots.

    Noan slapped his head, feeling incredibly foolish. He had forgotten that each slot in the ''Storage Space'' could only hold 999 units of the same resource.

    If he received too much of the same type of resource, only 999 units could be stacked in one slot, which would occupy many slots.

    Just by using one resource card, almost all the slots in the Storage Space were filled, giving him a massive headache.

    "If only I had another ''Storage Space''... that would be great." Noan muttered.

    He currently has two ''Storage Spaces'' of type x99 slots, but even if he had another x99 space, it wouldn''t solve the problem.

    After all, there were just too many resources, and they could easily fill all the remaining empty slots.

    The spatial stone was also complete and couldn''t hold any more. Ultimately, he could only sigh, temporarily putting the issue aside.

    During his ten days at the ''Anomaly Point,'' he would need to find a way to solve this problem. Otherwise, the resources he had now might go to waste.

    Noan continued checking the ''Anchor Point,'' wanting to see how many resources he would need to return to Noralia''s side.

    [Ding! To teleport to ''Anchor Point'' number 2, you need 1,000 D-rank essence crystals.]

    Noan saw the system''s notification and sighed a light sigh of relief.

    This showed that he could still return whenever he wanted, but the resources were a bit much.

    He wasn''t too worried because he still had the ''Resource Production Center.'' He was sure he could harvest more resources as long as he kept upgrading it.

    Noan frowned and decided to try teleporting to the ''Anchor Point'' on Lylia''s body.

    [Ding! To teleport to ''Anchor Point'' number 1, you need 100 B-rank essence crystals.]

    "It seems the world where Lylia is located is far from here," Noan stroked his chin and frowned.

    He shook his head, temporarily dismissing the thought of teleporting to the ''Anchor Point''. After all, Isabell was still here, and he didn''t want her to know about this ability of his.

    Noan didn''t stop, continuing to look towards the parts of the 9 Machine Heroes.

    He thought for a moment and then decided to ignore them for now.

    While Noan was feeling somewhat stumped, a voice suddenly rang in his ear.

    "Do you want to make a deal with me?"

    "Hm?!" Noan was slightly startled, and then, a strange fragrance assaulted his nostrils.

    The scent was very strong, similar to that of the Lethal Bloom flower, a toxic flower, but also the one representing witches in this world.

    Noan slowly turned his head and looked toward Isabell, who was sitting behind him. She gently placed her hands on his shoulders, her face just a few centimeters from his.

    Her breath, carrying the fragrance of the Lethal Bloom flower, irresistibly swept across his face, causing him to feel an inexplicable sensation.

    "You want to trade what?" Noan frowned and asked.

    Isabell smiled and took out a bronze key, saying, "I just discovered a portal leading to the Challenge Space. Do you want it?"

    Upon hearing this, Noan''s eyes lit up. He knew his current medal could help him become nearly an invincible being in the ''Challenge Spaces''.

    If he could find a ''Challenge Space'', he would undoubtedly be able to harvest many things.

    However, Noan knew that in this world, nothing came for free.

    He frowned and asked, "What do you want?"

    "Hahaha... don''t act so cold like that." Isabell smiled, blowing a puff of purple smoke from her mouth into Noan''s face.

    "It''s very simple, I need you to help me save someone." Isabell said, her voice full of charm.

    "Save someone?" Noan asked, confused.

    "Yes, she''s one of my subordinates. Don''t worry, she''s gorgeous. If you save her, I''ll let her be your woman." Isabell said, her tone full of seduction and allure.

    "Ah! So working for you will come with many benefits, right?" Noan laughed, then added, "But are you really willing to give her to me? Could it be that she''s ugly?"

    "No... she''s very beautiful, a B-rank Landlord. It''s just that she can''t level up to rank 4." Isabell answered with a smile.

    "Can''t level up to rank 4? Then she''s useless?" Noan pursed his lips and said, "Isabell, you know I don''t want to keep any useless people by my side."

    "Ah! What about Noralia? She''s not a Landlord, but you still love her, pamper her to the point that it makes me jealous."

    Upon hearing Isabell''s words, Noan furrowed his brows, his gaze turning cold. "Noralia is my woman, and that girl is your subordinate. How can I fully trust your subordinate?"

    "Unless... you also become my woman."

 Chapter 227 227: I want that girl - Zeka

    "Ah! Do you really think about that?" Isabell laughed, her smile starting to turn icy.

    "If you don''t want to, I''m not responsible for saving that girl." Noan shrugged, his expression beginning to turn indifferent.

    Although he wanted to enter the ''Challenge Space'' that Isabell mentioned, after all, he owned the ''Ultimate Challenge Medal,'' even if he didn''t pass the challenge, he could still gain many benefits.

    However, he wasn''t sure what Isabell''s attitude towards him was, whether she was an enemy or an ally.

    Her subordinates, no matter how beautiful, were still not his subordinates.

    Nothing guaranteed that her subordinates, after becoming his women, wouldn''t betray him.

    He maintained an indifferent attitude, waiting for Isabell''s response.

    Upon hearing Noan, Isabell, of course, knew what she wanted. She immediately laughed and said, "Hahahaha... Noan, you''re a coward."

    "Yes, I am a coward. After all, I only have one life, and if I die, everything ends." Noan sighed.

    "Ara~ So, what do you want?" Isabell smiled, her expression full of allure. "I can''t be your woman, but you can change the terms."

    "Fine! Then I want that girl." Noan said.

    "Hm?! What do you mean..."

    "My meaning is very clear. After saving her, I want her to be my slave." Noan replied with a smile. "Listen carefully, she will be my slave, not my woman."

    "If you agree, I''ll save her. If you disagree, then let''s consider this as nothing happening."

    Isabell glanced at Noan; suddenly, the air turned cold, almost terrifying.

    "It''s the first time someone has made such a request to me." Isabell said, her voice extremely cold and full of killing intent.

    "The first time? Don''t worry, the first time always leads to a second time." Noan said with a laugh, his voice laced with teasing.

    Isabell stared at Noan for a long while, then sighed and said, "Fine! I agree."

    "Ah~ Let''s consider this a bad trade on my part. You''re evil, making my subordinate your slave while also taking advantage of me."

    "Hahahaha... The choice is in your hands; I didn''t force you." Noan replied with a laugh.

    Isabell placed the key in Noan''s hand, smiling as she said, "The portal is to the east, about 70 miles from here."

    With that, Isabell vanished as if she had never been there, leaving only the lingering fragrance that captivated Noan.

    He held the key in his hand, not in a rush to leave but lying on the bed to rest.

    He wanted to be in the best possible state before setting off.

    ...

    The areas were successfully merged.

    At this moment, Caleb and Austin had just arrived in the Chaotic World, frowning as snow began to appear in the sky.

    Yes, a few snowflakes started to fall.

    Caleb reached out and caught one of the snowflakes. Strangely, this snowflake made him feel extremely cold, much colder than usual.

    It often snowed in the city during winter, but the snowflakes there were never this cold.

    It was just a small snowflake, smaller than a grain of rice, but it radiated an incredibly intense cold.

    "This snow is strange," Caleb frowned and said.

    Austin said, "Yes, it''s much colder than usual."

    Caleb looked at the sky and muttered, "It seems... a new era is about to begin."

    Austin, hearing Caleb, felt somewhat confused. "What do you mean?"

    Caleb shook his head. "Never mind, we need to find the master first."

    Austin nodded in agreement, taking out a silk ball and then crushing it.

    After a moment, nothing happened.

    It should be known that this silk ball was an item that Noan had given them. Once they crushed it, Noan would teleport them to his location.

    But ten minutes passed, and nothing happened, leaving Caleb and Austin confused.

    "Could it be that the master is busy?" Caleb muttered, frowning.

    "Ah, maybe," Austin replied.

    Caleb stroked his chin, thinking momentarily before saying, "Alright, we don''t need to worry. The master probably got the information, but is busy. We need to wait."

    "The thing we need to do now is figure out who exactly is in our area."

    Austin nodded upon hearing this. "Got it. Should we act together or split up?"

    Caleb shook his head. "You should know that our area has merged with the area of D-rank Lords, which means we''re facing stronger opponents."

    "Because of this, we need to be really careful this time. If not, we''ll fail. And the result for us will be death."

    Austin was shocked. "So terrifying. But we have the monsters the master gave us. Can''t we defend ourselves?"

    Caleb glanced at Austin, thinking it was a miracle that Austin had made it this far.

    First, when Austin faced the master, he managed to survive and then became the master''s slave.

    Then, Caleb and he entered a mysterious cave and were ambushed by a strange monster.

    Though they managed to escape, Austin was seriously injured and was eventually saved by the master, successfully surviving.

    Next... and next...

    Austin had been in danger countless times, walking on the edge of death, but somehow managed to escape death each time in miraculous ways.

    Caleb shook his head. "Did you forget? The monsters the master gave us are only D+ rank, while the D-rank Lords can summon monsters of C rank."

    "Besides, their levels are probably much higher than ours. That''s why our chances of winning are almost zero."

    "Since the master hasn''t shown up yet, we should be cautious, just scout out the situation, and avoid unnecessary conflicts."

    "Ah! I understand." Austin replied indifferently.

    Seeing Austin''s expression, Caleb was so angry he wanted to punch Austin in the face and shout, "What the hell! Do you understand what I''m saying?"

    Caleb took a deep breath, calming himself down before saying, "You command the surviving Lords to check the surroundings. If they discover any other areas, report back to us immediately."

    "Okay!" Austin replied, immediately leaving with Urlgan and Urlgug.

    Caleb watched their figures disappear and sighed, shaking his head. He looked at the sky, muttering, "I hope everything will be fine."

    ...

    "Captain Maisy, snow... there''s snow." In a clean and spacious room, a young man rushed in, shouting hurriedly.

    He had black hair and a somewhat handsome face, and beside him, a pixie hovered, emitting a faint glow.

    At that moment, Maisy was wearing a long dress, lazily sitting on a sofa, her long brown hair flowing freely over her shoulders and chest, looking incredibly seductive.

    "Ah! Snow?" Maisy was surprised by what the young man had said.

    "Yes." The young man lowered his head, replying, "The snow is starting to fall, but something seems off. Perhaps... it would be better if you saw it for yourself."

    Hearing this, Maisy slowly stood up, put on a coat, and walked outside with the young man.

    The young man walked behind her, licking his lips as he eyed Maisy''s hourglass figure, his face showing a greedy expression.

    "Ah! You''ll soon be mine." The young man laughed in a greedy and wicked manner. "Once I have enough ''buffs,'' I''ll crush all of you."

    Maisy was unaware of the young man''s thoughts behind her.

    Looking at the snowflakes filling the sky, she frowned and extended her hand.

    A snowflake fell into her palm, and the first sensation she felt was... cold.

    Very cold.

    Theoretically, a small snowflake would quickly melt in the warmth of a human''s body.

    But this snowflake remained in her hand for quite a while, showing no sign of melting.

    On the contrary, more and more snowflakes fell, accumulating with the first one, creating a small mound of snow in her hand.

    Maisy waved her hand, causing the snow to fall to the ground. But her face showed a look of disbelief, followed by concern.

    However, she quickly regained her composure and ordered, "Zeka, gather everyone. We''re starting a meeting."

    "Yes, Captain." Zeka bowed and replied.

    Then, he slightly raised his head, watching Maisy''s beautiful figure, and the greed in his heart grew even stronger.

    He didn''t hurry to follow Maisy''s orders but instead opened his personal information panel, his eyes entirely focused on the ''buffs'' he had.

    [Regenerates 0.1% of life energy per minute x7 (Permanent Buff); Regenerates 0.1% of magic energy per minute x7 (Permanent Buff); Increases physical strength by 10% x7 (Permanent Buff).]

    Looking at the information panel, he smiled confidently. "SS+ talent... Hahaha... Others'' buffs last only for an hour, but every buff I receive lasts forever."

    "They even stack with each other. Hahahaha... As long as I have enough time and buffs, I''ll become invincible."

    "Hahahaha..."

 Chapter 228: Zekas thinking

    Inside, Zeka couldn''t help but feel a bit angry. Because of the ''Zombie Wave'' event, all of his other Pixies had died, leaving only this one Pixie hero.

    This Pixie was only rank D level 2, so she could only use each type of buff once per day.

    After 7 days, he had accumulated four types of buffs, stacked up to 7 times. Even though his physical strength had increased by 70%, the other stats were still too low.

    Regarding life regeneration and energy recovery abilities, each current buff only reached 0.7%.

    "Tsk! Damn it! I need more buffs." Zeka muttered angrily.

    Suddenly, he remembered something, and a greedy smile appeared on his face. "Ah! I remember now, someone in the group just reached level 4, and she chose a support class."

    "Hahaha... Looks like I need to ask her to help me increase my buffs."

    He then immediately left.

    It took almost two hours, but he finally gathered everyone to meet Maisy.

    Even though his physical strength had increased by 70%, no vehicles were here, so he could only run.

    Because of this, after notifying everyone in the group, he was so exhausted that he could hardly breathe.

    "Damn it! When I get more buffs, I''ll stomp all of you bastards into the ground, and then..."

    "Then what?" Suddenly, a voice from behind startled Zeka.

    He turned around and saw a charming woman, her face exuding purity and innocence, holding a magic staff and looking at him.

    "Zeka, what are you saying?" She smiled and asked.

    Zeka sighed in relief. Fortunately, this girl hadn''t heard what he said; otherwise, he''d be in trouble.

    "Hahaha..." Zeka forced a laugh. "No, I just think this snow is a bit strange."

    "Ah! You''re right." She responded with a smile. "This snow seems much colder than normal snow. Looks like everything in this world is mysterious and dangerous."

    Zeka nodded and immediately said, "Violette, can you help me with something?"

    "Hm?! You speak first. I don''t know what you need help with, how can I agree?" Violette said, blushing.

    She tightly gripped her magic staff, her face sporting a shy smile.

    Seeing her expression, Zeka''s heart started to beat a little faster.

    Inside, he screamed: ''She likes me, she likes me.''

    ''If she didn''t like me, how could she have such a shy expression?''

    Although Zeka liked Violette very much, many others admired her, especially one in the management group who had feelings for her.

    This was inevitable because Violette was too cute. She was like an angel, full of vitality and innocence, making anyone who saw her want to embrace and protect her.

    Zeka knew full well that he was too weak at the moment; he was just a servant of the management group.

    If he confessed his feelings to Violette, he would face much trouble.

    Because of this, he decided to wait patiently. Once he had enough power, everything would belong to him.

    The innocent, mischievous Violette and the mature, charming Maisy would become his women.

    Zeka took a deep breath, trying to calm himself, and said, "Violette, this is not difficult. Please cast a buff on me."

    "Ah! Why?" Violette tilted her head, puzzled. "Are you hurt?"

    "That... no, it''s just... I..." Zeka stammered, "All of my Pixies died, and I only have this one Pixie hero left."

    He pointed at the tiny Pixie girl flying next to him.

    "Because of that, I need your buff to help her train so she can unlock more skills."

    "Ah! That..." Violette placed her finger on her chin, tilted her head, and thought momentarily before saying, "I can..."

    "No!" Suddenly, a voice rang out from behind, full of power and carrying an overwhelming aura.

    "Garek!" Zeka gritted his teeth, his eyes filled with hatred as he looked at the young man who had just arrived.

    The man was over 180 cm tall, his body built with muscles. He even wore a sleeveless shirt, revealing the muscle fibers on his body.

    He had brown hair, a square face, and eyes filled with killing intent. He was as tall as a small mountain, making Zeka feel a suffocating fear just standing before him.

    "Huh! You''re just a servant for everyone. Why should Violette waste magic to help you?" Garek frowned and said in a heavy tone, making Zeka feel uneasy.

    "I... I''m just..."

    "Get lost!" Garek shouted.

    "Oy! Garek, why are you rudely speaking to others?" Violette, seemingly not afraid of him, frowned and said.

    She pouted, her angry expression not scaring Garek, but instead making her look even cuter.

    Of course, Garek wasn''t angry because he liked this little girl very much.

    "Hahaha... Violette, you''re too nai?ve, you almost got tricked by this little brat." Garek laughed.

    "Heh?! He tricked me with what?" Violette asked, confused.

    "Huh! He wants to use that ridiculous excuse to approach you, then deceive you. He craves your body."

    "You... you''re talking nonsense!" Zeka shouted, his face flushed with anger.

    Violette pouted, looked at Zeka, and asked, "Did you deceive me?"

    Zeka: "..."

    Garek: "..."

    Beauty, can you be a little smarter? Both Zeka and Garek had the same thought in their heads.

    However, Violette was so beautiful that she was forgiven. Even if she wasn''t smart, it didn''t matter. Being kept in a cage like a pet bird was fine.

    "Of course not!" Zeka immediately shouted: "I only want to..."

    "Enough!" Standing at the door, Maisy frowned and said, "I don''t want to wait any longer."

    Seeing Maisy a little angry, Zeka and Garek both became fearful. But Violette seemed unconcerned, immediately smiling and walking into the room.

    Garek glanced at Zeka, snorted in disdain: "A dog should have the awareness of a dog. If you keep approaching her, I will..."

    Garek grabbed a stone and squeezed it hard.

    Crack!

    The stone immediately shattered into countless pieces, falling to the ground.

    "Huh!" Garek said no more, just brushed the dust off his hands, then walked into the room.

    Zeka glared at the door, his anger so great that he felt like spitting out a mouthful of blood.

    "Damn it! Those bastards! Wait a while longer, I will kill all of you."

    "Garek, wait until I have enough buffs, I will surely rape those two bitches in front of you, making you suffer and die."

    Zeka clenched his fists so tightly that his hands turned pale, his face and eyes red from anger.

    But then, he took a deep breath, tried to calm himself, and left.

    ...

    In the room, seven people sat around a round table. There was also one special empty chair, different from the others.

    Maisy walked over and sat in that chair. She sighed and said, "This snowfall... I think a big event is coming soon. What are your thoughts on this?"

    Garek laughed and said, "Hahaha... It''s nothing unusual. After all, it''s just snow. Even if it gets colder, we must light a fire to keep warm. What''s so scary about it?"

    "He''s right." Another young man spoke up. "It''s just snow. Captain, do you need to worry this much?"

    "Are you all idiots?" Another man suddenly spoke. "Snow? It''s just snow? Do you even know where we are? This is the Chaos World, everywhere is dangerous."

    "Even if it''s snow, we must be careful." A woman spoke up. "Moreover, this snow is colder and harder to melt than normal snow. I feel like this is a new event created by the System."

    "Dammit!" Garek shouted angrily. "So what? As long as I''m strong enough, why should I be afraid?"

    "Ah! You''re not afraid, but what about the others?" Another woman shouted.

    "Why should I care about them? Dammit! The weak die, the strong have the right to live," Garek shouted angrily, his eyes red like he was about to spit fire.

    The group started arguing, but Maisy furrowed her brows, listened to everything, then shouted, "Enough!"

    Hearing Maisy''s voice, everyone fell silent. She sighed, then said, "We don''t know the significance of this snowfall yet, so it''s better to be cautious."

    "After the areas merge, there will be special events. For now, we will split into three groups."

    "Garek will lead group 1, you will scout the surrounding areas, especially the new regions."

    "Damian will lead group 2, you will gather resources and start organizing a campfire. Keep the fire burning continuously, ensuring the surrounding temperature is warm enough."

    "Violette will lead group 3, you will assist the injured or those suffering from colds. In this weather, even a slight cold can be enough to kill someone."

    "Alright, for now, act according to your groups. If anything strange happens, make sure to report it to me first. Don''t act recklessly."

 Chapter 229: Zeka and Violette

    Everyone nodded and then began to leave, carrying out their tasks.

    Maisy truly was the leader. In a short time, she had managed to organize everything neatly and assign tasks to everyone.

    "Wait!" Garek suddenly stood up and said, "Captain, what if I run into other lords in different areas?"

    Everyone immediately knew who Garek was talking about. It was the lords from the E and F rank areas.

    Maisy frowned and said, "You should remember, anyone who has passed 10 floors of the Challenge Tower is a rank E+ lord, and the leader of the ''Zombie Wave'' event is a rank F lord."

    "Therefore, we must be careful. There''s no need to fight or create conflict if you encounter them. Just determine their location."

    "Ah!" Garek laughed disdainfully, "Captain, you seem afraid of them."

    "Didn''t you hear what I just said?" Maisy repeated once more.

    "Of course, I heard clearly, hahaha..." Garek laughed while leaving.

    Even without him saying it, everyone knew that the E and F rank lords would be tortured to death by him.

    Although Maisy was quite dissatisfied with Garek, he was the only one capable of leading a group to explore the new areas right now.

    Garek was not only a rank D+ lord, but he had also reached level 4, and his class was Warrior.

    Both his hero and he himself were powerful. Maisy had once seen Garek kill three Lickers with his bare hands.

    That alone was enough to show how strong he was.

    Maisy wasn''t afraid of him; she knew he was still valuable to her.

    She waved her hand, signaling everyone to leave. However, Violette stayed seated and smiled, saying, "Captain, do you think there will be an event this time?"

    Maisy looked at Violette''s innocent and mischievous face and smiled, saying, "I think the next event will be related to ''Disasters.''"

    "Ah! Disasters... that sounds terrifying," Violette pouted, a hint of worry on her face.

    "Violette, it''s just you and me here. You don''t need to make that face when talking to me. It''s annoying," Maisy laughed, but her words were disdainful.

    "Hehehe... You have to understand, every man likes this expression of mine," Violette suddenly changed her expression.

    Her face now wore a cold smile, no longer the innocent and mischievous look from before.

    "This place only values the strong. Acting like this will only put yourself in danger," Maisy laughed, her words still dripping with contempt.

    "To those of your strength, you can hold them in your hands. But to those who are superior, you will become their toy."

    "Hahaha..." Violette laughed loudly. "Maisy, that''s because you''re too stupid. Holding a man''s mind in my hands is incredibly simple."

    Maisy shook her head, sighed, and said, "Do as you wish. It''s just... you need to be a little careful. Like I said earlier, some may be superior among the E and F rank lords."

    "Their power..."

    "Hahahaha..." Violette suddenly laughed loudly, cutting off Maisy''s words. "Alright, just wait for the good news from me."

    "Anyone who has passed 10 floors of the Challenge Tower and anyone who has topped the ''Zombie Wave'' event, as long as they are men, I can control them like dogs."

    Maisy smirked, her gaze filled with contempt. "Ah! Then I''ll wait for your good news."

    She said this and immediately stood up and left. Violette pouted, then took her magic staff and left as well.

    Outside, she saw Zeka and frowned, feeling a bit disgusted inside.

    "Damn it! This bastard isn''t handsome or special, always lingering around me like a fly. It''s so annoying," Violette muttered to herself.

    But immediately, the expression on her face changed, returning to the innocent and mischievous look from earlier.

    "Violette." Zeka, seeing Violette coming out, hurried over to her and said, "You... can you help me?"

    "Huew!" Violette felt like vomiting in her heart, but she had to maintain the image of an innocent girl, so she could only endure it.

    "Ah! Zeka..." Violette said dreamily, "I''m sorry, earlier in the meeting, I treated many people, and now I have no energy left."

    "Sorry."

    "Ah! It''s fine." Zeka quickly said, feeling deeply moved.

    You see, Violette was like an angel in the eyes of everyone now, her status only second to Captain Maisy.

    However, she wasn''t arrogant, constantly apologizing to him. This made him very moved, and in his heart, he thought: ''Violette, when I become stronger, you will be the first woman of mine.''

    Zeka took a deep breath, then said, "Violette, I have a secret I want to tell you."

    "Ah!" Violette was startled, glancing at Zeka as if to say, What could a lowly person like him say to interest her?

    "Hm?!" Zeka was startled. In just a moment, it seemed like he saw a look of disdain and discomfort in Violette''s eyes.

    But then, he shook his head, dismissing that strange thought. How could someone as innocent and kind-hearted as her possibly have such a terrifying look?

    ''I''m such a bastard.'' Zeka scolded himself in his mind. ''Why would I think that Violette could have such a damn look?''

    ''No, I need to get rid of that thought.''

    Zeka took a deep breath, then smiled and said, "Violette, do you know what this is?"

    As he spoke, he took out a small black metal piece, round like a tennis ball, with engravings of two images resembling the moon and sun, with another planet merging into them.

    "That''s..." Violette asked, confused.

    "Hehehe..." Zeka smiled and said, "Violette, this is a secret I want to share with you. I hope you won''t tell anyone else."

    "This is the key to take us to a secret ''Challenge Space.''"

    "This?!" Violette was taken aback, her eyes wide as she looked at Zeka. "You mean..."

    "Hahahaha... Violette, I''m willing to share this secret with you because I hope you can join me in exploring this mysterious ''Challenge Space''."

    Violette pursed her lips, her face still trying to show a bit of confusion and a little innocence.

    "Ah! Challenge Space... what will this bring us?" Violette tilted her head and asked.

    Zeka smiled and said, "Of course. There are many benefits, but... I don''t trust anyone else. Violette, I only trust you. Will you come with me?"

    Violette cursed inwardly.

    Damn it! What the hell makes you think I''ll follow you? Don''t you look at yourself? A D-rank Lord, with only a useless level 2 Pixie hero, what''s the point of following you?

    However, the allure of the key to the ''Challenge Space'' was too great, and she didn''t want to miss out on this opportunity.

    If she passed this up, Zeka would find someone else. Then, the news that he owned the key to the mysterious ''Challenge Space'' would be exposed.

    At that moment, a plate of meat would be shared among everyone, and she would only have a small piece left.

    However, if she went with Zeka, it would be too much of a loss since she wasn''t a battle-type Lord, just a support one.

    Violette sighed and said, "That''s too risky. Let''s bring someone else along."

    "Why?" Zeka suddenly became alert, his eyes narrowing slightly as he looked at Violette suspiciously.

    "Ah!" Despite Zeka''s suspicious look, Violette remained calm, her expression unchanged.

    "Very simple..." she said. "I''m just an ordinary support, with no combat power, and you only have a level 2 Pixie, also without much combat ability."

    "If we enter the ''Challenge Space'' like this, we won''t be able to do anything, and we might even waste this valuable opportunity."

    "That''s why I think we should form a group. That way, the chances of success will be higher."

    Hearing this, Zeka felt that Violette was right. After all, he was only a rank D, level 2 Lord, and his heroes and soldiers had all died in the previous event. Now, he only had a level 2 Pixie hero left.

    Even though he had received many buffs, he was still too weak even if those buffs had become permanent.

    Meanwhile, Violette was also just a Support Lord with low combat ability.

    If he and she entered the ''Challenge Space'' together, they wouldn''t be able to achieve much.

    Zeka sighed. Although Violette was right, he didn''t want to share this secret with anyone else.

    Suddenly, Zeka remembered someone, and a greedy look crossed his face as he said, "Violette, do you think it would be alright if Captain Maisy joined us?"

 Chapter 230 230: Challenge Space

    When Violette heard Zeka mention Maisy, a look of discomfort appeared in her eyes, but it quickly vanished.

    She sighed and said, "Well... I don''t know. You should ask her yourself."

    Although she said that, deep down, she was truly irritated.

    On the outside, she was part of the management team led by Maisy, but in reality, she was very envious of her.

    Violette was always aiming for power and the support of others. Maisy could easily accomplish what she worked so hard to achieve with just a few words.

    This made her more and more jealous of Maisy. However, the allure of the mysterious ''Challenge Space'' was so great, and her strength was insufficient to guarantee that she could gain many benefits from it.

    Violette gritted her teeth, truly not wanting to share this secret with Maisy.

    She thought momentarily and continued, "However, Maisy might not trust you."

    "Huh?!" Zeka was a bit startled. "Why?"

    "You know what Maisy is like. She''s the captain of the management team. She''ll take it from you if she finds out you have the key."

    "You''re just an ordinary lord, do you think you can resist or have the right to keep it? Of course not. Maisy will definitely use that key to gain more benefits for herself and secure her position."

    Zeka felt a bit strange after hearing this, but then he realized that Violette''s words made a lot of sense.

    After all, everyone has greed. If it got out that he was holding the key, Maisy or the other management team members would likely snatch it from him.

    Zeka took a deep breath, admiring Violette: "Thank you, because of you, I won''t act recklessly."

    "However... just the two of us, how can we explore the ''Challenge Space''?"

    Violette pouted, then said, "Zeka, we can still explore it. After all, it''s a ''Challenge Space,'' the challenge inside might not be combat."

    "That''s why we should give it a try."

    Zeka furrowed his brows, then nodded lightly and said, "Good! I think so too. Not every challenge requires combat."

    "Violette, let''s set off tomorrow, okay?"

    Violette shook her head: "Too slow, right now."

    "Huh?! But... I... I''m not ready yet," Zeka stammered.

    "What can you prepare?" Violette pouted.

    Zeka immediately fell silent, unable to say anything because she was right.

    What did he have to prepare? No soldiers, his heroes were dead, and all that was left was a level 2 Pixie that always followed him around.

    Zeka sighed and said, "Fine! Let''s set off."

    ...

    At the ''Strange Point,''

    Noan woke up from a nap, feeling much more refreshed.

    Suddenly, he felt a slight ache in his arm, and there were marks on his upper arm, as if someone had rested their head there.

    "Vylyss?" Noan mumbled, assuming that it was a mark left by Vylyss.

    After all, he didn''t think Isabell could have done that to him.

    Noan thought for a moment and decided not to summon any soldiers here because the place that needed soldiers the most was the ''Chaos Zone.''

    Here, it was enough to have Vylyss and himself.

    He was about to get out of bed, but then saw Vylyss looking at him from outside, through the crack in the door.

    "Hm?! Vylyss, what are you doing?" Noan asked, confused.

    Vylyss glanced around, immediately rushed into the room, and hugged him tightly. "Huhuhu... Master, that woman is so unreasonable."

    "Heh?!" Noan was baffled and quickly asked, "Calm down a bit, what happened?"

    Vylyss pouted and started to recount everything.

    Noan rubbed his forehead, as what she said was hard to believe.

    Indeed, Isabell was the one who had rested her head on his arm and slept. But... the issue was why didn''t he realize this?

    He had enhanced his senses many times over.

    He could sense its direction and speed even if a fly were ten meters away.

    But someone had been lying on his arm for a long time, and he hadn''t noticed.

    He didn''t think Vylyss was lying; he just believed that Isabell must have used some magic to block his senses.

    Noan sighed. It seemed Isabell was far more formidable than he had initially thought.

    With this action, she had proven that she could kill him at any moment if she wanted to.

    "Master, you don''t know how unreasonable she is," Vylyss pouted. "Earlier, when I tried to enter her room, she used poison to paralyze me, so I could only watch her lying with you, unable to do anything."

    Noan sighed again, rubbing her head to comfort Vylyss.

    But at the same time, Noan also felt very strange. If Isabell was that strong, why didn''t she enter the ''Challenge Space'' to save her subordinates herself, and instead had to ask for his help?

    Could it be... a trap?

    No! The reality proved that if Isabell wanted to kill him, she could have done so long ago, without using such bothersome methods.

    There could only be one reason: she couldn''t enter that ''Challenge Space.''

    Noan had also read some documents that stated that certain ''Challenge Spaces'' or dungeons had level limits.

    Therefore, he thought that Isabell''s level was too high, and that''s why she couldn''t enter the ''Challenge Space.''

    Noan lightly patted Vylyss''s back, then told her to get ready, as he and she would head to the entrance of the ''Challenge Space.''

    Vylyss pouted and said, "Master, you''ll have to make it up to me, huhuhu..."

    Noan: "..."

    He laughed and said, "Alright! Please begin your performance."

    "Hehehe..." Vylyss laughed greedily, her hand slowly moving toward that area.

    "Don''t mess up my bed." Suddenly, a voice rang out from the door, startling Vylyss and Noan.

    Indeed, Vylyss was startled because she hadn''t sensed the presence of that woman.

    Isabell stood at the door, arms crossed in front of her chest, leaning against the wall, and smiling, "That bed is only for me and him to lie on, you... Get out!"

    "You..." Vylyss gritted her teeth, but when she saw purple smoke swirling around Isabell''s body, Vylyss could only bite her lip and slowly back off the bed.

    Noan saw this scene and could only sigh and shake his head.

    He wasn''t a match for Isabell, so he could only let Vylyss endure the humiliation for a while.

    "Are you leaving now?" Isabell suddenly asked.

    Noan nodded and said, "Yes, my time in this world is limited, I can''t waste time."

    Isabell didn''t ask further questions and left right after.

    Noan shook his head. He placed an ''Anchor Point'' on the bed; this was the third anchor point.

    On the way to the ''Challenge Space,'' if he encountered any danger, Noan could easily escape.

    Noan got out of bed, then flew with Vylyss to their destination.

    He couldn''t use his teleportation ability because he had never seen the destination, so he had to travel by flying. Vylyss, now a rank B Hero, could easily carry him across the 70-mile distance without issue.

    As Noan flew through the sky, he saw a ruined city below, overtaken by plants, and countless questions filled his mind.

    However, he didn''t dwell on them too much, as many mysteries in this world still had no answers.

    To understand all those mysteries, he needed immense power, enough to face all the dangers in this world.

    Vylyss carried Noan for quite a while, until they arrived at a rather peculiar area.

    It looked like a vast forest, but in the center was a hole over a hundred meters in diameter and more than ten meters deep.

    The hole seemed to have existed for a long time, as plants had invaded it.

    In the center of the hole, a large stone lay still, like a dome, with a flat-cut surface and a circular stone door in the middle.

    "Master, that seems to be the entrance to the ''Challenge Space,''" Vylyss pointed at the stone and said.

    Noan nodded, and with Vylyss, they approached the stone.

    Noticing a keyhole in the center of the stone door, Noan frowned and took out the key from his ''Storage Space,'' inserting it into the lock.

    Crack!

    A sound, as if something had broken, echoed, and immediately after, a voice sounded in his head.

    [Ding! The ''Challenge Space'' has been activated. Please ensure your level is five or lower.

    When entering this space, you cannot bring any soldiers or heroes.]

 Chapter 231 231: Strange mission

    Noan heard the mechanical sound, but only chuckled to himself.

    He glanced at Vylyss, then waved his hand, and she immediately entered the ''Summoning Space''.

    As for the ''Abyss Cube'', which currently took the form of a bracelet on his wrist, it remained unaffected. Despite numerous teleportations between worlds, it was still wrapped around his wrist, indicating that the System could not recognize the ''Abyss Cube'' as a hero.

    What Noan regretted was that he still could not evolve the ''Abyss Cube''.

    Because to evolve the ''Abyss Cube'', he needed an Abyss Crystal. Naturally, he had never heard of such a crystal nor knew where to find one.

    That was why he planned to try to evolve to rank B first, and then begin the search for the Abyss Crystal.

    Noan shook off his thoughts and immediately replied: "Accept!"

    Luckily, this ''Challenge Space'' was limited to level 5 and below; otherwise, he would not have been able to enter.

    [Ding! Initiating inspection...]

    Noan felt as though a stream of light had just swept across his entire body.

    However, he wasn''t worried. Abyss Cube and Vylyss had crossed the barrier between the City and the Chaotic World, so he believed they would also pass this inspection.

    [Ding! Inspection complete, identity verified. Please prepare...]

    Noan smirked. Although he didn''t understand why this ''Challenge Space'' forbade him from bringing Heroes, it still allowed Vylyss and Abyss Cube to come along.

    This was his most significant advantage.

    Immediately after, the stone gate slowly opened, revealing a golden spatial vortex.

    Noan didn''t hesitate and stepped inside the swirling portal.

    When his figure completely vanished within the spatial vortex, the stone door slowly closed as if nothing had happened.

    But from afar, atop a tall tree, Isabell sat on a branch, looking toward that stone gate, smiling as she murmured: "Monika, I hope you enjoy this little gift."

    ...

    Noan only felt a wave of dizziness, and when he opened his eyes, he saw the area that had appeared before him.

    All around was snowˇŞan endless expanse of white. The temperature was likely -40 degrees Celsius. Snowflakes swirled in the air, falling so densely that no matter where Noan looked, all he could see was snow.

    White... nothing but white.

    However, Noan''s current strength had far surpassed that of ordinary humans many times, so such temperatures did not affect him.

    He waved his hand, and a protective circle formed from space energy, shielding him from the snow and the biting cold outside.

    "Vylyss!" Noan called out.

    "I''m here, Master," her seductive voice echoed inside his mind.

    Hearing her voice, Noan nodded, feeling reassured.

    The Abyss Cube was still on his wrist, taking the shape of a bracelet.

    Noan nodded again, feeling deeply satisfied.

    [Ding! Because you have entered the ''Challenge Space'', the ''Extreme Challenge Medal'' has been activated.]

    Noan tilted his head. Though he didn''t feel any noticeable changes, he knew the beneficial effects of the ''Extreme Challenge Medal'' were now in play.

    He frowned and looked around. Snow everywhere. He had no idea where to go, nor what the challenge required this time.

    "Strange, is there no objective this time?" Just as Noan was puzzled, a notification panel appeared before him.

    [Ding! Welcome to the ''Snow Plateau''. Your first task is to reach the nearby fortress within 24 hours.

    If you fail to complete the mission within the given time, it will be considered a failure, and you will be returned to the real world.]

    Noan frowned as he read the notification. He then closed his eyes, attempting to use his Space talent.

    Moments later, he opened his eyes and smiled, saying, "Luckily, I can use my space talent here. Otherwise, I''d probably waste a lot of time."

    However, his teleportation ability only allowed him to move to places he could see within his line of sight or locations he had previously visited.

    Still, that was more than enough to shorten his search time. Besides, he still had Vylyss.

    "Vylyss!"

    When Noan gave the command, Vylyss dashed out from the ''Summoning Space''. She knew exactly what to do and immediately began casting detection magic.

    A moment later, she opened her eyes and pointed into the distance.

    "Master, there is a fortress 50 miles away in that direction. However, it is protected by magicˇŞI can''t sense what''s inside."

    Noan nodded upon hearing that, not particularly worried. After all, this was a challenge space designed for Lords at level 5 or below.

    Moreover, this ''Challenge Space'' only allowed Lords to enter; no Heroes or soldiers could be brought along.

    According to his estimation, the difficulty of this challenge was likelyn''t too high.

    How could the Lords of level 5 or lower possibly overcome it if it were too complicated?

    Because of that, Noan proceeded forward with a bit of confidence. At the same time, he reminded himself to remain cautious.

    Vylyss carried Noan as they flew over more than 50 miles. All Noan could see during the flight was snow and a never-ending white expanse.

    There was so much snow, it felt as if the Ice Age had returned.

    After a while, Noan saw a fortress up ahead. The outer walls rose over thirty meters high and were constructed of stone bricks.

    However, the entire wall had been covered in thick ice and snow, and even the main gate had frozen shut.

    "Vylyss, can you fly high enough so I can see what''s inside the fortress?" Noan commanded.

    Vylyss shook her head and replied, "Master, there''s a protective magic dome surrounding the fortressˇŞyou won''t be able to see what''s inside."

    Noan nodded at that, then stepped before the main gate. Instead of rushing in, he teleported to another location and set an ''Anchor Point'', before teleporting back to the fortress.

    "Vylyss, return to the ''Summoning Space'' for now."

    "Yes, Master." Vylyss didn''t resist, immediately following Noan''s instructions.

    Once Vylyss had returned to the Summoning Space, Noan approached the gate and gently placed his hand upon it.

    At that moment, a System notification appeared before his eyes.

    [Ding! Congratulations, you found the ''Black Snow Fortress'' in 5 minutes and 12 seconds, breaking the previous fastest record.

    You have received a rank B reward chest. The System has held the reward and will send it to you after you clear all the challenges.]

    Seeing the notification, Noan frowned and asked, "What if I don''t complete all the challenges?"

    [Ding! If you fail in any challenge, the reward will be forfeited.]

    Noan let out a sigh and shook his head. Since he had come this far, there was no way he would leave empty-handed.

    He pushed the gate, but it remained unmovedˇŞthere was no sign of it budging.

    He frowned and tried again. Both hands pressed against the cold metal surface of the gateˇŞso cold that Noan felt as though he were touching a slab of ice rather than an actual door.

    "Hm!" Noan exerted strength, trying to force it open.

    Crack!

    Crack!

    At that moment, cracks began to form across the layer of ice on the gate, but they were few and quickly sealed up again by the frigid air.

    The layer of ice surrounding the gate reverted to its original, unbroken state.

    Seeing this, Noan frowned and gave up on using brute strength to force it open.

    Instead, he extended his hand, compressing the space around his palm.

    A spatial orb, about the size of a tennis ball, began to form in his hand.

    Noan thrust the orb toward the gate, and at once, it emitted waves of spatial energy that pulsed through the ice encasing the door.

    Woo! Woo! Woo! Woo!

    A strange sound echoed amid the howling wind.

    Crack! Crack!

    The ice began to crack once more. Though the freezing temperature attempted to repair the fractures quickly, the spatial orb relentlessly unleashed wave after wave through the icy surface.

    Crack! Crack! Crack!

    The cracks grew denser, spreading like spiderwebs across the entire layer of ice.

    BANG!

    With a shattering sound, the ice broke apart. Noan immediately swung his leg and kicked the gate with full force.

    BAM!

    His kick was so powerful that the gate burst open violently.

    The snow behind the gate exploded outward under the force, momentarily obscuring Noan''s vision.

    He swiftly stepped inside, raised his hand, and unleashed a wave of spatial energy around him, clearing all the snow within a twenty-meter radius.

    Whoosh!

    A sharp gust tore through the air, scattering the snow.

    After a brief moment, Noan finally saw the interior of the fortress.

    The houses were built closely together, following a medieval Western architectural style.

    The streets were paved with stone, though they were now entirely buried beneath snow.

    The snow was over two meters thick, completely covering the entrances of nearby houses.

    This fortress resembled a dead cityˇŞsnow everywhere and no trace of life.

    [Ding! Mission has progressed to Phase 2. Within 24 hours, locate the Ice Core inside this fortress.]

 Chapter 232: I am a Lord

    Noan frowned, feeling that this Challenge was becoming increasingly bizarre. However, he didn''t care.

    He would complete the mission if the reward were great enough. As for everything else... sorry, he had no interest in paying attention.

    "The Ice Core?" Noan murmured as he leapt onto the roof of a watchtower, surveying the entire fortress.

    Snow was everywhere. Howling winds carrying thick flurries of snow limited his visibility.

    Even so, Noan could still tell that this fortress was enormousˇŞat least the size of a small city, around 150 square kilometers.

    In the distant background stood a towering mountain, its peak hidden from sight. At its base lay a massive castle, easily over two hundred meters tall.

    ''That seems like the most suspicious place,'' Noan thought.

    He used teleportation magic and instantly appeared before the gates of the castle.

    But upon arriving, he realized there were people hereˇŞonly... they were frozen.

    That''s right. In front of the castle gates stood two knights guarding the entrance. They were clad in heavy black armor engraved with the symbol of a bird seemingly formed from ice.

    However, Noan could see that their bodies had already decayed considerably, with many parts revealing bone underneath.

    Perhaps due to the freezing temperature, the decomposition process had been slowed drastically.

    But the strange thing was... why were they still standing here?

    ExactlyˇŞif a disaster had struck, the guards would usually flee. Why were they still here?

    Noan thought of one possibility: they hadn''t had time to escape.

    It was as if the snow and ice had come so swiftly that they were frozen before they could even react.

    Judging by their standing posture, Noan believed his speculation was at least 90% correct.

    Noan looked toward the castle gate, encased in thick ice. He chose the same method as beforeˇŞ

    Using a space orb to break through it.

    However, just as he raised his hand, something came hurtling toward him at an incredible speed.

    Of course, Noan sensed the danger approaching. Yet he didn''t turn around. Instead, he swung his arm and accurately caught the object flying at him.

    Smash!

    Noan lifted the object to examine it. It was an arrow, inscribed with strange, magical runes that flickered with light.

    At that moment, the runes began to glow even more intensely, and then...

    BOOM!

    The arrow exploded, the blast carrying a destructive force on par with a grenade.

    In the distance, inside a small, enclosed room within a watchtower, a shadowy figure stoodˇŞcloaked in white with a hood drawn low.

    The mysterious figure held a longbow in hand, eyes fixed on the spot where the explosion had just occurred. However, due to the smoke and snow scattering from the blast, they couldn''t see any trace of Noan.

    A sense of unease seemed to creep into the figure''s mind. They reached for another arrow from the quiver, not hesitating to nock it and draw the bowstring tight.

    The arrow was aimed directly at the site of the previous explosion, and thenˇŞ

    Whoosh!

    The arrow launched, shooting toward the distance at a terrifying speed.

    BOOM!

    Another explosion echoed out, sending even more dust and snow flying.

    "Ah! Your arrows can explode like that?"

    "Heh?!" Suddenly, a voice rang out from behind, startling the mysterious figure.

    They turned around to see Noan standing behind them, the overwhelming sense of danger flooding their mind.

    "A woman?" Although the figure was cloaked entirely in white, Noan could easily discern that she was a woman.

    In an instant, she regained her composure. With a quick motion of her hand, she flung a sparkling powderˇŞlike glittering stardustˇŞstraight at Noan''s face.

    Whoosh!

    However, the powder halted just ten centimeters away from him, unable to advance further due to a spatial protection circle surrounding his body.

    "Tsk!" the woman clicked her tongue in frustration, leaping swiftly onto the windowsill and diving outside.

    But Noan was far faster. The Abyss Cube in his hand transformed into a chain that pierced through the swirling folds of space.

    "What?!"

    The woman had just leapt out of the room and was suspended in mid-air when she witnessed the scene before herˇŞutterly shocked.

    ''Damn it! He possesses the Space talent,'' she thought silently, heart pounding.

    But it was already too late.

    A spatial vortex opened above her, and from it, a chain shot out with blinding speed, coiling tightly around her body.

    "Damn it!" she hissed, spinning her body as her cloak flared out, perfectly shielding her from the incoming chain.

    But the moment she landedˇŞ

    A shadow appeared right in front of her.

    Noan swung his leg, kicking the girl.

    BAM!

    The kick landed straight in her stomach, flying over twenty meters backward, crashing into a pile of snow.

    The pain was so intense she could only clutch her stomach, lying helplessly in the snow, her teeth clenched tight as it felt like her insides had just exploded.

    Noan liked beautiful women, but he wasn''t a fool. That girl had tried to kill him earlierˇŞevery arrow had been aimed at vital points, and even carried explosive magic.

    If he were just an ordinary Lord, he would''ve already been dead by now, reduced to a pile of minced flesh.

    From the moment she tried to kill him, he had considered her an enemy. And if she were an enemy, then mercy was not an option.

    The girl struggled to get up but couldn''tˇŞher stomach pain overwhelming.

    ''Damn it! Why is he so fast? And... why didn''t my magic barrier block his attack?'' she wondered silently.

    But she didn''t have time to think furtherˇŞNoan was already standing before her.

    Now, Noan could see her face.

    She wasn''t human, but an Elf girl, with the race''s signature long ears and shoulder-length golden hair.

    Her face bore the striking, proud beauty typical of the Elven kindˇŞa Western sharpness mingled with elegance.

    Her blue eyes were like still lakes, drawing Noan''s gaze in.

    She was stunning.

    Only slightly less beautiful than Vylyss, but she possessed a unique presenceˇŞsomething distinctly different from Vylyss.

    "What''s your name?" Noan frowned, asking.

    The Elf girl snorted disdainfully, lips tightly sealed.

    BAM!

    "PFF!!!"

    She spat out a mouthful of fresh blood as Noan kicked her in the stomach again.

    This time, the kick was weakerˇŞhe didn''t intend to kill her.

    After all, this place felt like a dead worldˇŞnow that he had encountered someone still alive, he wanted her to live, at least long enough to gather some information.

    "Don''t test my limits. My patience runs very thin," Noan said, his voice icy cold and filled with killing intent.

    "You..." the girl growled through clenched teeth, refusing to speak.

    Seeing this, Noan sighed. "Ah! If you won''t talk, I have no reason to keep you alive."

    The chain formed from the Abyss Cube shot into his hand and instantly transformed into a sword.

    The girl was startled at the sight, her eyes filled with disbelief as she stared at Noan.

    And when she saw him raise the sword without a hint of hesitationˇŞaiming it straight at her head and bringing it downˇŞ

    She suddenly panicked.

    Faced with death, her courage crumbled, and she shouted, "Wait!"

    Whoosh!

    "Hm..." The girl flinched as the blade stopped less than five centimeters from the back of her neck.

    The gust of wind generated by the sword''s swing brushed past her nape, sending a chill down her spine.

    "I don''t have much time," Noan said.

    The girl swallowed hard, then stammered, "I... my name is... Monica."

    "You''re an Elf, aren''t you?" Noan asked with a frown.

    He found it a bit strange. After all, this space only allowed Lords to enter. Lords couldn''t bring in their Heroes or Soldiers.

    And yet, an Elf girl had appeared here. It made no sense.

    "I... I''m not entirely an Elf," Monica said. "I... I am a Lord."

 Chapter 233: Noan and Monica

    "Lord?" Noan was a bit surprised upon hearing Monica''s words. "You''re a level 4 Lord?"

    Monica clenched her teeth and said nothing.

    Noan frowned and lowered the sword a little more.

    "Um!" Monica felt the blade lightly graze the back of her neck.

    It was a gentle touch, but the sharp edge left a small cut on her skin, sending a shiver down her spine.

    "Wait! I... this..." Monica stammered.

    "Hm?! I already told youˇŞmy patience has limits," Noan said.

    "I... can you let me inside first? I... I''m about to freeze," Monica trembled.

    Noan looked around. Indeed, the cold was biting. Monica had only been outside for a short while, yet her hair and eyelashes were already frosting over, her body shaking uncontrollably.

    He waved his hand, and the sword became a chain, binding Monica tightly.

    Monica was taken aback. She still had no idea what weapon Noan wieldedˇŞhow could it transform in such a way?

    Bound by the Abyss Cube, she had no way to escape. Noan grabbed the other end of the chain and dragged her into a nearby house.

    He shut the door tightly and lit a fire by creating sparks through spatial magic.

    As the flames roared to life, Monica exhaled a long breath of relief as warmth enveloped her.

    Though her stomach still ached terribly, at least nowˇŞshe wouldn''t die.

    Noan glanced at Monica and said, "Can you talk now?"

    Monica pressed her lips together, took a deep breath, and winced as the pain in her abdomen reminded her not to resist.

    She sighed and said, "I... I really am a Lord."

    "Your rank, level, and soldiers?" Noan asked flatly.

    Monica answered honestly, "I''m a rank B Lord, level 3... I can summon Elves."

    "Then... why have you become an Elf yourself?" Noan asked, frowning again.

    Monica glanced at Noan. His face remained cold and indifferent, and it frightened her.

    She continued, "This... it all started when the ''Snow World Challenge'' was opened. You''ve heard of it, haven''t you?"

    Noan searched through his memories. IndeedˇŞthere had once been a Challenge called the ''Snow World.''

    However, that was five years ago. At the time, the "Snow World" was a huge sensationˇŞcountless people and countless news outlets were discussing it.

    But back then, Noan had yet to awaken as a Lord. He struggled to make a living, so he hadn''t paid much attention to the news.

    "I''ve heard of it, but didn''t care much," Noan replied indifferently.

    Monica explained, "The Snow World was a major Challenge, and the rewards were enormousˇŞbut the level of danger was equally extreme."

    "Because this Challenge didn''t allow anyone to bring Soldiers or Heroes along, the death rate for Lords entering it was over 97%."

    Noan was aware of this. At that time, he worked as a janitor in a hospital.

    Lords who returned from the Snow World Challenge suffered from severe frostbite.

    Besides that, they knew very little. The only thing they could confirm was the freezing temperature. Unable to endure it, many gave up right at the start.

    They hadn''t even encountered any danger or monsters.

    "Because the level restriction was capped at level 5, and Heroes were forbidden, Lords were like antsˇŞthat''s why the death rate was terrifyingly high."

    "That''s when people came up with an idea: to fuse a Hero with a Lord."

    Noan was surprised at this. After all, the Fusion talent was something only he possessed. Now, hearing someone else mention that term piqued his interest.

    Monica continued, "At the time, people discovered a method involving a rank A magical potion. It could temporarily bind a Hero''s power onto a Lord for a short period."

    "During that time, the Lord could use the same powers and magic as the Hero. But the drawback was that once the potion wore off, the Lord would fall into exhaustion for several years."

    "What''s more, during the process, the Hero would lose all abilities and mobilityˇŞessentially falling into a state of suspended animation."

    "If the fusion lasts too long, that Hero will eventually die."

    Noan gave a slight nod, realizing such a potion was utterly useless to him.

    He was only mildly intriguedˇŞtruthfully, he had no interest in gaining power through such means.

    After all, he could evolve and inherit the strength of the monsters he summoned. That kind of potion held no meaning for him.

    "So... what about you? Did you enter the Snow World Challenge?" Noan asked.

    Monica pressed her lips together, then shook her head and replied, "I... I''ve been in this place for nearly two years. I don''t know exactly what happened, but it seems like the Hero''s power I borrowed has completely become part of me. As for the Hero... she''s dead."

    Noan nodded lightly, releasing a soft "Ah" in mild surprise.

    This was a world of magicˇŞstrange things were bound to happen.

    Seeing Monica''s suffering didn''t stir even a sliver of sympathy in him, because this was her choice.

    If she truly intended to use this kind of "bug" to cheat the system, she had to bear the consequences.

    Even so, the consequence seemed minor. Though Monica''s Hero had died, she now possessed the strength of the Elf race in return.

    "So... you''ve been in this world for two years?"

    Hearing Noan''s question, Monica gave a slight nod. "That''s right. I''ve been here for two years."

    "And you still haven''t cleared the Challenge after all this time?" Noan asked with a frown.

    Monica shook her head.

    "At the very least, you''ve learned something, haven''t you?"

    Monica nodded again.

    "Are you mute or something?" Noan snapped, beginning to lose patience.

    "Ah! I''m sorry, I... I just got a little emotional remembering my Hero. She... she..."

    BAM!

    "Um!"

    Noan grabbed Monica by the throat and slammed her hard into the wall, causing her to cry out in pain.

    "I don''t have time to watch you grieve over pointless things. Answer my questionˇŞor die," Noan said.

    His words made Monica tremble. She couldn''t comprehend why Noan was being so violent.

    After all, she was a beautiful woman. In the past, any man who saw her had always treated her courteously.

    But Noan was different. From the moment they met, he had nearly beaten her to death. And even now, gazing at her lovely face, he acted brutally.

    If Noan had known what Monica was thinking, he would likely have sneered and called her a fool.

    Was Monica beautiful?

    Very much soˇŞher beauty was only slightly inferior to Vylyss''s.

    However, he already had plenty of women.

    Vylyss, Maya, Lylia, NoraliaˇŞand he would have many more in the future.

    But he had no desire to keep a ticking time bomb at his side. So no matter how beautiful Monica was, he would show her no mercy if she posed a threat to him.

    "I... I understand..." Monica said with difficulty, feeling like this young man could strip away her life.

    "Huh!" Noan flung her to the floor and asked, "Now tell me everything you know."

    Cough! Cough! Cough!

    Monica coughed violently, then calmed down and said, "I... I don''t know much. After failing the second mission, I stopped receiving any information from the system."

    "Besides that, none of us could return to the real world. We''ve been trapped here ever since."

    "You said... ''you and everyone''... There are others here?" Noan instantly caught the keyword and asked.

    "Yes, about twenty of us are hiding nearby," Monica replied.

    "There are that many of you, working togetherˇŞand you still haven''t found a way out?" Noan asked with a frown.

    Monica sighed and said, "That''s right. We''ve tried everything, but nothing works. However, everyone still has one final unsearched target: that castle."

    She pointed toward the castle Noan had just visited. "Everyone believes the key to escaping this place lies within that castle."

    "Why?" Noan asked.

    "Because no one has ever been able to get inside itˇŞand the snowfall in this world... it seems to be coming from within the castle itself."

    Noan: "??!!"

 Chapter 234: Noan and Monica (2)

    "Speak more clearly," Noan said, frowning.

    Monica nodded, then said, "At first, we searched around, but within fifty miles of this city, there was nothing but snow."

    "That''s why everyoneˇŞincluding myselfˇŞbelieves the secret must lie within these walls. Even though the System''s mission is no longer in effect, we continue searching for that secret."

    "Everyone thinks that if we uncover and resolve that secret, we will be able to leave this ''Challenge Realm.''"

    Noan nodded and pressed on, "So have you found any clues yet?"

    Monica sighed and shook her head. "Not yet, because none of us has been able to enter that castle."

    "Why not?" Noan asked, brow furrowing.

    "Because its gate is frozen and sealed with magic," Monica explained. "Every path leading inside has been shut off by the sealˇŞno one can get through."

    Hearing this, Noan was not surprised. If they had entered the castle, they would have discovered its secret and taken control.

    But when Noan arrived, the castle truly remained encased in ice, which meant no one had breached it.

    He glanced at Monica, then pulled out a pill and tossed it to her. "Take this, and bring me to where the others have gathered."

    "Ah!" Monica caught the pill, her eyes full of bewilderment as she looked at Noan.

    He offered no further explanationˇŞwhether she took it would not affect him.

    All he cared about was that she bring him to the survivors'' gathering place; beyond that, he didn''t care if she lived or died.

    For her part, the pill he gave Monica was a healing elixir. Isabell had given him two doses earlier, but he only let Vylyss use one. He did not need the potion himself because he possessed the ''Immortal'' talent.

    Now, he gave this vial to Monica because she still had value to him.

    He needed as much information as possible in a world of unending snow.

    Noan thought that he would be trapped here with everyone else if he failed to complete this mission within twenty-four hours.

    But he realized that even if he did fail, he could still leave this place.

    Indeed, the ''Anchor Point'' continued functioning normally; he would simply expend more resources.

    Monica stared at the pill in her hand, then looked back at NoanˇŞand finally decided to swallow it.

    After all, Noan was far more powerful than she wasˇŞif he wanted to kill her, she wouldn''t stand a chance.

    That''s why he needn''t bother with complications like poisoning her.

    Monica swallowed the pill, which dissolved instantly, sending a surge of energy coursing through her body.

    Her wounds began to heal at an astonishing rate.

    In just ten minutes, Monica was fully restored to peak condition.

    A single thought sprang to her mind: run.

    Fully recovered, she could use magic to escape.

    But when she saw Noan lounging by the window, gazing outside, she immediately abandoned the idea.

    Noan''s strength surpassed the limits of her perceptionˇŞand he also wielded spatial powers.

    Trying to flee in plain sight of someone with space magic would be futile.

    So Monica obediently sat still, her desire to run banished as quickly as it had arisen.

    Noan glanced at her and smiled. "Smart. If you''d tried to run just now, I would have cut off your head."

    Monica shivered, as though she''d strolled through the gates of hell.

    She believed Noan could easily do itˇŞafter all, his earlier actions had nearly killed her.

    "Let''s go. Take me to where the others have gathered." Noan said with a grin.

    Monica shook her head, exhaling slowly. "That place is quite far. We must wait for the snowstorm to let up before moving."

    "In weather this thick, we''re liable to lose our way," Noan scoffed. "Where is your refuge?"

    Monica pointed off into the distance; Noan followed her finger and could vaguely discern the location of their hideout.

    "Let''s go." Noan stood and declared.

    "Heh?! Didn''t you hear what I just said? WeˇŞ" Monica began, but Noan seized her shoulders.

    In an instant, she felt reality warp around her.

    Within a heartbeat, she saw that they stood right beside the refuge.

    Monica''s mouth fell open in disbelief, her eyes fixed on Noan.

    In that moment, her gaze held not just fear but awe.

    _''Spatial power... this young man truly possesses spatial magic. His rank cannot be low,''_ Monica thought to herself.

    "Although he is a Level-5 Landlord and wields the Spatial talent, he still cannot instantly teleport to a location more than ten miles away."

    Monica shudderedˇŞnot only from the cold but also from Noan''s terrifying power.

    In the blink of an eye, he could have teleported them to a spot over ten miles from where they stood.

    This meant the young man was immensely strongˇŞso powerful that she felt hopeless.

    Noan waved his hand, and a protective barrier sprang from his Spatial talent, warding off the cold and snow outside.

    "Where is that place?" he asked.

    Monica looked around, striving to orient herself, then pointed into the distance. "ThereˇŞthere''s a stone that serves as a landmark. As soon as you teleport there, you''ll find a cavern behind it."

    "Uhm!" Noan nodded.

    The next moment, Monica realized they were already inside a familiar cavern.

    Her mouth fell open, but she shook her head, refusing to dwell on it further.

    "Follow me." Monica extended her hand; a pale glow emanated from her fingertip, illuminating the dark cave.

    Monica led the way, Noan followed behind, and they ventured deeper into the cavern together.

    He trusted that his power rivaled any Landlord here, and with the special effect of the "Extreme Challenge Medal," he feared nothing in this world.

    Still, he used his Spatial talent to sense his surroundings, ready to react to danger at any moment, ensuring no surprises could catch him off guard.

    After more than two miles, the cave widened so dramatically that even he felt a pang of surprise.

    They stood in a vast chamberˇŞover ten meters tall and spanning three hundred square meters.

    But this was not yet the survivors'' gathering place.

    Noan watched as Monica approached a vine-covered section of wall. She placed her hand upon the vines, and they recoiled, revealing a stone door.

    The door slowly swung open, and Noan saw a tunnel leading deeper.

    The tunnel''s walls were lined with sturdy bricks, and energy crystals glowed softly along them.

    "Where did you get these Energy Crystals?" Noan asked, frowning.

    Monica answered frankly, "From the Landlords who perished. Thanks to their resources, we have survived until now."

    "Every so often, new Landlords appear. We usually pillage resources from them, so we''ve managed to survive."

    "Ah!" Noan nodded, finally understanding why Monica had attacked him.

    The girl intended to kill him and steal his resources.

    Monica realized that her admission had clarified her motive to Noan, and she grew anxious.

    Would he kill her right here and now?

    With fear and trepidation, Monica led Noan into a vast chamber.

    It resembled an arenaˇŞenergy crystals glowed everywhere.

    The floor was perfectly tiled, and simple houses had been erected around the perimeter.

    "So this is where you hide? Quite cozy," Noan observed.

    Indeed, outside, the temperature was likely around ¨C40 ˇăC, but here it felt only between ¨C10 ˇăC and 0 ˇăC.

    "Exactly. This place was carved out by a Landlord using Earth-element Golem power so that he could expand the cavern as a refuge for everyone."

    Noan inclined his head at Monica''s explanation. "Where do you all gather?"

    "Right now, most are warming themselves in the Central House. I''ll take you there." Monica said, pointing to the most prominent building at the cave''s center.

    Together, they approached the Central House''s entranceˇŞonly to be stopped by someone standing guard.

    "Who are you?" the sentinel demanded.

 Chapter 235: Fate Holder - Zeka

    Just then, a man suddenly appeared, thrusting the spear tip against Noan''s face.

    He was a middle-aged man with a square-jawed face, his unkempt moustache and beard having grown wild for lack of grooming.

    His eyes brimmed with suspicion and anger as he stared at Noan, ready to drive the spear through his skull at the slightest provocation.

    Seeing this, Monica was so frightened she felt tears welling up. She shouted urgently, "Baron, what the hell are you doing?"

    Baron heard his name called beside Noan and turned toward Monica.

    When he saw her, he started in surprise. "Monica? You..."

    "He''s our guestˇŞlower your weapon at once!" Monica cried, panic in her voice.

    She knew Noan''s temperamentˇŞand his strength. She understood full well that Baron''s actions might provoke Noan''s wrath.

    If Noan grew angry, the consequences would be terribleˇŞperhaps everyone here would die. She could not allow that, so she tried desperately to stop Baron.

    But Baron paid her no heed. He only sneered and said, "A guest? Monica, you think I''ll treat him like a guest?"

    "Not everyone has the right to enter this place. This is for the strongˇŞcertainly not for some frail, weakling like him."

    Had Noan been muscular, sun-tanned, exuding virile power, perhaps Baron would have shown some respect.

    Instead, faced with Noan''s lean frame, pale skin, and delicate features, Baron looked down on him contemptuously.

    "You..." Monica was so furious she felt she could smash Baron with her hammer.

    "Can''t you see I''m guiding him in? Can''t you see how indifferent he is, even with your spear at his throat?"

    But of course, Baron could not hear Monica''s thoughts.

    Noan regarded the burly man before himˇŞlike a bruiser Gray bearˇŞwith mild interest.

    He quickly detected a tinge of envy behind Baron''s contemptuous gaze.

    ''Ah! So... it isn''t just about how I look'' Noan thought.

    He glanced at Monica, then back at Baron, realizing that Baron''s hostility also sprang from Noan''s association with Monica.

    Noan did not hurry to act; on the contrary, he gave a nonchalant smile and said, "Ah! This place is for the strong? You think I''m that weak?"

    "Huh! Of course," Baron sneered, curling his lips. "Looking at you, I''m afraid if you wandered outside you wouldn''t last two hours before becoming a block of ice."

    Monica: "..."

    At that moment, Monica truly wanted to cry. She couldn''t believe Baron could be so foolish.

    She opened her mouth to speak, but Noan cut in, leaving her no chance to explain: "So what if I want to take refuge here?"

    Noan continued.

    He was confident because he had used magic to scout the area, and Vylyss had helped him survey the entire place.

    Here, aside from Monica, Baron, and one other person inside the Main House, no one was exceptionally strong.

    Baron was slightly weaker than Monica; the mysterious figure in the Main House was twice as strong as she was.

    However, even someone twice Monica''s strength was no match for Noan.

    That was why Noan felt so secure.

    As for Baron... he wasn''t even a match for Monica, so Noan was too lazy to bother with him.

    Hearing Noan speak, Baron laughed and replied, "It''s simple: if you want to enter here, you must prove your worth."

    "If you lack strength, then you must have resourcesˇŞenergy crystals or food, anything. Produce them quickly."

    Monica''s anger flared, her face reddening. She shouted, "Enough, Baron. I told you, this man is my guest; if you continue harassing him, I willˇŞ"

    Baron saw Monica defending this young man, and his anger and jealousy only grew.

    That feeling clouded his reason, making him want to make things even harder for Noan.

    "Huh! Monica, you''re the deputy leader; you should be the first to follow the rules," Baron sneered. "Besides, I''m the gatekeeper. I''m only doing my duty."

    "Bastard! You..." Monica truly wanted to say ''if Baron wants to die, let him die alone,'' but before she could finish, Noan''s hand settled on her shoulder, signaling that she needn''t speak further.

    He smiled, feigning to pull several Rank-E energy crystals from his coat pocket, and said, "Is this enough?"

    Baron''s eyes brightened when he saw more than ten Rank-E crystals in Noan''s palm, silently thinking that Noan must be a fat goat.

    Of course, Baron would never let such a fat goat slip away.

    "Not enough!" Baron barked. "Do you think this will earn my protection?"

    Monica clenched her fists in fury, reaching for her dagger, but at that moment another figure appeared.

    "All right, Baron. That''s enough." A young man stepped out from the Main House.

    He looked about twenty-seven, strikingly handsome as if plucked from the silver screenˇŞblond hair, blue eyes, a sharp nose, pale skin. On Earth, many girls would no doubt pine for him, viewing him as a bright star.

    "Captain?!" Baron jumped at the sight and hurriedly stepped aside.

    Yet in his eyes blazed jealousy and anger. Though he bowed his head, his hands gripped his spear so tightly they turned white.

    Monica, surprised, inclined her head and said, "Captain Valen!"

    Valen nodded gently, then smiled at Noan. "That''s plentyˇŞno need for more."

    "After all, we''re all survivors. We should help each other, not pick fights. Understood, Baron?"

    Baron ground his teeth but restrained himself. "Understood, Captain."

    Valen nodded again and added, "It seems we have many guests todayˇŞyou''re the third to arrive."

    "Noan heard this and frowned, but he didn''t dwell on it. After all, in this entire area, no one was strong enough to catch his attention.

    The young man named Valen standing before Noan was indeed powerfulˇŞtwice as strong as Monica.

    But to Noan, that still wasn''t enough to threaten him.

    "All right, everyone, come inside; don''t stay out hereˇŞit''s very cold."

    Valen smiled, then led Monica and Noan into the Main House.

    Baron remained at the doorway, his face so full of rage that even his beard trembled.

    "Damn it!" Baron muttered. "Valen, one day I''ll snap your neck."

    Noan sensed Baron''s murderous intent, but it was directed solely at Valen, so he paid it little mind.

    Even if Baron wanted to kill Noan, Noan didn''t careˇŞwould a giant heed the squeak of an ant?

    Once inside, Noan immediately felt the warmth; the temperature here seemed to be around 5 ˇăC.

    Although 5 ˇăC was still chilly, it was far more bearable than ¨C40 ˇăC.

    Noan walked to the center of the Main House and saw a large glass orb filled with energy crystals.

    The orb rested on the floor, as large as a basketball. Thanks to the crystals within, it radiated enough heat to warm this spacious hall.

    A few others were present, but Noan paid them no heed.

    Instead, his gaze fell upon a young man standing beside the orbˇŞand at that moment, a System notification appeared before him.

    The young man noticed Noan''s stare. Though they had just met, he felt uneasy and resentful toward Noan, as if an ancient grudge lay between them.

    The girl standing next to him looked puzzled; she glanced at him, then at Noan.

    [Ding! ''Fate Holder'' detected ¨C Zeka. Information on this Fate Holder has been listed in the ''Fate Holder List'' function.]

 Chapter 236: Ice Core?

    Noan didn''t rush to check Zeka''s information, merely glancing at him and the girl standing next to him, then paying no further attention.

    However, even though he wasn''t looking, Vylyss continued to observe them closely.

    At that moment, Zeka seemed to sense that someone was watching him, and an overwhelming discomfort welled up within him.

    "Is it that young man?" Zeka muttered. "No, he''s not looking at me. Then who is it?"

    When he saw Noan''s gaze focused only on the glass orb, while the eerie sensation of being watched persisted, Zeka felt increasingly puzzled.

    "Is something wrong, Zeka?" Violette asked.

    Zeka shook his head. "No, just felt like that young man is a bit strange, that''s all."

    Hearing this, Violette couldn''t help but trust Zeka.

    Ever since entering the ''Trial Space'', although the area was blanketed in snow, Zeka seemed unusually fortunate.

    She had followed him for less than three miles before they discovered a cave for shelter.

    But they hadn''t expected that many others would already inhabit the cave.

    These people were all Lords who had previously entered this Trial.

    It seemed Valen had taken some interest in Zeka and acted quite friendly toward him, which quickly led to their inclusion in the group of survivors in this world.

    Although they hadn''t yet completed the first mission of the Trial, they had already found a safe place to take refugeˇŞan extraordinary stroke of luck in such a terrifying and unforgiving world.

    Zeka glanced at Noan once more before averting his eyes, though deep inside, an intense discomfort remainedˇŞas if a voice was urging him to kill Noan immediately.

    "Hahaha... we have many guests today, so allow me to make some introductions," Valen said, introducing everyone to Noan, Zeka, and Violette.

    Through this, Noan learned that the girl beside Zeka was named Violette.

    She stood about 155cm tall, with a petite frame, an innocent and gentle face, and clear eyes like a pristine lake that made anyone who looked at her want to hold her close and protect her.

    At that moment, Noan activated the ''Fate Holders List'' to inspect.

    Now, the list included a third nameˇŞZeka.

    With a thought, Noan selected that name to view the information, and immediately, a new information panel appeared before him.

    ...

    Name: Zeka

    Rank: D

    Class: No

    Level: 2

    Talents:

    Pixie''s Line (D): Can extend the duration of buffs/debuffs caused by Pixie by 50% longer than their standard durations. Eternal Buff (SS+): Any beneficial effect received by Zeka will become permanent. Identical beneficial effects can stack infinitely.

    ...

    Noan saw nothing particularly noteworthy in Zeka''s information, except for one thing that made him slightly uneasy: Zeka''s ''Eternal Buff'' talent.

    This talent could turn every beneficial effect Zeka received into a ''permanent'' status. Even identical beneficial effects could stack endlessly.

    Was this a cheat?

    This talent was many times more terrifying than Alex''s ''Devour'' talent.

    Fortunately, it seemed Zeka had only recently acquired this talent, so Noan could sense that Zeka''s current strength wasn''t significant.

    In fact, Zeka wasn''t even as strong as Baron yet.

    Nevertheless, if Zeka were allowed to continue living, he could become a ticking time bomb.

    Still, Noan wasn''t eager to kill Zeka. After all, Zeka possessed a talent even stronger than Alex''s, indicating that his fate and fortune were vastly superior.

    Thus, Zeka was essentially a treasure-finding radar. By following Zeka, Noan would surely reap considerable rewards.

    Noan silently asked the System: "Can I see Zeka''s buffs?"

    [Ding! Cannot. Zeka''s buffs are beneficial and cannot be displayed within the system.]

    "Tsk!" Noan clicked his tongue, but it wasn''t a significant problem.

    After all, he could still sense Zeka''s strength. Besides, Vylyss could help him monitor Zeka.

    If Zeka displayed excessive growth, Noan would kill him immediately.

    After finishing the introductions, Valen smiled and said, "Today is a joyous occasion as we have three new allies, so let''s hold a small party to welcome our new members."

    Everyone was delighted to hear this and quickly agreed.

    After all, in this world, they couldn''t cultivate crops due to extremely low temperatures, making food exceedingly scarce.

    Holding a party meant they would get to eat their fill. Therefore, whenever Valen mentioned having a party, everyone quickly agreed.

    Noan observed the joy and greed in the eyes of the people here and could somewhat guess that their lives were uncomfortable.

    While everyone was preparing, Noan called Monica to a secluded corner, frowned, and asked, "What do you know about Valen?"

    "Ah!" Monica was slightly startled but obediently replied, "He''s the one who created this cave."

    "Hm?!" Hearing that, Noan seemed to have some speculation, but he didn''t voice it, remaining quiet and letting Monica continue.

    "He''s a Lord who has fused with the power of a Stone Golem; that''s why he can change the cave''s shape, creating a refuge for everyone."

    Noan nodded lightly upon hearing this.

    He glanced at the mission timer, indicating more than twenty-three hours left, and didn''t feel particularly anxious.

    He merely looked at Monica and continued asking, "How did you meet him?"

    "Ah! Well... I met him when I had just arrived in this place. He said he was one of the first people to enter this world," Monica answered truthfully.

    "At that time, everyone was desperate, and he appeared, bringing us hope to continue surviving."

    Noan glanced at Valen, who stood smiling from afar, directing everyone as they cooked.

    Handsome, friendly, kind-hearted, and the sole source of hope everyone could depend upon.

    If Noan couldn''t detect ''Fate Holders,'' perhaps he would have believed that Valen himself was a Fate Holder.

    "So, over the past two years, none of you have found any way to escape from this place?" Noan continued questioning.

    Hearing this, Monica sighed, "That''s right. Whenever we discovered a new method, Valen would always be the first to explore it. But each path always led to a dead end."

    "At those moments, Valen immediately encouraged everyone, raising their spirits and motivating them to overcome their difficulties."

    As Monica spoke, admiration for the young man named Valen filled her eyes.

    Noan didn''t feel jealousy; it was just... he increasingly found the young man strange.

    Exactly how strange, he didn''t knowˇŞjust that his intuition was urging him to remain cautious around this man.

    ''It seems I must find the Ice Core myself,'' Noan thought silently.

    He turned around, intending to leave, when Monica suddenly asked in surprise, "You don''t want to join the party? There will be lots of delicious food."

    Noan: "..."

    He shook his head and replied, "I''ll be back."

    With that, he activated his Space talent and instantly vanished.

    Seeing this, Monica''s face lit up with longing. If only she possessed a space-related talent, she could go anywhere.

    At that moment, Valen suddenly glanced toward Monica, a strange glint flashing briefly in his eyes before disappearing.

    His gaze then shifted to Zeka and Violette, and within it shimmered a hint of greed.

    Zeka, sensing Valen''s gaze, shivered slightly. He quickly turned his head and saw Valen looking at him with a friendly expression, which eased his nerves.

    However, he knew he needed to locate a fortress called ''Black Snow'' to complete the System''s first mission. Because of that, he walked up to Valen.

    "Valen, can you show me the way to the fortress called ''Black Snow''? I need to complete the System''s first mission."

    Hearing Zeka''s question, Valen smiled and replied, "Don''t worry, the Black Snow fortress is very closeˇŞonly about ten miles from here."

    "For now, let''s enjoy the party first. Afterward, the others and I will take you there."

    Hearing this, Zeka felt relieved and didn''t question Valen''s words at all.

    "Thank you, Valen. You''re truly a good person," Zeka said with a smile.

    "Hahahaha... Don''t thank me. We''re all stuck in the same situationˇŞwe should help each other, right?" Valen said with a hearty laugh.

    Zeka nodded in agreement.

    To him, Valen''s words didn''t seem strange in the slightest. After all, the Black Snow fortress was only about ten miles away. With his stamina, he could easily reach it in two hours.

    Besides, he still had over twenty-two hours left to complete the mission, so he wasn''t too worried.

    Even if he took time to eat and sleep, he would still have enough time to finish the task.

    But just as Zeka turned to leave and share the news with Violette, Valen''s gaze followed himˇŞnow brimming with greed.

 Chapter 237: Noan and Zeka

    Noan didn''t immediately teleport to ''Tuye??t ?en'' City; instead, he teleported into a secret room within this cave.

    This room was extraordinary, resembling an empty underground chamber, without any entrances or magical means allowing others to enter.

    That''s right; it appeared to be a naturally formed cavity.

    However, upon appearing here, Noan realised human hands or intelligent beings had created this place.

    Noan used ''Hellfire'' to illuminate the area.

    He saw that this was an incredibly vast room, over four meters in height and covering an area of more than 1,000 square meters.

    It was an ice cellar similar to the tomb where Carlotta currently resided.

    Noan looked around; it seemed this place had nothing but ice.

    Even the ground had a thin layer of ice, as if water had frozen.

    Noan walked across the icy surface, frowning as he gazed forward.

    Ahead, there was a key placed inside a column of ice.

    As he approached it, a dark shadow appeared.

    Noan wasn''t startled; he gently waved his hand, activating his spatial talent.

    The dark shadow was completely immobilised midair by Noan''s spatial confinement.

    At this point, he could see a mass of vine-like tentacles resembling octopus arms suspended in the air.

    Noan felt it was peculiar, silently wondering to himself: ''Is that a monster?''

    It would have been entirely normal if it had been an animal-like creature or something related to snow.

    Yet, what Noan was looking at was a mass of vines.

    It should be known that this world was entirely covered by snow, with no plants or animals able to survive.

    This place was like a dead world.

    And yet, in this dead world, a mass of vines was acting like a monster, capable of attacking him.

    This puzzled him greatly.

    Rustle! Rustle!

    Sounds resembling crawling echoed everywhere. Noan frowned, waving his hand, and countless tennis-ball-sized fireballs scattered around, illuminating the entire place.

    "What?!" Noan was slightly startled.

    He noticed many tiny holes on the walls; from these holes, countless vines began crawling out, swiftly moving toward him.

    Noan saw those vines moving independently, quickly rushing toward him like octopuses.

    However, Noan was unafraid; he merely snapped his fingers lightly.

    Snap!

    The fireballs he had previously unleashed transformed into bluish-green specks of light, descending and enveloping the entire space.

    Although they were flames, this fire only made the surroundings feel even colder.

    When those bluish-green lights touched the octopus-like vines, they immediately ignited them.

    The burning vines instantly hardened, as though frozen solid.

    All the vines quickly froze, but from those small holes, more vines swiftly emerged.

    It was as if they were infinite, and their numbers had increased considerably compared to before.

    Noan frowned, clearly aware he couldn''t stay here for long. However, he also couldn''t leave without gaining something.

    His gaze shifted toward the key held within the column of ice.

    Noan spread out both hands, unleashing a spatial wave that expanded outward, blowing away all the approaching vines.

    Woo! Woo! Woo!

    Spatial waves echoed, and the vines seemed to endure immense pressure, instantly crushed into pieces.

    Noan didn''t hesitate, swiftly rushing toward the ice column. His fist, covered in a layer of spatial energy, punched toward it.

    BAM!

    His fist collided with the ice column, producing a sharp, piercing noise and countless shockwaves that struck deep inside.

    Crack! Crack!

    On the ice column, cracks began rapidly spreading, growing more numerous and forming a spiderweb-like pattern, covering the entire structure.

    BANG!

    The column immediately shattered, and Noan quickly grabbed the key before vanishing using his teleportation talent.

    Right after Noan disappeared, the vines appeared to go berserk, attacking everything around them.

    After a while, they suddenly withered, as though they''d spent days stranded in the desert.

    Meanwhile, Valen, who was instructing everyone to prepare for the feast, suddenly sensed something, his eyes instantly brimming with killing intent.

    However, this lasted only a few seconds, and immediately afterwards, his gaze returned to its original calm state.

    He quickly departed, heading toward a room that only he could enter.

    Valen waved his hand, and the doorless room suddenly trembled as the stones slowly separated, revealing a passageway.

    Right after he stepped inside, those stones slowly closed back as though nothing had happened.

    Valen approached a table, upon which a crystal orb emitting flickering rays of light rested.

    Suddenly, a vine shot out from the crystal orb, heading straight toward Valen''s forehead.

    While witnessing this scene, Valen maintained an utterly calm and emotionless expression, allowing the vine to pierce directly into his forehead.

    Smash!

    As the vine entered Valen''s forehead, his face instantly turned fierce, completely losing its former gentle and friendly demeanour.

    "Damn it! Who is it? Who stole that key?!"

    "AAAHH!!!"

    Valen screamed madly. Fortunately, the room was insulated by multiple layers of earth and stone; otherwise, his screams would have been heard outside.

    "Could it be him?" Valen clenched his teeth, recalling Noan.

    However, he immediately shook his head, denying that thought.

    "Impossible! He''s just an ordinary landlord; how could he reach that room?"

    "It must be someone else, but... who could have done this?"

    Valen ground his teeth, so furious that his face turned red. Veins popped up all over his body, making him look grotesque, like a monster.

    He looked toward the crystal orb, bowed, and said, "Master, rest assured, I will find the one who took the key."

    After Valen finished speaking, the vine withdrew from his forehead, returning into the crystal orb.

    He took a deep breath, then continued, "Master, I''ve found some individuals perfectly suited to become your followers. Just wait until tonight, and you shall gain more disciples."

    "Hahahaha... hahahaha..."

    ...

    As soon as Noan appeared in ''Black Snow'' City using his spatial talent, he felt a chill run down his spine, as if someone was targeting him.

    Naturally, he couldn''t find the reason behind this sensation, yet he remained wary of it.

    Noan looked around the city, and everything was buried under layers of snow. In some places, the snow piled up more than three meters high, covering numerous buildings.

    Suddenly, the key that Noan held emitted a peculiar glow.

    Noan frowned, silently thinking, ''Seems like I was right; this key indeed connects with ''Tuye??t ?en'' city.''

    However, how to use this key, for what purpose, and where exactly to use it...

    These were difficult questions that he couldn''t currently answer.

    Suddenly, he realised he didn''t have to struggle with these matters, because he had a radar capable of helping him uncover all the secrets behind this mystery.

    Noan smiled lightly, then quickly teleported back to the previous cave.

    ...

    "AGH!" Monica screamed when she suddenly saw Noan appearing in front of her.

    "What the hell are you screaming for?" Noan frowned and asked.

    "Ah! I... I''m sorry, but could you please not show up so suddenly like this next time?" Monica forced a smile as she replied.

    "Where''s Valen?" Noan ignored her words, glanced around, and asked when he couldn''t spot Valen.

    "Ah! Valen..." Monica also looked around but couldn''t see him anywhere.

    At this point, Noan became even more certain there was something extremely suspicious about Valen. He had just taken the key from that hidden room, and now Valen had vanished without anyone noticing.

    If he couldn''t see through an obvious detail as large as a mountain, he might as well feed his brain to the pigs.

    Noan glanced briefly at Monica, then said, "Help me draw Valen''s attention."

    "Heh?! Why?" Monica asked, confused.

    "Don''t ask too many questions. Just do as I say." Without further explanation, Noan turned away.

    Monica wanted to say something else, but in the end, she could only remain silent and sigh.

    After all, Noan was far too powerful; in front of him, she didn''t have any chance to resist.

    Although Noan ignored Monica, Vylyss, hidden in the shadows, constantly kept her eyes on Monica.

    Noan walked toward the corner of the cave, where a young man and a young woman in love were currently resting.

    Noan smiled slightly and said, "You''re Zeka, right?"

    Hearing Noan''s voice, Zeka immediately became vigilant.

    Although this was the first time he''d encountered Noan, he couldn''t understand why he instinctively found this young man extremely detestable.

    He just wanted to kill Noan immediatelyˇŞthis was the only thought running through his mind upon seeing him.

    Of course, Noan somewhat understood what Zeka was thinking from his expression, yet he didn''t care.

    Smiling, Noan continued, "I have an opportunity that can help both of us complete our mission. Are you interested?"

 Chapter 238: I donâ€™t know

    "An opportunity?!" Zeka cautiously looked toward Noan: "What do you mean?"

    Violette felt confused.

    This was the first time she and Zeka had encountered Noan, yet Zeka seemed extremely wary of him; in fact, hostility was evident in Zeka''s eyes.

    Naturally, Noan ignored Zeka''s gaze, only smiling as he said, "As I mentioned, I''ve discovered a breakthrough to complete the mission."

    "You know what my mission is?" Zeka frowned as he asked.

    Noan pretended to be confused, scratching his head as he replied, "Isn''t it to find the Ice Core?"

    "The Ice Core?" Zeka looked at Noan and asked.

    "That''s right. After finding ''Tuye??t ?en'' city, my next mission is to locate the Ice Core. Have you received a different mission?" Noan continued questioning.

    Zeka was startled and immediately replied, "I haven''t completed the first mission yet."

    "Ah!" Noan feigned surprise, looking at Zeka and Violette with disappointment, then sighed and said, "Alright, forget what I just said."

    After speaking, he quickly turned around to leave.

    Seeing Noan''s expression, Zeka becomes even more convinced that Noan is telling the truth.

    After all, his purpose here was to complete the mission and receive its reward.

    He might become permanently trapped in this place if he remained idle here without taking action.

    "Wait!" Zeka hurriedly said, "I... I''ll complete the first mission tonight, you..."

    Noan paused, turning back to look at Zeka. His gaze became wary, exactly like Zeka''s when he first saw Noan.

    Seeing Noan''s eyes, Zeka felt startled and hastily explained, "I... I''m telling the truth. Valen said he knew the exact location of ''Tuye??t ?en'' city. He also said the place was nearby, so I didn''t need to rush."

    "Huh! You believe him? Sorry, I don''t want to talk with you." Noan contemptuously said, then hurriedly walked away.

    Zeka felt perplexed. However, this could become extremely troublesome if Noan truly held some secret related to their mission.

    Seeing Zeka''s expression, Violette immediately sighed and shook her head. She quickly called out: "Noan!"

    This time, Noan didn''t stop walking; he continued forward, but slightly slower than before.

    Violette immediately ran toward Noan''s side, saying: "Sorry about that, he... he''s not good at communication, so his gaze might seem strange. Please don''t take it to heart."

    Hearing that, Noan stopped walking, glanced at Zeka, and frowned, saying, "I feel like he hates me. I''m not blind; I can clearly see how he''s looking at me."

    "How can I trust and cooperate with someone like him?"

    At that moment, Zeka suddenly realised that Noan didn''t want to collaborate with him because he hadn''t finished the first mission, but rather because of the hateful look he''d given Noan.

    Zeka knew Noan was right. If someone looked at you with such eyes, would you want to cooperate with them?

    Inwardly, Zeka thought: ''Could it be that I was wrong? Was I just being overly suspicious?''

    "Zeka!"

    Suddenly, Violette''s voice rang out, interrupting Zeka''s thoughts.

    "Hurry up and apologise to Noan."

    Hearing her words, Zeka felt extremely uncomfortable. He didn''t want to apologise to Noan, so he stood firmly without moving.

    At this moment, Violette was furious to nearly exploding, though she still maintained her innocent and gentle expression.

    However, inside her mind, she''d cursed Zeka''s entire family countless times.

    ''Damn it! Why is this bastard so useless? Did this guy do anything to you? Why do you keep staring at him like he''s your mortal enemy?''

    Violette understood that any clue regarding their mission carried enormous significance for them.

    If the mission had been easily overcome, those other people wouldn''t have been trapped here for many years.

    Yet Zeka, acting like an idiot, suddenly refused to follow her directions as he usually did, which made her extremely angry.

    Noan shrugged and said, "Alright, you don''t need to speak to him. It seems he''s the type who always thinks he''s the centre of the world."

    "Sorry, I can''t cooperate with someone like himˇŞbut with you, it''s fine."

    "Ah!" Violette was startled but quickly responded, "Then I''ll cooperate with you."

    "Uhm! But I..."

    "No!" Zeka suddenly shouted, interrupting Noan''s words: "Violette, you can''t cooperate with him, he... he definitely has bad intentions."

    Violette glanced coldly at Zeka. At this point, she no longer displayed her innocent and friendly demeanour; instead, she revealed a face full of arrogance and annoyance.

    "Why are you so certain?" Violette asked. "Besides, who the hell do you think you are, expecting me to listen to your words?"

    "Ah! Violette, why... why would you say that?" Zeka was shocked, staring at her with eyes filled with confusion and disbelief.

    At this moment, her behaviour was entirely different from what he knew about her.

    "You... you..."

    "Enough, stop talking," Violette impatiently snapped. "I don''t know what conflict you have with him, but right now things aren''t like before."

    "Zeka, if you insist on keeping your selfishness, I won''t bother you anymore. I''m differentˇŞI want to complete this mission quickly and get out of here."

    Hearing this, Zeka clenched his fists so tightly that his hands turned pale, teeth grinding angrily.

    Noan watched this scene with contemptuous amusement. He turned to Violette and asked, "You are... Violette, right?"

    "Yes." Violette turned around, sweetly responding to Noan, "Do you have a clue about the mission?"

    "Of course, but I can''t complete this mission aloneˇŞthat''s why I came to you two." Noan sighed lightly and continued, "Otherwise, I would have finished it long ago. I don''t want to stay in this damned place any longer."

    Just as Violette was about to say something, Zeka suddenly said, "Fine! I... I''ll join you two."

    Noan glanced coldly at Zeka, scoffing, "Zeka, you should understand clearly that I am the one who holds the key information to completing the mission."

    "You speak as if I''m begging you to help me. Sorry, but even if I desperately needed help, I wouldn''t accept your arrogant attitude."

    Having said this, Noan turned and left together with Violette.

    Seeing this, Zeka felt as though his heart was bleeding.

    His goddess... the person he deeply adored, was now walking alongside another man.

    He couldn''t bear this.

    Zeka took a deep breath, ran before Noan, and said, "Alright! I... I''m sorry for looking at you with those eyes. I... I..."

    He wanted to say that he begged to join Noan''s group, but the words couldn''t leave his mouth.

    "Ah! You can''t even say one simple sentence. How could I trust you? Isn''t that right, Violette?" Noan mocked lightly.

    Violette nodded and gently said, "It''s fine, Zeka. You don''t need to force yourself like this if you''re unwilling."

    "If I find out how to complete the mission, I''ll let you know later."

    Hearing this, Zeka naturally didn''t believe Violette''s words.

    No, it wasn''t that he didn''t trust herˇŞit was Noan whom he didn''t trust.

    If he waited until they completed the mission... by then, that bastard might have already thoroughly ''devoured'' her.

    This wasn''t merely his imagination; instead, it was his intuition firmly whispering these words.

    "No way! Noan, you said you had clues about completing the mission, so why didn''t you inform Valen instead of telling Violette and me?" Zeka shouted angrily.

    "You''re just eyeing Violette''s beauty, aren''t you?"

    Upon hearing this, even Violette felt that Zeka''s words made sense. Yes, Valen had been in this world much longer than they and was the survivors'' leader here.

    Why didn''t Noan share this secret with Valen, but instead chose to reveal it to them, who had just arrived and hadn''t even completed their first mission yet?

    Noan lightly shook his head and said, "Do you both trust Valen? Then let me ask you one question... if he was truly trustworthy, why has he been delaying helping you?"

    "That... he..." Zeka hesitantly replied, "He said ''Tuye??t ?en'' city is very close, only about ten miles away."

    "Even if we ate a full meal and then slept afterwards, we''d still have plenty of time left to get there."

    "Hahaha..." Noan suddenly laughed, "Hahaha... honestly, calling you stupid would still give you too much respect."

    "What did you just say?!" Zeka roared angrily.

    Noan glanced around, confirming nobody else was paying attention, then turned back toward Zeka, calmly asking, "Do you even know what the weather is like outside right now? Do you know how difficult it is to travel to ''Tuye??t ?en'' city?"

    "That... I..." Zeka stammered, unsure of how to reply.

    "Right now, it''s minus forty degrees Celsius outside, with violent snowstorms raging everywhere. Everything you see is nothing but endless white," Noan explained with a faint smile.

    "Zeka, how far do you think someone could travel through a blizzard? And that''s not even considering situations where you''re blinded by the snowstorm, unable to determine directions, and eventually losing your way."

    "A ten-mile journey, under normal circumstances, might only take two or three hours on foot."

    "But under these dreadful conditionsˇŞwith freezing temperatures and a raging blizzardˇŞhow far could you realistically go?"

    Zeka opened his mouth wide, entirely at a loss for words, finally muttering, "I... I don''t know."

 Chapter 239: Valen and Noan - Liar

    "Ah! You didn''t even know, yet you still chose to trust ValenˇŞlooks like you truly are a fool."

    Hearing Noan''s words, Zeka was infuriated to the extreme. Being repeatedly called a fool in front of his goddess made him feel both ashamed and enraged.

    However, Zeka knew Noan was right.

    In such harsh weather, a ten-mile journey might as well be a hundred.

    There was a real chance that even within twenty-four hours, he and Violette wouldn''t be able to make it across.

    After listening, Violette also realised something was odd about Valen. Though he had seemed kind, bringing them here for shelter,

    every time the mission was mentioned, Valen would find excuses to avoid or delay it.

    The final straw was earlier, when Zeka asked Valen about the location of the ''Black Snow'' fortress.

    Not only did Valen refuse to answer, but he also delayed until tonightˇŞyet, at the time, Zeka didn''t know why he had trusted Valen so completely, without a shred of doubt.

    "You see it clearly now, don''t you?" Noan turned to Violette and smiled. "If you follow him, you''re heading straight for a dead end. But if you follow me, we can support each other and complete the mission."

    Violette now fully trusted Noan. She nodded and said, "You''re right. I believe you."

    "No, Violette, you..." Zeka clenched his teeth, wanting to stop Violette, but he lacked the courage to speak out.

    He gritted his teeth, bowed his head and said, "Please... I... I want to join your group."

    Noan glanced at Zeka, his eyes turning sharply focused. Though he couldn''t determine Zeka''s exact strength, he could see the spatial fluctuations around him and gauge his power.

    This was a skill he had learned through the guidance of Vylyss and Malrik.

    An ordinary person couldn''t affect the space around them because they didn''t possess energy.

    But a powerful individual was differentˇŞspace around them would ripple slightly.

    The intensity of the ripple reflected the person''s level of power.

    No matter how well someone hid their strength, they could not conceal the spatial ripples caused by the energy within their body.

    That''s why Noan was certain that Zeka hadn''t received many ''buffs'', and was still quite weak.

    In fact, Zeka''s current strength was even inferior to Violette''s.

    Noan reached out his hand and said with a smile, "I''m not like you. Anyone who wants to join is welcome. I just hope you''re sincere in your cooperation and not merely pretending."

    Hearing that, Violette looked at Noan with a touch of admiration in her eyes.

    A man this tolerant and intelligent was someone truly worth following.

    Unlike Zeka, who had only a stroke of luckˇŞbeyond that, he had nothing.

    No strength, no intelligence, and even his emotional intelligence was pathetically low, leaving her deeply disappointed.

    Zeka could feel Violette''s disappointed gaze, and it made his heart tremble. He clenched his teeth, trying to suppress his anger.

    At that moment, Zeka reached out and grasped Noan''s hand, cursing inwardly: ''Damn it! Noan... once I''ve gotten all my buffs, you''ll be nothing more than a dog.''

    As their hands met, Noan instantly placed an ''Anchor Point'' on Zeka''s hand.

    Of course, he only held Zeka''s hand for less than a second before pulling back. After all, Zeka was a man, and Noan didn''t want to hold any other man''s hand.

    "Pleasure working with you." Noan extended his hand toward Violette with a smile.

    Although Violette felt a little hesitant, she reminded herself that she still needed Noan''s help, so she decided to show her sincerity.

    Thus, Violette also reached out and took his hand, smiling as she said, "Pleasure working with you."

    Noan held Violette''s hand and noticed how soft it wasˇŞlike a baby''s skin.

    His thumb gently stroked the back of her hand, making her feel a bit ticklish, and her face flushed red.

    Naturally, he also placed an ''Anchor Point'' on her hand.

    Seeing this, Zeka became so angry it felt like his lungs were about to explode.

    Noan had shaken his hand for less than a second, but with Violette, he was holding her hand tightly for quite a while.

    "Oy! Are you two done shaking hands yet?" Zeka said angrily through clenched teeth.

    "Ah!" Violette snapped back, quickly withdrawing her hand, her face carrying a hint of embarrassment as she looked at Noan.

    ''Strange...'' Violette thought to herself. ''Why did I feel a little enchanted when holding this young man''s hand?''

    ''No! Violette, get a grip. Men in this world are meant to be your dogs. You''re the one who manipulates others, not the other way around.''

    Gradually, Violette calmed her emotions. Then she looked at Noan and asked, "So... what do we need to do now?"

    "First, we don''t know what Valen''s goal is, so we can''t act rashly," Noan said.

    "That''s why I suggest we follow what he says for now, but after the banquet ends, we must find a reason to leave."

    Hearing Noan''s words, Zeka hurriedly interrupted, "Wait! What about that opportunity you mentioned that could help us complete the mission?"

    Upon hearing Zeka, Noan immediately took out an ice orb with a strange magical sigil etched inside.

    "This is an item I happened to pick up," Noan explained. "After examining it, I discovered that it''s an object that can teleport me to another location."

    "That''s why I believe the place this orb will take us must be related to our mission."

    "Ah!" Zeka and Violette both looked at the ice orb in Noan''s hand with puzzled expressions.

    Though it looked like a normal ice orb the size of a tennis ball, the magical sigil glowing mysteriously inside made it clearly appear to be a magical artifact.

    Zeka and Violette exchanged glances, then looked back at Noan. At this point, Zeka asked, "Then why haven''t you used it? Why are you telling us this?"

    "Of course, because I''m afraid," Noan said, his expression showing that this was the obvious answer. "I don''t know exactly where this orb will take us, or what dangers might be there."

    "That''s why I need allies. I need your help."

    "Of course, there''s another reason: this Challenge doesn''t say that the first person to complete the mission gets the reward."

    "That means anyone who completes the mission can receive the system''s reward."

    "So why would I act alone? If I find more allies, I''ll have greater safety, and that way, our chances of completing the mission will be much higher."

    Zeka and Violette listened and found no flaws in Noan''s reasoningˇŞit all sounded logical and convincing.

    "To avoid raising Valen''s suspicion, we''ll attend the banquet as usual. After it ends, let''s meet at the entrance of the cave to the north, understood?"

    Hearing this, Zeka and Violette immediately nodded.

    ...

    Two hours later, the banquet proceeded normally. Valen seemed even more enthusiastic than before as he made his way over to Zeka, Noan, and Violette, continuously asking questions.

    He asked where they came from, when they arrived, and whether they had encountered anything strange.

    If it had been earlier, none of them might have thought much of it. However, after hearing what Noan had said, Zeka and Violette had begun to grow suspicious of Valen''s questions.

    Of course, they didn''t know what Valen was looking for, so they responded with vague and evasive answers.

    Noan, however, was different. He suspected that Valen might be searching for that key, so when Valen asked if he had seen anything unusual, he suddenly frowned as if recalling something.

    Valen saw his expression, and it was as if he had just caught a trace of the key''s whereabouts. He immediately smiled and asked, "Noan, don''t worry, I''m not the greedy type."

    "I''m only asking to see whether you''ve found any clues that could help complete the mission."

    "Ah! I don''t care about completing the missionˇŞI just want to get out of this place."

    Valen''s words sounded incredibly sincere, tinged with a hint of regret.

    Had Noan not already known what kind of person Valen was, he might have truly believed him.

    ''Trying to deceive me? You''ll need a few more years of practice,'' Noan thought disdainfully.

    Yet outwardly, he maintained an expression that made it look like he genuinely trusted Valen.

    At that moment, he sighed and said, "I did witness something strange... I just don''t know if it''s related to the mission or not."

    "You mean..." Valen''s eyes suddenly lit up.

    "I saw Zeka... and it seemed like he was hiding something."

 Chapter 240: Equal Contract

    "What is he hiding?" Valen asked curiously.

    Noan glanced at Zeka and noticed that both he and Violette were watching this spot, so he forced a smile.

    Zeka and Violette seemed to realise that Valen was questioning Noan about something.

    As a result, they immediately turned their heads away, no longer paying attention to this area, so as not to raise Valen''s suspicion.

    Although Zeka deeply hated Noan, he knew clearly that completing the mission and receiving the system''s reward came first.

    After that, he could seek out Noan to... take his revenge.

    After all, he possessed an SS+ ranked talent. In the future, he was bound to become a terrifying existenceˇŞperhaps even the ruler of this world.

    Because of that, he had complete confidence that he would one day be able to destroy Noan.

    But for now, he had to cooperate with Noan in order to complete the mission.

    Valen saw that Zeka and Violette had been paying attention but turned away after meeting his gaze, which made him trust Noan''s words even more.

    "This... I''m sorry, I can''t say."

    Hearing that, Valen acted as if he understood. He smiled and replied, "That''s fine. After the banquet, let''s meet in my private chamber."

    "Alright!" Noan agreed casually, showing no hesitation.

    Valen was reassured by his response and walked away to talk with others.

    "What were you and the Captain talking about?" Monica suddenly came over and sat beside Noan.

    "You want to know?" Noan asked with a smile.

    Monica pouted. "If you don''t want to say, then I don''t want to hear it."

    "Oh? You know how to sulk?" Noan sneered. "Afraid I''ll harm the man you love?"

    "You..." Monica gritted her teeth, feeling a surge of fear and anxiety. "I... I don''t love Valen, don''t say nonsense."

    "I never said who it was."

    Monica: "..."

    She pressed her lips together tightly, her face as red as a ripe apple.

    "You... may I ask you for a favour?"

    "Hm?!" Noan frowned. "What is it?"

    "You... you..." Monica bit her lip, took a deep breath, and said, "Can you let him go?"

    "You speak as if I could actually kill him," Noan said with a laugh.

    Monica glanced at Valen, who was drinking with the others, then looked back at Noan and said sadly, "I know you''re capable of killing everyone here."

    "However, he is a shining star, a light of hope for everyone. I hope you won''t extinguish that light."

    Noan looked at Valen, then back at Monica, and said with disdain, "You''re in no position to negotiate with meˇŞunless you have something that piques my interest."

    Upon hearing that, Monica immediately understood what Noan was implying. After all, they were all adultsˇŞjust a few words were enough to grasp the other''s intentions.

    She bit her lip, her eyes beginning to well with tears as though she were about to cry.

    "Oy! Don''t act like I''m forcing you," Noan said with a smirk. "I''m not pressuring you. But you don''t have much time to think."

    With that, Noan stood up and walked outside.

    Monica pressed her lips tightly together. Her gaze toward Valen was filled with admiration, and within it was a trace of tenderness.

    Outside, Noan saw Baron sitting against the door, drinking wine, with a plate of food beside him.

    When Baron saw Noan, his face filled with rage. He gritted his teeth and snapped, "What the hell are you staring at? You want me toˇŞoh!"

    Suddenly, a wave of dizziness washed over Baron, and his eyes began to glow with a pink light.

    Noan smiled, then walked into a dark corner where no one could see him.

    Baron remained still for a moment, then flinched as his eyes returned to normal. He muttered, "What the hell just happened?"

    ...

    Zeka saw Noan leave, but he didn''t follow immediately. Instead, he waited over fifteen minutes before using exhaustion as an excuse to leave.

    Violette followed behind Zeka.

    Valen noticed the two of them departing and seemed to be deep in thought.

    "Captain!" Suddenly, Baron rushed inside and shouted urgently, "There''s a monster attack outside!"

    "A monster?" Valen was a bit surprised.

    Having stayed in this place for so long, it was the first time he''d heard of any monsters attacking this area.

    Monica also seemed confused, but judging from Baron''s expression, they didn''t think he was lying.

    "What happened? Where is the monster?" Valen asked with a frown.

    BOOM!

    Suddenly, a loud explosion echoed from the distance.

    "That''s..." Valen looked toward the source of the blast, confused. "That''s the direction of the cave entrance."

    "This is bad! Could there really be monsters here? Master said there was no other lifeform around this place besides us..."

    "Master?" Monica looked at Valen and asked, "Valen, what are you talking about?"

    "Ah! It''s nothing," Valen was startled and quickly explained, "I meant that someone once said this place was very safe, and no monsters would ever find us here."

    "Uhm! I thought so too. So... what should we do now?" Monica asked.

    She and the others all looked at him with anxious expressions.

    In the end, he had no choice but to decide to go and check out what was happening at that location.

    "Baron, lead us there," Valen said.

    ...

    In a dark corner, Violette and Zeka were slightly startled by the sound of the explosion.

    "What was that?" Violette asked worriedly.

    Zeka frowned, feeling like something wasn''t rightˇŞbut he couldn''t pinpoint what it was.

    It was just... instinct telling him that something very strange was going on.

    "You''re here already?" a voice suddenly called out.

    Violette and Zeka flinched a little, but when they saw it was Noan, they both let out a relieved sigh.

    "It''s you? Do you know what that explosion just now was?" Zeka asked with a frown.

    "It was natural gas. I caused it to draw their attention," Noan replied calmly, smiling.

    In truth, he had the ability to teleport thanks to his Space talent, so he had simply used a spatial orb to create an explosion.

    As for why Baron had reported a monster attack, it was because Noan had hypnotized him.

    Of course, Noan could only hypnotize people like Baron. Valen and Zeka were special existences, and he didn''t dare take that kind of risk with them.

    Zeka, hearing this, grew even more wary of Noan.

    "Alright, you still have the chance to change your minds," Noan said. "Come with me, or go back to Valen and act like nothing happened."

    Hearing Noan''s words, Violette hesitated for a moment, but then her expression turned firm and she said, "I''ll go with you. I don''t want to stay here any longer."

    After all, Violette was a womanˇŞshe didn''t want to remain in a place where even drinking water was scarce.

    Back when she was in the Chaotic Zone, even though many things were lacking, Violette had been one of the members of the Management Group.

    Because of that, she always had enough drinking water and food to use.

    But here, it was different.

    Everywhere was covered in snow, and there were no resources or living creatures.

    There weren''t even monsters from which they could collect energy crystals.

    This place had nothing but snow.

    Violette didn''t want to live in such a dull place, and naturally, she no longer wanted to trust Zeka.

    Zeka saw how quickly Violette made her decision, and it pained him deeply.

    She had chosen to trust a man she had met less than a day ago over him.

    Zeka clenched his teeth. Though he was furious, he forced himself to swallow the anger.

    He knew this wasn''t the time to let personal emotions take priority.

    "I... I want to come with you too," Zeka said through gritted teeth.

    Noan glanced at Zeka, sneering inwardly. But his face remained cold and visibly displeased.

    "Zeka, if you don''t want to come, then don''t force yourself. I don''t need someone who could potentially betray us joining the team."

    Hearing this, Violette also felt that Noan made a good point. After all, this was a missionˇŞone with great significance for them.

    If they failed to complete it, they might be trapped in this place forever, just like those who came before.

    Violette nodded and said, "Noan is right. If you don''t want to act with us, then don''t join."

    "I also don''t want you causing trouble and affecting the completion of our mission."

    Zeka''s jaw dropped in disbelief at Violette''s words.

    Was this the saintess he had idolized?

    The pure, innocent, and naive girl he knew?

    No! She was still the same VioletteˇŞthis change in her must be because of that bastard Noan.

    Violette, I won''t let you be tainted by that scum or anyone else.

    Zeka gritted his teeth and said, "I... I''ll join for sure. I''ll do whatever it takes to complete the mission."

    At that moment, Noan spoke up, "And how can I believe you?"

    "That... I..." Zeka stammered, unable to find an answer. He felt incredibly frustrated.

    "Good! I have a wayˇŞsomething that will both prove you have no intention to betray us and ensure the safety of me and Violette," Noan said with a smile. "It''s called an Equal Contract."

 Chapter 241: Lucky Zeka??

    "An equal contract?" Zeka and Violette both looked confused when they heard the term.

    "Yes," Noan said with a smile. "Unlike a slave contract, an equal contract is a higher-level agreement used to bind a cooperative relationship between two parties."

    "Of course, this contract is only valid for the period agreed upon by both sides."

    Zeka and Violette exchanged glances. Then Zeka looked at Noan and asked, "How can I trust you? What if you trick me into signing a slave contract instead?"

    Noan chuckled. "You can read the contents of the contract before agreeing. Naturally, you don''t really have a choice."

    "Either sign the equal contract,"

    "Or this group will consist of just me and Violette."

    Violette heard this but felt nothing inside.

    After all, Zeka was someone completely insignificant and meaningless to her.

    Even without him tagging along, everything would still be fine. Zeka was just a mediocre Lord.

    Though he held the title of a Rank D Lord, his only troops were Pixies, whose combat power was pitifully lowˇŞonly able to provide minor beneficial effects to allies.

    However, even those beneficial effects were limited in number and short in duration.

    That made Zeka one of the most useless Lords among the Rank D class.

    He might even be weaker than some Rank E or F Lords.

    Therefore, with or without Zeka, it made no difference to her.

    Zeka glanced at Violette''s indifferent face and felt an even deeper ache in his chest.

    ''Is she treating me this way just because I''m useless?'' Zeka wondered silently.

    ''No, surely she doesn''t look down on me. She must just want to complete the mission quickly and leave this placeˇŞso she''s listening to that bastard''s orders.''

    ''Yes, that''s it. Violette isn''t the type of foolish woman like that. She is my GoddessˇŞthe most pure and sacred woman I''ve ever known.''

    Seeing Zeka fall into hesitation, Noan''s heart filled with contempt.

    At that moment, it seemed he had found a way to deal with these so-called "Fate Holders."

    There was no need to confront them directlyˇŞjust target the women beside them.

    These "Fate Holders" were just like main characters in a novel.

    Even if they possessed unbelievable luck, their hearts and minds were completely absorbed by the women around them.

    If he could seize this weakness, Noan would be able to control the actions of the ''Fate Holders.''

    Take Zeka, for exampleˇŞfrom the moment they met, Noan had only seen his eyes fixated on Violette, completely oblivious to everything else around him.

    If Zeka did happen to notice someone else, it was either a beautiful woman or someone trying to approach Violette.

    However, now that Violette had chosen to follow Noan, he was confident that Zeka would definitely agree to the equal contract he had just proposed.

    "Fine!" Zeka gritted his teeth. "I... I accept, but I want to read the contract first."

    "Of course," Noan replied, extending his hand as if drawing something in the air.

    A magic circle appeared, and from within that circle, a parchment scroll emerged and floated in front of Zeka.

    Naturally, Noan couldn''t use that kind of magicˇŞthe one casting it was actually Vylyss, hiding in the shadows.

    Zeka and Violette were both startled to see Noan using magic.

    But it was only a slight surprise. After all, once a Lord reached Level 4, they could choose a Class, and naturally, the Mage class was among the combat-related options.

    Zeka''s heart burned with jealousy so intense he wanted to tear Noan into a hundred pieces.

    He was only a Level 2 Lord, while Noan was already Level 4. Even worse, Violette looked at Noan with admiration and trustˇŞthat was what truly stung.

    Zeka tried to stay calm, read through the entire scroll, and finding nothing unusual, shot Noan a glance.

    Then he pressed his hand onto the scroll.

    The scroll glowed with a mysterious pink light and vanished. Zeka could feel a strange link forming inside his body, binding him and preventing him from breaking the contract.

    "Great! Let''s go," Noan said with a smile as he took out the ice orb. "This ice orb is a type of teleportation magic. It can transport us to a strange room."

    "Next, if anyone finds any clues, we must share them so we can complete the mission together, alright?"

    "Of course," Violette replied with a nod.

    Zeka nodded too, but stayed silent, deeply irritated by how Noan was acting like the team leader.

    ''Damn it! If I find any clues, I''m not sharing them with you,'' he thought to himself.

    Of course, he wouldn''t share with NoanˇŞbut he could still share them with Violette.

    After all, his ultimate goal was still the Goddess of his heart, Violette.

    "Alright, are you both ready?" Noan asked with a smile.

    Violette and Zeka nodded, then, Noan crushed the ice ball.

    At the same time, he had Vylyss cast a teleportation spell, helping him and the others transport to the place he had prepared in advance.

    After all, Noan''s energy was limitedˇŞhe couldn''t bring along both of them and teleport such a long distance by himself.

    Zeka and Violette saw the ice orb being crushed, then witnessed the space around them immediately shift, which made them believe Noan''s words even more.

    They would never believe that Noan himself could possess spatial magic, as that type of magic was extremely high-rankedˇŞat least Rank S.

    Moreover, the energy required to use spatial magic was immense.

    Even though they didn''t possess that kind of spatial talent, they had studied it back at the Lord Academy.

    So they were convinced that the ice orb truly was a teleportation spell.

    Within seconds, they appeared inside an old, dusty room.

    At that moment, both Zeka and Violette received a notification from the System.

    [Ding! Congratulations, you have completed the first mission: Arrive at the ''Black Snow'' Fortress. Next mission: Search for the ''Ice Core'' within 24 hours.]

    Now, Zeka and Violette completely believed everything Noan had said.

    Noan didn''t say anything more. He simply clapped his hands and said, "You''ve probably seen the system notification, right? Now, what we need to find is the ''Ice Core.''"

    "The ice orb from earlier brought us to this room, which means the clue to the ''Ice Core'' is definitely somewhere here."

    "Let''s split up and search. If anyone finds anything, speak up and share it with the rest of us."

    Hearing Noan''s words, both Zeka and Violette nodded. Noan said no more, immediately opened the door, walked into the hallway, and then entered another room, pretending to search.

    Zeka and Violette looked at each other, then also began searching around.

    Cough! Cough! Cough!

    Violette kept coughing because of the dust, and when Zeka saw this, his heart ached. He immediately spoke up:

    "Violette, go outside. I''ll handle the searching. There''s so much dust in hereˇŞit''s bad for your breathing."

    Violette put on an innocent face and said, "Ah! Good, then if you find anything, be sure to tell me."

    "Of course. You and I will always be on the same side," Zeka replied with a smile.

    His words were also a reminder to Violette that he was the only one she could truly trustˇŞthe only one always by her side.

    And Noan? Hah!

    Of course Violette understood the implication behind Zeka''s wordsˇŞbut... she honestly didn''t care.

    As long as she could complete the mission and leave this place, that was enough. Whoever helped her complete the mission didn''t really matter.

    Violette pushed the door open and left, leaving Zeka alone in the room.

    He began searching everywhere. Though the room was fairly small, it was filled with various items and even had two large bookshelves.

    Zeka looked around. Although the place seemed to have been abandoned long ago, there were no spiderwebs, no signs of roaches or rats.

    Only dust.

    Zeka searched the bookshelves, and it didn''t take long before he noticed a strange book.

    He reached out and grabbed it. It was quite a thick book, with symbols on the cover he had never seen before.

    His instincts urged him to open the bookˇŞand naturally, he trusted his instincts.

    Zeka opened the book, and after flipping a few pages, he discovered a key carefully hidden inside.

    "This is..."

 Chapter 242 242: Zekas selfishness

    Although Zeka had no idea what the key was for, his instincts told him that it was somehow related to the quest to find the ''Ice Core.''

    He stared at the key, puzzled, unsure of how to use it.

    Seeing a bit of dust on it, he brushed it off with his hand.

    Suddenly, the key bit his finger, slicing it just enough for a drop of blood to stain its surface.

    "Ack!" Zeka yelped, seeing a cut on his index finger and cursing under his breath.

    But right then, the key immediately absorbed the drop of blood, emitting a faint glow.

    That glow transformed into a beam of light, piercing through the bookshelf and pointing into the distance.

    Startled, Zeka waved the key around in his hand. No matter how he turned it, the beam of light still pointed in a single direction.

    "Could it be... that''s where the ''Ice Core'' is?" Zeka muttered.

    Then, he suddenly grinned greedily: "Hahaha... Noan, you just stay here forever. Violette and I will go on ahead."

    Zeka quickly shoved the key into his pocket. However, the light beam continued to shine through the fabric, revealing its direction.

    He clenched his teeth and muttered, "What the hell is this? How do I turn off this damn light?"

    Zeka was genuinely frustrated. If he couldn''t turn off the light, how was he supposed to hide the key?

    But as if fate were on his side, the moment the key fully absorbed the blood, the light vanished.

    Zeka smiled and muttered, "So that''s how it works. The key needs blood to activate. The more blood it has, the longer it works."

    "Hahahaha... looks like I''ve found the item that''ll help me complete this Challenge quest."

    He quickly pocketed the key again, then walked out of the room.

    "Ah! Did you find anything useful?" At that moment, Noan also stepped out of another room.

    He looked at Zeka and frowned as he asked.

    Zeka was surprised by Noan''s question but quickly regained his composure and replied, "No... I was just thinking of searching somewhere else. What about you?"

    Noan glanced at Zeka, sighed, and said, "Didn''t find anything suspicious. Maybe what we''re looking for is still nearby. Let''s check the floor above."

    "Ah! You go upstairs, I''ll search around the house first," Zeka said.

    Noan nodded and headed up the stairs without a hint of suspicion.

    Zeka let out a relieved sigh, then immediately rushed toward the front door.

    It led to the living room, where Violette was sitting by the window, curled up and shivering from the cold.

    "Violette," Zeka called out joyfully the moment he saw her.

    Violette turned to him and asked, "Zeka? Where''s Noan?"

    "Don''t ask," Zeka said quickly. "I''ve found a clue to complete the mission. Let''s go, now."

    "Wait! Aren''t you going to tell Noan about this?" Violette frowned.

    "Forget about him," Zeka replied with a grin. "He''s just using us anyway."

    "But... what about the equal contract?" Violette asked, still confused.

    "Hahaha..." Zeka suddenly burst out laughing. "That contract only says I can''t betray himˇŞit doesn''t say I have to share any clues I find."

    "That means what I''m doing doesn''t violate the equal contract at all."

    Violette still seemed worried about something, a hint of hesitation in her eyes.

    Seeing that expression, Zeka grew angry. He clenched his teeth and said, "Violette, Noan isn''t trustworthy. He''s just using us as tools."

    "Let''s goˇŞbefore he realizes anything, we can finish the mission ourselves."

    "But..." Violette faltered, as if she wanted to say something more.

    Zeka quickly added, "Violette, a reward split three ways is definitely less than a reward split between two."

    Hearing that, Violette instantly made up her mind.

    She wasn''t some holy saintˇŞshe was just a greedy person.

    And so, the moment she heard Zeka mention the reward, her decision was clear.

    As stated from the beginning, Violette didn''t care who helped herˇŞas long as she could complete the mission, that was enough.

    She hesitated for a moment, then chose to follow Zeka. But she still seemed worried about something and quickly said, "But... it''s all snow out there. We don''t even know where to goˇŞdo you..."

    "Don''t worry. I know exactly where we need to go," Zeka said confidently. "It''s nearbyˇŞnot too far. If we can endure a bit of cold, we''ll finish this mission."

    For some reason, Violette believed him. Whether it was fate or simply the overwhelming aura of a ''Fate Holder,'' even her thoughts seemed to shift.

    She nodded, then followed Zeka out of the house.

    Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

    As soon as they stepped outside, icy winds whipped against them, making their bodies tremble.

    The terrifying cold made them start to shiver violently.

    Fortunately, the survivors in the cave had given them some warm clothing before they came hereˇŞotherwise, they would''ve frozen to death in temperatures as low as minus 40 degrees Celsius.

    Even with warm clothing, they still shivered under the terrifying cold.

    Violette began to worry and quickly asked, "Zeka, are... are you sure this decision is right? I think we should..."

    "No!" Zeka shouted, cutting her off. "Violette, you have to trust me. I''m certain this is the right decision."

    "Let''s go. We just need to endure a little more."

    Zeka seemed to have lost his usual composureˇŞhe looked like a madman, recklessly dragging Violette along the snowy path.

    From the balcony above, Noan watched this scene and could only scoff in contempt.

    "Master, why don''t you let me use a charm spell on Zeka and Valen?" Vylyss appeared behind Noan at that moment.

    She wrapped her arms around him from behind, her voice sweet and sultry.

    "Zeka is a very special case. You wouldn''t be able to charm him," Noan replied with a smile.

    Yes, if Zeka were easily charmed, everything would have been much simpler.

    Back in the city, Jankos wasn''t too affected by beings with overwhelming power due to the city''s magical dome.

    But here in this mysterious world, using a charm spell on Zeka might trigger a butterfly effectˇŞone that could summon a terrifying existence. That would be far too dangerous.

    That''s why Noan avoided using charm magic on Zeka.

    He continued, "Besides, Valen is also strange. It feels like there''s some terrifying entity behind him. We shouldn''t take reckless risks."

    "I understand, Master," Vylyss said as she extended her long tongue and licked the back of Noan''s neck. "Master, I want to..."

    Noan chuckled and shook his head, then wrapped his arms around Vylyss and led her back inside the house. And then...

    ...

    "You said you saw a monster here?" Valen asked with a frown.

    "Ah! Yes, that''s right," Baron quickly replied. "I saw a massive shadow appear. I didn''t even get a clear look before I was thrown backward."

    "When I went back to check again, the monster was nowhere to be found. I''m afraid it may have entered our cave, so I reported it to you immediately."

    Hearing this, Valen frowned and looked ahead.

    That was one of the passageways leading into their shelter. There were four entrances in totalˇŞthis one was the northern path.

    The earlier explosion, though not very strong, had caused the ceiling of the cave to collapse, blocking the way with rocks and dirt.

    Valen narrowed his eyes. Something felt off.

    He looked at Baron and asked, "Did you get a clear look at the monster?"

    "No!" Baron scoffed. "If I had seen it clearly, I wouldn''t be giving such a vague description."

    Valen gave a slight nod. After all, clearing a blocked path was easy for a Lord who possessed the power of a Stone Golem like him.

    But still... He turned around and noticed that everyone had gatheredˇŞexcept for the three newcomers.

    A realization struck him, and he suddenly shouted, "Something''s wrong! Where are those three?!"

 Chapter 243 243: Iâ€™m sorry, Noan

    "Hurry up! Find them!" Valen shouted.

    Monica was confused and immediately asked, "What''s going on, Captain? Maybe they''re just resting in one of the rooms."

    Valen glanced at Monica, his gaze so sharp it filled her with fear.

    It was the first time Monica had ever seen that look from ValenˇŞcold and brimming with killing intent.

    She didn''t understand why, but her heart suddenly ached, as if a needle had just pierced through it.

    Though that look only lasted for less than a second, Monica had seen itˇŞand it etched itself deeply into her heart.

    She couldn''t understand why Valen had looked at her like that. Did she say something wrong?

    Valen gritted his teeth and said, "I... I''m afraid they''re in danger. Hurry, go find them."

    With that, he immediately turned and led everyone back toward the main house.

    Monica stood behind, slow to move, her eyes filled with confusion and worry as she watched Valen''s retreating back.

    Baron glanced at Monica with a scornful smile, then quickly followed behind Valen.

    ...

    "Noan?!" Valen returned to the main house, and before he could even step inside, he saw Noan limping toward him, leaning against the wall.

    Noan held the wall with one hand, clutching his stomach with the otherˇŞblood was pouring out from where his hand pressed.

    Valen rushed over and asked with a frown, "What happened?"

    Noan panted heavily and said, "Zeka and Violette, they... they..."

    Valen seemed to understand what Noan was about to say. He immediately turned to the others and ordered, "Split up and search for those two. I''ll take care of Noan."

    Without waiting for a response, he helped Noan into the house.

    Everyone else, though confused, couldn''t disobey the captain''s order.

    But Monica was different. She opened her mouth, her face clearly filled with fear and disbelief.

    "Noan is seriously injured?" Monica muttered, her eyes wide with shock.

    The others didn''t know Noan, but Monica knew him very well. He was powerfulˇŞnot just ordinarily strong, but terrifyingly so.

    If someone told her Noan could kill everyone here, she would believe it without hesitation.

    If someone said that everyone here had been killed by a monster, she would believe Noan to be the sole survivor without question.

    But now? Noan was seriously injuredˇŞhis abdomen soaked in blood. Did that even make sense?

    Who could possibly have inflicted such a wound on him?

    Noan didn''t just possess some bizarre weapon; he also had a terrifying and strange Space talent.

    If he couldn''t fight, he could easily escapeˇŞhow could he end up this badly hurt?

    Was he faking it?

    But... for what purpose? And would he really go so far as to injure himself that severely just to pretend?

    Monica felt a terrible headache coming on. Ever since Noan appeared, everything seemed to spiral into chaos.

    And Valen''s killing gaze had stabbed straight into her heart.

    Monica clenched her teeth, deciding to secretly follow Valen and Noan.

    She went into a small room deep within the main house, then pressed her ear to the wall, focusing on the sounds from inside.

    In the room, Noan sat on a bed made of cold stone and woodˇŞbut he didn''t mind it.

    He glanced toward the door, as if he could sense Monica eavesdropping, and secretly smiled to himself.

    "You''re saying Zeka and Violette attacked you?" Valen suddenly asked, his face serious.

    Noan, panting heavily, nodded. "Yes. I saw them talking about something related to the mission, so I decided to listen in."

    "Zeka said he had a strange keyˇŞbut it was something that could help them find the ''Ice Core'' to complete the mission."

    "I wanted to finish the mission quickly too, so..."

    Noan glanced at Valen, then continued, "I told them I wanted to join them."

    "They refused to let me in, so I threatened to tell you everything. And that''s when Zeka..."

    Valen clenched his teeth, his face flushing red with anger. Killing intent poured from his eyes, overwhelming and terrifying.

    "Where did they go?" His voice turned icy cold.

    "I don''t know. After they activated the key, they only said they would head toward the ''Black Snow'' fortress."

    Hearing that, Valen''s face immediately tensed.

    Noan continued, "Please... help me a bit. I... I''ve lost too much blood, I..."

    "Huh!" Valen stood up, a wicked and chilling smile spreading across his face. "You''ve outlived your usefulness. Now you can die."

    "What?!" Noan cried out in fear, quickly saying, "That can''t be! You saved everyone hereˇŞwhy won''t you save me?"

    "Save?" Valen suddenly burst into laughter. "Those fools are nothing more than pawns. When the time comes, they''ll be sacrifices for my Master."

    "Your Master? What... what the hell are you talking about?" Noan asked in terror, reaching out with his blood-covered hand toward Valen. "Please... save me... I..."

    "Shut up!" Valen roared. "You should feel lucky I let you live this long."

    "Fine, I''ll at least send you off on your final journey."

    As he finished speaking, Valen raised his hand. The ground trembled violently, then rose into the air, forming a spinning drill of stone that hovered above his palm.

    "Goodbye..." Valen said with an icy smile, thenˇŞ

    Whoosh!

    "Ack! You... you..." Noan coughed up a mouthful of blood as the stone drill pierced straight through his heart.

    Valen didn''t spare him another glance. He waved his hand, and the wall beside him suddenly slid open, revealing a hidden passage.

    After he stepped into it, the wall closed behind him, returning to its original stateˇŞas if nothing had ever happened.

    Outside, Monica clasped both hands over her mouth, not daring to breathe.

    After confirming that Valen had left, she pushed the door open with trembling hands.

    "AH!!!"

    She froze at the sight of Noan leaning against the wall, a massive stone drill embedded through his chest. Her face turned pale, like someone suffering from blood loss.

    With a trembling hand, she reached out toward Noan, and tears suddenly streamed down her face.

    Was she crying for Noan? No. She simply couldn''t believe that Valen... was truly like that.

    Sacrificing everyone to his so-called Master...

    Who was his Master?

    Why would he do something like this?

    Monica''s hand froze mid-air before it could touch Noan, then slowly pulled back.

    She clenched her teeth, looked at him, let out a long sigh, and said, "I''m sorry. I don''t even know why I want to say that, but... I just do."

    "Maybe you''ll think I''m a foolish girlˇŞfor being with him for two years and still not realizing what kind of person he really was."

    "I''m sorry, Noan. But..."

    Monica''s fists tightened until her knuckles turned white, her teary eyes filled with determination. "I swear I''ll put an end to this."

    She no longer trembled. Instead, her hand grasped the dagger at her waist tightly. Then she turned and left the room.

    Before leaving, she looked back at Noan''s body one more time, her gaze filled with sorrow.

    Perhaps... if he were still alive, he would one day become something terrifying.

    But that''s just how this world worked.

    No matter how much of a genius you are, no matter how monstrous your talent, if you don''t growˇŞ

    Then you''re nothing but a handful of sand in the desert.

    Monica sighed and quietly closed the door behind her before walking away.

    A moment later, Noan suddenly let out a long sigh. He reached up, grabbed the stone drill, and pulled it from his chest.

    Fresh blood flowed, but quickly dried. The gaping wound in his chest slowly closed as though nothing had ever happened.

    "Master, why didn''t you kill him? You had the power to do it," Vylyss emerged from the shadows, her tone puzzled as she looked at Noan.

    Noan smiled and replied, "No. We need to wait a little longerˇŞfor the one Valen calls ''Master'' to appear."

    "Ah!" Vylyss pouted. "So troublesome. We could just kill everyone and be done with it. Why write such a long, drawn-out script?"

    "Hahaha..." Noan laughed. "I have a feeling this mission isn''t ordinary. Perhaps... there''s an even deeper secret behind it."

    "We don''t have to do much. For now, let''s just watch and see how this play unfolds."

 Chapter 244 244: Watch out!

    Inside the Black Snow Fortress, Zeka and Violette somehow managed to reach the tallest castle in the areaˇŞthough they had no idea how.

    Zeka was now so cold he was on tahe verge of freezing solid. At first, he believed he could endure the terrifying cold.

    However, because he had to use his own blood to activate the key, he had lost quite a bit of it.

    Losing blood while also enduring this extreme chillˇŞif he weren''t a ''Fate Holder'' with multiple buffs on his body, he would''ve died long ago.

    Why didn''t he use Violette''s blood instead?

    Of course, it was because she was the goddess in his heart. How could he bear to make her bleed?

    When they reached the castle gates and saw that the two knights guarding the entrance had frozen to death, both Violette and Zeka felt a wave of fear.

    But in order to complete the mission and escape this cursed placeˇŞand because the goddess of his heart was hereˇŞhe couldn''t let himself show fear.

    "Don''t worry, Violette," Zeka said with a smile. "We''re the chosen ones. We won''t end up trapped here like them."

    Violette looked at Zeka''s pale face, sighed, and then nodded. "Alright. Let''s finish this mission quickly and get out of here."

    Zeka smiled and nodded.

    He held the key and approached the castle gate. The beam of light from the key shone directly into it, so Zeka was sure that the ''Ice Core'' mentioned by the System must be hidden inside.

    However...

    "What the hell?" Zeka muttered. "There''s... there''s no keyhole. How are we supposed to open this?"

    Indeed, the gate of the castle looked like it was made from a massive wooden slab, covered by a thick layer of ice, turning it into an unbreakable wall of frozen stone.

    Zeka began to panic. He quickly searched the area for any other clues.

    Violette wasn''t doing well either. She trembled, unable to bear the overwhelming cold.

    She began to hesitate, but then made up her mind and raised her magic staff.

    A warm light enveloped both her and Zeka, making them feel a wave of warmth.

    [Ding! You have received the buff ''Warm Aura.'' Every minute, you will recover 1% stamina and maintain a warm body temperature for thirty minutes.]

    [Ding! Buff ''Warm Aura'' has become permanent.]

    Zeka was stunned as he saw the two notifications pop up before his eyes. His gaze turned to Violette, filled with excitement and delight.

    ''So that''s it... she really does like me,'' he thought to himself.

    ''If she didn''t, why would she use her energy to keep me warm?''

    ''Violette, don''t worry. You will be mine. You will always be the one I love most.''

    If Violette could hear what was going on inside Zeka''s head, she''d probably vomit straight into the next year.

    She had cast the spell simply because she could no longer bear the horrifying cold.

    Even though energy couldn''t regenerate in this place, dying from the cold wasn''t an optionˇŞso she chose to use magic to survive.

    As for casting the buff on Zeka? It was because he seemed oddly lucky and might hold the key to completing the mission.

    Everything she did was for herself. There was no kindness toward Zeka in her actions.

    Of course, Zeka didn''t think that far. He was completely absorbed in his own delusions.

    With his stamina steadily recovering and warmth spreading through his body, Zeka felt invigorated.

    He began searching the area more actively for a way to open the gate.

    Suddenly, he noticed a magical sigil on the back of each of the two frozen knights.

    He glanced at the key in his handˇŞhis instincts told him he needed to use it to activate the magic embedded in the knights.

    But... for what purpose?

    He had no idea. It was simply what his gut was telling him.

    And naturally, he trusted his instincts.

    Zeka stepped forward and pressed the key against the magical sigil on the back of the first frozen knight.

    Ting!

    As soon as the key touched the symbol, a clear chime echoed, like the sound of a bell.

    The magical sigil began to emit a warm light, melting the ice that enveloped the knight.

    However, only half of the ice meltedˇŞhis body remained partially frozen.

    Zeka turned to the second knight and repeated the action.

    Ting!

    The chime rang again. This time, the ice around both knights completely melted away.

    Their bodies were rottingˇŞparts of their flesh had decayed, exposing bone, and half of one knight''s face was entirely decomposed.

    And yet... they began to move.

    "AHH!!!" Violette screamed in terror the moment she saw them.

    She quickly backed away, her face pale as she watched the two knight-like figuresˇŞnow resembling zombiesˇŞbegin to move.

    Zeka hurried over to her side, smiling as he said, "Don''t worry. This might be the method to open the gate of the castle."

    As he spoke, he reached out his hand, seemingly trying to pull her into his arms.

    Though frightened, Violette wasn''t a fool. She immediately sidestepped, avoiding his hand.

    Zeka''s hand missed, and he gave an awkward smile.

    But inside, he wasn''t angry at allˇŞon the contrary, he felt pleased.

    ''Ah! I almost forgotˇŞmy goddess wouldn''t let just anyone touch her so easily.''

    ''This is even better. That means only I will be allowed to touch her in the future.''

    The two knight-like zombies slowly approached the gate and reached out their hands, placing them against the ice-covered surface.

    The moment they touched the ice, their bodies suddenly burst into flames.

    As they turned into blazing torches, Zeka and Violette both stepped back in alarm.

    The fire from their bodies slithered like snakes, crawling up the castle gate. The flames twisted and danced, eventually forming a blazing magic circle on the surface of the door.

    Crack! Crack! Crack!

    The icy wall began to fractureˇŞthen...

    BANG!

    It shattered into countless shards, revealing a massive wooden door behind it.

    Crit! Crit! Crit!

    Though the knights had become living torches, they still pushed against the door, forcing it open little by little.

    Hiding in the shadows, Noan watched the scene unfold with a satisfied smile.

    "So they really are ''Fate Holders,''" he murmured, amused. "If it were me, I probably wouldn''t have figured out how to open that gate."

    "But Zeka... he only had to poke around a bit and managed to use the keyˇŞand even discovered the way to open the castle gate."

    Noan felt a twinge of jealousy in his heart. ''Fate Holders'' truly were favored by destiny. Whatever they did, luck followed.

    "But then again, if you''re that lucky," he smirked, "you''ll make the perfect radar to help me find even more treasure."

    Noan grinned wickedly, like a true villain straight out of a story.

    At that moment, Zeka suddenly shuddered, as if someone were watching him with a sinister gaze.

    But when he looked around, all he saw was snowˇŞonly Violette stood nearby.

    "Strange..." Zeka muttered with a frown. "What the hell is going on? Why do I feel like someone''s targeting me?"

    "How long are you planning to stand there?" Violette asked impatiently.

    Zeka quickly forced a smile and replied, "Hahaha... sorry, I was just lost in thought. Let''s goˇŞyou walk behind me. I''ll protect you from any danger."

    "Ah! Fine," Violette said without protest. After all, having a human shield in front was much safer.

    Noan also slipped into the castle, of course remaining hidden in the shadows with Vylyss. No one noticed them at all.

    Zeka and Violette walked down a massive corridor.

    The hallway was strangeˇŞflanked by two walls over ten meters tall, with the ceiling above completely covered by frozen-over vines.

    After walking for some time, they came upon another massive door.

    Unlike the one before, this one seemed to be made of metal, with a small keyhole at its center.

    Zeka immediately recognized what he had to do. Holding the key tightly, he slowly approached the door.

    Just as he inserted the key into the lock, a sudden, overwhelming sense of dread washed over him.

    "Watch out!"

 Chapter 245 245: Who are you?

    Zeka had just turned his head when he shouted, seeing stones hurtling toward him at terrifying speed.

    He quickly shoved Violette aside, taking the brunt of the attack in her place.

    However, it was as if Lady Luck had smiled upon himˇŞthe stones only grazed him, leaving shallow cuts on his skin before flying past and slamming into the metal gate behind them.

    Bang! Bang! Bang!

    The sound of impact echoed repeatedly, but the gate remained unmoved, not a single scratch on its surface.

    Zeka let out a sigh of relief, but his eyes immediately locked onto a figure standing in the corridor about ten meters away.

    "It''s you..." Zeka remembered what Noan had said.

    Even though he didn''t like Noan, he had to admit that Noan had been right about one thingˇŞ

    Valen was strange.

    Now, Valen stood in the distance, gazing at them, his eyes filled with malice and killing intent that sent chills down Zeka''s spine.

    But when Zeka glanced at Violette, his fear vanished, replaced by courage.

    ''My goddess... today, you''ll witness how brave I truly am.''

    Zeka stood up, his face resolute, as though not even death could make him falter.

    Valen frowned at Zeka''s expression, his cold voice echoing through the hall: "Ah... so you''re the rat who stole my key."

    "I don''t know how you managed to get it, but I''ll give you a chance. Return it to me. Swear loyalty to me. Become my subordinate, and I''ll let you and that girl live."

    Zeka sensed something was wrong, but there was no time to think deeply in such a critical moment.

    He frowned and replied, "And if I refuse?"

    "Hahahaha..." Valen laughed loudly, then waved his hand.

    A stone drill appeared, hovering midair, aimed directly at Zeka.

    "Then you die, of course."

    Hearing that, Zeka began to panic. After all, both he and Violette were just ordinary Lords.

    Violette was a support-type Lord, incapable of fighting, and though he himself possessed an SS+ rank talent, he lacked sufficient buffs.

    As a result, his combat ability was practically zero.

    The same couldn''t be said for Valen.

    Valen wasn''t just strongˇŞhe had control over the Earth element.

    He could attack, defend, and was practically the perfect battle-type Lord.

    Facing Valen was like two ants standing before a towering beast. That was the stark contrast between Zeka and Violette versus the monster before them.

    And yet, Zeka had no intention of handing over the key to Valen.

    That key was their only chanceˇŞperhaps their only way to complete the mission and escape this cursed place.

    If he gave it up, they''d end up like the others: trapped here forever.

    Clenching his teeth, Zeka jammed the key into the lock.

    Crack!

    The sound of gears turning echoed loudly.

    Valen''s eyes flared, as if they were about to split open. "No! You bastard!"

    He shouted, then hurled the stone drill straight at Zeka.

    Zeka panicked and tried to dodge, but the drill was far too fast.

    Even with his buffs, he was only slightly stronger than a normal person.

    But the brilliance of a ''Fate Holder'' seemed capable of bending reality itself.

    In that moment of deadly danger, Zeka suddenly followed his instinctsˇŞhe remained completely still.

    Whoosh!

    The drill sliced past his face, flying straight toward the gate behind him.

    BANG!

    The drill shattered into countless fragments as it collided with the door.

    Valen''s eyes widened in shockˇŞhe hadn''t expected Zeka to stand still.

    If Zeka had moved even a single centimeter, that drill would''ve gone straight through his skull.

    Valen had miscalculated. Zeka didn''t move.

    He might think it was luckˇŞbut in truth, it was the power of a ''Fate Holder.''

    In moments of crisis, the radiance of a ''Fate Holder'' could twist both fate and reality.

    Noan, watching from the shadows, wasn''t surprised.

    If a ''Fate Holder'' could be killed so easily, he wouldn''t have needed such convoluted plans.

    He would''ve simply killed Zeka outright.

    But ''Fate Holders'' were mysterious beings. That''s why Noan had to resort to such elaborate methods.

    Besides, he wanted to seeˇŞ

    If he slowly chipped away at Zeka''s destiny and brilliance...

    Would he eventually be able to kill him easily?

    This was an experiment.

    And Zeka...

    Zeka was nothing more than Noan''s lab rat.

    Taking a deep breath, Zeka smiled with confidence and declared, "You can''t kill me, because I am the one chosen by fate."

    "Valen, do you really think you can stop me? Hahahaha... how meaningless. Fate has led me hereˇŞthere''s no way I''ll die in a place like this."

    "You..." Valen gritted his teeth. Though he didn''t care much for Zeka''s words, what had just happened was far too strangeˇŞand it made him uneasy.

    ''No... he''s bluffing,'' Valen told himself. ''He''s just trying to shake my resolve.''

    He raised his hand, summoning countless stones that began to spin like miniature drills, floating in the air.

    "You say you''re chosen by fate?" Valen sneered. "Fine! Then let''s see how long the one chosen by fate can survive."

    Zeka''s heart trembled at the sight of all those stone drills aimed directly at him.

    He had only said that to intimidate Valen, but he hadn''t expected it to provoke him into launching an even more frenzied attack.

    Zeka glanced at Violette, then clenched his teethˇŞhe didn''t want the goddess in his heart to see him cowering in fear.

    And so, he shouted with forced resolve, "Huh! No matter how many times you try, you''ll never be able to kill me!"

    "Foolishness!" Valen roared, flinging his hand forward.

    The spinning drills shot toward Zeka like a deadly swarm.

    Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

    The sharp wind howled as they flew.

    Zeka couldn''t find any cover, so he could only raise his arms and shield his head.

    Clang! Clang! Clang!

    Suddenly, the sound of metal striking echoed in the air.

    The excruciating pain Zeka had braced for... never came.

    He slowly opened his eyes and looked ahead.

    In front of him stood a perfectly beautiful figureˇŞ

    Long, golden hair cascading to her shoulders, and a pair of long, elegant earsˇŞunmistakably of the Elf race.

    Debris and stone fragments flew in every direction around her.

    "That''s... Monica?" Zeka recognized her immediatelyˇŞshe was too beautiful not to be noticed. He had even asked around about her before.

    ''Why did she save me?'' Zeka wondered. ''Could it be... she likes me?''

    ''It must be that. Why else would she travel all this way just to rescue me?''

    Zeka grew even more excited, believing he had just added another girl to his harem.

    ''Alright, Violette is still the most important, of course. But even though this girl came later, I''ll cherish her just as much.''

    If Violette and Monica knew what he was thinking, they''d probably be vomiting nonstop until next year.

    But Monica paid no attention to Zeka''s delusions.

    In her hand, she held a dagger made from the bone of some kind of monster.

    Her eyes, filled with steely determination, were locked on Valen.

    And within that gaze... there was something elseˇŞsomething like hope, a desperate wish that what she suspected wasn''t true.

    "Monica?" Valen seemed surprised to see her too, but quickly smiled and said, "Hahaha... You''ve come at just the right time. Monica, restrain him! He''s betrayed usˇŞhe wants us all dead."

    Monica remained silent, her eyes still fixed on Valen.

    A flicker of unease passed through Valen.

    He wasn''t worried about fighting MonicaˇŞ

    What unsettled him were the words Zeka had spoken earlier.

    ''Could that bastard really be chosen by fate? NoˇŞimpossible! I''m the chosen one. I''m the one entrusted with the sacred task by my Master!''

    Valen cursed inwardly and snapped, "Monica, do you no longer follow the orders of your Captain?"

    Monica sighed and finally spoke.

    "Captain Valen... just who are you, really?"

 Chapter 246: The mystery of Snow World

    "You... What the hell are you talking about?" Valen asked in confusion.

    "I heard everything you said to Noan," Monica replied, her voice full of despair and disbelief.

    "I really don''t understand who you are anymore. Are you still the Valen I''ve known these past two years? And... who is your Master?"

    Valen was startled by her words, but quickly regained his composure.

    His expression lost all emotion, replaced by a calm so eerie it sent chills down her spine.

    "Monica, I know you like me, right?" Valen suddenly asked, his question completely unrelated to what Monica had just said.

    "Huh?! What... what are you talking about?" Monica stammered, caught off guard. Though her eyes still held firm resolve, a hint of embarrassment had surfaced within them.

    Zeka was also stunned when he heard that. Inwardly, he cursed:

    ''What the hell? She likes him? But... then why did she save me?''

    ''No, he must be mistaken. The one she likes is obviously me, not him.''

    Valen sighed and continued, "Monica, if I told you that everything I''ve done has been to protect all of you... would you believe me?"

    Monica faltered, her mind beginning to waver. "I... You... You''re lying."

    Valen sighed again and said, "Monica, haven''t you realized that the mission the system gave us... is impossible to complete?"

    "You''re lying," Zeka cut in. "If the system issues a mission, why wouldn''t it be possible to complete?"

    "You''re just jealous because I found the way to finish it. That''s why you''re saying all this, isn''t it?"

    Valen glanced coldly at Zeka. The murderous intent in his eyes was so intense that Zeka instinctively stepped back in fear.

    Monica frowned. She found Zeka''s words surprisingly reasonable. She spoke up too:

    "Valen, we could work together to finish the mission. Even if we fail, at least we''d still have a chance to leave this place."

    Valen sighed again.

    Suddenly, large stones appeared, hovering in the air around him.

    "Monica," he said, "I''m giving you one last chance. Retrieve the key and capture him.

    If you do, I''ll accept your love."

    "Moreover, I''ll grant you eternal life. You and I can worship my Master... together."

    At that moment, Monica knewˇŞ

    Valen had passed the point of no return.

    She reached behind her back and drew her bow, pulling the string taut.

    Wind began to gather, forming a shimmering blue arrow at the tip.

    "Valen," she said firmly, "I''ll give you one last chance too. Join me in completing the mission and leaving this place.

    Or else... even if it costs me my life, I''ll stop you. I won''t let you hurt anyone else."

    "Hahahaha..." Valen suddenly burst out laughing. "Monica, you overestimate yourself far too much."

    "I am a Level 5 Lord with the power of Earth Elementals. And you? You think you can defeat me?"

    Monica didn''t respond with wordsˇŞbut her eyes gave the answer.

    They were unwavering, filled with resolve and no trace of regret.

    She simply said in a soft voice to Zeka, "Go. Leave this place. I''ll hold him here."

    Zeka clenched his teeth. He wanted to argue that they could all leave together.

    But he knewˇŞsomeone had to stay behind to stop Valen.

    If not, no one would make it out of this cursed world.

    He understood Monica might die, that he''d lose a woman from his future harem.

    But his own life was more important.

    He looked at Monica, gave a nod, and said, "Thank you."

    Then, without hesitation, he grabbed the key and turned it.

    "No! Stop!!!" Valen roared.

    But Zeka didn''t stop. He gripped the key tightly and forced it through the full rotation.

    Crack! Crack! Crack!

    Kang!

    The sound of grinding gears echoedˇŞthen a loud metallic thud followed.

    The door slowly opened inward. Darkness stretched beyond it, deep and endless.

    Without hesitation, Zeka pulled Violette with him and stepped into the shadowy space.

    The moment they crossed the threshold, the door slammed shut, and the key vanished from the lock.

    Monica let out a breath of relief.

    Valen suddenly chuckled and asked, "You''re not going with them?"

    "No need," Monica said firmly. "I''ll keep you here. Even if I die, I won''t let you..."

    Clap! Clap! Clap!

    Valen began to clap, slowly and deliberately.

    His expression turned disturbingly strange.

    He even wore a satisfied, sinister smile.

    Monica instantly sensed something was wrong...

    But what exactly was happening?

    "Hahaha... your actions are so noble, so heroicˇŞbut what a pity. What you''ve just done has put everyone in danger," Valen laughed.

    "Thank you, Monica. I never expected things to go this smoothly. Thanks to you, I''ve fulfilled the mission my Master entrusted to me."

    "You... what the hell are you talking about?" Monica asked, clearly confused. Worry spread across her face. "I... I put everyone in danger? How? That''s not possible!"

    "You''re lying. I only stayed behind to keep you here. I didn''t do anything wrong!"

    Seeing her so anxious, Valen didn''t bother explaining.

    He simply said, "Then keep watching and see what happens next."

    "Oh, and if you want... I can stay and watch it with you.

    But before that, I need to restrain you for a while."

    Valen raised his handˇŞ

    Suddenly, a Golem emerged from the ground, towering over three meters tall, made entirely of stone.

    Its eyes glowed with a faint blue light as it locked its gaze on Monica.

    Startled, Monica pulled her bowstring tightˇŞ

    Whoosh!

    The sound of slicing wind tore through the air as a wind arrow launched straight at the stone Golem.

    But the Golem didn''t even flinch. It simply stood there, letting the arrow strike it head-on.

    BANG!

    "What?!"

    The wind arrow shattered into countless gusts the moment it touched the Golem, dispersing harmlessly.

    Monica stared in disbelief.

    She knew the difference in power between her and Valen was hugeˇŞbut for her strongest skill, Wind Arrow, to not even leave a scratch?

    It filled her with a crushing sense of hopelessness.

    Still, Monica didn''t give up.

    She pulled back her bow again. Wind began to gatherˇŞmore violently this timeˇŞforming another arrow in front of her.

    "Hahahaha... I love that determined look of yours, Monica," Valen laughed.

    "If my Master hadn''t told me not to touch you, I would''ve ''devoured'' you from day one."

    "I really want to see how long you can keep struggling."

    ...

    Zeka stepped into the chamber beyond the great door, but the entire space was pitch blackˇŞhe couldn''t see a thing.

    And yet, he almost wished this moment would last forever... because he was holding the hand of the goddess in his heart.

    That''s rightˇŞhe was holding Violette''s hand. Her soft, delicate fingers felt like those of a baby, and the sensation thrilled him so much that he never wanted to let go.

    His heart thudded wildly with excitement, the sound of his heartbeat pounding like war drums in his chest.

    Violette, on the other hand, didn''t want to be holding his hand at all. But with the darkness so complete, she couldn''t move on her own.

    She had no choice but to let Zeka hold her hand.

    Still, deep inside, she imagined she was gripping the paw of a filthy muttˇŞjust to suppress the nausea that threatened to rise.

    Violette fought the revulsion, forcing herself to walk beside Zeka through the shadows.

    Zeka had no idea where this place was or where he was supposed to go.

    All he knew was that his instincts were urging him forwardˇŞ

    And he had always trusted his instincts. They had never let him down.

    Hidden in the darkness, Noan and Vylyss observed everything clearly, thanks to their unique talents.

    Their Space-based Talents not only allowed them to use spatial skills and magic, but also gave them the ability to perceive the surrounding space in any condition.

    Noan realized that the area resembled the grand hall of a cathedral, though it was completely enveloped in frozen vines.

    Ahead stood a massive statueˇŞso entangled in vines that it was impossible to tell what the statue actually depicted.

    On the ground was a giant engraved magic circle, over twenty meters in diameterˇŞ

    Just its size alone spoke volumes about the sheer scale of this place.

    "Master," Vylyss suddenly spoke, "there''s someone else here too. But..."

    Hearing this, Noan frowned. "Who?"

    "She... resembles that girl."

    Noan''s gaze sharpened. "What do you mean?"

    Vylyss answered calmly, "Master... that person looks very much like Monica."

 Chapter 247: Keep watching

    "Where?" Noan asked with a frown.

    Vylyss pointed toward the magic circle carved into the ground.

    He felt as though he had begun to uncover something hidden behind this world.

    Monica...

    The vines...

    The world of snow...

    "It seems this world also holds some kind of secret. The only question is... what kind of reward will come from uncovering it," Noan muttered.

    Crop!

    Suddenly, Zeka felt like he had just stepped on something and was immediately startled.

    "What the hell?!"

    Crack! Crack! Crack!

    Suddenly, the sound of grinding gears echoed around them.

    Crack! Crack! Crack!

    The sound grew louder and more numerous.

    The space suddenly brightened, allowing Zeka and Violette to see the entire surroundings clearly.

    "This is... huh?!" Zeka was about to say something when he noticed Violette had just pulled her hand away. A twinge of displeasure stirred within him.

    No matterˇŞhe''d have many more chances to touch her.

    Today it was just hand-holding, but in the future, it might be hugging, kissing, or even...

    While Zeka was fantasizing about the future, the magical circle carved into the floor suddenly began to emit a strange light.

    Violette panicked, trying to step out of the magic circle.

    However, their feet were now stuck firmly to the groundˇŞthey couldn''t move.

    "What the hell?!" Zeka shouted, reaching his hand toward Violette, trying to hold hers.

    Though frightened, she was still lucid enough to avoid his grasp.

    Zeka: "..."

    He was about to say something when a system notification suddenly appeared in front of them.

    [Ding! Zeka and Violette are confirmed as the first to enter the Ice Core Destruction Zone.]

    [Ding! Please choose who will destroy the Ice Core.]

    Both Zeka and Violette were shocked to see the system notification.

    Could it be... only one person was allowed to destroy the Ice Core?

    Which also meant... only one person could complete the mission?

    Zeka shouted at that moment, "No! I won''t leave Violette behind. She is... she''s my goddess."

    "System, she and I will complete the mission together and leave this place."

    \\[Ding! After destroying the Ice Core and successfully completing the next mission, everyone can be returned to the real world.]

    Hearing that, Zeka breathed a sigh of relief. He glanced at Violette and said, "Violette, destroying the Ice Core might be very dangerous."

    "Don''t worry. I will face this danger for you. As long as you''re safe, I''ll be happy."

    After saying those words, Zeka felt deeply moved himself. He thought Violette must be touched hearing his declaration.

    He didn''t say anything more, nor did he turn back to see Violette''s confused face with a hint of... nausea.

    She wanted to say that she was the one who should destroy the Ice Core.

    But thinking it over, whether the Core was destroyed or not, she could still leave this place, so there was no need to take such a risk.

    In the end, Violette let out a long sigh and allowed Zeka to be the one to destroy the Ice Core.

    Zeka heard her sigh and laughed triumphantly in his heart: ''Hahaha... she''s worried about me. Don''t worry, I will definitely come back. I will definitely make you mine.''

    Confidently, he said to the System, "I will be the one to destroy the Ice Core."

    \\[Ding! You have been confirmed as the chosen one to destroy the Ice Core. Please wait a moment.]

    Immediately after, at the center of the magic circle, a sphere of ice appeared, radiating an intense cold that caused a thin layer of ice to form on both Zeka and Violette''s bodies.

    "What the hell is this?" Zeka gritted his teeth, trying to endure the terrifying cold.

    Fortunately, he had the ''Warm Light'' buff granted by Violette. Without it, he would have been frozen instantly.

    Zeka struggled to extend his hand toward the floating ice sphere before him.

    However, the closer his hand got to the Ice Core, the more terrifying the drop in temperature became.

    His hand was covered in a thick layer of ice, and that layer kept growing thicker by the second.

    Noan frowned as he watched this scene, but he didn''t act hastilyˇŞhe simply stood still and observed.

    "Master, don''t you want to steal this opportunity from Zeka?"

    Hearing that, Noan shook his head and said, "No. I feel something isn''t right, as if... this is a trap."

    "A trap?" Vylyss asked in confusion.

    "Exactly," Noan nodded and said. "I feel like everything has been too simpleˇŞso simple it feels strange."

    "Valen is definitely a level 5 Lord. He also possesses the ability to manipulate the Earth element and summon Golems."

    "Even if Zeka is protected by fate, Valen should still have enough power to stop them and reclaim the key."

    "But Zeka seems to be protected by the gods themselves, favored by destiny, and he was able to reach this place so easily."

    "Even when Zeka opened the door to this room, Valen didn''t act to stop himˇŞhe merely shouted once and did nothing more."

    Hearing Noan''s words, Vylyss also felt something was off. "Master, you mean to say..."

    "That''s right." Noan nodded again. "This might all just be a trap. That''s why we don''t need to rush. We only need to continue observing."

    At that moment, Zeka had already touched the Ice Core, but his hand had turned into a block of ice, completely numb and unresponsive.

    "Damn it!" Zeka shouted, his voice full of anger.

    Just as his finger made contact with the Ice Core, a blinding light erupted from it, enveloping the entire space.

    And thenˇŞ

    BANG!

    A sound like shattering glass rang out as the Ice Core broke into countless shards. However, the shards didn''t fall.

    Instead, they rose into the air and arranged themselves into a strange circular formation.

    "That''s..." Zeka was about to say something when a System notification popped up, striking him with dread.

    \\[Ding! Congratulations Zeka, Lord Rank D of Area 30, for successfully destroying the Ice Core. You have become the one to release the Ancient Monster ¨C Vinelord the Puppeteer.

    You are now assigned a new mission ¨C Become the one who controls Vinelord, or become the one controlled by Vinelord.]

    [Ding! Other Lords have received a new mission ¨C Eliminate the Ancient Monster ¨C Vinelord the Puppeteer.

    Whoever defeats it will receive the greatest reward: the Legendary Treasure Chest for Heroes.]

    \\[Ding! This notification will be sent to all Lords currently present in the Chaotic World.]

    As Zeka saw the notifications appear in front of him, his face gradually turned pale, like someone suffering from anemia.

    What the hell is going on?

    The System''s mission had instructed him to destroy the Ice CoreˇŞso why had he become the one to release an Ancient Monster?

    No! Lies, it''s all lies.

    I was supposed to be the hero! Why am I now the enemy of every other Lord?

    While Zeka stood there stunned, unable to process the new information, Noan was laughing heartily in his mind.

    "Hahahaha... I knew it. I knew this was a trap," Noan laughed loudlyˇŞof course, since he was hiding in the shadows, neither Zeka nor Violette could hear him.

    Vylyss didn''t understand what was going on and simply looked at Noan with a confused expression.

    As he laughed, Noan began explaining to Vylyss the notifications he had just received from the System.

    "Wow! Master, you nearly stepped right into that terrifying trap!" Vylyss opened her mouth wide in shock, her eyes full of disbelief as she looked at Noan. "Master, how did you know it was a trap?"

    Noan shook his head and replied, "I didn''t know. I just... felt like something about this place was strange."

    That''s rightˇŞfrom the moment they arrived, Noan had sensed something unusual about the snow in this place.

    Combined with the sight of the two gatekeepers frozen as if caught off guard, and the vine-like plants spreading throughout the castle, he realized that this snowy world hadn''t been formed naturally.

    It was as if... those vines were searching for the Ice Core, while the Ice Core had created this snowy world to imprison the vines.

    That was the only explanation that made logical and consistent sense with the System''s latest messages.

    Of course, what mattered most was that Noan felt incredibly lucky for not having tried to steal the task of destroying the Ice Core from ZekaˇŞotherwise, the one who unleashed the monster would have been Noan.

    "Master, what should we do now?" Vylyss asked.

    Noan smiled and replied, "Keep watching. I have a feeling this play still has many more twists to come."

 Chapter 248: Vinelord and Zeka

    As soon as Noan finished speaking, the magic circle beneath their feet didn''t disappear. On the contrary, it began splitting the ground into two halves.

    The earth shook violently as it cracked open, and from below, a stone platform started rising, at the center of which was a tangled mass of vines seemingly binding something tightly.

    Zeka, already weakened, lost his balance and fell to the ground. Violette, not understanding what was happening, stared in astonishment.

    Suddenly, a hand appeared and covered her mouth.

    Violette struggled fiercely, but in the end, she was dragged into the shadows.

    Zeka didn''t notice what had happened to Violette, because his attention was fixed on the vines unraveling at the center of the stone platform, revealing a girl so beautiful it took his breath away.

    "Wait! That''s... Monica?" Zeka suddenly recognized the girl as Monica. But... why was she tied up here?

    Wasn''t Monica outside? Then who was this? Her twin sister?

    Zeka was utterly confused.

    Boom!

    Suddenly, the girl who had been bound opened her eyes, and a wave of frigid energy exploded outward, sweeping through the surroundings.

    Zeka was hit by the shockwave and instantly frozen solid.

    But strangely, the vines that had fallen to the ground suddenly slithered like snakes, rushing to surround Zeka and causing the ice to start melting.

    The girl saw this and her gaze became colder than a snow-capped mountain.

    BANG!

    The ice encasing Zeka shattered, and the arm that had been frozen was crushed into pieces.

    The vines immediately wrapped around what was left of his arm, forming a prosthetic limb out of twisted vines.

    Zeka gasped for breath, staring in disbelief at his right arm.

    From the elbow down, it was no longer his armˇŞit had been replaced by a writhing mass of sinister vines, squirming like snakes.

    "AAA!!! What the hell is this? What the hell is happening to me?" Zeka screamed in despair and confusion.

    His arm...

    His body...

    His mission...

    What in the world was happening to him?

    "Human..."

    The girl who had just been imprisoned by countless vines now seemed to have fully awakened. She looked toward Zeka and, in a voice filled with icy coldness, said, "Are you the one who broke the seal of Vinelord?"

    Zeka lifted his head to look at the girl.

    She was breathtaking.

    Monica was already beautiful, but this girlˇŞthough strikingly similar to MonicaˇŞwas on another level. Especially with her long, pointed Elven ears and sapphire-blue eyes, she exuded a regal aura, like that of a true queen.

    [Ding! Next mission ¨C Eliminate or Subjugate Vaelyth.]

    A system notification appeared in front of Zeka, startling him. Not only Zeka, but Noan also saw the same system message.

    This meant that anyone present in this world had just received this newly issued mission.

    However, Zeka then saw another notification that filled him with fear.

    [Ding! You have received the Blessing of the Evil God Vinelord ¨C Evil God''s Blessing.

    Evil God''s Blessing: All physical strength and stamina increased tenfold.

    In addition, you can control all of Vinelord''s vines.

    Every time you kill a Lord, you will receive a random ''buff'' lasting for thirty minutes.]

    Zeka read through the beneficial effectˇŞEvil God''s BlessingˇŞand felt an unsettling mix of confusion and fear.

    But when his eyes landed on the final line of the description, the greed within him surged uncontrollably.

    Kill a Lord, and receive a random buff lasting thirty minutes.

    But he possessed an SS+ ranked talentˇŞone that turned any buff he received into a permanent buff.

    That meant... he no longer needed Violette to cast support spells on him.

    All he needed to do was kill as many Lords as possible to grow stronger.

    Each Lord equaled a permanent buff. So what if it were 10 Lords? 100? 1,000?

    Suddenly, Zeka no longer saw becoming the Evil God as a curse.

    On the contraryˇŞit was a blessing.

    As for what becoming an Evil God might do to himˇŞhe didn''t care.

    As long as he was powerful enough, all criticism from others would be meaningless.

    As long as he was powerful enough, he could restore his original body. Then, he could make even the Evil God Vinelord his pet.

    At that thought, Zeka''s face twisted into a grin filled with malice and a darkness so deep it was terrifying.

    As if... he had become someone entirely different.

    "Human... I''m speaking to you."

    At that moment, Vaelyth spoke again, her voice filled with disdain and icy contempt.

    Zeka glanced at Vaelyth and sneered. "That''s right, it was me. Got a problem with that?"

    "So... you''ve also been seduced by the illusory power granted by the Evil God," Vaelyth said with a frown. "Do you even realize that heˇŞ"

    "Hahahaha..."

    Zeka suddenly burst into laughter, cutting her off mid-sentence. "Are you stupid? The Evil God? I don''t care what he''s done."

    "I care about one thing onlyˇŞthat he gives me the power I desire. And you can''t."

    "You..." Vaelyth frowned, her eyes growing colder by the second. "It seems I can''t talk sense into you. That leaves only one option..."

    As she spoke, her golden hair, though untouched by wind, fluttered lightly, reflecting the light like strands of molten gold.

    Before her, a magic circle appeared and began spinning, radiating a terrifying surge of power.

    Zeka grew uneasy at the sight and took a step back.

    However, with his strength now amplified tenfold, he no longer felt the same fear he once did.

    BAM!

    Zeka stomped the ground, shattering the earth beneath his feet.

    He shot forward like an arrow released from a bow, dashing toward Vaelyth like a gust of wind.

    Vaelyth scoffed. "Huh! You think that wielding the Evil God''s power makes you a match for me?"

    She raised her hand, and the magic circle transformed into a white snowflake that spun in midair.

    BAM!

    Zeka''s fist collided with the snowflake. It trembled violently but didn''t shatter as he had expected.

    "Damn it!" Zeka cursed inwardly, but at that moment, the tendrils on his other arm lashed out toward Vaelyth.

    She didn''t flinch. With a graceful wave of her hand, a terrifyingly cold wind surged forth, instantly freezing the vines solid.

    Vaelyth didn''t stop. Her index finger moved gently, as if she were dancing, causing the snowflake in front of her to tilt sideways before shooting toward Zeka.

    "Damn it!" Zeka cursed inwardly as he saw the snowflake spinning like a saw blade, aiming to slice him in two.

    He quickly retreated, but the snowflake relentlessly chased after him.

    Clenching his jaw, the confidence he had moments ago vanished completely. He hadn''t expected Vaelyth to be this powerful.

    "Shit! If I had more time, I could kill that bitch and make her kneel between my legs," Zeka muttered.

    [Get outˇŞnow!]

    Suddenly, a strange voice rang in his head. It was impossible to tell if it belonged to a man or a woman.

    "Who? Who''s talking to me?" Zeka asked as he dodged the spinning snowflake, speaking to the voice that had just echoed in his mind.

    [I am your allyˇŞVinelord.]

    "Vinelord? You..."

    [Don''t hesitate. Get out there. Kill those human scum outside. You''ll gain enough power to destroy that bitch.]

    "But even if I kill others, I only get buffs that last thirty minutes. How could I ever beat her with that?" Zeka replied immediately.

    Of course, he kept his SS+ rank talentˇŞturning temporary buffs into permanent onesˇŞa secret.

    [I can absorb more blood. The stronger I become, the stronger you become.]

    Hearing that, Zeka instantly understood why the Evil God Vinelord had been sealed.

    If left unchecked, this Evil God would grow endlessly. As long as there was enough blood, he would grow strongerˇŞstrong enough to engulf the entire world.

    But Zeka didn''t care about anyone else.

    The stronger the Evil God became, the stronger Zeka would become. That was all he wanted.

    Naturally, he had absolute confidence that he could destroy Vinelord himself once he had collected enough buffs.

    With a wicked grin, Zeka responded, "Good! But first, we have to get out of here."

    [Don''t worry. I''ve summoned reinforcements.]

    "Reinforcements?"

    Just as Zeka spoke, the door suddenly burst openˇŞValen stepped in, dragging Monica with him.

    Monica was tightly bound by vines, her expression filled with frustration and anger.

    Valen held a stone drill, its sharp tip pointed directly at Monica''s forehead. He smirked as he spoke, "Let my master leave, or I''ll kill this girl."

 Chapter 249: Your turn, Monica

    Vaelyth looked at Monica, and a trace of worry and fear flickered in her eyes, but it quickly disappeared.

    Valen sneered and said, "Don''t think I don''t know anything. Your real soul is inside this girlˇŞif I kill her, your power will be reduced by half."

    "Why don''t we make a deal? You let my Master leave this place, and I let you keep your soul, how about that?"

    "Human..." Vaelyth spoke, her voice as cold as a mountain sealed in ice for over ten thousand years: "Do you even know who you''re talking to?"

    "Of course I do, but..." Valen seemed unfazed, still smiling as usual: "Your soul is in my handsˇŞyou''d better think this through carefully."

    Vaelyth clenched her teeth, her hands tightening until they turned pale. Her beautiful face was filled with fury, and her eyes looked like they were about to burst into flames.

    If looks could kill, Valen would have died a thousand times already.

    "Let her go, and I''ll let your Master leave," Vaelyth said.

    "Are you giving me orders?" Valen shouted disdainfully. "Let my Master go first, and then I''ll give her back to you."

    Vaelyth was so furious her body trembled slightly, but in the end, she still followed Valen''s demand.

    She waved her hand, and a spatial vortex appeared in the middle of the room.

    "Get out!" Vaelyth said to Zeka.

    From her voice, he could tell she was seething with rage, barely restraining the urge to tear him to pieces.

    However, Zeka was not afraid of her. He looked at her with eyes full of greed and lust: "Hahaha... A goddess, huh? I''ll be back. And when I return, you''ll be mine."

    Vaelyth''s fury grew; the snowstorm intensified, and the atmosphere became chillingly terrifying.

    Zeka had no intention of staying any longer. He wanted to leave this place immediately.

    He was eager to find the hideouts of other lords to kill them and receive even more buffs.

    As soon as Zeka stepped into the spatial vortex, it gradually faded away.

    Vaelyth glanced at Valen, frowned, and said, "Let her go!"

    "Hahaha... Goddess, do you really think you are a goddess?" Valen mocked.

    "Do you want to die?" Vaelyth shouted, her face seemingly losing all composure.

    "Die?" Valen burst into laughter: "Hahaha... Death means nothing. Even if I die, my Master can bring me back to life."

    "All hail my Master, hahahahaha..."

    Valen laughed maniacally, then drove the drill bit into Monica''s head.

    "No!!!" Vaelyth shouted, her pale face filled with rage and fear.

    Suddenly, a flash of light streaked toward Valen.

    In a split second, the light sliced through the arm holding the stone drill.

    Whoong!

    A strange sound echoed, and Valen suddenly lost control of his arm.

    Then... his elbow was severed, blood gushing out like a fountain. The arm gripping the stone drill thudded to the ground.

    Valen stared at the scene in shock, unable to believe his arm had been cut off so easily.

    But... who did it?

    He looked toward Vaelyth, but her expression was equally confused.

    It wasn''t herˇŞthen who was it?

    Gritting his teeth, Valen didn''t care anymore. He quickly raised his remaining hand to form another stone drill.

    However...

    Whoong!

    That strange sound rang out again, accompanied by a deadly flash of light that vanished in an instant.

    "AAAA!!!" Valen screamed in agony as his other hand was severed.

    He collapsed to the ground, wailing in pain and fury. "Damn it! Who? Who did this?"

    Vaelyth didn''t understand what was happening, but seeing Monica no longer under control, she immediately rushed forward to rescue her.

    However, a figure appeared in front of Monica. As the hand moved, a flash of light gleamed, frightening Vaelyth so much that she instantly stopped and retreated.

    "You are..." Vaelyth looked at the young man, her face full of confusion.

    Monica and Valen couldn''t believe what they were seeing either.

    "No way! You... you... you''re supposed to be dead!" Valen groaned, trying to suppress the pain, stammering.

    Noan smiled and said, "That''s right, I was deadˇŞbut I was resurrected by your Master."

    "No! You''re lying!" Valen shouted in fear. "My Master could never bring you back to life!"

    Noan laughed and said, "Hahaha... that''s because you''re too stupid. Don''t you realize your Master has already abandoned you?"

    "You''ve been here for two years and accomplished nothing. You couldn''t help your Master at all. Why would he still need you?"

    "You... you..." Valen stammered, his face deathly pale from blood loss and terror. "You''re lying! My Master needs me. He will bring me back... he will..."

    Noan glanced at Valen and said with a smile, "You''re deliberately pretending not to understand, aren''t you? Deep down, you already know... your Master has abandoned you."

    Valen opened his mouth, wanting to say something, but no words came out.

    "Alright then, since your Master doesn''t need you anymore, you can die now," Noan said with a grin.

    "No! No! No! You... you..."

    Whoong!

    Noan swung his arm backward, and Valen''s head was severed from his neck, flying into the air before landing on the ground.

    Perhaps due to the freezing cold, his consciousness didn''t fade immediatelyˇŞhe could still hear and see for a few more seconds.

    Noan glanced at the severed head and smiled. "Ah! I lied to you earlier. Actually, your Master is waiting for you in the old cave. It''s just that... you''re already dead."

    Valen couldn''t speak. He could only widen his eyes, staring at Noan as if trying to etch his face into memory for the next life.

    Then... Valen''s consciousness sank into darkness.

    He diedˇŞplayed with like a dog before his death by Noan, dragged around with a collar on his neck.

    "Good! Now it''s your turn." Noan glanced at Vaelyth and said with a smile, "Submit to me, or die."

    He didn''t point at VaelythˇŞhe pointed at Monica''s head.

    At that moment, Monica was so weak she couldn''t speak, her body aching as if it had shattered into a hundred pieces.

    She didn''t understand what was happening, nor why Vaelyth looked so much like her.

    All she knew was... Noan was alive, Valen was dead, and... and... no, she didn''t know anything anymore.

    What on earth was going on?

    Vaelyth looked at Noan with eyes full of hatred. "Are you also a servant of Vinelord?"

    Noan replied calmly, "You don''t need to know that. Just give me your answer."

    Vaelyth gritted her teeth. "Don''t think you can make me submit. I will never yield to a lowly human."

    "Ah! What a shame. You''re truly beautiful. I really wanted to have you, but... ah!" Noan sighed, then raised his hand.

    "Wait!" Vaelyth gritted her teeth, her body trembling violently, eyes burning with hatred as she looked at Noan. "I... I can make a deal with you. You''re not one of Vinelord''s subordinates, are you?"

    "I can take you to the treasure vault of this castle, I..."

    Noan suddenly shook his head, cutting her off. "Vaelyth, do you think I''m a fool? If I own you, I can get the treasure anyway."

    "Even if I can''t possess you, I could just kill you and search for it slowly."

    "You..." Vaelyth clenched her teeth. "I need a moment to think, but I can form a mutual contract with youˇŞwe can cooperate. As long as you..."

    "Are you stupid?" Noan sighed and said, "Alright, my patience has run out."

    "Wait!" Vaelyth clenched both hands, trembling as she said, "Fine! I... I agree to become your woman. But you must help me destroy Vinelord."

    "You have no right to bargain with me," Noan said calmly, his face showing little emotion.

    Vaelyth glanced at Monica, then sighed and said, "I... I agree."

    Noan operated the system, and a contract appeared in front of Vaelyth and Monica.

    Now that he had reached Level 5, the system''s new function allowed him to have five slaves.

    Caleb and Austin had already taken up two slots. Naturally, he had no intention of freeing them, so only three remained.

    But he didn''t want to take risks. After all, Monica held part of Vaelyth''s soul. If he didn''t make Monica his slave too, trouble might arise.

    Seeing how cautious Noan was, Vaelyth sank into complete despair.

    She had planned to kill Noan through Monica''s body after forming a contract with him and break free.

    But what he did completely severed her chance to resist.

    Vaelyth let out a long sigh, consumed by hopelessness. She reached out and gently pressed her thumb to the contract.

    Immediately, a mystical bond was established between her and Noan.

    She could clearly feel that if Noan ever wished it, he could kill her at any moment.

    Noan smiled and said, "Very well. Your turn, Monica."

 Chapter 250: You are a half of me

    "No need!" Vaelyth suddenly spoke up. "I''ll take care of this myself."

    Noan frowned at her words, his gaze carrying a hint of suspicion as it landed on her.

    "Don''t worry. I wouldn''t be foolish enough to betray you," Vaelyth sighed. "She and I share the same soul, only... we''ve been split into two different personalities."

    "You intend to merge again?" Noan asked, still frowning.

    "That''s right," Vaelyth replied. "Only by fusing with her will I be strong enough to fight Vinelord. Otherwise, I fear he''ll break free and plunge everything into chaos."

    "And if you don''t fuse with her?" Noan continued questioning. "Will it affect you in any way?"

    Vaelyth was puzzled and asked with a frown, "What are you implying?"

    "Hahaha..." Noan suddenly laughed, then said, "I''m asking something very simple. If you don''t fuse, will you suffer any consequences in the future?"

    "Forget about defeating Vinelord. I don''t want to hear about that."

    Vaelyth furrowed her brow, confused, but still patiently explained, "In truth, this world is a cage. Not only the Lords, but even I and the native inhabitants are restricted to level 5."

    "If I can''t retrieve the soul inside that girl, I''ll still be fineˇŞafter all, I can''t level up any further anyway."

    "However, if I do fuse the soul, the quality of my energy will double, and I''ll have a chance to defeat Vinelord."

    Hearing that, Noan nodded slightly, then smiled and said, "Good. Then you no longer need to fuse with the soul inside that girl."

    "Hm?!" Vaelyth frowned in surprise. "Why? If that''s the case, I won''t be able to defeat Vinelord, and he''ll..."

    "What does that have to do with you?" Noan suddenly asked, leaving Vaelyth speechless.

    "What do you mean? Don''t you care about the other humans?" she asked, confused.

    Noan shook his head with a smile, but didn''t answer her. Instead, he said, "Tell me, when you previously faced Vinelord, had your soul already been split?"

    "No, back then my soul wasn''t divided like this," Vaelyth replied.

    "Ah! So back then, even with your soul whole, you couldn''t destroy VinelordˇŞyou merely sealed him away. So where does your confidence come from now, thinking that fusing with Monica will allow you to defeat him?"

    "That... I..." Vaelyth faltered. "But... I can stop him."

    "Oh please..." Noan scoffed, shaking his head as he spoke. "Worry about yourself first. Don''t pretend to be a hero when you don''t even have what it takes to be one."

    "But..." Vaelyth frowned, feeling a bit uneasy.

    Noan shook his headˇŞhe had only given her a piece of advice, with no intention of stopping her. After all, she was now his slave. Without his permission, she couldn''t do anything anyway.

    "Good, now it''s your turn," Noan said with a smile, his gaze shifting toward Monica. "You may refuse this contract."

    Monica lifted her head to look at Noan, then turned to Vaelyth, her eyes full of confusion.

    "I... I can refuse?" Monica asked hesitantly.

    "Of course. But your fate will be the same as his," Noan said, pointing toward Valen.

    Monica looked at Valen''s headless corpse, then back at Noan. She took a deep breath and bowed her head. "Do I even have a choice?"

    She reached out, her trembling hand touching the floating contract.

    Moments later, the pact was sealed. Noan could feel that Monica''s life was now in his hands.

    At the same time, he saw their information.

    What was strange... was that Monica was actually a Rank B Lord at level 3, whereas Vaelyth''s data was even more peculiar.

    ...

    Name: Vaelyth

    Race: Elf

    Rank: A (Locked)

    Level: 5 (Half power sealed)

    Description: Vaelyth is not a Lord. She is a member of the Elf race; however, her power and soul have been permanently imprisoned in this world.

    ...

    Noan read Vaelyth''s description, and his eyes gleamed as if a very interesting thought had just occurred to him.

    "Noan..."

    At that moment, Vaelyth spoke up.

    Noan glanced at her and frowned. "Call me Master."

    Vaelyth gritted her teeth, but now that she was Noan''s slave, she had no choice but to obey. "Master..."

    "Good! What do you want to say?"

    "I... are you really going to let Vinelord run free?"

    Hearing that, Noan smiled and shook his head. "If you want to play the hero, you can go try and stop him. Even if you die, I won''t save you."

    "Besides... are you really willing to sacrifice yourself for people you don''t even know?"

    "I... it''s just... this is an order, and also my mission," Vaelyth said.

    From her words, Noan realizedˇŞthere might be another, far more terrifying existence behind all this, one that could give orders and imprison Vaelyth in this world.

    He frowned, starting to feel a bit uneasy. However, it was already too late for anything now.

    Noan asked, "Who gave you the order?"

    "The Elf Queen. I can''t tell you the specific details," Vaelyth replied.

    "She''s watching you, isn''t she?"

    "No," Vaelyth shook her head. "Ever since I was sent to this world, all information and connections between me and her have been severed."

    "Why were you sent here?"

    "Because I was the most suitable candidate to imprison Vinelord in this place," Vaelyth explained. "The Elf race couldn''t destroy Vinelord, so the only thing they could do was trap him here."

    "Moreover, to prevent Vinelord from growing stronger, they needed an Elf with enough power to contain him."

    Noan responded, "And in the end, you were the one chosen?"

    Vaelyth nodded slightly.

    "Hahahaha..."

    Hearing him laugh, Vaelyth frowned in confusion. "What are you laughing at?"

    "Nothing. I just think you''re an idiot," Noan said with a grin.

    "What?! You... what do you mean by that?"

    Noan let out a sigh and said, "They just wanted to sacrifice a foolish little lamb. Let me guessˇŞyou held quite a high status in the Elf race, didn''t you?"

    "That''s right. I was the Holy Maiden of the Elf race," Vaelyth nodded.

    "Exactly what I thought." Noan didn''t say more on the matter. He just shrugged and asked, "Earlier, where did you take Vinelord?"

    "You still haven''t answered my questionˇŞwhat did you mean by that?" Vaelyth quickly asked.

    Noan glanced at her, his eyes turning frighteningly cold. "Look closely at your position right now. You''re my slave. You''re no Holy Maiden, nor are you the Queen of any kingdom."

    Vaelyth clenched her teeth, lowered her head, and said nothing more.

    "Where did you take Vinelord?" Noan asked.

    Vaelyth took a deep breath, trying to calm herself before answering, "I only took him outside. I don''t know where he went after that."

    Noan was about to leave when Vaelyth suddenly spoke up. "Master. I... what must I do for you to tell me?"

    "Hm?! What are you talking about?" Noan frowned and asked.

    "I mean... what you said earlier..." Vaelyth stammered.

    Noan chuckled and replied, "If you can please me, I''ll naturally give you the answer you want."

    "Alright, you must have some sort of healing magic, right? Help Monica recover a little. I''ll return later."

    With that, Noan vanished as if he had never been there.

    Vaelyth let out a long sigh, feeling like everything that had happened today was just a dream.

    Even when she had been chosen as a sacrifice to imprison Vinelord in this world, she hadn''t felt as confused as she did now.

    She walked over to Monica, who looked back at her.

    The two of them shared some similarities, though there were also a few differences.

    The biggest difference was that Vaelyth was slightly more beautiful than Monica. However, the gap between them wasn''t too large.

    Monica carried a hint of innocence, resolve, and purity.

    Vaelyth, on the other hand, bore the pride, righteousness, and strength of a queen.

    As Vaelyth cast healing magic on Monica, she asked, "What do you know about him?"

    Monica pressed her lips together, then shook her head and said, "I''ve only just met him. The only thing I know... is that he''s incredibly strong."

    Vaelyth sighed and shook her head.

    By now, Monica could feel warmth returning to her body, and the wounds caused by Valen gradually healing.

    She glanced at Vaelyth and asked with confusion, "Are you... are you me?"

    Vaelyth shook her head and answered, "Not exactly. You''re simply holding a part of my soul."

    "Ah! Why did something like this happen?" Monica asked in confusion.

    Vaelyth glanced at her and asked, "Where did you get this power?"

    Monica opened her mouth, ready to speak, but in that moment, a sudden realization dawned on her.

    Not everythingˇŞbut a fragment.

    But even that fragment was enough for Monica to understand why Vaelyth had said she possessed half of her soul.

    Seeing Monica''s expression, Vaelyth sighed and said, "You guessed correctly. You merged with a replica that carried half of my soul. Now, you could say... you are a half of me."

 Chapter 251: Eat them!!!

    Noan teleported outside, then followed the traces left in the snow, a smile appearing on his face.

    He waved his hand, and Violette suddenly appeared beside him. She flinched at the sight of Noan, fear gripping her heart.

    Violette had clearly seen how effortlessly Noan had killed Valen.

    With just a wave of his hand, Valen''s arms were sliced offˇŞthen his head followed.

    This young man... to Violette, was a being shrouded in mystery and overwhelming power.

    ''Perfect. A man like this is the only kind worthy of being mine,'' she thought, her eyes filled with greedy desire as they gazed at him.

    But she wasn''t foolishˇŞshe had seen how intelligent and ruthless Noan could be.

    That was why she didn''t dare make any reckless moves.

    Sitting on the snow, trembling, Violette asked, "You... you saved me, didn''t you?"

    "Don''t pretend. I know full well that this isn''t your true personality," Noan said with a frown.

    "Ah!" Violette was startled, but then burst out laughing. "Hahahaha... so you''ve seen through my true nature. Impressive."

    "So what do you want? Are you trying to make me your woman?"

    As she spoke, Violette began unbuttoning her shirt.

    Though the cold wind made her body tremble and her skin turned red from the chill, she still tried to undress.

    Noan caught a glimpse of her bare chest, revealing a landscape full of allureˇŞone that would tempt any man to indulge.

    However, he only glanced briefly before waving his hand. A dome of spatial energy formed around Violette, shielding her from the cold and bringing her warmth.

    "You''re interesting. Find a place to hide and wait for me to return," Noan said, then vanished.

    Violette watched his figure disappear into the swirling snowstorm, a strange mix of emotions stirring in her heart.

    But soon after, she laughed aloud. "Hahahaha... man, you won''t escape from my grasp."

    "Huh! Why act so cold? Wouldn''t it be better to just enjoy it?"

    After speaking, she glanced at the houses behind her, quickly put her clothes back on, and entered one of them to hide.

    Noan once again teleported to the gates of the Black Snow Fortress, his eyes following the trail that stretched into the distance.

    He didn''t rush to give chase but instead opened his information panel, his gaze landing on the notification he had received after killing Valen.

    [You have killed Lord Valen ¨C Rank B+, Level 5. You gained 700 Lord Points. Your current total is 5,940 Lord Points.]

    Seeing the number of Lord Points he had just gained after killing Valen, Noan realized something: killing a high-rank Lord granted significantly more points than slaying large numbers of low-rank ones.

    That made perfect sense. The higher the rank and level of a Lord, the more powerful they were.

    "Looks like I need to set my sights on high-rank Lords, not the weaker ones," Noan muttered.

    If he continued hunting low-rank Lords, who knew how long it would take to collect enough Lord Points to evolve?

    But if he could kill just 10 more Rank B Lords, he would have enough points to advance to the next rank.

    Noan glanced toward the direction Vinelord had fledˇŞmore accurately, the direction Zeka had escapedˇŞand instantly used spatial magic to pursue.

    ...

    At that moment, Zeka was walking across the snowy ground, but he no longer felt the biting cold like before.

    On the contrary, his body felt light as he walked toward the distant horizon with no clear destination.

    "Where are we going?" Zeka asked.

    [We''re heading to the cave system. We need more blood. Besides, there are still some corpses I''ve stored there. If you absorb the blood of all of them, I guarantee we''ll gain enough strength to escape this world.]

    Hearing this, Zeka became even more excited.

    It had to be knownˇŞeach time he killed a Lord, he received a kind of "buff," and of course, those buffs were permanent, not temporary ones that vanished after 30 minutes.

    Once he had hundreds, even thousands of buffs, he would become invincible.

    "Ah! Violette."

    Suddenly, a memory struck Zeka, and he flinched. "Where is she?"

    So much had happened that only now did he remember the girl.

    "Where''s my Violette?"

    [Are you looking for the girl who was with you?] Vinelord''s voice echoed. [Ever since you destroyed the Ice Core, she disappeared.]

    "Disappeared? What do you mean?" Zeka asked in confusion.

    [I don''t know. I only saw her vanish suddenly. Right now, my remaining power is too weakˇŞI don''t have the strength to sense anything unusual.]

    [But you shouldn''t concern yourself with her. She''s just an ordinary woman. Once you grow stronger, you can have any type of woman you want.]

    "No! No!!!" Zeka suddenly screamed. "I don''t want that! She''s the goddess of my heartˇŞI don''t want to lose her!"

    A wave of unease surged through ZekaˇŞas if the very thing he feared most... was about to come true.

    That was the thought that haunted ZekaˇŞNoan would take Violette for himself.

    Zeka couldn''t accept that. Back then, even when he had no new powers, he never wanted to let Violette fall into anyone else''s hands. Now, with his newfound strength, that was even more impossible.

    [Are you stupid? She''s just an ordinary woman. Stop caring about her.]

    "Shut up!" Zeka roared. "She''s the goddess in my heart. When everyone else looked down on me, she was the only one who defended me, supported me unconditionally."

    "She believed in me. She came to this world with me. I can''t abandon her."

    Zeka tried to turn back toward the room where they had been, but the vines on his arms instantly tightened and restrained him.

    [Stop being foolish. She''s just a lowly human. I promise you, if you follow my instructions, I can give you any kind of woman you desire. Even the Elf QueenˇŞI can have her lying on your bed.]

    "I don''t want that!" Zeka shouted. "I want my first woman to be Violette. I want her."

    [You bastard! Then don''t blame me for being cruel.]

    Immediately, the vines suddenly retracted into Zeka''s body.

    Beneath his skin, countless blood vessels bulged like tree roots, starting from his severed arm and spreading across his entire body.

    "AGH!!" Zeka screamed in agony. But after that, his body stopped responding to his will and began moving toward the old cave.

    From the shadows, Noan watched the scene unfold and let out a snort of laughter.

    Looks like Zeka''s just a simp, he thought to himself.

    At the same time, a wicked idea began to form in Noan''s mindˇŞone that was chilling even to him.

    But he decided to save it for later. Right now, he wanted to see what Zeka was going to do.

    Of course, if Zeka didn''t realize he was being followed, Noan could keep tracking him undisturbed.

    After walking for a while, Zeka returned to the old cave.

    But instead of heading toward the main hall where the surviving Lords had gathered, he moved toward a different cave.

    Zeka raised his hand, and the layer of snow covering the entrance blew awayˇŞrevealing countless vines blocking the way inside.

    Crack! Crack! Crack!

    The vines began to stir, slowly breaking through the icy layer that encased them and pulling apart, revealing another hidden cave entrance.

    Zeka stepped inside. Though the interior was pitch black, he moved through it effortlessly, advancing deeper without hesitation.

    After walking about two miles, Zeka encountered a massive door made entirely of tangled vines.

    He raised his hand, and a vine shot out like a serpent, weaving its way through the frozen mass of vines.

    Gradually, the vine-formed door creaked open, unveiling a horrifying sight within.

    Beyond the doorway lay a much larger cavernˇŞwider, deeper, and filled with countless writhing vines, as though the entire cave was constructed from them.

    Hanging from the ceiling were thousands of human beings, tightly entangled by vines.

    From the nape of each person''s neck, a thin vine pierced into their skin, as if injecting or extracting some kind of nutrient fluidˇŞsustaining their lives.

    "This is..." Zeka recoiled in shock at the scene.

    The number was staggeringˇŞlikely in the thousandsˇŞsuspended high above. And more terrifying still... they were all still alive.

    That''s right. Though their bodies were emaciated and their eyes hollow like lifeless dolls, Zeka could feel itˇŞthese people were still breathing.

    [This is the food I''ve been storing... waiting for this very day,] Vinelord''s voice echoed.

    [Eat them. All of those humansˇŞthey are my gift to you. Hahahaha...]

 Chapter 252: Noahs Harvest

    Zeka looked up at the Lords hanging from the ceiling of the cave. His initial emotions were fear and uneaseˇŞbut they quickly gave way to excitement and delight.

    He was only surprised that Vinelord had managed to capture so many people. But once he realized that each of them could become a permanent "buff" for him, he became utterly exhilarated.

    His gaze toward them was filled with cruelty and greed.

    [What''s the matter? Still thinking about that girl?]

    Zeka flinched at the voice but still frowned and replied, "Of course! She''s the goddess in my heart. When everyone else looked down on me, she was the only one who protected and believed in me without condition."

    "She followed me to this world... I can''t abandon her."

    "I need to become strongerˇŞonly then can I truly win her heart."

    "Hurry up, help me absorb them all."

    [Hahahaha... leave the rest to me.]

    As soon as Vinelord finished speaking, vines burst from Zeka''s body.

    One end latched onto the back of Zeka''s neck, while the other shot into the distance, connecting with a massive spherical bundle of entwined vines.

    Thump! Thump! Thump!

    A heartbeat-like sound echoed as the massive vine-ball throbbed violently.

    The vines embedded in the necks of the captured Lords began to stir as well.

    But instead of feeding nutrients, they now began to *drain* what remained of the Lords'' lives.

    "Hahahaha..." Zeka laughed wildly as he felt a stream of warm energy flooding into his body.

    Power... an immense surge of power.

    So overwhelming that Zeka trembled in ecstasy, his face twisting into something monstrous.

    Suddenly, a flash of light cut across the ceiling where the Lords hung.

    Whoong!

    That eerie sound rang outˇŞ

    Then, their bodies were sliced cleanly in half. Blood spurted into the air.

    But strangely, only a little blood flowedˇŞjust a brief spurt before everything stopped.

    The vines connecting them were severed, and their corpses dropped like rain.

    A rain of blood and flesh. Zeka stood frozen in shock at the grotesque sight.

    But on the faces of the dying Lords... was the faintest smile,

    as if they had finally been freed from the hell they''d endured.

    [AAA!! Who?! Who dares ruin my feast?!]

    Zeka''s face contorted with rage, morphing into something grotesque,

    and a completely different voice shouted from his mouth.

    Meanwhile, hidden in the shadows, Noan watched as notification messages flickered before his eyesˇŞ

    and he laughed so hard he could barely keep quiet.

    [Ding! You have killed 1,140 Lords and received 28,550 Lord Points.]

    [Ding! Your current Lord Point total is 34,490.]

    Noan looked at the number, then turned his gaze back to Zeka. The thought of killing ZekaˇŞonce so temptingˇŞcompletely vanished from his mind.

    Letting him live seemed far more beneficial than killing him.

    Just by letting Zeka live a little longer, Noan had earned over 33,000 Lord Points.

    If he continued tailing Zeka, he could very well earn hundreds, even thousands of times more.

    Noan quietly retreated a bit, careful not to let Vinelord detect his presence.

    After all, the opponent was known as a Dark God. Though restricted to Level 5, Noan was sure Vinelord still possessed some kind of special power.

    [AAA!!!]

    Vinelord roared in rage. Countless vines lashed out wildly, wreaking havoc throughout the cave.

    The entire space trembled violently, with rocks and dust collapsing down, burying large portions of the area.

    Moments later, Zeka stood panting, trembling with fury.

    He didn''t understandˇŞ

    No, more accurately, Vinelord didn''t understand.

    Why had things turned out like this?

    Today was supposed to be the dayˇŞ

    The day he absorbed all his stored "food" and became powerful enough to break the seal of this world.

    But instead...

    The biggest problem now wasˇŞ

    Who had done this?

    He hadn''t even seen the one who had destroyed his entire food supply.

    Now calm again, Vinelord began to reflectˇŞand the more he thought, the more fear began to gnaw at him.

    If the one who did this could toy with him so easily, then they could just as easily kill him.

    He was a Dark GodˇŞbut not a fool.

    If that beam of light had been aimed at him instead of the captured Lords...

    This body of his would surely have faced instant death.

    But the attacker didn''t strike himˇŞ

    Which meant they were toying with him.

    Vinelord shuddered.

    For the first time ever, a being worshipped and feared as a Dark GodˇŞfelt a crushing sense of dread from an unknown existence.

    Not even when facing the full might of the Elf race... had he felt fear like this.

    Vinelord looked around. Finding nothing unusual, he spoke aloud: [You and I have no grudgeˇŞwhy are you trying to suppress me?]

    No response.

    Vinelord extended his senses, scanning the entire area.

    His magical perception swept across every inch of the caveˇŞeven the smallest stone did not escape his noticeˇŞ and still, he found nothing abnormal.

    That could only mean one of two things:

    Either the intruder had already left, or... they possessed a stealth talent surpassing Rank A, rendering them undetectable even to a Dark God.

    If it was the first, then things had become manageable.

    But if it was the secondˇŞthen the situation was far worse than he imagined.

    That beam of light earlier...

    If Vinelord''s guess was correct, it was at least Rank S, maybe even higher.

    Stealth ability: Rank A+ or above.

    Offensive power: Rank S.

    Facing a being like that...

    Even Vinelord felt a rare and chilling fear.

    Frowning, he stared at the massive sphere of entwined vines above and contemplated something.

    In the end, he made a risky decision.

    Using Zeka''s body, Vinelord raised a handˇŞ

    A vine erupted from his severed arm and shot straight toward the vine-sphere hanging from the cave ceiling.

    BANG!

    The vine pierced through the mass, weaving through countless others until it reached a hidden blood reservoirˇŞ

    a pool of blood Vinelord had been accumulating for years.

    The blood surged through the slender tendril, flowing directly into Zeka''s body.

    "UM!" Zeka clenched his teeth. He felt a surge of overwhelming power flooding his limbsˇŞ

    but it was accompanied by excruciating pain,

    as if every single cell in his body were exploding from within.

    "AGH!!!"

    Unable to bear it any longer, Zeka screamed.

    His cry echoed through the cavern like the wail of a beast in torment.

    Meanwhile, hidden deep in the shadows, Noan was calmly reviewing his harvest.

    At that moment, a hint of disappointment flickered in his eyesˇŞ

    Among the 1,140 Lords he had just killed, not a single one had reached Rank A or higher.

    Only Rank B and below. Among them, Lords of Rank B accounted for less than 5% of the total Lords who had fallen by his hand.

    If there had been a few Rank B LordsˇŞor better yet, Rank AˇŞthen the number of Lord Points Noan would''ve earned would have easily surpassed 28,000 by several times.

    However, he wasn''t in a rush. As long as he followed VinelordˇŞno, as long as he followed ZekaˇŞthere were still countless treasures waiting for him in the future.

    "System, how many Lord Points are required to evolve to Rank D+?"

    [Ding! To evolve to Rank D+, you need 15,000 Lord Points.]

    "What about from Rank D+ to Peak of Rank D?" Noan asked.

    [Ding! From Rank D+ to Peak of Rank D, you need 25,000 Lord Points.]

    "So that''s a total of 40,000 Lord Points?" Noan stroked his chin. Right now, he had only around 34,000 Lord PointsˇŞhe needed to work a bit harder.

    Still, there was no need to rush. If he evolved now, it might draw unwanted attention. That''s why he intended to wait until he returned to his own territory.

    There, he would be completely safe, without the concern of anyone discovering his secrets.

    Noan glanced at Vinelord, feeling rather pleased. If he hadn''t possessed the *Extreme Challenge Medal*, he likely wouldn''t feel so confident standing up to Vinelord like this.

    ...

    Extreme Challenge Medal

    Rank: ???

    Level: 03

    Effects:

    - Reduces the power and defense of monsters equal to or lower than the user''s level by 90%.

    - For each level and rank above the user''s, this effect decreases by 5%.

    - When facing higher-level monsters, the medal activates a special effect:

    + 5% chance to instantly kill that monster.

    + Note: This effect only activates once per monster.

    - Usage Restrictions:

    + Only effective during challenge events.

    + Still functions while stored in ''Storage''.

    ...

    Noan looked at the information on the *Extreme Challenge Medal* and smiled to himself in satisfaction.

    Combined with the power of his *Voidlight Execution* skillˇŞRank S+ˇŞhe was nearly an invincible existence within the Challenge Space.

    He was about to check other information when he suddenly noticed the icon for the *300 Kills* medal flashing.

    His eyes shifted toward it with interest.

    He tapped on the *300 Kills* medal icon, and a notification window immediately popped up in front of him.

    [Ding! The special effect of the *300 Kills* medal has been activated.

    You receive 50% bonus Lord Points when eliminating other Lords.

    Current amount stored within the medal: 14,625 Lord Points.

    Do you want to withdraw these points?]

    Noan smiled, clearly delighted, and responded, "Yes!"

 Chapter 253: Little fun with Violette??

    [Ding! Congratulations, your total Lord Points have reached: 48,765.]

    Noan frowned slightly, feeling a surge of excitement so strong he wanted to evolve right then and there.

    Even if he advanced to the Peak of Rank D, he would still have plenty of Lord Points left.

    However, he wasn''t foolish enough to evolve right now.

    Noan looked toward Zeka, whose power continued to growˇŞthe space around him beginning to distort.

    In truth, the space around Zeka remained perfectly normal. It was only because Noan possessed a space-related talent that he could perceive the spatial distortion invisible to others.

    From the intensity of the spatial fluctuations, Noan could estimate the level of power Zeka had reached.

    He observed closely. Once Zeka had absorbed about one-fourth of the blood reservoir, Noan raised his hand. A thin flash of light shot from his fingertipˇŞthen vanished.

    Whoong!

    That strange sound echoed once moreˇŞthe vine connecting Zeka to the blood pool was instantly severed.

    BAM!

    The blood reservoir suddenly exploded, turning into a terrifying rain of blood that drenched the entire area.

    Seeing this, even Vinelord didn''t dare show anger. He understood... the mysterious being was only allowing him to absorb this much.

    Zeka, on the other hand, was consumed with rage.More than 1,000 LordsˇŞover 1,000 permanent buffsˇŞvanished right before his eyes.

    Because Vinelord was controlling his body, Zeka couldn''t lash out, but if he had control, he would have destroyed everything in a fit of fury.

    Now, just as he was absorbing blood to grow stronger, he''d been interrupted.

    Damn it! Who the hell is sabotaging me?!

    "Vinelord! Are you just going to accept this?! Damn it! We have to find whoever is interfering and kill them!"

    Vinelord: [...]

    [Are you stupid? That person is hiding in the shadowsˇŞhow are we supposed to find him?]

    Vinelord was starting to feel disheartened. He was beginning to suspect he''d chosen the wrong person to partner with.

    Zeka, furious, shouted: "You''re a Dark God, aren''t you?! Why are you acting so cowardly?!"

    [You... fine. There''s no point explainingˇŞyou wouldn''t understand. I''ll just say this: that person is far stronger than us. He''s toying with us, and you''d be wise not to test his patience.]

    Hearing this only infuriated Zeka more. "You... you... damn it! So what now?! What about my power?! What about my buffs?!"

    [Goddammit! I''m the one who should be furious. I spent years gathering and storing that food, and it was destroyed in a single moment. Do you think I''m not angry?] Vinelord snapped.

    [The blood reservoir was something I prepared over many years. I hadn''t even absorbed a quarter of it before it was obliterated. Do you think I''m not enraged?]

    [But this is different. The opponent is too strongˇŞso strong that I feel genuinely uneasy. That''s why I dare not show anger.]

    [If you want to be angry, then leave. I''ll find another body.]

    "Ack!" Zeka immediately sobered up upon hearing that. He laughed awkwardly, "Hahaha... alright, I''m not angry anymore."

    "Vinelord, if we can''t absorb your stored food, then... let''s go to the main housing area."

    "There are quite a few Lords there. They''ve been imprisoned for a long timeˇŞwe can ''liberate'' them."

    Zeka deliberately emphasized the word liberate, and of course Vinelord understood what he meant.

    [You''re right, but we must proceed carefully. That hidden presence may still be lurking in the shadows, watching us.]

    "Tsk! Just a rat hiding in the dark. Don''t worry. If he could defeat us, he would''ve shown himself already," Zeka said confidently.

    Vinelord remained silent. He had no idea where Zeka got that confidence from to say such things.

    [Fine, let''s head to the main housing area now.]

    Zeka nodded. There were only about 20 survivors in that area,

    but to him, they were 20 permanent buffs, and there was no way he would let that opportunity slip away.

    Noan, hidden in the darkness, saw Zeka leave and immediately followed.

    ...

    Main Housing Area.

    Zeka arrived and saw twenty-two corpses lying on the ground.

    Blood was still flowing. The bodies were still warm. His whole body trembled in anger.

    "AAAA!!!!" Zeka roared, his face twisted in fury.

    "Damn it! Who?! Who is sabotaging me?!"

    Noan remained hidden in the shadows. Watching Zeka lose his mind, he simply chuckled, shook his head, and turned his attention to the system notification.

    [Ding! You have successfully killed 22 Lords and received 870 Lord Points. Your current total Lord Points: 50,435.]

    Noan looked at the notification, grinning in satisfaction.

    Although this time he had only gained 870 points, it confirmed one thing:

    Following Zeka was the right move.

    At that moment, Noan''s eyes shifted toward ZekaˇŞnot looking at him, but rather focusing on the space surrounding him.

    Judging by the degree of spatial fluctuations, Zeka''s current strength was roughly equal to that of a Rank E+ level 2 zombie.

    Compared to Noan, Zeka was still nothing more than an ant.

    Even without the support of the ''Extreme Challenge Medal'', Noan could easily defeat him.

    Now, Noan not only had the ''Extreme Challenge Medal'', but also the support of the ''300 Kills Medal'' and the ''Pioneer Medal''.

    To defeat Noan at this stage was practically impossible.

    That''s exactly why Noan could move freely in this world without fearing anything.

    At that moment, Zeka was screaming in rage, thrashing everything around him.

    His tentacle-like vines shattered the support pillars of the building, causing it to collapse.

    Boom! Boom! Boom!

    Noan, standing silently in the shadows, felt a flicker of pity for Zeka.

    But it was just thatˇŞpity. He had no intention of letting Zeka go.

    After all, Zeka was like a living radar for treasure.

    If Noan let him go, Zeka might eventually evolve to a level no one could stop.

    ''Permanent buffs'', an SS+ ranked talentˇŞ That was a terrifying power.

    Given enough time, Zeka could become unstoppable.

    BAM!

    Suddenly, a loud blast erupted from the ruins.

    Zeka rose to his feet, covered in dust.

    Vines had already pierced into the corpses of the 22 fallen Lords, lifting them into the air.

    Then, the vines began draining the blood from their bodies.

    Once their corpses dried out like brittle twigs, the vines discarded them onto the ground like worthless trash.

    "Damn it!" Zeka muttered through clenched teeth. "Just a bit of blood... not even one percent of what we had earlier."

    Vinelord spoke up:

    [These Lords were low-ranked and weak. Back when I was at full power, I wouldn''t have even looked at them.]

    [But things are different now. We take whatever blood we can get. This isn''t the time to be picky.]

    [Hurry. Leave this place. If we head outside, we can collect far more blood.]

    Zeka gritted his teeth and asked, "How do we get out of here?"

    [I''ll help you leave this place, but the biggest issue isˇŞI can only send you to the area where you were before entering this world.]

    Hearing that, Zeka responded, "You mean... the Chaotic Zone?"

    [Chaotic Zone? What is that place?]

    "It''s where Lords are forcibly sent. But there are plenty of them thereˇŞenough for us to absorb." Zeka grinned viciously.

    [Hahahaha... Excellent. Then let''s get out of here quickly.]

    As Vinelord finished speaking, he used Zeka''s body to draw a magical symbol in the air.

    A spatial vortex formed in front of them.

    [Enter now, quickly! I can''t hold it open for long.]

    "Good!" Zeka replied, then leapt into the vortex.

    The moment Zeka disappeared, Noan appearedˇŞ

    He stood atop the ruins, eyes sweeping over the corpses that had been completely drained of life, lying on the ground.

    [Ding! The Dark God has fled. A mission to eliminate the Dark God has been issued to all Lords in the Chaotic ZoneˇŞan area populated by Lords of Rank F, E, and D.

    Defeating the Dark God will yield the ultimate reward: Heroic Treasure Chest ¨C Rank S.]

    [Ding! You have completed the mission in this Challenge Space. You have received one Random Treasure Chest. Would you like to open it now?]

    "No."

    [Ding! Would you like to return to the Chaotic Zone?]

    "Not yet."

    Noan immediately teleported into a small chamber.

    Inside, he saw Violette sitting on the floor, eyes fixed on the system notification panel hovering in front of her.

    When she saw Noan appear, she looked slightly surprisedˇŞbut then she flashed a greedy smile.

    "So? Want to have a little fun before leaving this place?"

    Noan: "..."

 Chapter 254: Noan and Violette

    "This is the first time I''ve seen a woman like you. Do you crave it that badly?" Noan asked with a frown.

    Violette didn''t answer his question. Instead, she asked, "Was everything part of your plan?"

    "Just a little. I didn''t know what would happen if I kept following the mission," Noan replied with a nod.

    After all, telling Violette the truth didn''t really matter.

    Zeka had already become the successor of the Dark God and left this place.

    This world had now become meaninglessˇŞor rather, perhaps Noan could make use of it and turn it into something beneficial.

    But before that, he needed to deal with this girl.

    Violette laughed loudly. "Hahaha... how funny. At first, I thought Zeka was incredibly lucky, but in the end, it was all part of your plan."

    "Are you a Rank A Lord?"

    "No, I''m a Rank F Lord."

    "Rank F?" Violette was stunned by his answer, her eyes widening. "You''re lying to me, aren''t you? There''s no one else here but us, and you already have me in your handsˇŞjust tell me the truth."

    "I''m not lying," Noan said, shaking his head. "I really am a Rank F Lord. I''ve just been a bit lucky... and happened to get a few decent talents."

    Violette couldn''t believe it at first, but then againˇŞwhy would Noan lie to her now?

    The answer was: he wouldn''t.

    So Violette believed him. She laughed and said, "Hahaha... that''s fascinating. Noan, perhaps we were in the same zone all along."

    Noan gave a small nod. He had already guessed as much when he saw Zeka''s information.

    Although Zeka possessed an SS+ ranked talent, his Lord Rank was still only D.

    And since Violette had been traveling with Zeka, Noan was fairly certain she was also a Rank D Lord.

    Moreover, the Rank E and F zones had already been merged with Rank D zones,

    which meant he would definitely encounter Violette and Zeka again.

    "I''ve always liked powerful men like you," Violette nodded lightly and said. "What if I became your woman?"

    "You''re not qualified for that," Noan replied coldly.

    "You saw Vaelyth and Monica, didn''t you? What do you have that they don''t?"

    "I can help you spy on the Rank D Lord zone. And more than that, I can offer you plenty of fine gifts," Violette said while licking her lips, her expression laced with greed and arrogance.

    Noan frowned and asked, "What do you mean?"

    "Lady." Violette immediately replied, "I know a lot of high-quality women who will suit your taste."

    Noan sounded a little surprised, but then he laughed out loud: "Hahaha... Violette, you''re interesting."

    He felt like Violet was a different version of Vylyss, but more greedy, more devious and more insane.

    "But I don''t want to keep a piece I can''t control. How can I trust you, Violette?"

    Violette listened to Noan, and she did not answer, but stood up and looked at him, laughing, taking off her clothes, then taking off her entire body costume, revealing her small but also extremely beautiful body.

    Her small body is like a beautiful doll, which makes others see her wanting to commit a crime.

    "How is it? Does the body of a Legal Loli interest you?" said Violette with a smile.

    That''s right, she''s only 160 centimeters tall, and her breasts are just a little bit more protruding.

    However, that little body has some sort of bizarre charm, which makes any man who sees her now want to make her cry, which makes her cry out in despair.

    "Don''t worry, I''m still clean," said Violette.

    Noan shrugged his shoulders and said, "Do you accept? I''m just a Rank F Lord, if you''re lucky later, you can fool a Rank B or even a Rank A."

    "Hahaha..." Violette suddenly burst into laughter, wild laughter: "Hahaha... hahahaha..."

    "Ah!" Violette laughed for a while, then sighed and said, "I know where I am. I know my value."

    "I''m looking for a strong wall to lean on, not for someone who''s going to use me and then throw it away."

    Noan heard so with his eyes wide open, then said with a smile: "Very good! Then you can be my lady."

    "So..." Violet comes to Noan, then pretends to have an expression as if she were an innocent, pure and scared girl like a little rabbit.

    "Do not frighten me... I''m... I''m scared... "Do not hurt me." Violette said trembling, her eyes moistened as if she was about to cry.

    Noan took a deep breath, although Violette was not as beautiful as Vylyss, but whenever she looked at her, her feelings of wanting to commit a crime in Noan''s heart were unbelievably high.

    He smiled, lifted Violette''s chin, then kissed her lips.

    "Um... um... Ah..."Violette was a bit clumsy at first, but after that, she became more proficient.

    She responded enthusiastically, as if a fire had been hidden in a heap of ashes for years, now encountering the wind and dried leaves burning furiously again.

    Noan certainly didn''t forgive her, he pressed her onto the cold floor, then began to taste every inch of her flesh.

    "Um... ah... Don''t do that. don''t..."Violette moans, that sound, though begging, is filled with lust and eroticism.

    "Um..." Violette stretched out her chest, her legs stretched out because her tiny breasts were in his mouth.

    "Ah! Ah! Ah!" Violette groaned to the point of tears, a feeling of joy swept over her body.

    She used to think that doing this would definitely feel great, but she didn''t think that it would be so happy that her mind was gradually manipulated by desire.

    "AAA!!!" suddenly, Violette shouted, the sound carrying a bit of pain but accompanied by joy.

    Something inside of her just broke, something big just went inside of her.

    Very hot, very big, made her body shake violently.

    Noan also felt a completely new feeling. Violette''s body is so small that it''s so small that it''s like squeezing Noan''s thing.

    After a while, after they both indulge in lust like a wet dream, Noan hugs Violette, filling her inside with his ''milk''.

    "UM!!!" Violette shook violently, and after a while, she sighed too, followed by breathless breaths as if she had just campaigned fiercely.

    Ah! Yes, she''s been exercising very hard, and for a very long time.

    Violette lay on the ground, feeling her body as if it had broken into many pieces, but accompanied by a joy she had never felt before.

    Noan took a cloak over Violette. His actions made her feel weird, but then, she laughed and said, "Ah! You''re into me, aren''t you?"

    "Just a little." Noan nodded, saying, "My lady is more beautiful than you are, so if you are useless, you will lose my ladyhood."

    "Huh!" Violette pouted, clutching Noan''s robe: "Men are no good either."

    "That''s right." Noan stood up and said, "After your rest, come back to the Chaos area, I''ll find you later."

    "Ah! How can I..."

    When Violet didn''t finish her sentence, Noan disappeared. She sighed, looked at the robe in her hand, sulked and said: "Use me and throw it away. Huh! Bad guy."

    She lay on the floor, looking at the robe in her hand, and then continued, "But he''s also a strong man."

    Noan now, of course, doesn''t care what Violet''s thinking, he immediately goes back to the room inside the castle.

    Seeing Noan coming out, Vaelyth and Monica were both a little surprised. But after that, they quickly accepted the reality, bowing their heads and saying, "Master."

    Noan nodded softly, and he looked at Monica and said, "You stay here temporarily, I''ll take you to the area where I live later."

    Monica closed her mouth, then nodded gently. Now that she''s a canary, she can only be inside a cramped cage, there''s no decision to make.

    Then he looked back at Vaelyth and said, "Where is the treasure you''re talking about?"

 Chapter 255: Upgrading your Lord Rank

    "You, come with me," Vaelyth said, then led Noan out of the room.

    Monica let out a long sigh. Suddenly, she recalled the time before she came to this world and murmured, "Captain... I wonder if you''re still waiting for me?"

    ...

    Noan was brought by Vaelyth to a room deep in the basement. After unlocking countless magical seals, they finally arrived at the treasure vault.

    Inside were countless energy crystals, alongside weapons and rare alchemical ingredients. At the center of the room was an energy crystal radiating a dazzling light that immediately drew Noan''s attention.

    "That is..." Noan frowned.

    "That is an S-rank energy crystal," Vaelyth explained: "I never had a use for it, so I kept it here. Initially, I planned to use it to maintain the freezing temperatures that would imprison Vinelord."

    "But now that Vinelord has left this place, I no longer need it."

    Noan glanced around the room and sighed inwardly. If only he had another Storage Space, everything would be much easier.

    Suddenly, he remembered the random treasure chest he had just received from the System reward. He opened his system interface and chose to open the chest.

    [Ding! Congratulations! You''ve received a B-Rank Treasure Chest. The following items have been obtained:

    - Energy Crystals: Rank F x10,000; Rank E x5,000; Rank D x1,000; Rank C x500; Rank B x100

    - Weapon Blueprint (Rank B): Includes swords, spears, bows, crossbows, greatswords, Armor

    - Blueprint (Rank B): Includes various armor sets

    - Poison Formula (Rank B): 5 types of toxins

    - Alchemy Formula (Rank B): 5 types of elixirs that grant different buffs

    - Random Construction Blueprint (Rank B)

    - Soldier Upgrade Token (usable only on soldiers level 6 or lower)

    - Storage Space Expansion: x99 slots

    All rewards are currently stored within the System''s inventory. If you do not claim them within 30 days, they will disappear.]

    Noan looked at the rewards with joy, especially the Storage Space (x99 slots)ˇŞ

    exactly what he needed most right now.

    [Ding! You now possess 3 storage spaces of 99 slots each. The talent ''Almighty Fusion'' has been specially triggeredˇŞyou may fuse the three storage spaces into one.

    Fusion requires 1,000 Rank D energy crystals. Do you wish to proceed?]

    Seeing the notification, Noan was overjoyed and immediately accepted.

    What he had in abundance were energy crystals.

    Not only had he received a massive amount from the treasure chest, but there were still many more stored in Vaelyth''s vault.

    And most notably, this place also contained a radiant ''S-rank energy crystal'' glowing brilliantly in the center of the room.

    What he lacked most now was space to store all these valuable items.

    "Proceed with the fusion!" Noan commanded.

    [Ding! Beginning fusion...]

    [Ding! Fusion successful. You have obtained a ''Storage Space'' with 999 slots. From now on, items of the same type can stack up to 10,000 units per slot.]

    Upon seeing the system prompt, Noan nearly laughed out loud in satisfaction.

    His storage issue was finally resolved.

    Now, he could freely store items and resources into his Resource Token.

    Noan waved his hand, and in an instant, all the items in the vault vanished.

    Vaelyth was startled by the sight. She hadn''t expected Noan to be able to take everything all at once.

    Though she felt a bit uneasy inside, she could only silently accept it.

    After all, this treasure trove had been built from her efforts over many years in this worldˇŞ but now, she was a slave to this young man. She no longer had the right to object.

    "You did well," Noan said with a smile. "Let me ask you somethingˇŞcan you now manage this world?"

    Vaelyth didn''t quite understand what he meant and replied in confusion,

    "Master, if Vinelord has already left this world, then yes, I could manage it... if I had enough energy."

    "Ah, I see. So... what if I wanted to bring other Lords into this world?" Noan asked.

    "I don''t quite understand your request, Master," Vaelyth said.

    Noan smiled as he clarified:

    "What I mean is... do you have a type of magic that could bring random Lords into this world?"

    Hearing that, Vaelyth nodded lightly. Though she didn''t know what Noan was planning, she answered honestly:

    "At present, I can''t do that, because I''m not the one who created the portal into this world."

    "Unless Master can find the Elven race and retrieve the ''Magic Core'' from the Elf Queen,

    only then would you be able to control the world''s portal."

    Noan nodded thoughtfully and sighed.

    The plan he had in mind would likely have to wait quite some time.

    "Do you know where the Elf Queen is located?" Noan asked.

    Vaelyth shook her head and said,

    "The Elven territory is in ''Yadil Garden'', but that place is protected by a powerful enchantment.

    No one can reach it."

    Noan nodded when he heard that. He didn''t plan to seek out the Elven homeland anytime soonˇŞ

    after all, his current strength wasn''t enough, and it would be too dangerous.

    He was only truly invincible within Challenge Spaces like this.

    "Alright. For now, stay here. I''ll find a way to get you out of this place."

    Upon hearing that, Vaelyth didn''t believe he could do it, but still lowered her head and said,

    "Thank you, Master."

    It was understandable that she didn''t believe him.

    She had been trapped here for yearsˇŞif it had been that easy to escape, she would''ve done so long ago.

    Noan knew Vaelyth didn''t trust him, but he didn''t feel the need to explain. Thousands of words couldn''t match a single action. He would prove everything he saidˇŞthrough deeds, not talk.

    Returning to the old room, Noan saw Monica again. Suddenly, he recalled Isabell''s wordsˇŞabout finding subordinates to help her.

    He had a gut feeling that Monica was one of Isabell''s subordinates. But it was just an instinct.

    Noan frowned and asked, "Monica, do you know someone named Isabell?"

    "Huh?! You know my Captain?" Monica asked in shock.

    Noan: "..."

    Damn it. Was this really just a coincidence?

    Could this be part of the wheel of fate? Or was it merely chance?

    He couldn''t tell. Regardless, it was already too lateˇŞhe couldn''t undo the slave contract with Monica.

    Frowning, he asked, "Why are you here?"

    "I... I just wanted to find more resources so I could become stronger, and then help my Captain even more," Monica said.

    Noan glanced at her, thinking how simple-minded this girl was. Vaelyth, hearing that, didn''t know what to say eitherˇŞ she simply sighed.

    Although Monica possessed half of Vaelyth''s soul, that didn''t mean Vaelyth could control her.

    "If you were to leave this world right now, where would you end up?" Noan asked with a frown.

    Monica pressed her lips together, then shook her head and said,

    "I don''t know. I came here through a teleportation gate in the City, but I heard from those who arrived after me that the Federation Government has already shut that gate down."

    "I have no idea where I''d end up if I left this place."

    Noan nodded and said, "Then stay here for now. I''ll find a way to get you out later."

    Of course, he would take both Vaelyth and Monica with him.

    Their potential was enormousˇŞit would be a waste to leave them here forever.

    If he could bring them into the ''Chaotic World'', they would become terrifying forces capable of sweeping through his enemies.

    Monica didn''t replyˇŞshe only gave a slight nod.

    Noan also didn''t rush to leave this world.

    He turned to Vaelyth and asked, "Do you know any secret locations?"

    Vaelyth tilted her head, as if recalling something.

    "Roughly 170 miles north, there''s a large frozen lake... Heh?!"

    She hadn''t finished her sentence before Noan had already vanished.

    Vaelyth looked over at Monica, let out a sigh, and asked,

    "Would you like to learn a bit of magic?"

    "Huh?! I can?"

    "Of course," Vaelyth replied.

    "You hold half of my soul. If you die, it''ll cause me a great deal of trouble."

    Monica nodded.

    "I want to get stronger. Please teach me."

    "Of course!" Vaelyth answered with a smile.

    ...

    Noan teleported a distance of about 50 miles.

    Sensing that his energy was down to half, he let Vylyss help him complete the remaining distance.

    In less than a minute, the full 170-mile journey was done.

    Noan now stood before a massive frozen lake, surrounded by a semicircular mountain range like a natural fortress.

    Without hesitation, he cast space magic to take flight, rising into the sky and gliding toward the center of the lake.

    Once he reached the middle, Noan opened his System interface and selected the option to evolve his Lord Rank.

    [Ding! Would you like to upgrade your Lord Rank?]

    "Accept!"

 Chapter 256: Reaching to Perfect of rank D

    [Ding! 15,000 Lord Points successfully consumed. Evolution to Rank D+ has begun.]

    "No, continue evolving to the Peak of Rank D."

    [Ding! Command confirmed. 25,000 Lord Points successfully consumed. Evolution to the Peak of Rank D has begun.]

    [Ding! You have 10,435 Lord Points remaining. Would you like to spend 10,000 Lord Points for a 30% chance to reach Perfect Rank D?]

    "Perfect Rank D?" Noan frowned. "Is that a higher level?"

    [Ding! Yes. Perfect Rank D is a superior evolution tier, comparable to Rank C+.

    Upon reaching this level, your strength from now on will be far greater than that of other Lords or monsters of the same rank.

    Additionally, your soldiers and heroes will have a significantly higher chance to awaken special powers.]

    "Good! Then evolve me to Perfect Rank D."

    [Ding! Request confirmed. 10,000 Lord Points successfully consumed. You now have 435 Lord Points remaining.]

    [Ding! Evolution commencing.]

    At that moment, Noan felt the cells in his body continuously being renewed.

    They were gradually replaced by stronger cellsˇŞand those new cells were, in turn, quickly replaced by even more powerful ones.

    The process repeated over and over, causing Noan to feel both pain and excitement as his power surged to new heights.

    The energy reservoir inside his body also expanded.

    BAM!

    In that instant, a burst of pressure exploded outward from Noan''s body, shattering the layer of ice beneath his feet.

    A shockwave rippled out in every direction, like a raging storm sweeping through a 1,000-meter radius.

    The ice below cracked apart, revealing the lake beneath.

    But Noan now hovered high in the air, fists clenched tightly, savoring the power that had risen to an astonishing level.

    Previously, Noan could only teleport distances of 20 to 30 miles at most.

    But now, he could easily teleport over 200 miles.

    That alone proved just how far he had come.

    Noan took a deep breath, then exhaled slowly, his gaze turning toward the system panel floating before him.

    [Ding! Congratulations. You have successfully evolved to Perfect Rank D.]

    [Ding! Congratulations, you have unlocked a new function for the talent ''Almighty Fusion''.]

    [Talent ¨C Almighty Fusion (SSS)]

    Main Effects:

    Soldier Fusion

    ? Combine 3 soldiers of the same Rank ˇú create 1 soldier of a higher Rank

    ? Can be repeated multiple times to create extremely powerful units

    ? From Rank D onward: allows manual Class selection (Warrior, Mage, Assassin...)

    ''Evolution'' Imprint:

    When a soldier or hero receives this imprint:

    ? +10% to all personal attributes

    ? The imprint can be passed on to the next generation through fusion

    ? The more units with the imprint, the stronger Noan''s overall power becomes

    Enhancement & Support:

    Surplus materials from fusion can be used to:

    ? Upgrade other soldiers

    ? Strengthen heroes summoned by Noan

    ? Boost stats and unlock hidden potential

    Skill Fusion:

    Allows you to fuse multiple distinct skills into a high-tier skill

    ? Depends on compatibility, energy, and resources

    ? Can create skills that surpass Rank limits and carry special effects

    Item Fusion:

    Allows you to fuse three items with similar properties to create an item of higher quality.

    ...

    Noan saw that his talent had gained the additional function of ''Item Fusion'', and a satisfied smile formed on his lips.

    "Perhaps one day... I''ll be able to fuse everything," Noan murmured.

    After savoring the joy of evolution, Noan once again teleported back to the room from before.

    The 170-mile distance was no longer a challenge for him.

    In just a second, he reappeared in Vaelyth''s chamber.

    At that moment, she was guiding Monica through a few basic spells.

    Seeing Noan appear, Vaelyth was startledˇŞshe instantly realized that he had become much stronger than before.

    Even with just a glance, she could feel a terrifying energy radiating from him, like a towering mountain standing before her.

    "M-Master... you..." Vaelyth stammered.

    Monica also bowed her head in greeting to Noan, though she didn''t quite understand why Vaelyth''s expression had suddenly changed so strangely.

    Noan cast a glance at Monica, then looked at Vaelyth and nodded. "You may act freely for now. I will assign your next task later."

    With that, Noan chose to leave this world.

    [Ding! Initiating teleportation back to the ''Singularity Point''. Please prepare.]

    Noan wasn''t the least bit concerned about being unable to return here.

    After all, he had already placed ''Anchor Points'' on both Vaelyth and MonicaˇŞhe could return to this place at any time, as long as he had enough energy crystals.

    Moreover, after reaching Perfect Rank D, the number of ''Anchor Points'' he could use had increased to 20.

    Watching Noan vanish once more, Vaelyth let out a deep breath of relief.

    She still didn''t know who Noan truly wasˇŞbut one thing she was sure of... was that this young man was far too dangerous.

    Vaelyth looked toward Monica, then said, "Let''s continue. We can''t afford to be left behind."

    ...

    Noan opened his eyes and realized he had returned to the ''Singularity Point''.

    However, this wasn''t the entrance to the ''Trial Space'', but rather his private chamber within the Territory.

    He didn''t understand why he had been teleported here, but it wasn''t anything serious.

    "Ah! So you''re back already?"

    Suddenly, a familiar voice rang out. Noan didn''t even need to look to know it was Isabell.

    She was standing at the doorway, arms crossed over her chest, smiling as she spoke.

    Noan gave a slight nod. "The mission was fairly simpleˇŞless than a day and it was settled.

    It''s just... I couldn''t find your subordinate.

    Still, the mission is complete, and everyone was able to leave that space. Perhaps she''s already returned to the City."

    "Hm?!"

    Isabell suddenly smiledˇŞa mysterious yet deeply alluring smile.

    "It seems you''re mistaken about something."

    "You''ve been gone for nearly five days."

    "What?!"

    Noan''s eyes widened in disbelief as he stared at her. "Are you serious?"

    "Indeed," Isabell replied with a smile. "As of now, it''s been five days and seven hours."

    Noan frowned, but he soon realized that time passed differently in the ''Singularity Point'' compared to other places.

    He wasn''t entirely surprised.

    He stood up, stretched, and said, "Are you planning to stay here forever?"

    Isabell shrugged. "Maybe. This place is quite comfortable, after all. I don''t really want to go anywhere else."

    "More importantly..."

    She suddenly stepped closer to him, raising a slender finger to gently lift Noan''s chin, bringing his face to meet hers.

    "You''re here."

    Noan: "..."

    He shook his head and said, "I won''t be here for long. In four days, I''ll head to the ''Chaotic Region''.

    You''ll be the only one left here."

    "Hahaha..." Isabell suddenly laughed. "That''s fine too. I''ll have more time to decorate this place... while I wait for you to return."

    Hearing that, Noan glanced at her, unsure whether she meant what she said or if there was some hidden meaning behind her wordsˇŞbut one thing he was certain of: he didn''t believe her.

    "You''ve been staying here for a long time?" Noan asked with a frown.

    Isabell tilted her head, trying to recall, then replied, "Almost a month."

    "No," Noan shook his head. "I meant... how long have you been in this Singularity Point?"

    Upon hearing that, Isabell smiled and answered, "It''s been so long I don''t even remember. Maybe more than ten years now."

    "Ah, so you must know where there''s a high concentration of zombies, right?"

    Isabell: "..."

    "Ah!" she suddenly sighed. "What was I expecting from you anyway?"

    Noan: "..."

    "What do you mean by that?" Noan asked, confused.

    Isabell simply shrugged, then turned and walked away, leaving behind a single sentence: "Find it yourself."

    Noan stared at her retreating figure, feeling an odd discomfort in his chest. He couldn''t understand what that woman was thinking.

    Still, he didn''t dwell on it too much. After all, now that he could teleport within a 200-mile range, locating a zombie-infested area would be easy.

    Suddenly, Noan had the odd feeling that he had forgotten something important.

    But then he tossed that thought asideˇŞif it really were important, he wouldn''t have forgotten it.

    ...

    At the Chaotic Region.

    "How long do you want me to keep doing this?"

    In the ''Hell'' that Malrik was building, ElaraˇŞthe Fourth Elder of the Frankyro ClanˇŞwas dragging a massive boulder behind her, her face etched with exhaustion and pain.

    Malrik sat atop a swirling orb of blue-green flame formed from countless souls, gazing down at her as he replied:

    "Until Master returns and gives you a different task."

    Elara: "..."

 Chapter 257: Time to claim our fortune

    Elara genuinely wanted to cry. At this moment, she deeply regretted not listening to the advice of the Third Elder.

    Had she known how strange and powerful the other party was, she never would''ve chosen to follow them.

    Now, not only was she deprived of proper rest, but she also had to work like a slave.

    And this placeˇŞwas it really hell?

    Everywhere she looked, blue-green flames burned countless souls,

    the air filled with their agonized and despairing screams as they were consumed by fire.

    If she didn''t get her 14 hours of rest each day, she probably would''ve lost her mind by now.

    "Hurry up!" Malrik barked. "Don''t slack off. If you do, you won''t be getting anything to eat today."

    "Ah!"

    Elara wanted to cry, but in the end, she choked back her tears and continued dragging the massive stone behind her.

    Malrik paid her no further attention. His gaze turned toward the distant horizon.

    Just then, Drakhan suddenly flew over to him and asked, "Malrik, when will Master return?"

    "No idea, but likely very soon," Malrik replied indifferently.

    Drakhan nodded and said, "A large number of Rank D Lords are flooding into our territory. I''m afraid they might discover Master''s domain."

    "Don''t worry," Malrik replied. "Anyone who finds Master''s territoryˇŞkill them.

    Take Zhisse with you. Don''t underestimate the enemy. Understood?"

    "I understand. But what about Caleb and Austin?

    It seems like they''re actively searching for Master," Drakhan added.

    "Don''t concern yourself with them," Malrik said calmly.

    "This is a good opportunity for them to learn how to survive on their own."

    Drakhan nodded and flew off immediately.

    Malrik watched him leave, then muttered, "Looks like I need to accelerate the construction of ''Hell''. Otherwise, we won''t make it in time..."

    ...

    "Still no contact with Master?" Austin asked anxiously.

    Caleb shook his head with a sigh. "Not yet."

    Austin gritted his teeth. "Even though I know Master wouldn''t get into any real danger, I can''t shake this worry. What ifˇŞ"

    "Enough!" Caleb interrupted him. "Master is probably busy with some mission. There''s no need to panic."

    "Captain!"

    At that moment, a young man rushed into the room and shouted, "We''ve got a lead on the Evil GodˇŞhe''s heading straight for us!"

    "What?!" Austin and Caleb exclaimed in unison.

    They had, of course, received the System notification about the appearance of the Evil GodˇŞbut they hadn''t expected him to come looking for them.

    "Damn it!" Austin growled through clenched teeth.

    "What the hell is going on? Why isn''t the Evil God going after those Rank D Lords? Why us?"

    Caleb, however, was calmer. He furrowed his brow and asked, "Has the Evil God discovered us yet?"

    "Not yet," the young man replied. "But he''s already killed two people, and right now, he''s heading north."

    "North? Damn it! I''llˇŞ" Austin started to speak, but Caleb cut him off.

    "Wait!" Caleb interjected. "You said he''s heading north?"

    "Yes, Captain. His movement is slow, as if he hasn''t yet locked onto his location," the young man answered.

    Caleb rubbed his chin, thinking for a moment before asking, "How many people do we have?"

    "Counting the ones we''ve recruited into the group, over twenty," the young man replied.

    Caleb nodded.

    After the regional merge, a lot of Rank F and E Lords from other surviving areas had also shown up here.

    That was why Caleb had begun recruiting more members into their group.

    He didn''t know what Noan was planning,

    but in his opinion, the stronger his own force became, the more he could help Noan accomplish.

    "Only twenty people, huh..." Caleb sighed. "Alright then. Keep an eye on the Evil God. If he changes direction, inform me immediately."

    "Yes, Captain," the young man replied before quickly leaving.

    Austin spoke up next. "Caleb, what are you planning? Why don''t we just take Master''s troops and wipe out the Evil God?"

    "Didn''t you read the System announcement? If we can eliminate the Evil God, we''ll definitely..."

    "The reward for slaying the Evil God, right?" Caleb said.

    "Exactly," Austin nodded.

    "You think we''re the only ones who want to kill the Evil God?" Caleb continued. "He may be powerful and strange,

    but the reward must be enormous.

    And it''s not just us hereˇŞthere are also Rank D Lords. We can''t act recklessly."

    "Then what should we do? Just sit around and wait?" Austin asked in frustration.

    Caleb laughed and replied, "Hahaha... not exactly. Have you forgotten what lies to the north?"

    "The north? You mean..."

    Austin suddenly remembered something. His eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at Caleb.

    "That''s right," Caleb said cheerfully. "It''s Master''s Hell."

    ...

    BAM!

    "Damn it! Why aren''t there any Lords in this place?!"

    Zeka shouted angrily, his eyes now completely red.

    "This isn''t even my original territory. What the hell is this place supposed to be?"

    Zeka looked around, visibly irritated. He had thought that after returning to the Chaotic Region,

    he would be able to start hunting down the Rank D Lords in his area.

    By absorbing their bloodˇŞalong with the countless ''buffs''ˇŞhis strength would skyrocket to terrifying levels.

    But when he opened his eyes, he realized this place was completely unfamiliar.

    This wasn''t his territory. Could it be... this was one of the merged zones connected to his own?

    Zeka felt that his guess was the most reasonable.

    Still... even if this was a zone for Rank F and E Lords, there were far too few of them.

    He''d traveled over ten miles and only encountered two people.

    Could it be that after the ''Zombie Wave'' event, the number of Rank F and E Lords had dropped dramatically?

    And another thing... what the hell was that pillar of fire?

    Zeka looked up and saw a blue-green pillar of flame, over two hundred meters tall, like a skyscraper in the distance.

    Though it was fire, as he stared at it, Zeka felt a creeping fearˇŞas if someone was watching him from within the flames.

    Strangely, the fire didn''t illuminate the surrounding area.

    Instead, it made the atmosphere even gloomier and colder.

    "What the hell is that place?" Zeka muttered.

    [It could be a Trial Zone,] Vinelord suddenly spoke. [Or perhaps a naturally formed danger zone.]

    "A Trial Zone?" Zeka frowned.

    [Yes,] Vinelord explained. [Many Trial Zones are naturally formed. They often appear as a result of world mergers, tearing through the fabric of space and creating rifts.]

    [Although it doesn''t resemble a typical Trial Space, zones like that often contain countless undiscovered opportunities.]

    Upon hearing that, Zeka''s interest was immediately piqued. "Are you serious? Then what if we explore it? We''re bound to find incredible treasures that''ll make us stronger."

    [Don''t get ahead of yourself. Those zones are extremely dangerous. You''ll definitely die.]

    "Tsk!" Zeka clicked his tongue. "I think you''re less of an Evil God and more of a Cowardly God."

    "A massive opportunity lies right before us, and you''re telling me we shouldn''t even try?"

    [Well... I have a really bad feeling about that place, it...]

    "The more dangerous it is, the greater the reward.

    If we don''t go, someone else will seize it first."

    [I still think it''s better to find and absorb more Lords to strengthen ourselves first. You...]

    "Evil God, you''re supposed to be an Evil God! Are you seriously afraid of an opportunity located in low-rank Lords'' territory?" Zeka sneered with disdain.

    [You... Fine. But if anything dangerous happens, we leave immediately. Understood?]

    "Of course I understand." Zeka grinned, his gaze drifting toward the buff list he currently possessed.

    After killing two Lords, he had acquired two buffs: +20% Strength (Permanent) and +20% Movement Speed (Permanent).

    If he kept killing more Lords, he would quickly grow immensely powerfulˇŞ to the point that no one would be able to defeat him.

    And when that happened, even the Evil God would become nothing more than his dog.

    "Let''s go. Time to claim our fortune."

 Chapter 258: Alex vs Zeka

    [Wait!] Vinelord suddenly spoke up. [I can sense someone very powerful nearbyˇŞa source of truly extraordinary energy.]

    Zeka grinned. "A Lord?"

    [Possibly. But his physical strength seems terrifying. I can even smell the richness of his blood.]

    "Let''s go!" Zeka laughed. "An appetizer before the main course."

    To Zeka, a Lord was nothing more than a walking permanent buff.

    His sense of humanity seemed to be gradually eroding.

    He looked in the direction Vinelord had indicated and immediately dashed forward at incredible speed.

    ...

    In the distance, Alex was sitting on a tall tree branch, absorbing energy crystals he had gathered.

    Since returning to this world, he felt it had become far easier to find resources.

    In just a few days, his strength had nearly doubled compared to before.

    "Just give me a bit more time, and I''ll become unbeatable in this region," Alex muttered.

    Suddenly, he sensed something approaching. A feeling of unease stirred within him, though he couldn''t explain why.

    He scanned the distance but saw nothingˇŞuntil a dark figure suddenly appeared behind him.

    "What the hell?!" Alex immediately remembered the masked man who always showed up at his most confident moments to shatter his pride.

    "Is it him again?"

    But upon seeing the figure wasn''t who he feared, he felt a wave of relief wash over him.

    Even so, Alex didn''t dare let his guard down.

    He quickly leapt backward, landing lightly on the ground.

    Then he looked back at the tree branch he''d just been sitting on.

    There stood a young man with a twisted, grotesque expression.

    His right arm had transformed into a mass of writhing vines, squirming like massive wormsˇŞutterly repulsive to behold.

    "That''s... the Evil God?" Alex had read the System''s announcement, so he instantly recognized Zeka''s identity.

    "Blood..." Zeka murmured as he stared at Alex. "So fragrant...

    Your blood smells better than anyone I''ve ever encountered."

    Hearing that, Alex showed no fearˇŞonly contempt.

    "Ah, and here I was thinking he had returned.

    Almost scared me to death."

    "If you''re the Evil God, then I assume you also have energy crystals inside your body, right?"

    "And besides, if I kill you, I might receive a massive reward. So, would you kindly die for me?"

    Zeka gritted his teeth. "You really think you can kill me?"

    Alex didn''t answer. He simply pointed a finger at Zeka, then beckoned him like calling a dog.

    "You bastard!" Zeka roared in fury. He leapt down from above, his arm extending into a mass of vines striking toward Alex.

    "Too slow," Alex muttered, then vanished.

    BAM!

    Zeka missed. His vines smashed into the ground, leaving a crater behind.

    "What the hell?!" Zeka was shockedˇŞit was the first time he had seen someone that fast.

    BAM!

    Suddenly, a searing pain hit his side so hard he couldn''t breathe.

    A tremendous impact sent him flying, tumbling across the ground multiple times before coming to a stop.

    Zeka clutched his aching side, trying to suppress the pain as he slowly got up.

    "Damn it!" he cursed, glaring furiously at Alex.

    "This is the Evil God? Pathetic. I thought you were just an E-rank zombie," Alex sneered, his tone saturated with contempt.

    "You motherfucker! I''ll kill you and tear you into a hundred pieces!!!" Zeka screamed as the vines from his arm extended, lunging toward Alex.

    Alex wasn''t surprised. From the moment he saw Zeka attack with his grotesque, worm-like vine arm,

    he had already figured out that Zeka had vine manipulation abilities.

    That''s why Alex used his overwhelming speed to dodge Zeka''s vines.

    "Damn it!" Zeka kept attacking, but Alex was too fastˇŞthe vines couldn''t touch him.

    [Zeka, this human is strange. His power far surpasses yours. We can''t win. Let''s retreatˇŞnow.]

    Hearing Vinelord''s warning, Zeka didn''t want to follow it, but the truth was, Alex was simply too strange and powerful.

    Not wanting to suffer defeat here, he chose to flee.

    However, Alex only laughed with disdain and said, "Hahaha... is this all you''ve got? So this is what the Evil God amounts to?"

    "Fine then, I''ll turn you into a part of my power."

    Seeing Alex speak with such confidence, Zeka''s face turned red with rage.

    "Damn it!" Zeka shouted and charged at Alex.

    [Stop! Zeka!] Vinelord hurriedly seized control of Zeka''s body, attempting to flee.

    But in that brief moment of distraction, Alex took advantage of the opening. He swung his fist and punched Zeka straight in the face.

    BAM!

    "ACK!" Zeka cried out in pain. He felt like his face had been shatteredˇŞteeth and blood scattered across the ground.

    More importantly... Zeka felt dizzy.

    That punch didn''t just dislocate his jawˇŞit also disrupted his nervous system, leaving him momentarily paralyzed.

    [Damn it!] Vinelord cursed internally, trying to force Zeka''s body to retreat.

    Even though Zeka was unconscious, Vinelord could still control him using the parasitic vines entwined throughout his body.

    Alex saw Zeka trying to flee and immediately gave chase.

    With his incredible speed, he appeared right in front of Zeka and launched a powerful kick at his head.

    BAM!

    "Hm?!"

    Alex''s foot was blocked by a vine, which wrapped tightly around his leg and flung him backward.

    Alex flipped mid-air, and as soon as he landed, he stomped the ground forcefully.

    BAM!

    The earth beneath him sank from the impact. Then, like a cannonball, Alex rocketed toward Zeka.

    Since Vinelord was the one controlling Zeka''s body now, he couldn''t react as quickly as Zeka could.

    Alex was like a wild wolf, launching blow after blow,

    while Zeka''s body was nothing more than a punching bag, taking hit after hit with little resistance.

    [Damn it!] Vinelord roared, swinging Zeka''s arm as massive vines lashed out like giant whips.

    "Huh! I already told youˇŞyou''re too slow," Alex scoffed.

    The vines couldn''t touch him. On the contrary, Alex kept closing in with every step.

    [Damn it! Damn it! I am the Evil God, you pathetic human!] Vinelord shouted in fury.

    His vine-like tentacles shot toward Alex, writhing like serpents, aiming to strike him down.

    "Foolish," Alex muttered.

    A vine shot straight toward his face, but he simply tilted his head to the side.

    The sharp tip suddenly curled back, looping around Alex as if to bind himˇŞbut Alex instantly vanished.

    "What the hell?!" Zeka was stunned.

    He couldn''t believe it. After absorbing so much blood, his strength had increased many times over.

    Combined with the two buffsˇŞ20% to strength and 20% to speedˇŞfrom killing two Lords, he had felt nearly invincible.

    But against this young man, Zeka felt like nothing more than a helpless chicken.

    "Is that all you''ve got?" Alex suddenly appeared beside Zeka and immediately swung his fist toward Zeka''s face again.

    Zeka couldn''t moveˇŞhis body was under Vinelord''s control.

    Fortunately, Vinelord reacted in time, raising Zeka''s left arm to block the punch.

    BAM!

    "AAAA!!!" Zeka screamed in pain as Alex''s fist collided with his arm.

    It was as if Alex''s fist was forged from solid steelˇŞ

    upon impact, Zeka''s arm shattered completely.

    Bones broke and pierced through his flesh, protruding from the skin.

    The pain nearly drove Zeka insane. Sweat poured from his body like rain.

    However, the vines inside him quickly reconnected the broken bones, wrapping around his arm like a protective cast.

    Not good! We have to run! This opponent is too strange! Vinelord warned internally.

    At this point, Zeka no longer dared to disobey.

    He let Vinelord take full control, and they bolted away at high speed.

    "Stop right there!" Alex shouted.

    But the vines suddenly lashed toward him like arrows, forcing him to leap backward.

    When he looked up againˇŞZeka was gone.

    Alex frowned, preparing to give chase,

    but when he saw the direction Zeka had escaped to, he abruptly stopped.

    "Goddamn it... why the hell are you running that way?"

 Chapter 259: Zeka and Vinelord

    Alex looked toward the direction Zeka had fled. In that place, a pillar of blue-green flame continued to burn, its gloomy light casting a cold, eerie atmosphere over the surrounding space.

    He let out a long sigh. "Goddamn it! My reward, my energy crystals."

    Alex clenched his teeth, wanting to run toward it, but he had already learned his lesson from before.

    Because of that, he decided not to give chase.

    "Fine then! No reward is fine. I still have an SS-rank talent. As long as I have enough time and energy crystals, I can keep getting stronger."

    "But still..." Alex said regretfully, "Goddamn it! The hero''s treasure chest, the Evil God''s energy crystals. Ah! My heart hurts..."

    Alex shook his head and sighed, then walked in the opposite direction. He wasn''t stupid, and he didn''t want to throw himself into a place as terrifying as that hell.

    No, that place really *was* Hell.

    ...

    "You''re serious?" Maisy sat in her chair, a hint of doubt in her eyes as she looked at Violette.

    Violette didn''t care about her look, sitting casually with a face full of irritation as she said, "Why would I lie to you?"

    "Damn it! I was tricked by him too. I almost got trapped in that world forever."

    Maisy glanced at Violette, sensing that she didn''t seem to be lying.

    "So, you''re saying he''s coming for us?" Maisy asked with a frown.

    "That''s right. He''ll definitely come for us. He''s become the Evil GodˇŞ the more people he kills, the stronger he''ll become," Violette said. "If he doesn''t come for us, then who else?"

    Maisy suddenly smiled and said, "But does he really have the strength to go against us? He''s still just..."

    "Maisy..." Violette suddenly cut her off, speaking tiredly, "I don''t want to hear your plan. I''m only telling you what I know."

    "I don''t want to fight that disgusting thing either. You and the others deal with him."

    With that, Violette stood up and walked away.

    "Wait!" Maisy called out. "You really don''t want to join the hunt for him?"

    "No. Too exhausting," Violette said indifferently. "Besides, he''s not the same as before. He''s the Evil God now."

    "You may not be able to capture himˇŞon the contrary, he might end up turning you all into his next meal."

    "Hahaha..." Maisy laughed loudly. "Alright then, thanks for the warning. I''ll keep that in mind."

    Violette snorted with disdain, then picked up her magic staff and left the room.

    Maisy watched Violette''s back as she walked away, her mind turning over some thoughts.

    She clapped her hands once, and a man stepped into the room, bowing his head. "Captain, do you need something?"

    "Have you found those locations yet?" Maisy suddenly asked.

    "Not yet," the man replied, still bowing. "But I believe we''ll be able to locate them in a few more days. It''s just..."

    "Hm?!" Maisy frowned, her eyes glancing coldly at the man.

    He sighed and said, "It seems that the ''Resource Centers'' are all concentrated in zones occupied by Rank F and E Lords. I''m just afraid they''ll find them before we do."

    "Don''t worry," Maisy said with a smile. "If they find them first, we''ll just kill them and take the places back."

    "Gather the Lords and have them ready for battle at all times. Anyone who dares resistˇŞkill them."

    "Also, gather everyone in the group. We''re going to hunt the Evil God."

    "Yes, Captain." The man bowed once more and left the room.

    Maisy folded her arms across her chest, her eyes gleaming with interest. She chuckled softly and murmured, "The Evil God, huh? I''d like to see just how powerful he really is."

    ...

    "Ah! Finally, a break." Elara sat on a rock, holding a small piece of bread. She sighed and muttered with a tone full of resentment.

    "My poor back, huhuhu... That skeleton really has no humanity." As soon as she said it, Elara realized she''d said something wrong.

    That''s rightˇŞMalrik *was* a skeleton, not a human.

    At that moment, Elara suddenly missed the days back in the City. Even though her freedom was restricted, she had whatever she wanted.

    She even had people to serve her meals and dress her.

    Now, she had to drag around meaningless boulders every day, face terrifying flames, and listen to the endless wailing of tortured souls.

    She let out another long sigh, wondering how much longer this would last.

    Elara looked off into the distance, her eyes full of longing for freedom.

    "Maybe... I could try to escape," she murmured.

    However, she quickly shook the thought away. She didn''t know where this place was or what dangers awaited.

    If she made a reckless decision, it could simply take her from one dangerous place to another.

    She pouted, opened her mouth to bite into the bread in her handˇŞwhen suddenly, a shadow appeared right in front of her.

    "AGH!!" Elara screamed at the sight of the dark figure.

    It was a young man, but both of his arms were crawling with vinesˇŞgrotesque tendrils that looked like something out of a nightmare.

    "Y-You... Who are you? What the hell are you doing here?"

    Elara was terrified. She didn''t even know what she was sayingˇŞher words spilled out purely from instinct.

    "Ah! A beauty..." Zeka was taken aback by Elara''s appearance.

    He hadn''t expected to see such a stunning woman in a place like thisˇŞmore beautiful than even Violette.

    Though she looked a bit messy and dirty at the moment, none of that could hide her dazzling beauty.

    "Y-You... Don''t come any closer!"

    Elara tried to stand, but her foot slipped, and she fell off the large rock onto the ground.

    Thud!

    "Ack!"

    As her rear made hard contact with the ground, a pained cry escaped her lips.

    "That hurts!" Elara winced, her eyes tearing up from the pain.

    "Are you alright?" A strange voice echoed out.

    Elara looked upˇŞand instantly recoiled at the sight of Zeka''s face.

    His jaw was partially dislocated, making it impossible for him to fully close his mouth.

    Combined with the twisted smile on his face, it made him look like something straight out of a horror movie.

    His armsˇŞfilled with tentaclesˇŞreached toward Elara.

    The tendrils writhed like massive worms, slowly inching closer to her.

    "AAAA!!!!" Elara screamedˇŞthen fainted on the spot.

    "Huh?!" Zeka looked confused by Elara''s reaction: "Why did she faint?"

    "Ah! She must''ve just left the Trial Zone. She''s probably exhausted and passed out. Looks like... this place really full of fortune for me."

    "This girl''s really pitiful. Maybe she came here with other Lords to explore, but they all diedˇŞand she''s the only one left."

    "Alright then. As much as I want to kill Lords to grow stronger, you''ll be an exception."

    "You''re very lucky, my little girl. I''ll protect youˇŞI won''t let you suffer like Violette did."

    In just a single second, Zeka had already spun a perfect fantasy in his head about Elara.

    If she were awake, she''d probably shoot him a look full of contempt... or stare at him like he was a complete idiot.

    But Elara was already unconscious.

    After working for so long in such a... toxic environment, the moment she saw Zeka''s grotesque appearance, her mind collapsed completely.

    [You''re seriously planning to take her with us?] Vinelord suddenly spoke up.

    "That''s right. Got a problem with that?" Zeka replied firmly, his voice tinged with a subtle threat.

    [You... I can smell her bloodˇŞit''s incredibly fragrant. If we drain her, we''ll...]

    "Shut up! I''m not the kind of person who just drains blood at random. From now on, I decide whose blood is worth taking."

    Vinelord: [...]

    [Goddamn it! Are you stupid? She''s a Lord, and a strong one at that. Hurry up and drain her blood.]

    "You''re the one who should shut up! This body belongs to meˇŞI''m the one who makes the decisions," Zeka snapped. "Besides, this girl is pitiful. I don''t want to hurt her."

    Vinelord: [...]

    [Are you serious right now? Then why didn''t you feel sorry for the others you drained? The ones you killed?]

    "That''s because back then, you were the one controlling me. It was your influence that made me lose my humanity temporarily."

    Vinelord: [...]

 Chapter 260: No! Run!

    Vinelord, for the first time, found someone even more shameless than himself.

    But Zeka was rightˇŞthis body originally belonged to Zeka, not him.

    And he couldn''t keep controlling it forever. Every time Vinelord took over Zeka''s body, it drained a massive amount of energy.

    Just during the fight with Alex, Vinelord had nearly exhausted all of his stored energy just to help Zeka escape.

    Now, he could no longer assist Zeka, nor could he forcibly control his body to act on his own will.

    In the end, Vinelord could only sigh, suppressing the rage burning within his mind.

    [Fine, do as you wish. But I want to remind you not to be too merciful. We need to grow strongerˇŞeveryone else out there is hunting you.]

    "Huh!" Zeka snorted disdainfully. "Evil God, you really are a coward. They''re just ordinary LordsˇŞwhat''s there to be so afraid of?"

    "Once I get the opportunity hidden in this strange zone, we''ll wipe out every single Lord in the Chaotic Region."

    "Hahahaha..."

    Vinelord fell silent. One second Zeka was talking about mercy,

    and the next he was declaring his intent to kill every Lord in the world.

    It seemed Zeka''s version of humanity held no real kindnessˇŞonly lust for beautiful women.

    Vinelord had no intention of arguing anymore.

    At least Zeka still intended to kill other Lords to grow strongerˇŞ

    that was the last bit of consolation Vinelord had left.

    Zeka wanted to carry Elara like a princess,

    but realized that in his current condition, his arms weren''t capable of that.

    In the end, he had no choice but to use a vine from his severed arm to bind Elara and lift her up.

    "All right, let''s go claim our opportunity," Zeka said confidently,

    then took his first steps into Malrik''s so-called ''Hell''.

    ...

    "This fire... it''s really strange," Zeka muttered as he walked, surveying his surroundings.

    The entire area was engulfed in flamesˇŞblue-green flames that seemed to have replaced the grass and trees.

    The branches bore not leaves, but flickering blue-green fire. And on both sides of the path, instead of meadows, there were entire fields of flame.

    Yet these flames gave off no heatˇŞon the contrary, they emitted a chilling coldness, and the gloomy light they cast made the whole place even more terrifying.

    [Don''t touch it. I have a feeling this fire is extremely dangerous.]

    Zeka frowned upon hearing Vinelord''s words. "You mean... this fire is dangerous?"

    [Yes, I can sense the danger radiating from it. It''s best not to touch it.]

    Hearing that, Zeka narrowed his eyes, staring at the flames surrounding them. He muttered, "Could it be... the opportunity in this place is this strange fire?"

    [What are you talking about? Don''t touch it!] Vinelord was genuinely alarmed now.

    He could clearly sense that this fire was anything but ordinary.

    Even as someone known as the Evil God, he felt a sensation like Death itself was pressing a scythe to his throat the moment he looked at the flames.

    And this wasn''t even the center of the area. The pillar of fire at the center was far more terrifying.

    A flame stretching over 200 meters highˇŞ

    even if it were ordinary fire, that alone would be terrifying.

    But this one...

    Zeka, however, didn''t seem to feel any fear. On the contrary, he looked excited.

    "Hahaha... Vinelord, I can feel it. This fire is the opportunity I''ve been looking for," Zeka said confidently.

    [You''re insane! Don''t touch it! Leave nowˇŞthere''s no opportunity here at all!]

    "Ah, why are you so afraid?" Zeka scoffed, his face filled with contempt. "If we leave now, doesn''t that make our entire trip here pointless?"

    [Pointless is better than death. I don''t want to die.]

    "You''re such a coward. If you don''t risk your life, how are you ever going to obtain great fortune?"

    Vinelord sighed and said nothing more. His survival up to this point had come from caution.

    If not for his careful nature, he would have been killed long ago by those damned Elves or frozen into a block of ice.

    Even if someone eventually broke his seal, he wouldn''t have been able to awaken in his current state.

    Moreover, Vinelord had the unsettling feeling that some mysterious existence was watching and controlling him.

    If he made a single move that displeased or provoked that entity, he was sure he would die.

    Vinelord suddenly regretted choosing Zeka as his host.

    This bastard wasn''t just foolishˇŞhe was reckless and overly confident.

    So confident, in fact, that he ignored the warnings of an Evil God.

    At that moment, Zeka reached out toward the blue-green flame before him.

    The moment his fingertip made contact, a bone-chilling cold surged through his bodyˇŞ

    followed by countless voices.

    "It hurts!"

    "Kill me!"

    "It hurts! Huhuhu... it hurts so much!"

    "Damn it! Damn bastards!"

    "So uncomfortable!"

    "So hungry! I want to eat!"

    Zeka was startled as he heard what sounded like the voices of countless people speaking all at once.

    He clutched his head and covered his ears, but the voices continued to echo inside his mind.

    "Shut up! Shut up!!!" Zeka screamed in fury.

    Vinelord couldn''t avoid hearing the voices either.

    After all, he was parasitically linked to Zeka''s bodyˇŞso everything Zeka heard, he heard too.

    However, being an Evil God, he wasn''t so easily shaken by voices inside his head.

    But... even if he wasn''t frightened, he was still deeply disturbed.

    ''Strange! Where are these voices coming from? Could it be from inside our minds?'' Vinelord muttered in confusion.

    Zeka was clutching his head, yet he was laughing rather than showing fear.

    "Hahaha... I knew it! This is my opportunity. This fire is something special.

    If I can possess it, I''ll become invincible."

    Zeka flung his arms wide and charged straight toward the flames.

    Vinelord couldn''t take it anymore.

    He used the vines sprouting from Zeka''s severed arm to bind him tightly.

    "Damn it, Vinelord! What the hell are you doing?! Let me go!" Zeka roared in fury.

    ''Are you insane?! You''re going to die! Can''t you feel how dangerous this fire is?''

    "Vinelord! I''ll say it one more timeˇŞthis is my opportunity. I have to take it, you..."

    Vinelord, hearing that, suddenly realized there was no way to stop Zeka through reasoning anymore.

    He would have to find another way.

    [Then go to the center.]

    Just as Vinelord expected, Zeka immediately stopped when he heard that and asked in confusion, "Why?"

    [It seems these flames are just offshoots of the pillar of fire in the center. If you go there, that might be where your so-called opportunity really lies.]

    "Ah! You''re right." Zeka suddenly understood what Vinelord meant.

    Vinelord was rightˇŞthough the surrounding flames were terrifying, they were merely byproducts of the main pillar in the center.

    It seemed his true opportunity lay within that pillarˇŞhe needed to reach it and seize what was his.

    As Vinelord watched Zeka''s growing madness, he understood why the man had become like this.

    It was because Zeka had consumed far too much blood in a short period of time, and that blood wasn''t ordinaryˇŞit was filled with the energy and willpower of those he had drained.

    Zeka hadn''t just consumed bloodˇŞhe had also consumed the very wills of those people.

    That had slowly twisted his mind, making his thoughts increasingly unstable.

    Vinelord had initially planned to let Zeka adapt to his new body step by step, then gradually begin blood absorption to help him acclimate.

    But Vinelord had been too eager to escape the snowy world they were trapped in, so he let Zeka absorb far more than he should have.

    Even though Zeka had only taken in about a quarter of the blood Vinelord had stored, it was still an immense amount.

    The fact that Zeka had remained mentally stable even after that had genuinely surprised Vinelord.

    But now, Zeka was beginning to lose control. His personality was warpingˇŞthough his body remained incredibly strong.

    For that reason, Vinelord didn''t choose to abandon him for another host. He continued parasitizing Zeka.

    Something in Vinelord''s instincts told him Zeka was specialˇŞthat as long as he stayed with him, he would reap unimaginable rewards.

    While Vinelord was deep in thought, Zeka had already reached the central zone.

    There, he saw the Pillar of FireˇŞover two hundred meters tallˇŞraging like the wrath of a god. Not just VinelordˇŞeven Zeka felt fear upon seeing it.

    Suddenly, Vinelord caught sight of something inside the pillar. He shouted in panic:

    [No! Run! HurryˇŞnow!]

 Chapter 261: Vinelord and Hellfire

    Vinelord had just shouted when Zeka immediately retorted, "What the hell are you talking about? It''s just an ordinary pillar of fire, don''t try to scare me like that."

    He spoke as he moved closer to the pillar of fire.

    At that moment, Vinelord could no longer stay calm. Just because Zeka couldn''t see it didn''t mean Vinelord couldn''t either.

    On the contrary, Vinelord saw it all too clearlyˇŞhe saw countless souls screaming in agony and despair.

    He saw the horrors of hell, and he even saw... his own death.

    Vinelord realized this fire was certainly not ordinary. It was most likely the Fire of Hell.

    Though he didn''t understand why the Fire of Hell would appear here, he knew one thing for certain: if they didn''t run, he would definitely die.

    Vinelord used his vines and immediately bound Zeka''s body tightly.

    [Don''t act recklessly. You''ll die for sure. This is no place for jokes.]

    Though restrained, Zeka still didn''t believe Vinelord''s words.

    He was the one chosen by fate, possessing an SS+ rank talent. How could he possibly die so easily?

    ''Wait! If I die, he could just look for another host, but he''s not doing that... Could it be that he''s bound to me?'' Zeka thought to himself.

    ''Or maybe he just doesn''t want to leave me. He knows I''m the one chosen by fate and only wants to cling to me.''

    Zeka scoffed inwardly, then laughed and said, "You worry too much. I feel like this is my opportunityˇŞmy destiny. I''m sure I can tame this flame."

    "If you''re scared, you''re free to leave my body and find another host to parasitize."

    Vinelord: [...]

    At that moment, Vinelord was mentally cursing Zeka''s entire family line.

    Damn it! Did some dog eat this guy''s danger instincts or what?

    Suddenly, a thought struck VinelordˇŞperhaps Zeka really could tame or absorb this flame.

    Otherwise, how could someone be this stupid?

    Besides, Zeka did seem like someone chosen by fate. Despite all the danger he had faced, he was still alive, still pressing forward on his path to power.

    Vinelord was a Dark God, so he understood better than anyone the significance of those chosen by fate.

    After thinking it through, he decided to gamble.

    [Fine! I''ll risk it all with you.]

    "Hahaha..." Zeka laughed loudly. "Don''t worry, I can do this. Watch closely... this is the power of one chosen by fate, one protected by the Goddess of Luck."

    Hearing Zeka''s words, Vinelord immediately put his faith in that very possibility.

    [Looks like... Zeka really is the one chosen by Fate. In that case, he might actually be able to accomplish the impossible,] Vinelord thought to himself.

    At that moment, the vines that had restrained Zeka retracted and hid back inside his body.

    Zeka didn''t want Elara to take this risk with him, so he gently laid her down on the ground and softly said, "Wait for me. I''ll come back. After that, no matter how vast this world is, we''ll go wherever we wantˇŞno one will be able to stop us."

    Vinelord: [...]

    [Do humans these days all like to say such cheesy lines?]

    "Huh! What would you know about love?" Zeka snapped angrily.

    [For fuck''s sake! You''ve only known this girl for less than thirty minutesˇŞwhere the hell is the love coming from?]

    "You''re truly an idiot," Zeka sighed. "Love is like lightningˇŞit strikes the moment you meet. Falling in love at first sight is perfectly normal."

    Vinelord: [...]

    "Alright, watch closely what''s about to happen," Zeka said confidently. "Once I gain this power, we''re going after that bastard from earlier."

    Zeka seethed with anger at the memory of Alex.

    Now that he was about to possess new strength, he couldn''t believe he had nearly been killedˇŞdefeated by a mere Lord from this backwater region.

    He couldn''t accept it. He wanted revenge.

    Besides, if he could kill that guy, he might even receive a powerful buff in return.

    Zeka took a deep breath to calm himself, then stretched out his hand and touched the flame.

    "AAA!!!" The fire immediately scorched his finger and then surged forth, engulfing his entire body.

    But Zeka didn''t flinchˇŞinstead, he shouted with excitement, "It''s mine! This is my opportunity! AAA!!!"

    BAM!

    From Zeka''s body, a shockwave of pressure exploded outward, followed by a raging gust of wind sweeping in all directions.

    The flames surrounding his body rapidly receded and then vanished completely.

    Vinelord had been bracing himself for a catastrophe, but in the end, he only wanted to ask: [That''s it? That''s all?]

    YesˇŞit was that simple. Vinelord hadn''t even felt any pain. All he sensed was a terrifying chill creeping into his mind...

    ...but even that faded away almost instantly.

    Zeka didn''t dwell on it. He looked at his left hand, then waved it upward.

    In that moment, a flame orb, blue-green in color and the size of a tennis ball, floated above his palm.

    Seeing this, Vinelord immediately trusted his earlier hunchˇŞwithout a single doubt.

    Zeka was the one chosen by fate, protected by the Goddess of Luck.

    Otherwise, Vinelord truly had no explanation for what had just happened.

    Still confused, Vinelord extended a vine and touched the pillar of fire. But right after that...

    [AAA!!! It burns! It burns so much!] Vinelord roared in pain, quickly severing the vine.

    Moments later, the vine was reduced to a pile of ash on the ground.

    Seeing this, Zeka burst into laughter. "Hahaha... Vinelord, not everyone is like me. Taming this flame isn''t so easy for others."

    [Tsk!] Vinelord clicked his tongue but couldn''t help feeling fortunate to have parasitized someone chosen by Fate.

    This way, even if the road ahead was more dangerous, Zeka would surely survive.

    And if Zeka didn''t die, then neither would Vinelord.

    Just like that, Vinelord fully placed his trust in Zeka, no longer doubting his instincts.

    After obtaining this strange flame, Zeka didn''t leave immediately. Instead, he remained where he stood, staring thoughtfully at the pillar of fire.

    "Strange... I feel like the flame I''ve acquired isn''t exactly the same as that pillar of fire."

    As he spoke, Zeka brought the flame orb he had conjured closer to the pillar.

    Vinelord looked as well but couldn''t detect any difference between the orb in Zeka''s hand and the massive pillar of flame in front of them.

    [Perhaps it''s because your level is still too low, so you can''t recreate the same type of flame as that in the pillar.]

    Hearing that, Zeka nodded in agreement. It made sense.

    "You''re right. But... I want to absorb the entire pillar. If I can do that, my power will skyrocket," Zeka said confidently.

    Vinelord now completely trusted Zeka, but he still felt that was an impossible task.

    Before Zeka could do anything more, the ground suddenly trembled violently as if about to crack open.

    Startled, Zeka muttered, "Could it be... that since I tamed the flame, this area is now about to collapse?"

    "Hahaha... that''s fine. From now on, no one but me will ever be able to claim this flame."

    He smiled in satisfaction, then lifted Elara into his arms and dashed toward the exit.

    After Zeka left, two figures appearedˇŞMalrik and Drakhan.

    Drakhan looked confused and asked, "Malrik, you''re just letting that brat go? And... did he really absorb and tame your flame?"

    "Hahaha..." Malrik laughed. "You really think the ''Hellfire'' can be tamed that easily?"

    "It was just a trap. He''s like a mouse in my eyesˇŞI could crush him anytime I wanted."

    "However, he still has value to our Master. That''s why I have to keep him alive."

    "But..." Drakhan started to say something, but Malrik interrupted him.

    "Don''t worry. That flame simply makes it easier for me to monitor him," Malrik replied with a grin. "Right now, he''s completely in our hands."

    "Wow!" Drakhan''s eyes lit up. He chuckled and said, "Need me to do anything?"

    "Not for now. Just keep recording everything, exactly as the Master instructed," Malrik said. "When the Master returns, he''ll want all those records."

    "Got it!" Drakhan said, then immediately flew off.

    Malrik gazed into the distance, chuckling softly to himself. "So far, three Fate Holders have appeared. I wonder how many more will show up in the future..."

    "Master, I hope you''ll still be standing when this war comes to an end. I''ve placed all my bets on you."

 Chapter 262: Heâ€™s still alive

    Three days later.

    ???? [Ding! Announcement to all Lords in ranks F, E, and D.

    The "Resource War" event is about to begin.

    The "Central Resource Production Facility" has appeared.

    Whichever Lord holds the "Central Resource Production Facility" for the longest duration within the specified time will claim it as their own.

    Preparation Time: Five days. (Note: During the preparation phase, the 1,000-meter radius around the "Central Resource Production Facility" is a peace zoneˇŞcombat is disabled.)

    Battle Duration: 24 hours. During these 24 hours, the Lord who occupies the "Central Resource Production Facility" for the longest period will become its rightful owner.

    Special Reward: The winner will also receive a mysterious bonus prize.

    Lords, please prepare accordingly.] ????

    Caleb and Austin took a deep breath as they read the announcement in front of them.

    If their Master were here, bringing with him the resources they had stockpiled, this announcement would be of no concern to them.

    But at the moment, their Master was still missingˇŞwithout a trace.

    On top of that, they were running critically low on resources. They had neither the means to build nor the materials to summon more troops.

    If the rank D Lords managed to claim that area, their already formidable power would only grow faster and stronger.

    "What should we do now?" Austin asked, breaking the silence.

    Caleb furrowed his brow, thinking for a moment before responding, "If our Master were here, we definitely wouldn''t care about this event."

    "But now things are different. Without resources, we can''t do anything at all."

    "Besides, if they acquire enough resources, they definitely won''t spare us. Sooner or later, they''ll wipe out every low-rank Lord like us."

    "That''s why... whether we want to or not, we have to take part in this war."

    "Not just to limit their power, but also to reclaim our resources and reassert control over our territory."

    "If they end up dominating our region, then we''ll be nothing more than fish on the chopping board."

    Hearing that, Austin burst out laughing, "Hahaha... That''s right. So what if they''re rank D Lords? We still have a bunch of rank D monsters that our Master left us."

    Caleb shook his head. "You''re forgetting one thing... Rank D Lords can summon rank C monsters. If they actually bring out a rank C monster, do you really think we stand a chance?"

    "Ack! That... I..." Austin scratched his head, suddenly embarrassed. He had completely forgotten that rank D Lords had the ability to summon rank C monsters. "So what do we do now?"

    Hearing Austin''s question, Caleb furrowed his brows, rubbing his chin as he thought deeply for a moment before saying, "We have no choice but to fight."

    "However, we still have five days. During that time, we can scout the area and search for additional help. We still have the ''Hellfire'' left behind by our Master."

    "Ah!" Austin immediately remembered the towering pillar of flame burning in the distant sky. "Hahaha... I almost forgot about the ''Hellfire''. I''m sure Malrik has what it takes to crush those rank D Lords."

    Caleb shook his head. "That''s only if Malrik agrees to help us. If not, we might have no support other than the monsters our Master lent us."

    Austin looked like he was on the verge of tears. "What the hell? So we just sit here and wait for death to come knocking?"

    Caleb sighed, then said, "There''s one more way... but the risk is enormous."

    "What way?" Austin latched onto the faint glimmer of hope and asked eagerly.

    "Do you remember that young man from before? The one with terrifying physical strength?" Caleb asked.

    Austin nodded. "Of course I remember. I think his name was..."

    "Alex," Caleb said. "We might be able to form an alliance with him."

    "Huh?! You think he''d agree to work with us? Is he even still alive?" Austin asked, clearly doubtful.

    "We''ll try," Caleb replied, voice filled with fatigue. "We have to try everything. Even if there''s only a one in a billion chance of winningˇŞwe have to take it."

    ...

    Meanwhile, in the territory of a rank D Lord.

    Maisy sat in her chair, her gaze calmly sweeping over the members of her management team.

    "I assume all of you have seen the System''s announcement by now?" she said softlyˇŞher voice carrying no trace of emotion.

    "Hahaha... is there even anything to think about?" said Garek, a tall, muscular man who burst into laughter. "Just a bunch of rank F and E Lords. What can they do besides scream in despair?"

    "Don''t get too cocky," someone else interjected. "Remember, the one who cleared the 10th floor of the Trial Tower was a rank F Lord. The one who ranked first in the ''Zombie Wave'' event was a rank E+ Lord."

    "Exactly," a woman sitting next to the speaker chimed in. "We shouldn''t get overconfidentˇŞit''ll only put us in danger. I think we should pool all our strength together and eliminate the other Lords in surrounding areas as fast as possible."

    "Huh! Cowards," Garek scoffed. "You''re afraid of some low-rank nobodies? Just crush them with brute strength."

    "They only passed those challenges because they got lucky," said a young man sitting next to Garek. "Don''t forgetˇŞthe difficulty of the ''Zombie Wave'' is scaled based on the power level of the Lords in that region."

    "The weaker you are, the easier the ''Zombie Wave'' event becomes. A bunch of rank F and E Lords naturally faced a simple version of the eventˇŞof course they''d come out on top."

    "Then how do you explain a rank F Lord clearing the 10th floor of the Trial Tower?" a girl asked, her voice filled with annoyance.

    "Like I said," the young man continued, "pure luck. The Trial Tower operates on a similar scaling mechanismˇŞthe weaker the challenger, the weaker the monsters inside."

    "Ah, right. I forgotˇŞyou haven''t even reached level 4 yet. Once you get there, you''ll understand exactly what I mean."

    "Of course, I''m not underestimating anyone. Just like Garek said, all we need to do is concentrate our strength and crush those low-rank Lords."

    "YouˇŞ" the girl across from him began to protest, clearly furious, but a voice rang out.

    "Enough," Maisy said calmly, her gaze sweeping the room. "Everyone makes valid points. We won''t be overconfident, but we won''t cower either."

    "And besides, the ''Central Resource Production Facility'' is too important for us. We must claim itˇŞat all costs."

    "That''s why, this time, we fight seriously. Of course, Garek will be leading the combat efforts."

    Garek stood up with a laugh. "Hahaha... Thank you, Captain. I won''t let you down."

    Maisy continued, "Besides that, I have a few questions for you."

    "Ah!" Garek scratched his head, as if he already knew what she was about to ask. "You mean the pillar of fire in that area, right?"

    "Correct," Maisy nodded.

    Everyone immediately turned their attention to listen. They''d all seen the towering, 200-meter flame in the distanceˇŞand the fear and cold dread that kept them from approaching it.

    "I... I only got close for a moment," Garek said with embarrassment. "But if my level had been higher, I might haveˇŞ"

    "Get to the point, Garek," Maisy interrupted coldly.

    Garek took a deep breath, restraining his irritation, then explained, "Captain, that place is... strange. It''s surrounded by a bluish-green flame, but it doesn''t give off heat or a blinding glow."

    "On the contrary, the flame is cold and emits a gloomy light. As I approached, I could hear the screams of countless people."

    "The closer I got, the stronger the discomfort grewˇŞlike a mountain pressing down on my back."

    "I even tried to go a bit closer. This is the result..."

    Garek waved his hand, and two young men entered the room carrying a stretcher. On it lay someone completely motionless.

    "What the hell is that?"

    "Garek, what the hell are you doing? Get that corpse out of here."

    "Yeah, it reeks! You trying to make us vomit or what?!"

    Unlike the others, Maisy silently stared at the decaying body on the stretcher. Then she turned her gaze to Garek.

    "He''s still alive," Garek said.

 Chapter 263 263: Void Tower

    "What do you mean?" a girl asked, frowning.

    "Just like I saidˇŞhe''s still alive," Garek replied with a grin, pointing toward the young man lying on the stretcher.

    Everyone looked his way and realized the man was indeed still breathing. However, the look he cast at Garek was filled with seething hatred.

    If looks could kill, that young man would''ve murdered Garek a thousand times over.

    "When my team and I went to explore the area around that massive pillar of fire, one guy accidentally fell into the flames... and that''s how he ended up like this."

    The group shuddered. Just one glance at the young man''s eyes made it clearˇŞthis was no accident.

    But who cared?

    That''s right. No one cared. What mattered was finding out what would happen if someone came into contact with that mysterious flame.

    And now, they had their answer.

    Garek sighed and said, "As you can see, the flame didn''t burn him or scorch himˇŞinstead, it slowly disintegrated him, killing him piece by piece."

    "Now, he looks no different from a zombie, overflowing with pain and despair. That''s why I can confidently conclude: that flame is extremely dangerous. We must not touch it."

    As he finished speaking, Garek pulled out a metal rod, aimed it at the young man''s headˇŞand brought it down.

    BAM!

    The rod effortlessly crushed the man''s skull. Blood and white brain matter splattered everywhere, causing those who witnessed it to recoil in horror.

    Some vomited. Others stared at Garek in shock and disbelief.

    Garek noticed some blood and brain fragments had splashed onto his clothes. His face twisted in disgust.

    "Tsk!" he clicked his tongue. "Ruined my damn shirt."

    He cast a sideways glance at MaisyˇŞonly to find her reaction far beyond his expectations.

    She remained completely calm. In fact, her gaze even held a hint of amusement and intrigue as she looked at him.

    Garek felt a flicker of discomfort: "This bitch''s nerves are pretty tough... But give it time. I wonder if you''ll still be this tough when you''re on your back in bed."

    He licked his lips, staring at Maisy with naked greed, making no effort to hide the look in his eyes.

    Maisy pretended not to notice. She simply spoke, "Good. That confirms we should avoid that area."

    "However, we still can''t be careless. Ares, take a team to guard the surroundings of that location. If anything unusual happens, report it to me immediately. Understood?"

    The young man named Ares bowed his head. "Yes, Captain."

    "It seems like you''ve all forgotten something, haven''t you?" VioletteˇŞwho had been silent since the meeting beganˇŞfinally spoke. Tilting her head innocently, she said, "We''ve completely forgotten about the Dark God."

    "Ah! The Dark God..." Maisy chuckled. "Of course I remember. But that no longer matters."

    "Hm?!" Violette looked at her in confusion. "Why not?"

    "You all know that the Dark God is Zeka, don''t you?"

    At Maisy''s words, everyone nodded. After all, they had all seen the System''s announcement. They also knew who Zeka was, so the revelation had come as quite a surprise.

    Naturally, their minds were full of questions. Why had Zeka become a Dark God?

    What exactly was a Dark God? How terrifying must he be for the System to issue a warning to all Lords in the region?

    Not to mention, the reward for killing a Dark God was massiveˇŞenough to make anyone salivate.

    But they weren''t fools. Until they knew how powerful a Dark God truly was, they couldn''t recklessly throw their lives away.

    Maisy scanned the room, her gaze settling on Violette before continuing, "Zeka used to be a Lord. After becoming a Dark God, it seems his Lord status remained intact, which means his territory is still within our jurisdiction."

    "We can use his territory as bait. One way or another, he''ll have to return to it. Or... at the very least, he''s confined to this chaotic zone. He can''t leave."

    "That means all we have to do is locate him and then..."

    Maisy didn''t finish her sentence, but the way she licked her lips and the icy glint in her eyes were enough to make Zeka''s fate crystal clear.

    "Wait!" Violette spoke up. "We still don''t fully understand the power of a Dark God. If we rush into battle, it could lead to unnecessary casualties. I... I don''t want that to happen."

    Hearing the worry and kindness in Violette''s voice, many in the room were moved.

    "Wow... Violette is always like that, always thinking of others."

    "She''s truly like an angel."

    "Hahaha... With Violette here, this dark world suddenly feels a little brighter."

    Maisy frowned slightly, her gaze at Violette carrying a strange, unreadable emotion.

    "Violette, I''m not a fool. I wouldn''t throw everyone into a death trap," Maisy said calmly. "Zeka becoming a Dark God is terrifyingˇŞunquestionably so."

    "But tell meˇŞaren''t you curious about the mystery behind it? How did he become a Dark God? Why did the System trigger a global mission because of him?"

    "And more importantly... are you really okay with letting such a massive reward just wander around freely?"

    "If someone else happens to kill Zeka, they''ll get the prize. Wouldn''t that be a shame, if the one who takes him down isn''t one of us?"

    "But..." Violette tried to speak again.

    Maisy cut her off. "Like I said, we control his territory. That means we can set a trap and lure him in."

    "And then..."

    Everyone immediately nodded in agreementˇŞeveryone except Garek, who simply rubbed his chin and smiled without saying a word. It was clear he had a different plan forming in his mind.

    Violette sighed, her voice tired as she said, "Fine. Do as you wish. Just try not to cause too much unnecessary bloodshed."

    With that, she stood and left. Maisy watched her departing figure, her eyes turning colder and more ruthless than ever.

    She glanced at Ares and gave a slight nod. Ares returned the gesture and stood up, quietly exiting the room.

    ...

    Outside, the snowfall had grown heavier. A thin layer of snow now blanketed the ground, making movement difficult.

    Suddenly, Violette stopped. A deep sense of unease crept into her chest.

    She turned around, scanning the area. Though no one was in sight, she remained on guard.

    Just as she was about to hurry back to her territory, a shadow appeared in front of her.

    "You... Ares?" Violette recognized the figure and spoke cautiously, "What do you want?"

    "Hahaha... Don''t be afraid, Violette. I''m just curious about how Zeka became a Dark God."

    The moment Ares spoke, Violette immediately realized this bastard was one of Maisy''s lapdogs. If that was the case, she had no reason to keep up her innocent act.

    "Huh! Just Maisy''s dog. Don''t think for a second I''m afraid of you."

    "Oh? So the little holy maiden''s done pretending?" Ares sneered. "Too bad. Captain Maisy has ordered me to detain you."

    "Why?" Violette frowned.

    "It''s simple. The Captain doesn''t want you helping the others."

    "What do you mean?" Violette was stunned, confused. "I... I have healing abilities. I should be the one protected."

    "Hahaha... oh Violette," Ares laughed. "It''s because you have healing powers that you''re still alive."

    "Now, kindly accompany me to my place for a few days. If not..."

    He didn''t finish his sentence. Instead, he pulled out a dagger, twirling it menacingly in his hand.

    "You''re insane! Do you want everyone here to die? Who''s going to heal them if I''m gone?" Violette snapped, furious.

    "That''s none of your concern," Ares said, laughing. "If you resist..."

    Violette gritted her teeth and, in the end, could only nod. "Fine. I''ll go with you."

    "Hahaha... very good! Don''t worry, I won''t lay a hand on you... not until the Captain gives the order."

    Hearing those words only made Violette more furious. Her thoughts suddenly turned to Noan.

    Where is he now? What is he doing?

    ...

    At the Singularity Point, Noan suddenly felt as if someone had just mentioned him.

    "Who?" he murmured, frowning.

    But he quickly shook it off, turning his attention back to something more important:

    Territory Blueprint ¨C Void Tower.

 Chapter 264 264: Void Tower (2)

    While checking through the items in his possession, Noan discovered that he actually owned a surprising number of territory blueprints.

    Most of them weren''t particularly usefulˇŞbut one stood out, sparking his interest.

    Noan tapped on the blueprint''s icon in his Storage Space, and immediately, a panel appeared before his eyes.

    ----

    Type: Territory Architecture Blueprint

    Name: Void Tower

    Construction Requirements:

    ???? 10,000,000 units of wood

    ???? 10,000,000 units of stone

    ?? 5,000,000 units of iron

    ???? 2,000,000 units of gold

    ???? 100,000 metal crystals

    ???? 1 Energy Crystal (Rank S)

    (All requirements met)

    Functions:

    Void Empowerment: Grants the user access to Void Energy. The user may also bestow Void Energy upon any being under their control (slaves or monsters only).Void Crystal Production: Continuously produces Void Crystals based on the tower''s level. These crystals can be used to upgrade the Void Level of monsters or beings empowered with Void Energy.Void Legion Summoning: Allows the summoning of Void Troops. However, each summon consumes a certain number of Void Crystals.Energy Conversion: Can convert normal Energy Crystals into Void Crystals at a ratio of 100:1 (same rank).

    ----

    Upon seeing the Void Tower''s information, Noan was taken aback. He frowned and asked the System: "I own a Void Core?"

    ???? [Ding! Yes. The Void Core is currently stored in your Storage Space.]

    A moment later, the Void Core icon began to blink. Noan looked at it and recognized it immediatelyˇŞit was the stone that Billy had given him.

    "So I got lucky after all," Noan muttered. "Then... what exactly is Void Level?"

    ???? [Ding! In addition to your standard level and rank, you also possess a Void Level.

    Void Level does not replace your current strength tier, but rather runs in parallel, augmenting your power even further.]

    Noan quickly understood what that meant. It was like having a second leveling systemˇŞan entirely new column of power.

    If your normal level is 5 and your Void Level is also 5, your overall strength would be at least double that of an average Lord at the same level.

    But Noan had a feeling this wasn''t just a simple doubling. The power boost from Void Level likely went beyond that.

    Looking at the Void Tower, Noan couldn''t help but feel a bit regretful.

    If only I''d waited a bit longer... I could''ve built this tower in the Chaos Zone.

    "Still," he murmured to himself, "it''s a good thing I own two separate territories. That means I can still build the Void Tower here."

    With that, Noan comforted himselfˇŞand looked forward to what was to come.

    He couldn''t dismantle the structure in his Chaos Zone Territory.

    Therefore, building the Void Tower here, at the Singularity Point, was still the best option available.

    However, if he built the Void Tower here, it would definitely attract Isabell''s attention.

    Noan felt a growing headache as he tried to weigh the best course of action. He didn''t want to build it right awayˇŞbut the allure of unlocking the Void Level was too strong to ignore. He couldn''t pass up this opportunity.

    In the end, Noan made his decision.

    "Alright... I''ve played it safe for long enough. Sometimes, you''ve got to take risks."

    "System, I want to build the Void Tower here."

    ???? [Ding! To build the Void Tower, you must dismantle the current structure. Do you agree?]

    "I accept."

    ???? [Ding! All buff effects from the current structure will be removed once dismantled.]

    "Understood."

    ???? [Ding! Initiating dismantling processˇŞ]

    "Wait!" Noan suddenly interrupted. "Pause it for now."

    ???? [Ding! You may resume dismantling and construction at any time.]

    Noan took a deep breath and left his room, heading toward the surface.

    There, he saw Isabell seated calmly in a chair next to a tea table, her focus fully on the book in her hands.

    When she noticed Noan approaching, she closed the book and smiled.

    "Ara~ So you''re coming to me on your own this time?"

    Noan gave a slight nod. "I need to discuss something with you."

    Seeing the serious look on his face, Isabell gave a soft smile and gestured for him to sit across from her.

    A few minutes laterˇŞafter hearing Noan''s explanation about building a major structure here and asking her to help manage the area in his absenceˇŞIsabell was visibly surprised.

    "You really trust me that much?" she said with a sly grin, taking a slow sip of tea.

    "If I didn''t trust you... I wouldn''t have any other choice anyway," Noan replied with a tired sigh. "Besides, I have a feeling... that one day, you''ll become my woman."

    His tone was half teasing, half seriousˇŞenough to make her pause for a beat, mid-sip.

    Then she laughed heartily.

    "Hahaha... You''re certainly direct."

    "However," she continued, wiping a trace of tea from her violet lips with her fingertip, "I don''t like men who are weaker than me. You understand what I mean, don''t you?"

    "That''s only for now. One day, I''ll surpass you," Noan said with quiet confidence.

    "Hahaha... Confidence is good, but..." she suddenly leaned in. That same fingertipˇŞstill dampˇŞgently touched his lips.

    "Just saying it isn''t enough."

    Noan nodded slowly. "So... will you help me? If not, then I''llˇŞ"

    "Did I ever say I wouldn''t?" Isabell pulled back her hand, and thenˇŞwith a teasing flick of her tongueˇŞlicked the fingertip that had just touched his lips.

    ˇŞ

    At the doorway, Vylyss stood in silence, her hand crushing into the stone wall so hard that cracks splintered across it.

    "My Lord..." she whispered, her eyes misting over with tears.

    But she knew Noan was discussing something important. She couldn''t interruptˇŞcouldn''t create a scene.

    All she could do was watch, silently, as another woman seduced her master right in front of her.

    In truth, Vylyss didn''t care how many women Noan had.

    But Isabell... was different. Too dangerous. Something deep in her instincts told her that woman might one day hurt her master.

    And because she was too weak to stop her... all Vylyss could do was watch.

    Isabell cast a glance toward Vylyss in the distance. Even though the hood of Vylyss''s cloak covered part of her face, she could still feel Isabell''s provocative gaze piercing through the fabric.

    Perhaps it was just a woman''s intuition.

    Then Isabell turned back to Noan, smiling as she said,

    "I acceptˇŞbut I have one condition."

    Noan nodded. "Speak."

    "Next time, after you return from the Chaos Zone, I want to take you somewhere," Isabell said.

    "Don''t worry, you won''t be in any danger. I''ll protect you."

    "But... when we''re there, whatever I say, you must do. No questions. No resistance."

    "That''s not happening." Noan shook his head. "I don''t even know where you''re taking me, nor what you''ll ask of me there. I''m not going to walk into something blind like that."

    "Hahaha... don''t worry, I promise you''ll be fine. You''re just going to meet my family."

    "Huh?!" Noan was visibly surprisedˇŞhe hadn''t expected Isabell to have a family.

    "Alright then. Consider our agreement sealed. I''ll manage this place for youˇŞgo stir up chaos in the outer world however you please," Isabell said with a sly smile.

    Noan shook his head slightly and said nothing more. He turned and headed for the elevator.

    Vylyss, seeing Noan walking toward her, rushed to him and clung to his arm.

    But her gaze wasn''t on Noan. She was glaring directly at Isabell.

    She stuck out her tongue, pouting like a sulky child.

    After they stepped into the elevator, Isabell glanced down at her index fingerˇŞthe very finger that had touched Noan''s lips.

    She slowly brought it to her mouth and gently sucked it.

    "Mmm... sweet."

    Her eyes narrowed as she murmured,

    "Noan... I wonder... are you really the one?"

    Back in the bedroom, Noan reopened the System panel and gave the command:

    "Begin construction."

    ???? [Ding! Dismantling previous structure... Dismantling complete.]

    ???? [Ding! Resource payment successful. Beginning construction of Void Tower.]

    Immediately, the space around him began to tremble violently. But with his current strength, Noan remained completely unfazed.

    In just five minutes, the space suddenly twisted and reshaped itselfˇŞand then a new System prompt appeared before him:

    ???? [Ding! Void Tower construction complete. Please check its full functions within the System Interface.]

    At that exact moment, Noan was pulled into a bizarre dimension.

    In this strange, colorless realm...

    He saw it.

    A massive eyeˇŞimpossibly vastˇŞstaring straight at him.

 Chapter 265: Felt despair?

    Noan realized he was flying through a space so vast, he couldn''t even begin to fathom its true scale.

    All around him were countless flickering lights, and in the distance, Noan could see clouds of every imaginable color, each containing myriad stars within.

    "Is this... the universe?" Noan muttered, frowning.

    His gaze shifted again toward the colossal eye watching him. Noan estimated it might be larger than thousands of galaxies combined.

    That eye was strangeˇŞdeeply strangeˇŞbut it also stirred a strange sense of familiarity in him, as if he had seen it somewhere before.

    At that moment, a beam of violet light shot out from the center of the eye, streaking directly toward him.

    He tried to dodge, but his body wouldn''t move. The violet light struck his chest, quickly transforming into an energy that surged through his entire body.

    Noan felt his body begin to changeˇŞhis cells were dying off, only to be replaced by new ones.

    But those new cells seemed hungry. They howled endlessly, making Noan feel deeply unsettled.

    Suddenly, one of the multicolored clouds he had seen earlier drifted toward him, quickly wrapping itself around his body.

    The cloud slowly seeped into his body, and as it did, the gnawing hunger faded significantly.

    This state continued until the cloud eventually disappeared, allowing Noan to finally let out a breath of relief.

    He could sense now that within his body, aside from his original energy source, he possessed anotherˇŞa violet energy.

    In fact, that violet energy was even stronger than his usual one.

    "Two sources of energyˇŞone violet, the other blue," Noan murmured. "But it seems the violet one is slightly stronger than the blue."

    Suddenly, a strange stone tablet appeared before Noan, covered in mysterious symbols he had never seen before.

    Yet despite his unfamiliarity with the script, Noan could feel the majesty and divinity radiating from the tabletˇŞalong with a flowing current that resembled the passage of time.

    Strangely enough, he could sense the flow of time itself.

    But within less than ten seconds, the tablet vanished, and Noan was once again pulled back into the real world.

    "Ha!" Noan exhaled deeply, feeling his entire body brimming with energy.

    "System, open my personal status window."

    ---

    [Character Profile ¨C Noan]

    ???? Name: Noan

    ???? Landlord''s Rank: Perfect of rank D (Temporarily cannot evolve to Rank C)

    ???? Level: 05

    ???? Void Level: 0/5 (0/1,000 Void Crystals)

    ???? Talents

    ???? [Almighty Fusion (SSS)]

    "Fusion is the beginning of evolution. When all becomes one, a new era is born."

    Soldier Fusion

    ? Combine 3 soldiers of the same rank ˇú create 1 soldier of a higher rank

    ? From Rank D and above: choose the soldier''s Class (Warrior, Mage, Assassin...)

    ''Evolution'' Mark

    ? +10% power to soldiers or heroes who receive this mark

    ? The more marked units, the stronger Noan becomes

    ? Marks can be inherited through fusion

    Reinforcement & Support

    ? Leftover fusion materials can be used to enhance soldiers, heroes, or skills

    ? High-ranked soldiers can be used to rank up heroes

    Skill Fusion

    ? Fuse multiple skills into a stronger, higher-rank skill

    ? May unlock hidden effects beyond original limits

    Item Fusion

    ? Combine 3 identical items ˇú create a higher-level or higher-rank item

    ?? [IMMORTAL (SS ¨C Fake)]

    ? Noan can resurrect unless his head is destroyed or his body is reduced to ash

    ? Regeneration speed depends on his internal energy

    ???? [Almighty Copy (SS+)]

    ? Can copy any skill of SS rank or below

    ? Cooldown time increases with the rank of the copied skill

    ???? [Space (SS)]

    ? Allows manipulation of space: teleportation, distortion, spatial control

    ? Power and scale depend on Noan''s energy reserves

    ???? [Voidlight Execution (S+)]

    ? A crystal-clear beam only visible to the target

    ? Instantly kills enemies of equal or lower rank and level

    ? "Erases" events from the timeline as if they never happened

    ? The closer the target, the stronger the destructive power

    ???? [Void Lord (King of SS Rank)]

    ? Grants Noan access to Void Energy

    ? Allows him to bestow Void Power to any slave or monster under his control

    ????? Class ¨C Whisper of the Forgotten (SS+)

    ? Can hear the voices of the forgotten: Gods, Demons, and ancient entities

    ? They do not beg for helpˇŞthey only want someone to listen

    ---

    Noan noticed a new rank listed in his status panelˇŞVoid RankˇŞbut its current level was 0, which took him by surprise.

    "Only level 0, yet it''s already stronger than my regular energy at level 5?" Noan muttered. "It seems Void energy is far superior to ordinary energy."

    He truly wanted to try using Void energy right away, but this place wasn''t exactly the right setting for it.

    Looking around, he found the surroundings oddly altered.

    His room was still intact, but when he opened the door, all that lay beyond was a dark void lit by twinkling specks of light that resembled stars.

    However, with just a thought, a new door appeared before him.

    Noan opened the door and found himself looking into a large room.

    He stepped inside and saw Isabell standing by the window, gazing outside.

    "So, what do you think of my new Territory?" Noan asked with a smile.

    Isabell didn''t respondˇŞshe simply kept staring into the distance. Noan walked up beside her and looked in the same direction.

    Outside was a dark expanse, studded with stars and streaked with colorful clouds. Occasionally, brief flashes of light would appear and vanish.

    The scene was breathtakingly beautiful, yet if one stared too long, it instilled an inexplicable sense of dread.

    "It''s beautiful..." Isabell suddenly said. "I didn''t think I''d ever witness something like this."

    Noan said nothing at first, then furrowed his brows. "I''m granting you access and management rights to the Void Tower."

    "I expect you to take good care of this place. Also, I''ll be returning oftenˇŞso don''t let it fall into chaos, understand?"

    Isabell scoffed lightly at his words, shot him a sidelong glance, then returned to looking out the window.

    Noan knew very wellˇŞthis was the special effect of the Void Tower.

    When the Void Tower was completed, knowledge about itˇŞand how to use itˇŞhad already appeared in Noan''s mind.

    The Void Tower was surrounded by a layer of Void energy, rendering it invisible to ordinary creatures.

    However, high-level beings were a different matter. But Noan wasn''t too concerned about that.

    Back when this place was merely the "Apocalypse Bunker," it had remained unharmed by the monsters lurking nearby.

    Now that it had become the Void Tower, with Isabell''s protection added on top, he doubted it could be easily attacked or destroyed.

    Noan shook his head without saying more. He wanted to explore the other rooms to learn their functions.

    But just as he was about to leave, Isabell reached out and gently grasped his arm.

    "Stay here for a while," she said suddenly.

    Hearing that, Noan let out a sigh, stepped back beside her, and said indifferently, "What? Want to enjoy the view with me?"

    "That''s right," Isabell replied with a smile. "Don''t you want to?"

    Noan shrugged. "Of course I do. It''s just... do you really find this place beautiful?"

    "I do," Isabell answered. "It''s very beautiful. It reminds me of many things."

    Noan didn''t press further. He stood beside her and stared out into the distance.

    "Have you ever loved someone?" Isabell suddenly asked.

    The question caught Noan off guard, but he calmly replied, "Yes, quite a few. Currently, I''d say about three... and probably more in the future."

    "Hahaha... You really can''t lie, can you?" Isabell laughed. "You''re so honest."

    "That''s right," Noan laughed too. "I''m greedyˇŞbut I''m also a coward, and selfish."

    "I''m no hero. I''m just an ordinary man who wants the best of everything."

    "I want beautiful women, I want fame, I want to grow stronger. I have countless desires, but they''re limited by my current status."

    "If I were the Emperor of the Terith Empire, I''d probably sell the whole empire just to party until I died."

    "Hahaha... Hahaha..." Isabell burst into laughterˇŞgenuine and unrestrained. "You''re funny. But... I like your honesty."

    "I''m like you too. I also have many dreams... it''s just... I don''t have the ability to fulfill them."

    "Heh?!" Noan raised an eyebrow. "Someone as powerful as youˇŞare there really things you can''t do?"

    "Hehehe... you''ll find out one day," Isabell replied cryptically.

    Noan shook his head. "Alright. If you don''t want to say, I won''t press you. But if you ever want to become my woman, I''ll try to love you."

    "Ara~ Ara~ Seems like you''re quite confident about that," Isabell teased.

    "Of course. I have a lot of experience in that department," Noan said with a shrug.

    Isabell looked at him for a moment, then asked softly, "Noan, have you ever felt despair?"

 Chapter 266: Void Soldiers - Void Believer

    "Despair?" Noan suddenly recalled the moment he first arrived in this world, then being transported to the ''Singularity Point,'' and after that...

    So much... so many things had happened.

    He let out a sigh and said, "Of course. There were many times I was so desperate I thought I had died. But in the end, I was still alive. Funny, isn''t it?"

    Hearing that, Isabell smiled gently. Her fingers softly touched his chin and lifted his face toward hers.

    "Don''t worry. From now on, I''ll protect you. You won''t have to die."

    Noan: "..."

    "All right, I know you''re just trying to comfort me, aren''t you?" Noan said with a shake of his head. "What about you?"

    "Me? Hahaha... Of course, I''ve felt despair. Even now, I still do. But I believe that one day, I won''t anymore," Isabell replied with a smile.

    Noan tilted his head slightly, studying her expression. Something about her felt strangeˇŞbut he said nothing and simply stood silently by her side.

    Time passed. Eventually, Noan grew a little bored and said, "Alright, you go ahead and keep admiring the view. I''ve got things to do."

    With that, he promptly left the room.

    Isabell watched him until the door closed behind him. Then she sighed and shook her head.

    "Ah, men... so hard to understand."

    ...

    Noan didn''t rush into any other rooms. Instead, he allowed himself to hover in the void.

    In front of him now appeared an interfaceˇŞan information panel for the Void Tower.

    ----

    Structure: Void Tower

    Status: Fully Constructed Current Level: Level 1

    ________________________________________

    Requirements to Upgrade to Level 2:

    Construction Materials:

    ˇđ 100,000,000 units of ???? Wood

    ˇđ 100,000,000 units of ???? Stone

    ˇđ 50,000,000 units of ?? Iron

    ˇđ 20,000,000 units of ???? Gold

    ˇđ 1,000,000 ?? Metal Crystals

    ˇđ 1 ???? Energy Crystal (Rank S)

    ˇđ 1 ???? Void Core

    ________________________________________

    Current Functions:

    Void Empowerment

    ˇđ Grants the power of the Void to slaves or monsters under your command.

    Void Crystal Production

    ˇđ Current rate: 100 Void Crystals (Rank F) / 24 hours

    Summon Void Legion

    ˇđ Max per 24 hours: 10 Void Soldiers

    ˇđ Cost: 10 Void Crystals (Rank F) per Void Soldier

    ˇđ Soldier stats:

    ˇö Level = Level of Void Tower

    ˇö Rank = Current Rank of Lord Noan

    Energy Conversion

    ˇđ Rate: 100 ???? Energy Crystals ˇú 1 ???? Void Crystal (same rank)

    -----

    "Void Soldiers, Void Crystals..." Noan stared at the information panel, his gaze thoughtful.

    With a wave of his hand, a door materialized in front of him.

    He pushed it open and stepped inside. The room was quite spacious, and at its center was a swirling vortex of space. Around it were flickering lights, resembling a black hole surrounded by stars.

    Noan gave the command: "Summon 10 Void Soldiers."

    ???? [Ding! Summoning initiated...]

    Immediately, from within the dark vortex, ten Void Soldiers emerged before him.

    They had no legsˇŞonly the upper halves of humanoid figures, floating weightlessly in the air.

    Their bodies were not physical, merely clusters of violet smoke gathered into form. Each held a crescent-shaped violet blade in both hands, and their outer armor appeared to be pieced together from mismatched shards of metal.

    ???? [Ding! You have successfully summoned 10 Void Soldiers: Level 1 | Rank F.]

    Noan examined the ten Void Soldiers, feeling that they were only slightly weaker than his current Skeletons.

    While his Skeletons had already reached Level 3 and were at the Peak of Rank D, Noan trusted his instinctsˇŞand they were rarely wrong.

    "So... the Void is truly powerful, but also deeply mysterious," Noan murmured.

    His thoughts drifted back to the dimension he had visitedˇŞthe enormous eye, the stone tabletˇŞhe felt as though he was slowly approaching entities far beyond comprehension.

    He shook his head. He didn''t want to dwell on it too much. Even if his suspicions were right, so what? He still needed to grow stronger.

    With enough power, he would have nothing to fearˇŞno matter what awaited him.

    Noan decided not to use his talent ''???? Almighty Fusion'' on these monsters just yet. He preferred to reserve that ability for more critical circumstances.

    He didn''t linger in the summoning room. Instead, he moved on to another chamber.

    This new room housed a strange scaleˇŞshaped somewhat like a crucifix, but adorned with countless carved eyes staring in every direction.

    This room was the Energy Conversion Chamber.

    Here, he could convert regular energy crystals into Void Crystals.

    Noan approached the strange scale. With a wave of his hand, 100,000 Rank F Energy Crystals from his Storage Space immediately appeared on one side of the scale.

    ???? [Ding! Do you wish to convert 100,000 Rank F Energy Crystals into 1,000 Void Crystals?]

    "Confirm!"

    ???? [Ding! Beginning conversion.]

    After lootingˇŞno, after harvesting vast amounts of resources from Caleb and the Third Elder of the Frankyro Family, Noan was now exceedingly wealthy.

    He didn''t have too many high-rank energy crystals, but in terms of low-rank ones, he had a mountain.

    So many, in fact, that he could freely use them as materials to convert into Void Crystals without hesitation.

    ???? [Ding! Conversion successful. You have received 1,000 Void Crystals (Rank F).]

    Noan watched as the 100,000 Rank F Energy Crystals instantly vanished.

    On the other side of the scale, 1,000 violet-colored stones appeared, radiating a strange, otherworldly light.

    He gave the next command: "Upgrade Void Rank."

    ???? [Ding! Upgrade successful. Your current Void Level is now Level 1 (0/1,000 Void Crystals Rank E).]

    Feeling the Void energy in his body instantly double, Noan couldn''t hold back.

    He immediately used 100,000 Rank E Energy Crystals as conversion material to upgrade again.

    ???? [Ding! Upgrade successful. Your current Void Level is now Level 2 (0/1,000 Void Crystals Rank D).]

    Upon reaching Level 2, Noan finally stopped.

    Staring at the requirement for the next levelˇŞ1,000 Void Crystals Rank DˇŞa pang of pain twisted in his heart.

    Those 1,000 Void Crystals were equivalent to 100,000 Rank D Energy Crystals.

    The number was staggeringˇŞso overwhelming that it nearly pushed Noan to despair.

    Even though he believed he would one day collect that many crystals, it was clear that day was still far off.

    He sighed and stopped thinking about it, instead focusing on the surge of Void energy flowing through his body.

    Now at Level 2, the Void energy had grown overwhelmingly vast and terrifying.

    To the point where the ordinary energy within his body began to tremble and shrink away in fear, retreating into a corner like it dared not interfere.

    Noan let out a chuckleˇŞit was bizarre, almost absurd. The energy within his body acted as if it had its own consciousness, showing fear like a living creature.

    He focused on the power flowing inside him. The Void energy was so overwhelming that it seemed to wrap his body in a faint layer of violet smoke.

    With a wave of his hand, the mist dispersed instantly.

    "Ah! I can control this smoke too," Noan murmured with amusement, intrigued as he began experimenting with the violet haze.

    After a while, he grew bored and exited the chamber.

    Drifting through the void space within the tower, his eyes returned to the information panel.

    Upon seeing the upgrade requirements for the Void Tower, he glanced toward the remaining resources in his Storage Space.

    "All right. I suppose next time I return to the City, I''ll stock up on more construction materials."

    At present, he still had plenty of materials leftˇŞbut nowhere near enough to upgrade the Void Tower to the next level.

    Worse yet, upgrading required both a Void Core and a Rank S Energy Crystal.

    Both of which were so rare that even S-Rank Lords might not possess them.

    He had only obtained those two items by sheer luckˇŞfrom Billy and Vaelyth. There was no guarantee fate would be so kind a second time.

    Noan shook his head and pushed those thoughts aside, continuing to explore the remaining rooms.

    After gaining a complete understanding of the Void Tower''s layout and functions, he went to find Vylyss.

    "Master, are you really going to let me possess a new kind of energy?" Vylyss asked excitedly the moment Noan mentioned Void Energy.

    "That''s right," Noan nodded. "However, I don''t know whether there will be side effects, so I''ll let you choose. You can refuse."

    "No!" Vylyss cried out instantly. "Master, I''m not afraid of danger. I only fear that I might not be strong enough to protect you."

    Hearing that, Noan nodded lightly. Even though the system clearly stated he could grant Void Energy to his slaves or monsters under his command, it never said whether doing so might cause harm or have side effects.

    That was why he felt the need to warn Vylyss in advance.

    With a wave of his hand, a wisp of violet smoke appeared, then slowly slithered its way into Vylyss''s body.

    From the center of her chest, glowing purple markings suddenly bloomed outward, spreading across her entire body like flowing veins.

    ???? [Ding! Are you sure you want to grant Vylyss the ability to use Void Energy?]

    Seeing that Vylyss showed no signs of discomfort, Noan silently breathed a sigh of relief and gave a nod. "Confirm!"

    ???? [Ding! Vylyss has acquired Void Energy. Her Class ''Fallen Believer'' has evolved into ''Void Believer.'']

 Chapter 267: Singularity Point

    Immediately, a status panel appeared before Noan.

    ----

    Name: Vylyss

    Level: 05

    Void Level: 0/5 (0/1,000 ???? Void Crystals ¨C Rank F)

    Rank: B

    Class: Void Believer

    Description: A devoted follower of the Void, imbued with chaotic energy. She is the embodiment of disorder, a bringer of calamity upon the world.

    Evolution Requirements:

    ???? 1 Void Core

    ???? 100 Void Crystals (Rank B)

    ???? 15 Void Monsters (Rank B)

    ----

    Noan was surprised when he saw Vylyss''s evolution conditions.

    After all, his current monsters could only evolve up to Rank C due to the ranking limits imposed by the Chaos Zone.

    But this case was differentˇŞVylyss could evolve beyond that limit, and the requirements leaned heavily toward Void-based materials.

    That''s rightˇŞall the required resources came from the Void Tower.

    Noan frowned in thought:

    There are two possibilities. First, because this place is the ''Singularity Point,'' Vylyss is unaffected by the Chaos Zone''s limits and can evolve freely.

    Second, Void Energy itself might be overriding those restrictions, allowing her to break past the cap.

    Either way, this is a loophole I can take advantage of.

    As Noan was deep in thought, Vylyss was already feeling the immense power flowing through her body.

    A new type of energy had appearedˇŞyet instead of clashing with her existing powers, it harmonized with them.

    In fact, it acted like a conductorˇŞenhancing the coordination and efficiency of her various energy types.

    Vylyss raised her hand. Four distinct auras manifestedˇŞpink, black, white, and violet.

    The four energies began merging, forming a glowing orb the size of a tennis ball that radiated a terrifying amount of power.

    With a wave of her hand, the orb disappeared. Delighted, she walked up to Noan and said, "Master, thank you."

    Noan gave a slight nod. He considered leveling up her Void Level, but when he recalled that it took 100,000 Rank F Energy Crystals just to convert into 1,000 Void Crystals, he sighed.

    Right now, he didn''t have enough energy crystals to spare for another conversion.

    "Uhm! You''ll have to keep working hard, alright?" Noan said while gently patting her head.

    Vylyss suddenly grinned mischievouslyˇŞher eyes full of playful greedˇŞas she wrapped her arms around him and whispered:

    "Master, I want..."

    Noan saw the expression on Vylyss''s faceˇŞand of course, he didn''t feel like holding back either.

    The two of them teleported into a private chamber, and then...

    ...

    The next morning, Noan woke upˇŞstill unsure just how wild things had gotten between them.

    Perhaps it was the surge of new power within her that had caused Vylyss to completely lose control and descend into a frenzy.

    Or maybe it was the result of days of pent-up frustrationˇŞbeing suppressed by Isabell without being able to fight backˇŞthat made her release all her fury onto him.

    Either way, Noan didn''t really mind. As long as Vylyss was happy, that was enough.

    SLAP!

    "Mm..." Vylyss let out a soft moan as Noan gave her a gentle smack on the butt.

    "Come on, let''s go out for a hunt," Noan said with a grin, taking Vylyss along as they began strolling through the surrounding area.

    He headed to zones infested with zombies, letting Vylyss handle the extermination and harvest energy crystals from the corpses.

    With her current power, the task was laughably easy. Even the Zombie Hunters that had once posed serious threats now felt no more dangerous than ants.

    Gradually, the two of them wandered farther and farther from his territory.

    Eventually, they reached a coastal areaˇŞand Noan frowned when he saw that the sea had turned completely red.

    "This is... the ocean?" he muttered.

    He didn''t let his guard down. Instead, he checked the Anchor Point he had set back at his territory.

    Once confirmed, he turned to Vylyss with a relaxed expression.

    Vylyss understood immediately. She soared into the sky and flew off into the distance.

    Not long after, she returned and reported, "Master, it seems the entire ocean has turned red. Also, I can sense many terrifying monsters lurking beneath the waves."

    Noan nodded. "Alright. We''re still not ready to explore the ocean. There''s no need to take unnecessary risks."

    "Yes, Master," Vylyss replied obediently.

    They didn''t linger in the area. After all, this was a dead zoneˇŞnot a sightseeing spot.

    Suddenly, Vylyss sensed something. She immediately raised her hand.

    A magic circle appeared, radiating an eerie violet light.

    At that exact moment, a crimson energy sphere came hurtling toward them at an insane speedˇŞcolliding straight into Vylyss''s barrier.

    BAM!

    The impact echoed like a thunderclap. The explosion released a shockwave so violent it blew out in all directions like a roaring hurricane.

    BAM!

    Suddenly, the crimson sphere exploded, shattering into countless tiny droplets that shot outward in every direction.

    Their speed was terrifyingˇŞlike a hailstorm of bulletsˇŞdevastating everything in their path.

    Noan didn''t dare to be careless. He immediately activated his Space talent.

    A protective barrier formedˇŞblending Void energy and his Spatial powersˇŞencasing his body in a shimmering shield.

    Vylyss, too, was enveloped in a layer of darknessˇŞan inky-black shield surrounding her body like a cloak of the night.

    BANG! BANG! BANG!

    The sounds of the micro-droplets colliding with Noan''s barrier echoed violently, one after another.

    It wasn''t until more than ten seconds later that everything finally settled.

    Noan exhaled sharply, feeling a wave of relief wash over himˇŞbut he didn''t lower his guard.

    He had clearly seen what happened.

    That sphere from earlierˇŞit wasn''t just a ball of energy. It had been a sphere of seawater. And when it struck Vylyss''s magic circle, it didn''t simply vanishˇŞit burst apart, launching hundreds of needle-like droplets in every direction.

    What made it worse was the sheer destructive power of each droplet. They didn''t just hitˇŞthey pierced, slicing through solid stone along the shoreline like paper.

    Then, Noan suddenly felt itˇŞa presence.

    A gaze.

    It was as if somethingˇŞor someoneˇŞwas watching him. The stare was filled with malevolence and murderous intent.

    He turned his eyes to the distant ocean.

    Out there, a thick fog blanketed the entire sea. He couldn''t make out what lay beneath it.

    But even through the dense mist, he could see themˇŞtwo crimson eyes glowing like blood moons, locked directly on him.

    Noan frowned deeply. He could feel the pressure emanating from that gaze aloneˇŞit was suffocating.

    His heart began to pound wildly, like war drums signaling imminent danger. Every fiber of his instincts screamed the same thing:

    Run. Run before it''s too late.

    And just then, the air was pierced by a chilling soundˇŞ

    Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

    DozensˇŞno, hundredsˇŞof sharp projectiles cut through the wind, heading straight for them.

    Then, countless crimson water spheres hurtled toward Noan and Vylyss.

    But this time, Noan didn''t choose to defend against them.

    Instead, he immediately grabbed Vylyss''s hand and activated his Teleportation ability.

    BAM! BAM! BAM!

    Explosions erupted in rapid succession, tearing the beach apart as if it had been struck by hundreds of bombs.

    The red eyes in the mistˇŞseeing Noan and Vylyss vanishˇŞseemed agitated. A sharp, otherworldly cry echoed across the entire sky.

    KRIT!!!

    Then, slowly, its massive form sank beneath the ocean''s surface and disappeared completely.

    Over 100 miles away from the shoreline, Noan and Vylyss reappeared.

    "What the hell was that thing?" Noan muttered with a long sigh.

    Vylyss, still in disbelief, said quietly, "Master... just now, I truly couldn''t sense its presence at all. That''s why IˇŞ"

    Seeing the look of guilt on her face, Noan softened his tone and gently reassured her, "Don''t worry. I''m not blaming you. You don''t need to keep taking everything on yourself, alright?"

    As he spoke, he caressed her cheek tenderly.

    "That creature..." he continued, "its strength was likely beyond anything we could have imagined. Its rank might''ve already reached Rank S."

    Noan recalled the earlier encounter. Judging by the height of the creature''s glowing eyes above sea level, he estimated its body was between 600 and 1,000 meters tall.

    Even more terrifying was the fact that the distance from the shoreline to the fog-covered zone, where the creature had emerged, was over 10 miles.

    And yet, it launched an attack from that far awayˇŞwith devastating power.

    That was enough proof for Noan: it had to be a Rank S entity.

    "Looks like this ''Singularity Point'' is far more dangerous than I ever imagined."

 Chapter 268: Elemental Core

    However, one question lingered in Noan''s mindˇŞsomething he simply couldn''t understand:

    Why would a creature that terrifying remain confined to the ocean?

    That''s right.

    If it was truly that powerful, why hadn''t it entered the mainland?

    On land, Noan had only encountered low-rank and low-level zombies.

    High-rank zombies, or even high-level ones, were rareˇŞpractically nonexistent.

    If that monster were to step onto land, it would become the undisputed ruler of this entire region.

    But noˇŞit stayed offshore. And instead of advancing inland, it launched attacks from the sea, as if something were preventing it from crossing the boundary.

    It felt as if there was some mysterious force keeping it at bay... denying it access to the mainland.

    Or perhaps... that creature couldn''t survive away from the sea.

    Its very existence might be bound to the ocean itself.

    Those were the only explanations Noan could find that made any sense.

    Still, he wasn''t overcome by fear or worry.

    After gaining the power of the Void, Noan was confident that one day, he would be strong enough to slay that monster.

    "Let''s go. The ocean''s not really our kind of place," Noan said teasingly, glancing at Vylyss, whose mood had clearly dipped.

    Vylyss pressed her lips together and nodded quietly.

    Noan sighed, thinking to himself:

    This girl... she''s great at everything, but she blames herself too easily. I''ll have to do something about that.

    While pondering, he and Vylyss soared through the sky, heading toward the mountain range located roughly 100 miles outside the city.

    Along the way, Vylyss continued slaying zombies with ease, helping Noan collect a decent number of energy crystals.

    However, compared to the massive haul from Caleb''s bank vault and the Third Elder of the Frankyro Family, this felt like pocket changeˇŞhardly worth mentioning.

    Upon reaching the mountains beyond the city outskirts, Noan was reminded once more that the Singularity Point was nothing like the safe zones he had known.

    This place was also shrouded in fog, thick and impenetrableˇŞmaking it impossible to see anything within.

    And then... that feeling returned.

    The feeling of being watchedˇŞby something monstrousˇŞmade Noan''s skin crawl with unease.

    He looked toward the dense fog that cloaked the entire mountain range, forming a wall that reached from earth to sky, stretching off into the distance with no visible end.

    He saw nothing, no eyes, no figuresˇŞbut the sensation of being observed by something unimaginable remained.

    Noan took a deep breath and looked away, forcing himself not to stare any longer.

    He furrowed his brow and asked, "Vylyss, can you sense anything?"

    Vylyss nodded, her expression clearly showing worry, discomfort, and tension.

    Noan let out another long breath.

    This place truly was terrifying.

    He had only been lucky enough to land in an area with low-level zombiesˇŞand even that, it seemed, had been a rare stroke of fortune.

    If he had been thrown directly into that fog-covered zone, Noan had no doubtˇŞhe would''ve died without even knowing how.

    "Let''s move on. There''s no reason to stay here," Noan said, then took Vylyss and teleported over 50 miles south of their current location.

    When they reappeared, Noan found himself standing before a dense forest, its towering trees easily reaching over a hundred meters tallˇŞan unusual sight in this world, yet now they were so abundant they formed an entire forest.

    He even spotted trees soaring over 200 meters highˇŞmonolithic pillars rising toward the heavens.

    Approaching the forest''s edge, Noan frowned as he peered into the dense interior. The trees were massive, tightly packed together, blocking most of his view.

    He closed his eyes, channeling his Space talent, allowing energy to ripple outward and construct a 3D holographic simulation in his mind.

    It was a technique similar to echolocation in bats.

    But while bats used sound waves, Noan used magicˇŞand magic, of course, was a thousand times more effective than mere vibrations.

    A map with a radius of over 20 miles formed in his consciousness.

    On it, he could clearly see the positions of trees, monsters, and even the location of a treasure chest buried deep within the forest.

    Opening his eyes, Noan turned to Vylyss. Together, they stepped into the forest.

    Rather than flying, they chose to travel atop the high treetops, which offered both a better vantage point and easier access to eliminate enemies.

    RUMBLE! RUMBLE! RUMBLE!

    Suddenly, the ground trembled violently. The crashing sound of giant trees toppling echoed through the air.

    Noan had already detected the monster''s presence earlier using his spatial scan.

    "Let''s hunt. I want to see how strong you''ve become," he said with a smirk.

    Vylyss responded eagerly, "Yes, Master!"

    The two of them quickly moved toward the source of the disturbance.

    There, they spotted a massive creatureˇŞover 30 meters tall, its entire body coated in shadowy black.

    Looking closer, they saw it was a giant bear, but its fur was no ordinary furˇŞit was as hard as metal, reflecting sunlight like sharpened steel.

    Its strength was terrifying. With just a casual push, it toppled a hundred-meter-tall tree with a trunk over four meters thick, as if it were nothing.

    Vylyss narrowed her eyes. "That bear... I''d estimate it''s Rank B, but its level isn''t very high. Maybe level 3 or 4."

    "Can you take it down?" Noan asked.

    Vylyss shot him a sly, seductive smile. "Master, just watch me."

    With that, she soared toward the beast.

    Sensing her presence, the colossal bear let out a deafening roarˇŞ

    GRAOO!!!

    Its claw swung violently, unleashing three crescent-shaped energy waves that tore through the air straight at Vylyss.

    Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

    The slicing winds howled as the light blades flew through the trees, cleaving them apart effortlessly, as though slicing through paper.

    Vylyss, undeterred, raised her hand gracefully.

    In her palm, she held a slender chain, delicate and smallˇŞbut at the end of it was a sharp, spear-like tip.

    With a flick of her wrist, the spear-tip on the chain shot forwardˇŞstraight toward the incoming crescent blades.

    The chain traced a beautiful arc through the airˇŞand in the same moment, it shattered the crescent-shaped energy blades with ease.

    GRAOO!!!

    The black bear roared furiously and suddenly leapt into the air, its massive body like a flying mountain.

    "Hmph," Vylyss snorted disdainfully. Her elegant hand flicked once moreˇŞ

    Clink! Clink!

    The sound of chains echoed as dozens of them tore through the air, piercing the space around the black bear. They shot toward it like snakes, binding it midair in an instant.

    GRAO!!!

    The beast howled and thrashed, but it was futile.

    Vylyss hovered above, now holding a tennis-ball-sized sphere of energy in her palm.

    And then, without warning, the orb vanished.

    In the blink of an eye, the energy sphere reappearedˇŞdirectly in front of the black bear''s faceˇŞand then...

    BAM!

    A deafening explosion erupted. The surrounding space shuddered violently, as though the very world might collapse.

    A giant sphere of energy engulfed the entire bear, trapping it inside.

    From that sphere, shockwaves burst outward again and again, blowing away even the hundred-meter-tall trees like twigs.

    The overwhelming energy became a heatwave, turning the surrounding space into a furnace of destruction.

    But just a few moments later, the orb began to shrink, then faded completely.

    Silence fell over the forestˇŞonly the wind, carrying lingering waves of heat, swept through the treetops.

    Vylyss flew over to Noan with a smile, extending her hand. Resting on her palm was a gleaming Rank B Energy Crystal, radiating a dazzling light.

    Noan took it and immediately felt the immense power stored within.

    [Ding! Congratulations, you''ve obtained a Rank B Energy Crystal ¨C Level 4.]

    He nodded as the system''s notification popped up.

    Energy Crystals came in levels, ranging from Level 1 to Level 10.

    Most of what he normally encountered were Level 1, as they were common, easy to trade, and easily harvested.

    But higher-level crystals were different.

    They weren''t just valuableˇŞthey had immense utility.

    That''s why high-level energy crystals were rarely seen.

    There was also another reason: Rank limits.

    The most commonly traded crystals were Rank F and Rank E.

    However, crystals of those ranks only existed at Level 1ˇŞthere were no higher versions.

    Starting from Rank D and above, crystals came in multiple levels.

    This Level 4 Rank B Energy Crystal in Noan''s hand, for example, could theoretically be converted into 40 Level 1 Rank B Crystals.

    However, in practice, most people wouldn''t make that exchange. The asking price often went up to 50 or even 70 standard Rank B crystals.

    Though the conversion rate was well above the official value, many were still willing to payˇŞbecause high-level crystals had enormous strategic worth.

    Suddenly, Vylyss pulled out another stone and handed it to Noan.

    "Master, I found this one too. It was inside the black bear''s heart."

    Noan''s eyes widened the moment he saw the object.

    His expression turned to disbelief.

    "This is... an Elemental Core."

 Chapter 269: Noanâ€¦ not just yet

    Noan stared at the black crystal in his hand, immediately sensing a potent surge of elemental energy.

    Though it was only the size of a tennis ball, its weight was immenseˇŞit felt like holding a 100-kilogram object compacted into that small form.

    ???? [Ding! Congratulations, you''ve obtained an Earth Elemental Core ¨C Rank B | Level 4.]

    Seeing the system notification, Noan inhaled deeply.

    Unlike energy crystals, elemental cores didn''t help Lords increase their level or rank. But their value lay elsewhereˇŞand it was tremendous, especially in areas like territory development and weapon crafting.

    Back at the Academy, he had learned that a single Rank D | Level 1 Earth Elemental Core could be exchanged for 100 Rank D Energy Crystals.

    Additionally, such cores were essential in alchemy and forging.

    Not basic smithing, of courseˇŞbut magical augmentation, infusing gear with the Earth element to grant it powerful traits.

    Earth element not only increased durability, but also enhanced defensive stats.

    When used properly, an Elemental Core could raise a weapon''s rank by an entire tier.

    Naturally, the value of Elemental Cores didn''t stop there. They had numerous other advanced applications.

    That was why they were so highly prizedˇŞand also so incredibly rare.

    "Looks like I''m not entirely unlucky after all," Noan murmured. "A Rank B | Level 4 Elemental Core like this can be used for a lot."

    "With this, I hope Thalira can forge me something impressive."

    Thalira was one of the two special NPCs under his command. She was a Rank D blacksmith, and Noan held high hopes that she''d be able to surprise him with her craftsmanship.

    He stored the Earth Elemental Core safely in his Storage Space, then continued venturing deeper into the forest.

    Aside from the Black Bear earlier, he didn''t encounter any more high-level monstersˇŞand as expected, no more Elemental Cores either.

    After all, such cores were exceptionally rare, and just finding one Rank B | Level 4 core had already surpassed his expectations.

    "Master, there''s something strange ahead," Vylyss suddenly said.

    Noan looked in the direction she indicated and noticedˇŞjust a few miles awayˇŞa massive tree stump that had been cleanly severed, leaving only the base.

    Even as just a stump, its diameter was over 20 meters.

    That alone was enough to show how gigantic the tree must have been in its prime.

    But what puzzled Noan even more was: what kind of force could cut down a tree of that size so cleanlyˇŞlike slicing through a birthday cake?

    Atop the flat stump, a thick cluster of mushrooms had grown.

    These weren''t ordinary fungiˇŞeach mushroom was between 50 to 100 centimeters tall, densely packed across the tree''s surface.

    Kho?ng chi? mo??t loa?i na??m ma? la? ?u? mo?i loa?i na??m vo??i ?u? loa?i ma?u sa??c.

    "Ah! Poisonous mushrooms?" Noan muttered, narrowing his eyes. He knew full wellˇŞthe more beautiful a mushroom looked, the more deadly its toxins were likely to be.

    Just looking at those vibrant, colorful fungi sprouting across the massive stump was enough to make him keep his distance.

    "Master, wait here for a moment," Vylyss suddenly said excitedly, and without waiting for a response, she darted off.

    She flew directly into the center of the mushroom patch. A few moments later, she returned, holding a small, peculiar mushroom in her hand.

    Unlike the massive mushrooms around it, this one was only about the size of two fingers. Its cap was jet-black and covered in small, round, multicolored spikes. Tiny glowing particles drifted around it, giving it an almost magical appearance.

    "This is..." Noan looked at the odd little mushroom in her hand, puzzled.

    "Hehehe..." Vylyss giggled mischievously. "Master, this is called a Plunder Mushroom. The name comes from its... rather strange function."

    "See these rounded spikes here?" she continued, pointing to the top of the mushroom. "Pay close attention. If you plant this mushroom inside your own body, and let others eat the spiky bulbs, a special connection will be formed between you and them."

    "A special connection?" Noan raised an eyebrow. "What kind of connection?"

    Vylyss explained, "It''s a plundering bond. MeaningˇŞif the person who eats one of these spikes has any active buffs, you''ll be able to steal them."

    Noan''s eyes widened in shock. "Seriously? Are there no limitations?"

    "Almost none," Vylyss grinned. Then as if remembering something, she added, "There''s only oneˇŞthe effect lasts for just one hour."

    "To be precise," she said, "once the other person eats the spike, the mushroom''s effects only last for one hour. After that, the connection fades."

    "Ah!" Noan nodded in understanding. "So during that one hour, any buffs the target possesses can be stolen by me?"

    "Exactly, Master," Vylyss beamed. "Even if it''s a long list of buffsˇŞthey can all be transferred."

    Noan nodded thoughtfully. "How do you even know about this mushroom?"

    Vylyss didn''t hesitate. "Because in the Demon Realm, this mushroom is highly sought after. It''s commonly used to poison rival demons and steal the power of their slaves."

    "However, it''s extremely rare. I''ve only ever seen one once before in my life."

    Noan smiled as he accepted the mushroom from her. So this tiny little thing holds such terrifying potential...

    ThenˇŞa name popped into his mind.

    Zeka.

    His heart raced with excitement.

    Because Zeka possessed a talent ranked SS+, which allowed her to permanently convert any buff into a permanent one.

    If Noan used this Plunder Mushroom on himself... and then had Zeka eat a spike...

    ThenˇŞevery buff Zeka owned would become his.

    And knowing Zeka''s system of stacking and converting buffs, that would be an unimaginable treasure trove.

    Noan counted the rounded spikes on top of the mushroomˇŞfive in total. He smiled and placed the Plunder Mushroom into his Storage Space, then turned to Vylyss with a grin.

    "You did well, Vylyss. Do you want a reward?" he asked.

    Vylyss glanced at him, her cheeks flushing red with seductive warmth.

    Seeing her expression, Noan instantly understood what she wanted.

    And just like that, the two of them began a wild, unrestrained battle beneath the towering canopy of the forest.

    ...

    Five days later, Noan and Vylyss returned to the Void Tower.

    Their spoils from roaming the Singularity Point weren''t enormousˇŞNoan hadn''t found another Elemental Core or another Plunder MushroomˇŞbut even so, he felt more than satisfied.

    Amidst a field of grass over a meter tall, the black tower, standing over a hundred meters high, loomed silently.

    Its structure was bizarreˇŞassembled from seemingly random, jagged stones, bound together into a towering monolith.

    A thick violet mist swirled around its exterior, giving it an ethereal, otherworldly presence.

    With a flick of his wrist, Noan summoned a doorway before him. The door opened on its own.

    He and Vylyss stepped inside.

    At the top floor, they found Isabell seated gracefully, leisurely sipping tea.

    The room around her had been lavishly decorated with purple flowers and plants, making the space both enchanting and just a little eerie.

    "Ah! You''ve returned," Isabell greeted with a gentle smile. "Would you like some tea?"

    Vylyss scowled and pouted. Her eyes burned with irritation and defiance.

    Even nowˇŞwith her newfound Void powerˇŞshe still couldn''t shake the feeling that she wouldn''t be able to defeat Isabell.

    Hmph! Just wait... give me some more time, she thought bitterly. I''ll definitely surpass her one day.

    Noan gave Isabell a silent nod. "Tomorrow, I''ll be returning to the Chaos World. But I''ll be coming back here frequently."

    "Hahaha... of course. You''re welcome here anytime," Isabell replied cheerfully.

    Noan remained quiet for a moment. The way she spoke made it sound like this was her home.

    He shook his head and said, "You still haven''t told me what you plan to do with your new organization."

    "Hahaha... You''ll know when the time comes," Isabell said lazily, resting her head on her hand while gazing at Noan with an alluring smile. "Right now, I just want to relax."

    Noan shrugged, no longer interested in pressing the matter.

    He turned and took Vylyss with him to another room.

    Pleh~ Pleh~

    Vylyss stuck out her tongue at Isabell before stomping away, pouting like a sulking child.

    Isabell chuckled softly, finding the girl''s antics amusing. She murmured to herself:

    "Not yet, Noan... not just yet. You still need to become stronger... just a bit stronger."

 Chapter 270: Leveling the Resource Production Center

    Noan checked the remaining resources in his possession, then began reorganizing everything.

    "Right now, I still have quite a lot of resources... it''s justˇŞI don''t have enough energy crystals to convert into Void Crystals and upgrade Vylyss."

    "System, show me how many Void Crystals I currently have."

    [Ding! You currently possess 500 Void Crystals and 10 Void Soldiers ¨C Level 1 | Rank F.]

    Seeing the information, Noan nodded to himself.

    He had no intention of spending his Void Crystals on summoning more troops for now.

    That wasn''t a priority.

    What he needed was to use them for upgradesˇŞspecifically, for Vylyss.

    But with the current production rate, he would need to wait another 5 days to gather enough Void Crystals for her advancement.

    Letting out a sigh, he moved on to inspect the rest of his inventory.

    "Wait a minute... can I fuse these blueprints?"

    Noan looked over the hundreds of building blueprints in his collection.

    Most were low-tier and hardly worth considering individually.

    But what if... he fused all of them together?

    Without hesitation, he gave the command:

    "System, can I fuse all my current building blueprints into a single, better one?"

    [Ding! Affirmative. You may utilize the ''Core Fusion'' function to achieve your intended result.]

    Noan''s eyes lit up. That was great news.

    Still, he paused. What did he truly want out of this fusion?

    Power? NoˇŞhe was already progressing steadily on that front. It wouldn''t be wise to waste precious resources chasing raw strength right now.

    Troops?

    That... was more important. After all, his only standing army consisted of Skeletons.

    Even though he could fuse Skeletons, they still had limitations.

    Their power cap was low, and their growth potential was lacking.

    So perhaps... it was time to upgrade the type of soldier he could summon.

    Noan made up his mind. He wanted a building that focused on summoning advanced troops.

    He gave the next command:

    "Can I fuse with the goal of creating a building that specializes in troop summoning?"

    [Ding! Affirmative. You currently possess 72 building blueprints related to troop summoning. Would you like to fuse them all?]

    "Yes!" Noan answered without hesitation.

    [Ding! To increase the chances of obtaining a high-grade structure, you may contribute Energy Crystals as a fusion catalyst.]

    Seeing the message, Noan frowned and asked, "To maximize the chance of producing a high-grade building, how many Energy Crystals do I need to contribute?"

    [Ding! The higher the Rank of the Energy Crystals used, the greater the probability of generating a high-tier blueprint.]

    Noan thought for a moment and decided to hold off on the fusion. At present, he only had a small amount of high-rank energy crystalsˇŞif he used them all now, he might find himself with nothing when he truly needed them.

    So, he temporarily set aside the idea of fusing the building blueprints.

    Suddenly, something came to mind, and he spoke up:

    "Ah! System, upgrade the Resource Production Center immediately."

    [Ding! To upgrade the Resource Production Center, you must pay 5,000 Rank E Energy Crystals.]

    Noan stroked his chin and asked:

    "What if I want to upgrade it to a higher level?"

    [Ding! Please refer to the required materials for each upgrade:

    Level 2 ˇú 3: 5,000 Rank E Energy Crystals

    Level 3 ˇú 4: 15,000 Rank E Energy Crystals

    Level 4 ˇú 5: 1,000 Rank D Energy Crystals

    Level 5 ˇú 6: 5,000 Rank D Energy Crystals

    Level 6 ˇú 7: 1,000 Rank C Energy Crystals

    Level 7 ˇú 8: 1,000 Rank B Energy Crystals

    Level 8 ˇú 9: 1,000 Rank A Energy Crystals

    Level 9 ˇú 10: 1,000 Rank S Energy Crystals

    What level would you like to upgrade the Resource Production Center to?]

    Noan paused, checking his current stock of energy crystals, then asked:

    "If I upgrade it to Level 7, what functions will it have?"

    [Ding! To upgrade the Resource Production Center to Level 7, you must pay: 20,000 Rank E Energy Crystals6,000 Rank D Energy Crystals1,000 Rank C Energy Crystals.

    Once successfully upgraded, the Resource Production Center will provide:

    ???? Resource Production Center

    Level: 7

    Function: Automatically generates resources daily.

    Daily Output:

    ???? 100,000 Wood

    ???? 100,000 Stone

    ?? 50,000 Iron

    ???? 10,000 Gold

    ?? 1,000 Metal Crystals

    ???? 10,000 Food Capsules

    ???? 1,000 Rank C Energy Crystals

    ???? 100 Rank B Energy Crystals

    Special Effects:

    ? 50% chance to double all daily resources

    ???? 40% chance to receive 100 Rank A Energy Crystals

    ???? 9.9999% chance to receive 10 Rank S Energy Crystals

    ???? 0.0001% chance to receive 1 Rank SS Energy Crystal

    Seeing the details, Noan pressed his lips into a firm line, then gave the command:

    "Good. Upgrade the Resource Production Center to Level 7."

    [Ding! Upgrade successful. You now have a Level 7 Resource Production Center. Starting tomorrow, your daily resource yield will be updated accordingly.]

    With that, Noan no longer had to worry about resource shortages.

    He suddenly found the whole thing rather amusing.

    Not long ago, he had still thought about buying building materials in the City to bring into the Chaos World for use.

    But now, things had changed. He lacked almost nothing.

    Even energy crystals were no longer a concern.

    Every day, he received 1,000 Rank C and 100 Rank B energy crystals.

    If he accumulated them over time, that number would grow into a tremendous reserve.

    Noan nodded with satisfaction.

    It was timeˇŞhe had to return to the Chaos World.

    "System, send me to the Chaos World."

    [Ding! Do you confirm that you wish to travel to the Chaos World?]

    "Confirm!"

    [Ding! Initiating transfer. Please prepare yourself.]

    A moment later, Noan saw the space in front of him twist and ripple, and thenˇŞ

    He opened his eyes once more, immediately feeling an overwhelming comfort and the crisp, fresh air.

    He sat on the familiar bench beside the lake, took a deep breath, and murmured,

    "Ah... this place feels more relaxing than the City ever did."

    "Master!!!"

    "AAA!!!" Noan jumped as a sudden voice rang out beside him.

    Seeing it was Malrik, he let out a long sigh of relief.

    "Damn it! Can you show up like a normal person for once? Rising out of the ground like thatˇŞwhat are you, the Grim Reaper?!"

    "Hehehe... Sorry, Master. I just wanted to surprise you," Malrik said, scratching his head sheepishly.

    Noan: "..."

    "All right, fine. What''s going on?" he asked with a sigh.

    "Master, Elara has been taken," Malrik replied.

    Noan frowned. "Elara? Who''s that?"

    Malrik: "..."

    Noan: "..."

    "Master... did you seriously forget about her?" Malrik tilted his head. "You''re kidding, right? You must be joking?"

    "Uh..." Noan gritted his teeth, trying to recall who Elara was.

    A few moments later, it hit him.

    "Ah! I remember nowˇŞElara. Damn it! I nearly forgot she even existed."

    "She was taken? By who?"

    "By a young man named Zeka," Malrik answered honestly. "But his body was strangeˇŞfull of tentacles. He even managed to tame my Hellfire."

    Of course, Malrik wasn''t dumb enough to admit he had let Zeka take Elara without resistance.

    He hadn''t betrayed Noan. On the contrary, he was doing his best to minimize the influence of fate over Noan''s life.

    Noan didn''t know any of that. All he knew was that Zeka was a Fate Holder.

    And a Fate Holder doing the impossibleˇŞlike kidnapping ElaraˇŞwas nothing unusual.

    After all, Fate Holders were protagonists of this world, capable of things others simply couldn''t do.

    But what puzzled Noan was...

    Why would Zeka take Elara?

    Did she have some hidden value to him?

    Or was it just because... she was beautiful?

    Noan shook his head.

    If Zeka really kidnapped her just for her looks, then that bastard was too stupid for wordsˇŞso stupid it felt contagious.

    "How did he even manage to capture Elara?" Noan asked curiously.

    "Master... aren''t you even concerned for her safety?" Malrik asked, clearly confused.

    Noan: "..."

    Truthfully, he felt rather indifferent about Elara.

    After all, she came from the Frankyro Family, and she was close to JankosˇŞwhich still made Noan feel a bit uneasy around her.

    Malrik added with a sigh,

    "Ah... Poor Lady Elara. If she ever finds out what you''re thinking, she might be heartbroken enough to take her own life."

 Chapter 271: How did they find us?!

    Noan let out a long sigh and said, "Alright, stop teasing me. Where is she now?"

    Malrik nodded and replied, "I''m not entirely sure, but it seems that after Zeka captured Elara, he headed east."

    "East? That area is..." Noan frowned, mumbling to himself.

    As if to answer him, Drakhan descended from the sky and bowed deeply. "Master," he greeted.

    He presented a scroll, which Noan took and unrolled.

    Inside was a detailed map of the entire Chaos Region. Alongside the old layout, a newly updated version had been added, showing the most recent changes.

    "So vast..." Noan muttered inwardly. But thinking about itˇŞfive zones had been merged. If it wasn''t vast, that would be strange.

    On the map, Noan could also see areas designated for Rank D Lords, along with other Rank E and Rank F Lords scattered across the region.

    He furrowed his brows, then tucked the scroll into his Storage Space and asked, "Has anything happened while I was away?"

    Drakhan bowed again and answered, "Master, snow has covered this entire region."

    "Snow?"

    ...

    Elsewhere in the Chaos RegionˇŞ

    Caleb and Austin were currently surrounded by a hostile force. The Skeletons they had brought with them were all defeated, lying in ruins on the ground.

    In front of them, Urlgan and Urlgug were still standing, but their bodies were covered in wounds.

    "You put up a decent fight. I''m a little surprised," sneered a young man nearly two meters tall, his body stacked with muscle and arrogance.

    Behind him stood three Orc Kings, accompanied by a squad of around twenty Orcs.

    That man was Garek.

    Caleb clenched his teeth. He and Austin had been hiding out to observe and gather information.

    They had wanted to claim a strategic location, useful for blocking enemies from advancing and establishing fortifications.

    But they hadn''t expected the enemy to act so unpredictably.

    Just as they''d settled into what they thought was a solid vantage point, Garek appearedˇŞbringing monstrous warriors with him and launching a brutal assault.

    Even though they had the high groundˇŞan area difficult to attack and easy to defendˇŞthey still lost.

    The three Orc Kings on Garek''s side were simply too strong.

    Caleb estimated they had reached Rank C | Level 3.

    With that kind of strength, Urlgan and Urlgug stood no chance.

    And to make matters worse, Garek''s forces included twenty Rank D+ Orcs.

    Just Garek alone could have annihilated Caleb and Austin.

    "What''s wrong? Dance for me again," Garek laughed mockingly.

    "Weren''t you all moving so well a moment ago? Did you really think this trash would stop me?"

    Garek extended his leg and stomped down on a Skeleton''s skull.

    Crack!

    The skull shattered into countless fragments under Garek''s strength.

    Caleb clutched his chest, blood still trailing from the corner of his mouth. Frowning, he said, "Fine! This area is yours. I won''t contest it anymore."

    "Hahaha..." Garek burst into laughter.

    "Are you stupid? This area was mine to begin with. Did you really think you had a chance to claim it?"

    "But don''t worry. I don''t feel like killing you. Letting you live will be far more entertaining."

    "You bastard..." Caleb growled, sensing the mockery in Garek''s toneˇŞtoward both him and Austin.

    "You piece of shit!" Austin roared and charged, holding a sharpened wooden staff like a makeshift spear.

    He thrust the weapon at Garek, but Garek didn''t even flinch. He simply sneered and swung his arm.

    Smash!

    Garek easily caught the spear, then shoved forward.

    Austin, like a ragdoll, was flung to the ground with a thud.

    An Orc King stepped forward. Raising its massive footˇŞ

    "No!" Caleb shouted.

    But the Orc King didn''t care. It slammed its foot down.

    Crack!

    "AAAA!!!" Austin screamed in agony. For the first time in his life, he experienced pain beyond anything he''d ever imagined.

    "Hahahaha..." Garek laughed wildly. "Yes, that''s it! Scream louder! Louder! I want more!"

    Caleb clenched his teeth and looked at Urlgan and Urlgug, giving them a firm nod.

    In that moment, Urlgug raised his magic staffˇŞand a thick cloud of smoke burst forth, engulfing the area.

    "What the hell?!" Garek cursed, unable to see through the sudden fog.

    A minute later, the smoke clearedˇŞbut Caleb and Austin were gone.

    Garek narrowed his eyes, then grinned.

    "No problem. The hunt has only just begun."

    He raised his handˇŞand the Orcs, who had been standing still, suddenly let out guttural howls as if freed from chains.

    Foaming at the mouth, they looked rabidˇŞlike wild dogs driven mad.

    Then they rushed into the forest, eyes glowing blood-red, tearing through the trees in search of prey.

    ...

    "Ha... ha... ha..." Caleb panted, utterly exhausted, his legs nearly giving out beneath him. But he didn''t stop. He couldn''t.

    Ahead of him, Urlgan was carrying Austin on his shoulder, sprinting at full speed. Urlgug ran beside Caleb, ready to support him at any moment should he falter.

    Caleb gritted his teeth as he ran, muttering,

    "Damn it! I can''t die here... I don''t want to die here!"

    He pushed himself to keep moving, but the deep snow and bitter cold drained his strength faster than he could endure.

    Thud!

    His body finally gave out, collapsing face-first into the snow.

    Luckily, the snow was around twenty centimeters thick, so the fall didn''t hurt.

    But that very thickness was also severely hindering his movement.

    Seeing Caleb fall, Urlgug rushed over and helped him up.

    "Are you alright?" he asked urgently.

    Caleb gasped for air, too exhausted to speak.

    His face flushed redˇŞthen began turning purple as his body struggled to absorb enough oxygen.

    "I... I..." Caleb stammered, but the words wouldn''t come.

    Clenching his jaw, Urlgug lifted Caleb onto his back and continued running.

    But now the thick snow was slowing him down even more.

    After all, he was just a ShamanˇŞhe didn''t have Urlgan''s physical prowess.

    SuddenlyˇŞ

    "Kekeke..."

    A crazed, manic laughter echoed through the snowy treesˇŞdrawing closer by the second.

    "Shit!" Urlgug cursed under his breath.

    Gripping his staff, he slammed it hard into the ground.

    BAM!

    A fierce gust of wind erupted, scattering snow into the air and covering the entire area in a blinding white storm.

    Snowflakes danced in every direction, creating a curtain of confusion that blocked the Orcs'' vision.

    "Ke... ke... ke!" The Orcs shrieked in frustration, thrashing their clubs in all directions.

    BAM!

    BAM!

    BAM!

    Crashes echoed as they struck not their targetsˇŞbut each other.

    These Orcs had lost their minds. Driven only by instinct, they had no strategy, no awarenessˇŞjust blind aggression.

    "Enough!"

    A powerful voice roared.

    Garek emerged into view, his tone like a whip.

    Behind him stood three Orc Kings, towering like mountains, radiating aura and killing intent.

    Garek scowled at the chaos. "Idiots," he muttered.

    One of the Orc Kings stepped forward, approaching two Orcs who were still bashing each other, and swung a massive fist.

    BAM!

    One Orc''s head exploded instantly, blood and white brain matter splattering across the snow.

    The crazed mob, moments ago roaring wildly, suddenly fell deathly silent.

    The Orcs didn''t spare a glance at the corpse of their fallen kin.

    Without hesitation, they regrouped in front of Garek, standing at attention like rabid hounds waiting for command.

    Garek stared into the distanceˇŞinto the swirling curtain of snow that still obscured his view.

    He licked his lips and grinned wildly. "Now that''s more like it. Hahaha... Run. Run as far as you canˇŞso I can feel like the real hunter here."

    ...

    "Ha... ha... ha..." Urlgug and Urlgan finally arrived at a secluded cave, carrying the battered Austin and the exhausted Caleb with them.

    Everyone was panting heavilyˇŞexcept Austin.

    Despite the freezing temperatures, he was drenched in sweat, gasping for air like he was burning from within.

    His condition was critical.

    One of his arms was mangled beyond recognitionˇŞthe bones shattered, piercing through the flesh and jutting out.

    Blood streamed freely, soaking the snow beneath him.

    His face twisted in unbearable pain, teeth clenched so tightly they might break.

    Urlgug knelt beside him and, using the last remnants of his magical energy, cast a pain-suppressing spell to ease his suffering.

    But it was just thatˇŞpain relief. There was no way Urlgug could heal a wound this severe.

    Caleb leaned against the cave wall, letting out a long, weary, and hopeless sigh.

    Every Skeleton Noan had lent him was now destroyed.

    Urlgan and Urlgug were completely spent.

    He had no idea what to do next. The enemy was just too powerful.

    As a Rank E+ Lord, even a single Rank C Hero was a nightmare.

    But their opponent had three.

    How was he supposed to resist that?

    Truthfully, the only reason he was still alive... Was because of the borrowed troops Noan had given him.

    "Ke... ke... ke..."

    Suddenly, that eerie laugh returnedˇŞechoing ominously from outside the cave.

    Urlgug''s eyes widened in horror.

    "No! How did they find us?!" He shouted.

 Chapter 272: Alex vs Garek

    Caleb was startled by what he heard and quickly asked, "How could they find this place so quickly?"

    Indeed, he hadn''t even had a chance to catch his breath before the Orcs showed up again. Could they have been tracking them?

    Urlgug gritted his teeth, looked around at everyone, then said, "You all stay here. I''ll distract them."

    "No!" Caleb shouted at once. "That''s far too dangerous. Even if you distract them, they''ll still find this place quickly."

    "Then what are we supposed to do? Just sit here and wait to die?" Urlgug barked back.

    "You all go," came a sudden voice from Austin, who was lying on the cold ground. "Go on ahead. I''ll stay here."

    "You..."

    Caleb wanted to say something, but Austin smiled and said, "I''m badly injured. I can''t run far. If I go with you, I''ll just slow everyone down."

    "It makes sense for me to stay and distract them. Besides, I won''t be able to hold on much longer anyway."

    Hearing Austin''s words, Caleb opened his mouth, wanting to argue, but at that moment, no words came out.

    Urlgan, who wasn''t very bright, didn''t understand what everyone was talking about or why the atmosphere had suddenly gone quiet.

    All he knew was how to fight.

    "How touching." Suddenly, a voice came from the cave entrance, startling everyone.

    When they turned and saw who it was, Caleb immediately shouted, "What are you doing here?"

    Alex chuckled and said, "Obviously, I''m here to save you. We did work together after allˇŞI couldn''t just let you die such a pointless death."

    "You can''t save us," Caleb said, shaking his head. "Run. Don''t let those Orcs catch sight of you."

    "You mean *those* Orcs?" Alex said casually as he tossed two Orc heads into the cave.

    Everyone stared in shock, eyes wide. "How... how did you do that?"

    Alex shrugged. "Was it that hard?"

    Thinking back to when he returned to the Chaos Zone, it felt as if the Goddess of Fortune had once again taken him under her wing.

    Everything he did went smoothly. Wherever he went, he stumbled upon rare opportunitiesˇŞthanks to that, he''d grown stronger rapidly.

    Still... there was one regret: not being able to kill the Evil God.

    Even now, he hadn''t received any notification from the System that the Evil God had been destroyed, so he was convinced it was still alive.

    Back in the present, Alex glanced at the group huddled inside the cave and sneered, "Looks like I''m your savior, aren''t I?"

    Despite witnessing him slay two Orcs, Caleb still didn''t believe Alex could defeat Garek.

    He shook his head and said, "You should just run. The enemy has three Orc KingsˇŞall Rank C. You''re no match for them."

    "Rank C?" Alex''s eyes lit up. "Hahaha... what luck! I''ve been needing high-rank energy crystals to absorb. Now C-rank elites show upˇŞhow could I possibly run away?"

    "Absorb?" Caleb asked in confusion.

    "Hah! Don''t ask so many questions. Just stay here and don''t get in my way," Alex said arrogantly.

    "YouˇŞ"

    Caleb wanted to say something, but Alex raised his arm and punched the cave ceiling. A cascade of snow fell immediately, sealing off the entrance.

    Seeing the cave entrance now blocked by snow, Caleb let out a deep sigh. "Idiot."

    "It''s fine," Urlgug spoke up at last. "If he''s that confident, it must mean he has the strength and reason to be. We don''t need to worry."

    "What we need to do now is rest... and pray that Alex can beat that bastard."

    Urlgug, having recovered some energy, quickly moved to ease Austin''s pain.

    "Urlgug... my arm..." Austin mumbled.

    "This..." Urlgug sighed. "You''re lucky to be alive. Losing an arm... it''s not the worst thing."

    Hearing that, Austin clenched his other fist until his knuckles turned white. Tears suddenly welled up and fell.

    "I... I..." Austin tried to say something.

    "That''s enough," Urlgug frowned. "Don''t speak. You can still live without one arm. Maybe the Master will have a way to help you."

    Hearing that gave Austin a bit of reassurance, but deep down, he still didn''t fully believe it.

    No matter how powerful his Master wasˇŞhow could anyone possibly restore a completely shattered arm?

    Austin sank into despair. Urlgug knew exactly what he was thinking, but said nothing more.

    He knew... any words right now would be utterly meaningless.

    ...

    Outside, Alex watched as a pack of Orcs rushed toward him, eyes bloodshot and drool hanging from their mouths like rabid dogs.

    "Tsk! Disgusting," Alex clicked his tongue and muttered, "Just four of them? Well... that''s fine. It''s a good warm-up."

    With that, Alex''s figure vanished instantly.

    The snow-covered ground was untouchedˇŞno footprints, no marksˇŞas if he''d never touched it at all.

    BAM!

    One Orc suddenly flew backward over ten meters, slamming into a large tree before collapsing into the snow.

    "Keke... keke..."

    "Ke... ke..."

    "Ke... Ke..."

    The three remaining Orcs stared in confusion at what had just happened. Their intelligence was too low to comprehend the situation.

    Then, out of nowhere, Alex appeared in front of another Orc and drove a punch straight into its face.

    BAM!

    A sharp, bone-crunching impact rang out.

    Alex''s punch was so powerful that upon impact with the Orc''s face, it caused a shockwave explosion. The resulting burst of air sent snow flying in every direction.

    Crack!

    The Orc''s face caved in from the punch, killing it instantly.

    The remaining two Orcs quickly regained their senses and charged at Alex.

    However, Alex was like a wolfˇŞwhile the two Orcs were nothing more than helpless rabbits.

    He eliminated the remaining two with ease.

    What followed was somewhat gruesome. Alex began smashing the Orcs'' skulls open and rummaging through them.

    "Nothing..."

    "Nothing..."

    "Ah! Here it is..." After checking all four heads, he finally found a rank D energy crystal.

    "Twenty-five percent drop rateˇŞnot bad," Alex muttered as he wiped the crystal clean and leapt into the air, beginning to absorb it.

    A surge of energy flowed into his body, gradually enhancing his cells and making him stronger.

    Just a minute later, he opened his eyes and let out a long breath of relief.

    "Just about twenty more rank D crystals, and I''ll be able to break through this limit," Alex murmured.

    "Hah! When that happens, even if that mysterious bastard shows up, I won''t have to be afraid."

    Whoosh!

    Suddenly, a black object about the size of a tennis ball came flying toward Alex at high speed.

    Frowning, he immediately reached out and caught it.

    Smash!

    Upon catching it, he realizedˇŞit was just a rock.

    Yes, just a rock. But with how fast it had been flying, it could''ve instantly killed a normal person on impact.

    Alex narrowed his eyes and looked into the distance.

    There, a young man was approaching with three Orc Kings and a horde of Orcs following behind.

    Alex knew right away... he''d been spotted. So, he didn''t bother hiding anymore.

    He jumped down. Though it was a ten-meter drop, his feet landed gently in the snow, without disturbing a single flake.

    It was a movement technique he had once learned from his master at the peak of the snowy mountains.

    "Looks like you took good care of my subordinates, didn''t you?" Garek chuckled as he saw Alex.

    Alex frowned, eyes locked onto Garek. "Are you the one who ''took care'' of my friends?"

    "Ah!" Garek pretended to be surprised, scoffing, "Those pieces of trash were your friends?"

    Alex shrugged. "They weren''t before. But now, they are. They''re my friends... my allies."

    "You took good care of them. So now, it''s time I return the favor."

    "Hahahaha... hahahaha..." Garek clutched his belly and laughed maniacally. "Return the favor? Let''s see if you''re even capable of it!"

    "Hah." Alex crossed his arms, his face full of scorn and arrogance.

    Garek''s face twisted in fury at Alex''s expression. He waved his hand sharply.

    "Ke... ke... ke..."

    The horde of Orcs shrieked and charged at Alex like crazed beasts.

    But Alex didn''t flinch. He smirked, took a step back, and muttered, "Do you even realize... this terrain is my domain?"

 Chapter 273: Alex vs Garek (2)

    "Your domain?" Garek suddenly sensed something was off.

    But before he could dwell on it, the horde of Orcs had already charged at Alex like a pack of starving wolves.

    Alex simply smiled and stomped hard on the ground.

    BAM!

    A thunderous impact rang out, and snow burst into the air, scattering in all directions and instantly obscuring everyone''s vision.

    Garek frowned at the sight, murmuring, "Assist the Orcs."

    At his command, the three Orc Kings immediately moved, disappearing into the swirling snowstorm ahead like shadows in a blizzard.

    However, a full minute passed without a single sound. Garek''s unease grew.

    "What the hell are those Orcs doing?" he snapped. "Hurry up! Find that bastardˇŞ"

    Before he could finish his sentence, Alex suddenly appeared right in front of him.

    "What theˇŞ?!" Garek gasped, his eyes wide with shock.

    Alex smirked with disdain. "In battle, if you kill the king first, the war ends quickly."

    "You bastard!" Garek roared. "Don''t underestimate me!"

    He lunged forward with a punch, but Alex showed no fear or hesitation.

    Alex raised his hand and caught Garek''s fist mid-air.

    BAM!

    Even though he blocked it, the sheer force of Garek''s punch caused the air to explode outward, flinging snow across the clearing.

    "Impossible!" Garek exclaimed, staring in disbelief as Alex effortlessly caught his fist.

    But Alex didn''t bother replying. He immediately counteredˇŞhis free hand clenched into a fist and rocketed toward Garek''s head.

    As the punch closed in, Garek''s expression shiftedˇŞnot to fear, but to a cruel grin. He whispered, "Foolish."

    Alex: "??!!"

    At that instant, a shadow darted toward Alex at blinding speed, wielding a spiked mace aimed straight at him.

    Alex glanced sideways and saw it was one of the three Orc Kings. Knowing he couldn''t afford to be careless, he quickly released Garek''s fist and leapt back.

    But Garek had no intention of letting him go. His hand shot out and grabbed Alex''s arm with an iron grip, his voice filled with venom.

    "You think I''m that easy?"

    BAM!

    The spiked mace slammed into Alex''s back, forcing him to cough up a mouthful of blood.

    "Pfff!" Gritting his teeth, Alex vaulted upward and struck out with both feet, kicking Garek hard in the chest.

    BAM!

    The kick was so powerful that it forced Garek to release Alex''s arm and stagger back more than five meters.

    The Orc King hesitated, unsure whether to assist Garek or continue attacking Alex.

    But in that moment of indecision, Alex had already retreated, vanishing into the flurry of snow swirling through the air.

    "Goddamn it!"

    SLAP!

    Garek, furious, slapped the Orc King across the face. "Are you stupid? Why didn''t you kill him just now?!"

    "AAA!! Get him! Catch him nowˇŞI don''t want him dead, I want him to suffer!"

    "Don''t let him die! I want him alive! I want to break him... make him regret ever existing!"

    The wind howled again, and the snow-filled space grew even murkier, visibility dropping with every gust.

    One Orc was searching around when suddenly, two hands emerged from behind, grabbing its head.

    "Ke... ke..."

    Crack!!!

    Before the Orc could even make a sound, its neck was snapped, killing it instantly.

    Alex bowed his head, looked at the dead Orc, then raised his fist and drove it into the creature''s skull.

    BAM!

    The blow shattered the Orc''s head, splattering blood and white viscous matter across the snow.

    Amid the carnage, a faintly glowing crystal appeared from within the gore.

    Alex grinned. Without bothering to wipe it clean, he immediately swallowed the stone.

    ???? [Ding! You have successfully absorbed a Rank D Energy Crystal. Current power advancement: 42%.]

    Seeing the notification before him, Alex nodded in satisfaction.

    The wound on his back had already begun healing, and the pain had nearly vanished.

    "Tsk!" Alex clicked his tongue. "Damn it! I didn''t expect that bastard to trick meˇŞhe had an Orc King lying in wait."

    "But it''s lucky there was only one. If all three had been there, I''d be dead for sure."

    "Still... the hunt has only just begun. Garek, you won''t escape me."

    Alex smirked, confidence radiating from him.

    Why was he so confident? Because he had been trained in the harshest conditionsˇŞand more importantly, he had lived atop a snowy mountain for many years.

    That''s why, the moment the snow began to fall, he knew... this entire area had become his domain.

    And with the techniques his master had taught himˇŞnormally effective in standard combatˇŞthey became even more devastating in snowy terrain, where he had honed them to perfection.

    Alex let out a wicked grin.

    He stepped back, disappearing once again into the swirling snowflakes.

    "Damn it! Still haven''t found that brat?!" Garek shouted in frustration.

    An Orc King lowered his head and said, "Master, the snow is too thick, and we don''t have enough troops, so..."

    SLAP!

    Before the Orc King could finish, Garek struck him with a brutal slap that sent him sprawling to the ground.

    "Goddamn it! I don''t want to hear any excuses. I want resultsˇŞdo you understand?!"

    "Yes, Master," the Orc King replied with his head bowed, then quickly left.

    Gritting his teeth, Garek stared into the rising wind. It was growing stronger by the secondˇŞlike a blizzard was about to form.

    Staying here was not a smart move, but he couldn''t swallow his fury.

    He wanted to find that bastard Alex and tear him to piecesˇŞmake him suffer unbearable pain for daring to wound him.

    Suddenly, a system notification popped up in front of him, only adding fuel to his rage.

    ???? [Ding! 1 Orc has been killed.]

    ???? [Ding! 1 Orc has been killed.]

    ???? [Ding! 1 Orc has been killed.]

    "Bastard!" Garek swung his fist, smashing it into a nearby tree with such force that the whole thing shook violently, snow raining down and burying him beneath it.

    BAM!

    Enraged, Garek burst out from the pile of snow, roaring with all his might: "AAA!!"

    "You bastard! Don''t let me catch you! If I do, I''ll show you the true meaning of hell!"

    "AAA!!!"

    From afar, Alex heard Garek''s furious scream and scoffed with disdain.

    "This is only the beginning. Our little game is far from over."

    At that moment, Alex was sitting high on a tree branch, gazing off into the distance.

    Above, the sky was shrouded in swirling clouds, forming a massive circle of dark storm clouds.

    Gale-force winds were picking up, carrying with them a torrent of snow that blanketed the entire landscape.

    A blizzard was approaching.

    To most, this would be a sign of deathˇŞa coming catastrophe.

    But to someone like Alex, who had lived atop snowy mountains for years, this was perfectly ordinary.

    In fact, with his current strength, he could move freely through a blizzard without any difficulty at all.

    Sitting high on the branch, Alex held two Rank D energy crystals in his hand.

    He had killed six Orcs and obtained four crystalsˇŞundeniably lucky.

    Normally, energy crystals were guaranteed inside monsters of Rank D or higher.

    However, for monsters summoned by a Lord, the drop rate was much lower.

    Which made the fact that Alex had found four Rank D crystals all the more remarkable.

    He wiped them clean and swallowed them all.

    ???? [Ding! You have successfully absorbed 4 Rank D Energy Crystals. Current power advancement: 58%.]

    Alex closed his eyes, feeling the surge of strength coursing through his body. The wound on his back had completely healed.

    His confidence returned. He chuckled greedily and said, "What if I kill those three Orc Kings and absorb their crystals? I''d definitely break through my current limit."

    "At that point, I''ll be the strongest one in this entire region."

    Excitement burned in him as he imagined absorbing the three Rank C energy crystals housed inside Garek''s Orc Kings.

    But still, he didn''t rush. He remained perched on the tree, waiting patiently for the blizzard to come.

 Chapter 274: Alex vs Garek (3)

    Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

    The wind howled louder and louder, and the snow thickened by the second.

    Garek frowned as he looked up at the sky, watching the black clouds twist into a spiraling vortex, slowly expanding.

    "A snowstorm?" he muttered, then turned to the Orc King beside him. "Gather those idiotsˇŞnow! I don''t want them all dying out there!"

    "Yes, Master," the Orc King bowed and replied.

    But the moment he turned to leave, a sudden gust swept in from the distance, carrying a flurry of snow with it.

    "What the hell?!"

    Whoosh! Whoosh!

    Garek''s scowl deepened as he cursed, "Goddamn it! The snowstorm''s coming this fast?!"

    He felt a sudden chill seep into his bones, causing him to shiver.

    The temperature was dropping rapidly, and with the wind and snow intensifying, Garek had a bad feeling about what was coming.

    "Damn it! Get back here! All of youˇŞreturn immediately!"

    Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

    But no voices answeredˇŞonly the relentless howling of the wind.

    "Damn it all!" Garek cursed under his breath, glancing around, trying to find a way backˇŞbut the world was already swallowed by white.

    The wind blew snow into the air, lifting it from both the ground and the treetops, sending it spinning in every direction.

    "You bastards! Get back here!"

    "Goddamn it! Where are you all?! Are you deaf?!"

    Garek shouted until his throat began to ache.

    It was then that he realizedˇŞhe was lost. His Orcs and Orc Kings were nowhere to be found.

    "Tsk!" Garek shuddered, his body trembling from the cold. His vision was now limited to a radius of about five meters.

    And that radius was shrinking rapidly as the full force of the blizzard approached.

    "Damn it... I can''t stay here." Garek muttered, forcing himself to choose a random direction and start walking.

    ???? [Ding! One of your summoned soldiers has been killed.]

    A sudden system notification made him stop in his tracks. "Goddamn it! That bastard can move around in this blizzard?!"

    "No... he must''ve gotten lucky and stumbled upon one of my minions."

    "Hah! You''re lucky it was just a soldier. If my Hero had found you, you''d be dead for sure."

    ???? [Ding! Your Hero ¨C Orc King ¨C has been killed.]

    "What the hell?!" Garek stared at the system message in disbelief, his eyes wide with shock.

    What the hell just happened? His Hero... his Orc King ¨C Rank C | Level 1 had been killed.

    That wasn''t one of his soldiersˇŞit was his Hero. Goddamn it, that was a Rank C | Level 1 Hero!

    "Damn it! What the hell is going on?!" Garek began to panicˇŞbut then, he forced himself to calm down.

    "Hah... That Orc King was only Rank C, Level 1," he muttered. "If that bastard runs into the other two, he''s dead for sure."

    That''s rightˇŞthe one who had just died was the weakest of the three Orc Kings under Garek''s command.

    But the other two were different. One had already reached Level 2, and the other had reached Level 3.

    At Rank C, each level represented a massive leap in power. So seeing that the dead Orc King had only been Level 1, Garek merely snorted in disdain.

    ...

    The blizzard had arrived. The entire landscape was consumed by snow.

    In the middle of the storm, a young man stood panting heavily next to the lifeless body of the Orc King he had just killed.

    Though the Orc King was dead, Alex wasn''t faring much better. His abdomen had been torn open, bleeding profusely. His entire body was covered in wounds.

    One of his arms was broken, hanging limp at his side. Only his right hand remained functional, pressed tightly against the gaping wound in his stomach.

    "Damn it..." Alex gasped, his face pale from blood loss and the unbearable cold of the blizzard. He looked like a man on the verge of collapse.

    Even though he had lived for years in the frigid conditions of snowy mountains, that didn''t mean he enjoyed weather like this.

    And now, on top of being injured, he had only a shred of strength left in his body.

    Still, Alex searched through the Orc King''s corpse, desperate. After a moment, luck smiled upon him.

    He found a blood-soaked Energy Crystal.

    He didn''t have time to rest. He couldn''t even seek shelter to safely absorb it.

    In the end, he made a split-second decision and swallowed the crystal on the spot.

    ???? [Ding! You have successfully absorbed a Rank C Energy Crystal. Current power advancement: 55%.]

    "Damn it! Only 3%?!" Alex growled in frustration.

    Still, even though it only gave him a small boost in power, the crystal helped stabilize his condition. Many of his wounds stopped bleeding, and some had already begun to heal.

    The worst injuryˇŞhis internal damageˇŞhad only been stabilized, not fully healed.

    But thanks to the crystal, Alex was no longer at immediate risk of death.

    He looked around. Even though he had lived atop snowy peaks, at the end of the day, he was still human. In this raging blizzard, he couldn''t tell which way was which.

    "This is bad," Alex muttered. "Even if my wounds are mostly healed... if I stay out here any longer, I''ll freeze to death."

    He looked at his hands, now turning purple from the cold. His face twisted with worry.

    Alex looked around. He had no idea which direction to go. In the end, he simply picked one and pressed forward, hoping it was the right path.

    Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

    The blizzard intensified. Alex trembled violently from the cold, the wound in his abdomen throbbing with unbearable pain.

    "Just a bit more... hang in there," he whispered, trying to reassure himself.

    He didn''t know where he was headed, or where he was supposed to goˇŞbut he needed to believe in something. Without hope, he''d die in this cursed world for sure.

    Suddenly, a tall shadow over two meters high appeared ahead of him.

    Alex instantly recognized what it was and staggered backward in panic. But as he stepped back, he collided with something else.

    Slowly turning his head, he saw itˇŞan Orc King.

    "What the hell?!" Alex gasped, panic rising. He tried to flee.

    But the Orc King was faster. It lunged forward and grabbed Alex by the throat.

    "Ack! Damn itˇŞ!"

    The Orc King hoisted him into the air like a chicken, gripping his neck with terrifying force.

    Alex burned with fury, but his strength was almost completely depleted. It felt like there was nothing left in his body.

    Grinding his teeth, he summoned every last bit of power he had leftˇŞbecause he knew that if he got captured by an Orc King, death would be a mercy compared to what awaited him.

    He kicked forward, his foot enveloped in a layer of white energy, aiming for the Orc King''s stomach.

    BAM!

    "Huh!" The Orc King grunted, seemingly unfazed, and snorted in disdain.

    But a moment later, a burst of light erupted from the point of impact, surprising the Orc King.

    BAM!

    A shockwave exploded outward, forcing the Orc King to release him.

    Alex fell into the snow. He didn''t dare restˇŞnot for a second. He immediately turned and ran.

    But as he turned, another Orc King was already standing in his path.

    "Damn it!" Alex cursed under his breath, trying to moveˇŞbut the Orc King was faster.

    BAM!

    It kicked him in the stomach, sending him flying over ten meters, crashing into a massive tree before slumping to the ground.

    "Ack! Ack!" Alex writhed in the snow, his already pale face now ashen.

    Blood spilled from his reopened stomach wound, staining the snow in a vivid splash of red.

    "You damn mutt!" Garek appeared, slowly approaching Alex. "You''ve really driven me insane, you filthy dog."

    "You thought killing a few Orcs made you invincible?"

    BAM!

    "AAAA!!!"

    Garek stomped down on Alex''s wound, forcing a scream from his throat.

    "Scream louder, you worthless mutt!" Garek bellowed.

    But Alex, through gritted teeth, snarled, "You''re worse than a dog! Hiding behind your lackeysˇŞwhat''s so great about that?!"

    "YouˇŞ" Garek''s fury boiled over, veins bulging on his forehead. "Looks like you really do have a death wish."

    "Fine! Hahaha... The more you want to die, the more I''ll make sure you liveˇŞlong enough to beg me for death."

    "Hahaha... Hahaha..."

 Chapter 275 275: Saving Alex - Noan

    Alex clenched his teeth and looked at Garek with hate in his eyes: "Garek, I''ll see you in hell."

    "Huh! If there''s a hell, I''ll be the master of Hell," Garek said scornfully.

    He swung his leg up, kicked Alex''s abdomen again.

    BAMBAM!

    "ACK!!!" Alex was so sick that he vomited a sip of fresh blood on the snow, his face was pale, sweaty as a bath.

    However, Alex still tried to bite his teeth, not making any painful cries.

    On the contrary, he clenched his teeth and said, "Garek, don''t leave me alive, or I''ll kill you, tear you to pieces."

    "Hahaha... hahaha..." Garek laughed loudly, he looked at the Orcs King and said: "Did you hear what he said? He''s going to kill us."

    "Hahaha...hahaha... Fuck you! That''s funny. He''s gonna kill us. Hahahaha..."

    Garek''s belly laughs as if this is the funniest story he''s ever heard.

    Two Orcs looking at Alex only shrugged their shoulders, expressing both contempt and pity as if they were looking at a dying dog.

    "Ah! You know how to be funny." Garek said with a smile, "Boy, you''re pretty strong. Killing one of my Orcs, you seem to have some secrets."

    "Tell me what made you this strong. If you say so, then I''ll let you leave, otherwise..."

    Garek didn''t finish his sentence, he said his hand.

    The Orcs knew what Garek wanted them to do, so they immediately took off their pants, exposing their terrible lower body.

    "Hahaha... Can you see me well?" Garek said with a fierce laugh.

    Alex was so frightened when he saw the scene in front of him that his already pale face turned even more pale.

    "You don''t want those two giant elephant taps going into you either, do you?" Garek said, in his voice there was a bit of a pinch.

    When Alex heard that, he shuddered, there were images in his head that were so frightening that he couldn''t even imagine themselves.

    "You... What are you going to do?" Alex shouted in a hurry.

    "Ah! Where''s your courage back there? Show me." Garek said with a smile, "You know what I''m going to do, don''t you?"

    "Hahaha... Do you know what makes me happier? It is I will bring you to my place, for the people to see the magnificent sight."

    "Hahaha...Hahaha... I''m sure people would love to see you punctured by those two giant elephant taps."

    Alex shuddered, cold-backed, a little bit of courage finally disappeared.

    If Garek beats him, tortures him, he''s not afraid. But if we use this method, he''d rather die soon.

    Alex stammered: "You... you..."

    "Okay." Garek said with a smile, interrupting Alex''s words, "My patience has its limits. Tell me, how can you possess such terrible power."

    Alex clenched his teeth, he looked at the two elephant taps in front of him, feeling both nauseous and frightened at the same time.

    He actually relies on that secret to develop his powers to the present. But even if he talks it''s useless, Garek can''t own his gift.

    Fuck you! If he could talk, he''d talk soon, there''s no need to wait until he sees those two dirty things.

    "Don''t you say? That''s good, I''m not a bad person. If you don''t speak, I won''t force you." Garek stood up, then waved his hand, and let the Orcs slowly march towards Alex.

    "Don''t! Don''t! Stop! Fuck you! I don''t have any secrets, stop!!!" Alex cried out in despair.

    Normally, he would have been no match for these Orcs, but after he was badly wounded and exhausted, he couldn''t resist their power.

    One orc king holds his body tight, the other orc king begins to act.

    Alex was so scared that his body shook violently, he tried to struggle but it was all meaningless.

    "Let go of me! Son of a bitch! Let go of me!"

    When Garek heard Alex scream, he seemed to be enjoying the sound.

    He sat opposite, staring at Alex with his eyes fixed, smiling, saying, "Perform, I look forward to your expression after being stabbed from there, hahahaha..."

    "Bitch!" Alex clenched his teeth: "Okay, I said... I''ll tell you the secret, stop it."

    "No need!" Garek waved, "After I break your mind, I''ll slowly play with you, then you''ll tell the secret."

    Alex: "..."

    "Fuck you! You lied to me! You son of a bitch!"

    "AAA!!!!"

    Alex struggled in despair.

    He sensed something, immediately shouted, "No! Son of a bitch! No!!!"

    Right now, a flash of light flashed across the neck of the orc king who was about to stab Alex.

    Whoong!

    The sound is like a bell ringing at a low frequency, making Garek sitting down also creepy, his back feels cold and his ears vibrate.

    "What the hell?" Garek muttered.

    Right now, that Orc King''s head slowly separates from its neck, then falls on the snow.

    Fresh blood splashes everywhere from the severed neck, like a fountain.

    Blood splattered on Alex, however, he wasn''t afraid, on the contrary, he felt as lucky as he had escaped something worse than death.

    Garek couldn''t calm down. His face was filled with fear when he saw Orc King die in front of him.

    A few seconds later, a bulletin board appeared in front of him.

    ???? [ Ding!] Your hero - Orc Kingrank C | High school dead.]

    Garek opened his mouth wide, unable to calm down from what had just happened in front of him.

    Not until the headless body of the Orc King collapsed onto the snow did Garek truly realizeˇŞhis Hero had just been killed.

    A Rank C | Level 3 Hero, slaughtered so swiftly that Garek hadn''t even registered what had happenedˇŞhadn''t even seen the attacker.

    All he saw was a flash of light... accompanied by a low, bell-like hum vibrating through the air.

    And thenˇŞthe Orc King''s head had fallen.

    Garek was trembling. Even though he understood what had just occurred, his body continued to shake uncontrollably.

    He swallowed hard, furrowed his brows, and summoned every ounce of courage he had left to shout:

    "Who''s there?!"

    Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

    Whoosh! Whoosh!

    There was no reply. Only the howling wind and the blinding snow, forming countless veils of white that engulfed the world around him.

    "Show yourself!" Garek shouted again.

    Whoosh! Whoosh!

    Still, the storm answered him with nothing but silence and wind.

    Alex, lying bloodied in the snow, panted heavily. He, too, felt baffled.

    He had seen the same thing Garek did. Nothing more.

    So who was it that could kill an Orc King so effortlessly?

    *Could it be... him?* The thought crossed Alex''s mind, but he immediately shook his head.

    That person always waited for him to grow strongerˇŞonly to beat him down again, shattering his confidence. There was no reason he would help.

    And yet... Alex couldn''t shake the feeling that it had to be him.

    Just then, a dark figure emerged in front of Garek.

    Clad in blackˇŞblack coat, black cloak. The only contrast was the stark white mask covering his face.

    The moment this figure appeared, all three of themˇŞAlex, the remaining Orc King, and GarekˇŞfelt an overwhelming pressure descend upon them.

    As if a giant boulder had been placed on their backs.

    Yes, that man was Noan.

    "You..." Alex tried to speak but held his tongue. He didn''t want to be seen like thisˇŞbroken and defeated.

    "You''re pathetic," Noan said flatly.

    Exactly what Alex feared. Hearing Noan''s voice dripping with contempt, anger flared within himˇŞbut he didn''t even have the strength to feel it properly.

    Noan, however, spared him no more attention. His gaze turned to Garek.

    "You''re a Rank D Lord, aren''t you?"

    Hearing that, Garek instantly recalled the two Lords he''d seen mentioned in the System announcements:

    One, a Rank F Lord who had cleared the 10th floor of the Trial Tower.

    The other, a Rank E+ Lord who topped the ''Zombie Wave'' event.

    Whoever this man was, Garek knew nowˇŞhe wasn''t a match for him.

    "Who are you?" Garek growled through clenched teeth.

    "You don''t need to know," Noan said with a slight smile. "I could kill you here and now... but I''ll give you a chance to live."

    "What?!"

 Chapter 276 276: Starting to evolve

    Both Garek and Alex thought they must have misheard.

    Garek narrowed his eyes and asked, "What do you want?"

    Of courseˇŞthere''s no such thing as a free meal in this world. The masked figure clearly had the power to kill him, yet chose not to. That meant Garek had something this man wanted.

    Noan shrugged. "Nothing, really. I''m just saving your life... for that kid over there."

    Garek seemed to realize something and burst out laughing. "Hahaha... You want that little brat to take revenge with his own hands, don''t you?"

    "Exactly. You''re sharp," Noan replied with a faint smile. "But to make the fight fairer, I''ll just..."

    Before he even finished the sentence, Noan waved his hand.

    That same flash of light from earlier appeared again. It lasted only a split second, accompanied by the now-familiar low, bell-like hum.

    Whoong!

    A moment later, Garek''s left arm dropped to the ground with a dull thudˇŞblood gushing like a fountain.

    "AAAA!!!"

    Only after a few seconds did Garek''s mind fully register the pain. The scream that tore from his throat drowned out even the howling wind.

    "Good," Noan said calmly. "Someday, that kid will come for you. I look forward to witnessing that fight."

    With that, he lifted Alex upˇŞand both of them vanished without a trace, as if they had never been there.

    Despite the agony threatening to consume him, Garek shuddered.

    That manˇŞhe clearly possessed a spatial ability. That was the only explanation for how he could come and go so effortlessly.

    If that masked figure had truly wanted to kill him, he would have done it long ago. Losing an arm... that was mercy.

    Gritting his teeth, Garek now understood that the low-ranked Lords mentioned in the System announcementsˇŞthose who achieved impossible featsˇŞweren''t just lucky.

    He''d been wrong. So very wrong.

    That man hadn''t relied on luck. He had power. Real power.

    And even if luck had played a role, the rewards he received from clearing those events had no doubt made him even stronger.

    Garek clenched his teeth harder. He was terrified... but also consumed with envy.

    "Damn it... those should''ve been mine."

    For a moment, he even forgot the pain of losing his left arm.

    "Master!" The last surviving Orc King rushed to Garek''s side and bowed low.

    "Hmph."

    SLAP!

    In a fit of rage, Garek slapped the Orc King so hard it sent him sprawling onto the ground.

    "Useless trash!" Garek shouted. "Two human bratsˇŞand you couldn''t even deal with them! How are you supposed to fight for me?!"

    The Orc King wanted to say somethingˇŞwanted to point out that even Garek himself hadn''t been a match for them. But he was just a summoned beast. Betrayal was not an option.

    At last, the Orc King lowered his head and said, "I''m sorry, Master."

    "Hmph!"

    Garek wanted to lash out again, but he realized... this was the last Hero he had left.

    If he lost this one too, he''d have nothing.

    Relying on that rabid horde of Orcs was the worst decision he''d ever made. There was no way they could help him maintain his position within the Management Group.

    "Damn it! At least I still have one Orc King left... Otherwise, those bastards would''ve kicked me out of the group by now."

    Garek muttered under his breath.

    He knew all too well that because of his arrogant and violent nature, many others despised him.

    They just didn''t show itˇŞonly because they feared his Orc Kings.

    But if word got out that he''d suffered such a crushing defeat, it was certain that many would rise up and demand his removal.

    In fact, the aftermath might be far worse than he could currently imagine.

    "Goddamn it!" Garek cursed, then barked at the Orc King, "Find shelter. We''ll return once the blizzard passes."

    "Yes, Master," the Orc King replied with a bow.

    ...

    In a dark cave, a gentle light flickeredˇŞcast by a staff glowing with magical warmth and illumination.

    Austin was fast asleep, exhausted to the point of collapse. His face remained pale, like someone suffering from severe blood loss.

    His broken arm had been bandaged, but blood still occasionally seeped from the wound.

    Urlgug, having recovered a bit of his energy, used it to ease Austin''s pain and stop the bleeding.

    Urlgan sat silently in the corner, unmoving. Caleb watched the scene, sighed deeply, and lowered his head.

    "...Do you think Master will come for us?" Caleb suddenly asked.

    Urlgug let out a slow breath, focusing on Austin''s injury. Once he finished tending to the wound, he spoke softly.

    "...Even if the chances are slim, I still believe he''ll come for us."

    Caleb bowed his head even lower, despair gripping his chest.

    "I... I really don''t want to die here," Caleb whispered. "I haven''t gotten revenge yet. I haven''t proved to those bastards that I''m not useless."

    "I don''t want to die!!"

    Urlgug looked at him and sighed. He walked over, placed a hand on Caleb''s shoulder, and said quietly, "Don''t worry. We''ll survive."

    Just thenˇŞthe snow sealing the cave entrance suddenly began to tremble violently.

    Urlgug and the others were startled, instinctively bracing themselves for battle.

    BAM!

    The frozen wall of snow sealing the cave entrance exploded outward, and in that instant, the group inside saw a dark silhouette standing at the entranceˇŞaccompanied by a familiar voice.

    "I''m not too late, am I?"

    Urlgug heard the voice and immediately dropped to his knees in joy, respectfully declaring, "Master."

    ...

    At Noan''s Territory.

    Caleb and Austin had now been taken to the Herbal Lab run by Khorvath.

    Khorvath was one of Noan''s special NPCs, possessing expert knowledge in potion-making and alchemy.

    Naturally, she also had the capability to formulate medicines to heal Austin and Caleb.

    Two female NPCs assisted her, tending to the injured and cleaning their wounds.

    Caleb''s injuries were not too seriousˇŞbut Austin''s condition was far more severe.

    One of the female NPCs carefully wiped the blood off Austin''s mangled arm and said, "Master, this arm is showing signs of necrosis. We should consider amputation."

    Upon hearing this, Noan turned to look at Khorvath.

    He didn''t know much about medicine himself, so he had to rely entirely on Khorvath''s judgment.

    Khorvath wore a mysterious outfitˇŞa black cloak that covered her entire body, and a crow-shaped mask, resembling the plague doctors from Earth''s history books.

    She stepped closer to Austin, lowered her head to examine his arm, and said, "It''s still treatable."

    Her voice was raspy, as though something was lodged in her throat.

    If her profile hadn''t clearly stated that she was female, Noan might''ve mistaken her for a man.

    "You can save his arm?" Noan asked.

    Khorvath shook her head. "Only by cutting it off."

    Noan gave a faint nod. "Very well. Do it."

    Khorvath nodded in return. "Master, please leave the room."

    Knowing she was about to begin surgery, Noan had no intention of staying.

    He stepped out of Khorvath''s lab and teleported to the lakeside nearby.

    There, he found Urlgug and Urlgan kneelingˇŞand he sighed.

    A hint of guilt tugged at his heart.

    These two had followed him since the very beginning of his journey as a Lord... and yet, they were the ones who had been left behind.

    He hadn''t meant to abandon themˇŞbut back then, his ''Almighty Fusion'' talent didn''t support evolving them.

    He simply couldn''t make them stronger.

    But now, things were different.

    His talent had been upgraded with a new function: ''Core Fusion''ˇŞand with it, he could finally help them evolve.

    Besides that, he now possessed the power of the VoidˇŞmeaning he could grant Urlgug and Urlgan the ability to wield Void energy as well.

    "Forgive us, Master. We failed in our mission," Urlgug spoke up.

    Noan shook his head. "You''ve done well. After all, you''re just low-ranked monstersˇŞthere''s no way you could face off against those high-ranked creatures."

    "Everything you didˇŞI saw it all and I acknowledge it. That''s why... this is your reward."

    Urlgug and Urlgan were both stunned, never expecting Noan to reward them instead of scolding them.

    Noan didn''t waste any more time. He began operating the System interface.

    A moment later, a notification popped up before his eyes.

    ???? [Ding! To evolve Urlgug, you require 9 materials of Rank D+ and 500 Rank D energy crystals.]

    ???? [Ding! To evolve Urlgan, you require 9 Peak Rank D materials and 1,000 Rank D energy crystals.]

    Noan checked the troops and materials he had in his possession, then smiled.

    "Accept!"

 Chapter 277: An opportunity

    277  An opportunity

    Urlgug and Urlgan could feel their power rising.

    Not only their strength, but even their appearances were gradually changing.

    ????[Ding! Evolution successful. Urlgug has reached Peak of rank D.]

    ????[Ding! Evolution successful. Urlgan has reached Perfect of rank D.]

    Noan saw that their appearances had changed, but not drastically.

    They still retained their distinctive features from before, but now, layers of bone-like scales had formed around their bodies, resembling the skeleton of some kind of creature.

    The weapon in Urlgan''s hand had transformed into a gigantic axe made from the bones of a monstrous beast.

    The magic staff in Urlgug''s hand had become a spine from some kind of creature, its tip capped with the skull of an animal resembling a mountain goat with long horns.

    Feeling the surge of new power, Urlgug and Urlgan both bowed deeply. "Thank you, Master."

    Noan gave a slight nod. He had wanted to evolve Urlgug to Perfect of rank D as well, but didn''t have enough materials.

    Still, this was more than enough. With their ranks increased, their level caps had also risen.

    Noan operated the System for a while, and then another notification appeared.

    ????[Ding! To raise Urlgug and Urlgan to level 5, please pay 10,000 rank E energy crystals and 2,000 rank D energy crystals.]

    "Accept!" Noan didn''t hesitate and approved immediately.

    ????[Ding! Payment successful. Urlgug and Urlgan''s levels have been raised to level 5.]

    ...

    Name: Urlgug

    Class: Shaman

    Rank: Peak of rank D

    Level: 05

    Description: A Shaman who possesses the abilities of both the Orc and Skeleton tribes. He can use necromancy magic and summon Skeletons, or even resurrect dead Orcs in Skeleton form.

    ...

    Name: Urlgan

    Class: Warrior

    Rank: Perfect of rank D

    Level: 05

    Description: Urlgan now possesses the characteristics of the Skeleton tribe, with greatly enhanced strength and endurance.

    He can also use the unique skills of the Skeleton tribe in battle.

    ...

    Seeing the two notifications, Noan nodded in satisfaction.

    He looked at Urlgug and Urlgan, smiling as he said, "This is my reward to you. If you perform well in the future, I''ll continue to grant you more rewards."

    Seeing the two notifications, Noan nodded in satisfaction.

    He looked at Urlgug and Urlgan, smiling as he said, "This is my reward to you. If you perform well in the future, I''ll continue to grant you more rewards."

    "Thank you, Master." Urlgan and Urlgug replied, then left.

    For now, Noan didn''t have any tasks for them. Letting them relax a bit was a good thing.

    "Luckily, I''ve unlocked the new function in my ''Almighty Fusion'' talent. Otherwise, who knows how long it would have taken to evolve Urlgug and Urlgan," Noan muttered.

    Indeed, with the ''Core Fusion'' function, he could turn Urlgug and Urlgan into cores. Any monsters that fused into them would only boost their strength, not affect their minds or souls.

    Even though Urlgug and Urlgan were only Rank D, together they could defeat even Rank C monsters.

    Still, Noan didn''t grant them the power of the Void, fearing that such an energy might bring him unwanted trouble.

    Unlike Vylyss, who always operated in secrecy, Urlgug and Urlgan moved openly.

    If they wielded a strange power like the Void and were recognized by others, it could spell problems for him.

    Of course, he didn''t believe there was anyone in this region who could currently threaten him.

    Still, it was better to be careful.

    Noan checked the system and realized he only had a few Skeletons of rank D+ left.

    Most of the Skeletons he''d lent to Caleb had been killed by the Orc Kings.

    What dissatisfied Noan was that when a Skeleton died, the power he received from that Skeleton disappeared as well.

    However, he wasn''t too disappointed, since that power was minimalˇŞless than 1% of his current strength.

    "I''ve still got 7 Skeletons of rank D+, and 2 Skeleton Shielders of rank D+," Noan murmured as he checked the system.

    "The good news is, the ten summon attempts accumulated during the ten days I was gone are still available."

    Excited, Noan chose to use all ten Skeleton summons at once.

    Ding! To summon a Skeleton, you must pay 100 rank D energy crystals for each summon.

    "What?!" Seeing the notification pop up, Noan frowned. "Why? I used to be able to summon for free."

    Ding! After evolving to Perfect rank D, you must now pay energy crystals for each summon.

    Additionally, each summon will yield a random number of Skeletons, from 10 to 40.

    This is the Balance Law.

    Noan saw the final line and let out a sigh. The ''Balance Law'' was established by the System, and there was nothing he could do about it.

    He checked the number of energy crystals in his Storage Space, then said, "Accept!"

    ????[Ding! Payment of 1,000 rank D energy crystals successful. Summoning is starting.]

    ????[Ding! Summoning successful. You have received 240 Skeletons, rank D - Perfect.]

    "Fuse them all into Skeletons rank C+."

    ????[Ding! Fusion starting...]

    ????[Ding! Fusion successful. Your current number of Skeletons is: 26 rank C+, 2 rank C, and 1 rank D+.]

    Noan nodded in satisfaction, mumbling, "Twenty-six Skeletons at rank C+ are enough for Caleb to use."

    "However, those 2 Skeleton Shielders are a bit tricky to deal with."

    He frowned, deciding not to think about it for now. As things stood, it was already enough.

    He still had to save materials to evolve Zhisse, Malrik, and Drakhan. That''s why he couldn''t afford to waste too many resources.

    ...

    Time passed quickly.

    By evening, Noan still hadn''t finished all his work. Between handling territory issues, upgrading the territory, and sorting out which constructions were necessary, he was completely overwhelmed.

    "Ah, I wish I had a secretary to help me with all of this," Noan sighed, feeling exhausted.

    It was trueˇŞthe larger the territory, the more work there was for Noan. Not only did he have to figure out how to upgrade his territory efficiently, but assigning subordinates and managing their tasks was a headache in itself.

    Someone who wasn''t used to thinking all the time like him found this sort of work incredibly tiring.

    Noan felt he was only suited for fighting. When it came to territory management, he really needed to find someone more skilled.

    He didn''t want to give this responsibility to NPCs either. After all, they weren''t truly "human," so there were many things they just couldn''t handle.

    Suddenly, Noan thought about his women.

    Noralia, Lylia, Violette, Vylyss, Maya... If he could choose, Noan felt Violette was the most suitable.

    But... she was a strange woman, with great ambition. He couldn''t be sure if she would be loyal to him.

    Even though he still had one slot left on his slave list, he didn''t want to use that slot on Violette.

    Instead, that was a slot he wanted to reserve for Zeka.

    As Noan walked, lost in thought, he found himself arriving at Khorvath''s laboratory.

    He knocked on the door, and from inside, a strange voice called out, "Who is it?"

    "Khorvath, it''s me." Noan immediately recognized the voice.

    "Master," Khorvath replied. "Wait a moment."

    A moment later, Khorvath opened the door and bowed. "Master, I have completed the surgery for Austin and treated Caleb''s injuries."

    Noan nodded and walked inside. He saw Caleb sitting on a bed, being fed soup by a female NPC, and smiled, "Feeling better?"

    Caleb quickly lowered his head and said, "Master, thank you. I feel much better now."

    Noan gave a light nod, then turned to Austin. At this moment, Austin was awake, but he just lay on his bed, staring up at the ceiling.

    His left arm had been amputated at the shoulder.

    Khorvath spoke up, "Master, his arm had severe necrosis. Luckily, Urlgug used magic to suppress the spread. Otherwise, his life might have been at risk."

    Noan nodded. He knew Austin''s arm had been smashed, and the harsh conditions had quickly led to necrosis.

    Amputating the arm was inevitable. Still, seeing Austin like this, Noan couldn''t help but feel a bit guilty toward Billy.

    "Master..." Austin noticed Noan had arrived, and a bitter smile appeared on his face. "I... I''m useless now, aren''t I?"

    Hearing this, Noan thought for a moment, then shook his head and said, "No, Austin. I''m here to give you an opportunity."

 Chapter 278: Failed?

    278  Failed?

    "An opportunity?" Austin was startled. Suddenly, he remembered what Urlgug had once told him.

    ''Master can help you.''

    Could he really help me? Austin wondered silently, not daring to say it aloud. Instead, he looked at Noan with eyes full of hope.

    The truth was, he had lost everything.

    All his Heroes had died, and he had no soldiers left. Summoning new troops would require many resourcesˇŞand even more to rebuild his territory.

    But now, not only had he lost everything, he had also lost his left arm.

    He was more miserable than a stray dog.

    Yet, with just a single sentence from Noan, hope returned.

    "Master, can you really help me?" Austin asked excitedly, sitting up, his eyes shining with anticipation.

    Noan nodded and replied, "Yes. After all, your father has helped me a lot. I can''t just stand by and watch you fall into despair."

    "However, to seize this opportunity, you''ll have to pay a tremendous price. You might even die."

    "Think carefully. If you agree, come to me and I willˇŞ"

    "No, Master!" Austin suddenly interrupted. "I agree. I want that chance."

    Noan frowned, asking, "Are you sure? This is an opportunity, but it''s also an incredibly dangerous trial."

    "Your risk of dying is over 80 percent."

    "Over 80 percent chance of death, that''s all," Austin said with a grin. "That means I still have about a 20 percent chance of success, right?"

    Noan was silent.

    He hadn''t expected Austin to remain so confident at such a momentˇŞit was almost unbelievable.

    Fortunately, the System hadn''t shown any notification indicating that Austin was a ''Fate Holder.'' Otherwise, Noan would have believed Austin was definitely one of them.

    "Good. Come with me." With that, Noan glanced briefly at Caleb, then turned and left.

    Caleb, seeing this, tried to get off the bed and followed Austin.

    Of course, Austin was very weak. The female NPC beside him wanted him to sit in a wheelchair, but he refused.

    He insisted on walking himself.

    The NPC could only sigh and support him as he took each step.

    After leaving the lab, Noan led them to the central plaza. At that moment, Alex was sitting on a tree branch, watching Noan bring a group of people and feeling confused.

    That''s right, Alex was now in Noan''s territory.

    When he first arrived here, Alex felt as if he had entered paradise.

    Damn it! Since when had this place turned into a garden of Eden in the middle of hell?

    At that moment, Alex felt like a country bumpkin who''d just arrived in the capital city of a modern nation.

    His eyes were filled with awe and confusion as he looked around.

    Was this really a territory? Why was his territory so different from this person''s?

    After being brought here, Alex had also seen Noan''s real face.

    Noan had tossed him a few energy crystals and then left with Austin and Caleb for treatment.

    Alex wanted to wander around and explore, but he sensed a mysterious presence watching him from the shadows, so he obediently stayed put.

    He wasn''t stupid.

    The fact that Noan brought him here meant that Noan was far stronger than him and had no fear of whatever trouble Alex might cause.

    Alex used the energy crystals Noan gave him to heal his wounds, and his power progression reached 64%.

    Still, Alex didn''t feel happy. On the contrary, he felt a sense of despair.

    He had the feeling that no matter how much he leveled up, he''d never be able to catch up to Noan.

    So he gave up on resisting and simply waited quietly.

    Besides, staying here was a thousand times better than the blizzard outsideˇŞhe had no desire to leave.

    Alex followed behind the group to a large plaza. Noan sat in a chair, then signaled for Austin to come stand before him.

    Everyone stayed put, except for Austin, who hobbled forward and bowed his head. "Master."

    "Do you want to reconsider?" Noan asked with a frown. "IfˇŞ"

    "Master," Austin said quickly, cutting him off, "I''ve made up my mind. Even if I die, I won''t regret it."

    "I don''t want to stay useless like this. I want to be stronger. I want to help my father, and you, even more."

    Alex frowned and moved closer to Caleb. "What''s he doing?"

    "Shh!" Caleb motioned for Alex to lower his voice. "Keep it down. Master is giving Austin an opportunity."

    "Opportunity?" Alex scratched his head, confused. "Is he going to restore Austin''s arm?"

    Caleb shook his head. "I don''t know, but whatever fortuitous chance Master is offering, it''s definitely not something ordinary."

    Alex pursed his lips. Noan was strongˇŞhe admitted that. But that didn''t mean Noan could do everything.

    A severed arm being restored? That was just nonsense.

    If that were possible, his own Master wouldn''t have died.

    Even someone with an SS-ranked talent like him, if his arm were chopped off, no matter how many energy crystals he absorbed, he couldn''t regrow it.

    That''s why Alex figured Noan was just comforting Austin.

    Of course, Noan had no idea what Alex and the others were thinking, nor did he care.

    He was only interested in running an experiment.

    What would happen if he granted the power of the Void to his human slave?

    Noan opened the System interface and began operating it. Soon, a notification appeared before him.

    ???? [Ding! Do you want to grant Austin the authority to use Void energy?]

    "Accept!"

    ???? [Ding! Transmitting Void energy usage rights to Austin.]

    In that moment, Austin felt a strange energy invading his body.

    A wave of excruciating pain swept through him.

    "AAAA!!!" Austin collapsed to the ground, writhing like a worm.

    He rolled and screamed in agony.

    It felt as if every cell in his body was exploding, then regenerating, only to explode again.

    The process repeated endlessly, every second, pushing him to the brink of unconsciousness with the pain.

    However, at that moment, Austin''s willpower seemed to reach its peak. He clenched his teethˇŞeven as they kept shattering and regrowingˇŞand the unbearable pain did not make him give up.

    On the contrary, he endured, refusing to surrender.

    Alex, standing at a distance, was stunned by the sight. His earlier confidence and disdain toward Noan began to waver.

    "Oy! Are you kidding me? Can he... can he actually help Austin recover?" Alex muttered, his voice full of disbelief.

    Caleb, beside him, was equally shocked by what he saw.

    He could clearly see Austin''s body changing rapidly.

    Layers of skin and flesh kept sloughing off onto the ground, dissolving into a puddle of black sludge, while new skin and muscle immediately formed in their place.

    But just seconds later, the new flesh would peel away again.

    This cycle continued, over and over. Just watching, Caleb could imagine how excruciating the process must be.

    It was horrifying.

    But what if Austin succeeded?

    That''s rightˇŞif Austin could endure it, if he survived, he would no longer be useless.

    Caleb was filled with both worry and hope.

    If Austin succeeded, then maybe he too would have a chance to evolve.

    Noan, watching this scene, was not surprised.

    Vylyss had received the power of the Void easily because she was already a monster, with many different energies within her body.

    So, when she encountered a new energy, her body adapted to the Void extremely quickly.

    Besides that, Vylyss''s physical strength was tremendous.

    Even though she was a monster who primarily used magic, her body was many times tougher than that of a normal human like Austin.

    Returning to the present, Austin''s screams faded. Now, only faint mewling sounds escaped his lips, like a kitten.

    Noan let out a sigh, thinking to himself, ''Had he failed already?''

 Chapter 279: Alex vs Austin

    Even though the system didn''t specify that granting Void energy to someone else could fail, Noan knew the risk was real.

    He understood this because, when he first gained Void energy, his body had undergone dramatic transformations.

    New cells were generated to adapt to the new energy source.

    His body had changed in order to allow him to wield Void energy easily.

    But he had the ''Immortal'' talentˇŞso he was able to accept Void energy without any difficulties at all.

    Austin was different.

    Right now, Austin was enduring unimaginable agony. Just watching, Noan could sense how horrifying the pain must be.

    After a while, Austin sat still on the ground, no longer moving.

    The transformation process gradually slowed. The layer of Void energy enveloping Austin''s body also began to dissipate.

    Noan sighed, murmuring, "Looks like... he failed. I''ll have to think of a reason to tell Billy about his son''s death... What?!"

    Just as he spoke, Austin''s body suddenly began to change dramatically.

    The Void energy surrounding Austin grew denser, transforming into a column of light that shot up to the sky.

    At the same time, his body rapidly regenerated, becoming flawless.

    The severed arm was replaced by a new, purple armˇŞor rather, it wasn''t an arm at all.

    It was a mass of Void energy, gathering into the shape of an arm. On the outside, it was covered in armor that looked like random shards of metal pieced together.

    His body didn''t turn purple; instead, it took on a red hue, like molten lava.

    Austin slowly rose to his feet, looking at both handsˇŞespecially his left.

    He clenched his fists, closed his eyes, and focused on the torrent of strength flowing through him.

    At the same time, Noan quickly opened Austin''s status screen to check.

    ...

    Name: Austin

    Role: Slave

    Class: Void Fighter

    Level: 00/05 (0/1,000 Void Crystals rank F)

    Description: Austin has assimilated Void energy, and his body has transformed to suit his abilities.

    Currently, Austin''s Void energy possesses the property of ''Heat Capacity,'' containing the power of fire and magma.

    Note: Austin''s status as a Lord has been revoked after accepting Void energy.

    Now, Austin can only level up through you; he cannot act as an independent Lord.

    ...

    Noan was stunned by the notification. So Void energy could actually take on different attributes?

    Heat Capacity? What was that?

    Noan had no idea, but from reading it, he sensed this power could be terrifying.

    But even more noteworthy was that Austin had lost his qualifications as a Lord and could only exist as a normal person.

    That didn''t really matter.

    After all, Austin was already surviving solely thanks to the troops Noan lent himˇŞmore precisely, Urlgan and Urlgug.

    He didn''t have the ability to summon Heroes or build his own army anymore.

    So his situation was even more dire than people realized.

    Losing the ability to be a Lord and having to rely on Noan for leveling up was a big deal, but he now possessed a new strength.

    A power that anyone would covet.

    Austin let out a long breath, then knelt down, lowering his forehead to the ground, and said respectfully and sincerely, "Thank you, Master. I swear to become your sword."

    Noan asked, "Austin, you''ve lost your Lord status. Do you accept that?"

    Austin smiled and replied, "Master, compared to being a useless Lord, I actually prefer this new state."

    Noan could tell Austin''s thoughts were the same as his own, so he didn''t ask further.

    What mattered now was... Alex and Caleb.

    Noan glanced at them and saw the mixed emotions in their eyes as they watched Austin.

    Confusion, disbelief, utter astonishment, jealousy, admiration...

    All of these emotions were written clearly on their faces. Especially CalebˇŞhis face and eyes were filled with envy and longing.

    Alex could hardly believe what had just happened.

    Austin''s arm hadn''t just grown backˇŞit seemed to have become an even more terrifying weapon.

    Could he really help someone gain a power even more terrifying than his own? Alex wondered to himself.

    His confidence and pride began to waver. The thing he trusted and was most proud of was his talent.

    But after witnessing everything that had just happened, he felt cracks starting to form in his confidenceˇŞcracks that threatened to shatter it completely.

    But immediately, he shook his head, thinking: No, there must be some reason or condition behind this. There''s no way someone could just grant others such overwhelming power.

    Still, Alex could sense just how terrifying Austin''s strength was now.

    But he didn''t want to believe that his SS-rank talent was inferior to a power someone else had received.

    Gritting his teeth, Alex suddenly shouted, "Austin, fight me!"

    His voice rang out loud and clear, echoing across the entire territory, drawing everyone''s attention.

    Noan glanced at him, then at Austin, and nodded lightly.

    With the master''s permission, Austin was just as eager to see how powerful he''d become.

    He grinned confidently. "Good! I want to test out my new strength too."

    Hearing Austin''s confidence, Alex felt even more irritated.

    The two of them moved to the center of the courtyard. Noan called out, "You can go all out, as long as you don''t kill each other."

    With a wave of his hand, a dome of space and Void energy appeared, enclosing a 100-meter radius around them.

    Standing before Austin, Alex frowned. "You just got your new power. You''re not my match."

    "Hahaha, we''ll see. You scared?" Austin shot back with a smile.

    Austin''s words stabbed straight at Alex''s pride, making him furious. "Ah! Hope you don''t lose too quickly."

    "And I hope you can handle the power Master has given me."

    Watching them square off, Noan let out a silent sigh.

    Let''s see what happens when a real Fate Holder clashes with a mysterious one.

    That''s rightˇŞNoan now considered Austin a hidden Fate Holder.

    After everything Austin had endured, and given his personality, Noan was certain that if Austin wasn''t a Fate Holder, then he was at least someone chosen by Fate itself.

    "Begin!" Noan shouted.

    Immediately, Alex vanished.

    Austin was startled and looked around but couldn''t see any sign of Alex.

    A split second later, Alex reappeared behind Austin and swung his leg at Austin''s back.

    BAM!

    "So you want to fight me? You''d better go train moˇŞ What?!" Alex was still speaking with contempt when he realized his kick hadn''t landed on Austin''s back.

    Instead, Austin''s left arm had swung behind him, blocking Alex''s kick.

    Austin then spun around and aimed a kick at Alex''s stomach.

    But Austin''s movements were still clumsy; every action revealed flaws.

    Even so, his speed was incredible, and his strength and defense were overwhelming.

    Alex raised his arms to block Austin''s kick, only to immediately sense that something was wrong.

    What is this... What kind of monstrous strength is this? Alex cursed inwardly, and thenˇŞ

    BAM!

    A shockwave exploded. Alex was sent flying more than ten meters, rolling across the ground before finally coming to a stop.

    Strangely, Austin didn''t rush in to finish him off. He just stood there, smiling. "Shall we continue?"

    Gritting his teeth, Alex felt as if Austin was mocking him. His anger only grew.

    "Bastard! Don''t look down on me!"

    Alex stomped hard on the ground.

    BAM!

    The spot where he landed caved in, and his body shot toward Austin like a cannonball.

    Austin frowned and raised his left arm to block, but Alex, like a leaf caught in the wind, suddenly twisted in midair and changed direction in a bizarre way.

    He soared above Austin, then lashed out with a kick aimed straight at Austin''s head.

    BAM!

    The kick struck, causing the ground beneath Austin to collapse, spiderweb cracks spreading outward as dust billowed through the air.

    Alex instantly leaped back, putting distance between them.

    As the dust settled, Alex stared in shock at the scene before him. "No way!"

 Chapter 280: I accept

    Austin was still standing there, but the shards of metal-like armor on his body had shifted and formed a dome that shielded his head.

    Because of this, Alex''s kickˇŞthough powerfulˇŞhad no effect at all.

    Austin laughed. "Hahaha... Disappointed? Don''t worry, I''ll show you I can do much more than this."

    As he spoke, he gripped the armor pieces on his arm with his right hand and yanked them off.

    The broken shards quickly reassembled themselves into a spear.

    At the points where the fragments joined, streams of purple energy connected them together.

    Alex was startled and shouted, "You... you''re using a weapon?"

    "This isn''t really a weapon. It''s a part of my body," Austin replied with a casual smile, as if it were nothing out of the ordinary.

    Alex: "..."

    Damn it! What''s the point of continuing this fight now?

    Still, Alex refused to accept that someone with an SS-ranked talent like himself could lose to someone who''d received power from another.

    "AA!!" Alex shouted, his body blurring into a gust of wind as he lunged toward Austin.

    Whoosh!

    Suddenly, Alex appeared behind Austin, swinging his leg to kick at Austin''s legs.

    BAM!

    "Ack!" But instead of feeling the impact, Alex realized his foot had struck something unbelievably hard.

    Looking down, he saw it was Austin''s spear.

    "Damn it!" Alex quickly retreated a step, then leapt high into the air.

    Flipping midair, he launched another kick at Austin''s head, using the rotation to generate even more powerˇŞthe kick whistled through the air.

    Austin hadn''t expected Alex to attack again so relentlessly, and he didn''t have enough time to dodge.

    So he just tilted his head, letting Alex''s kick land squarely on his shoulder.

    BAM!

    The impact sent a shockwave rolling out.

    Austin could feel just how strong Alex''s kick wasˇŞso powerful that pain shot through his body, and he immediately dropped to his knees.

    His knees struck the ground hard enough to leave dents, but his hands still gripped the spear, planting it firmly as a support.

    Gritting his teeth, Austin forced himself to bear the pain from Alex''s blow.

    Seeing Austin''s expression, Alex immediately realized his attack hadn''t been completely useless.

    He jumped back to put some distance between them.

    Clasping his hands together, he drew them back, and at that moment, a white energy surged around his fists, radiating a terrifying power.

    Austin refused to back down. He had just received this power from NoanˇŞhe didn''t want to lose.

    If he lost, it would mean he was unworthy of the strength his master had given him.

    He stood up, swung his spear, and thrust it toward Alex.

    Alex didn''t dodge. His hands, wrapped in raging energy, struck straight at the spear.

    BAM!

    The clash was explosiveˇŞa wave of heat erupted from the point of impact and spread in all directions.

    Luckily, Noan had sealed off their battlefield; otherwise, this fight might have caused chaos throughout his territory.

    A moment later, the dust settled. Noan could see Alex was still standing, but his hand was covered in blood, with several fingers broken.

    Austin was in even worse shapeˇŞhe''d been blasted back, lying on the ground, gasping for breath, his eyes filled with frustration as he stared at Alex.

    "Ha... ha... ha..." Alex panted, then managed to say, "Ah! Hahaha... In the end, I''m the winner, hahaha..."

    Noan couldn''t help but feel amused seeing Alex so elated about defeating Austin.

    In reality, Austin had only just received his new powers and hadn''t yet learned to control them.

    Besides, he was only level 0. If he reached level 5 and gained regular training, Alex likely wouldn''t be his match.

    Still, Noan didn''t expect Austin to win right now.

    After all, Alex was a Fate Holder, and Fate Holders rarely lostˇŞespecially in battles of honor and life like this one.

    He hadn''t needed Austin to win. He simply wanted to see how powerful Austin would become after gaining his new strength.

    Now, he had his answer.

    It seems... the power of the Void is far more terrifying than I thought.

    Austin has only just absorbed Void energy and can already fight Alex on equal terms. What if Urlgug and Urlgan absorbed this energy as well?

    Noan was excited and curious, but he was able to restrain himself.

    It wasn''t time yet.

    If everyone could have this power, they would start thinking it was worthless.

    He wanted to use this energy as bait, to motivate his subordinates to work harder.

    Noan waved his hand, and the protective dome disappeared. He tossed Alex two rank D energy crystals.

    Alex was startled, catching the two crystals, feeling surprised and confused.

    Noan was truly generousˇŞhe''d already given Alex three rank D crystals before, and now another two.

    How many resources did Noan really have?

    A greedy thought flashed through Alex''s mind, but he quickly pushed it away.

    Austin had received power from Noan and became this strong; Noan himself must be far more powerful than he could imagine.

    He wasn''t foolish enough to challenge such a being.

    Noan, of course, had no idea what Alex was thinking. Even if he did, he wouldn''t care.

    He walked over to Austin.

    Austin, seeing Noan, said in embarrassment, "I''m sorry, Master. I lost."

    Noan shook his head. "No, you did very well. If you have time to adapt to this new energy, you definitely won''t be weaker than him."

    "You can go find Urlgan to practice. There will be many tasks for you in the future."

    Austin smiled brightly at this. "Yes, Master, I promise I won''t let you down."

    "Good! Now that you''ve lost your Lord status, you''ll stay in my territory." Noan continued, "There are plenty of empty rooms in the dormitory area. You can choose whichever you like."

    "Thank you, Master," Austin replied respectfully, then was led away by a female NPC.

    At this point, Noan glanced over at Alex, who was absorbing the energy crystals to heal his hand. "You have two choices: join me as my subordinate, or act like nothing happened and leave this place."

    After fully healing his hand with his talent, Alex sighed.

    Hearing Noan''s offer, he frowned and asked, "Be your subordinate? What would I get in return?"

    Noan shook his head. "You should be asking yourself what you can do for me."

    "This..." Alex felt a flash of anger at Noan''s words, as if Noan was looking down on him.

    However, when he thought it over carefully, he realized Noan''s words were actually quite reasonable.

    After witnessing Austin''s power, Alex''s confidence was shaken.

    He thought for a while, then asked, "If I become your subordinate, will I lose my freedom?"

    Noan shrugged. "Not really. You can act freely. If I need you, you must show up."

    "Also, if you come across any opportunities, you have to report them to me first."

    Alex frowned. "And if I keep an opportunity for myself?"

    "Then you''d better hope that opportunity is enough for you to surpass meˇŞotherwise..." Noan trailed off, giving Alex a meaningful smile.

    A chill ran down Alex''s spine. He knew exactly what Noan meant.

    It was simpleˇŞeither you use that opportunity to surpass Noan and break free from his control, or your fate would be grim.

    Alex understood Noan wasn''t bluffing. Noan was that strong, and if it came to a fight, Alex would definitely lose.

    After thinking it over, Alex finally nodded firmly and said, "Fine! I accept. I''ll be your subordinate."

 Chapter 281: Zeka and Elara

    "However, I have a few conditions. If you can agree to them, I''ll immediately become your subordinate."

    Noan didn''t answer, simply watching Alex in silence.

    Alex took a deep breath and said, "First, if I find any opportunities, you have to share at least 30% of the rewards with me."

    "Also, because my talent is a bit specialˇŞyou probably know this alreadyˇŞI need you to provide me with energy crystals."

    "Of course, if you give me any tasks, I''ll complete them flawlessly so you''ll never be disappointed."

    Noan nodded lightly and replied, "Fine. However, I''ll need to adjust the terms about providing you energy crystals."

    Alex was a bit displeased, but decided to listen to what Noan would say.

    Noan continued, "Every week, I''ll give you 20 rank D energy crystals. After each task you complete, depending on your performance, I''ll reward you with extra crystals."

    Alex was stunned for a moment, then delighted.

    He''d thought Noan wouldn''t be willing to provide him with energy crystals, which would have severely limited his growth.

    But things turned out completely different. Noan was extremely generous.

    Twenty rank D energy crystals per week, with bonuses for good performance.

    Damn! He''d risked his life out there searching for resources and still hadn''t found even five, but Noan could give him twenty per week.

    The conditions were simply too good, so he immediately said, "Alright! I agree. But I want you to pay me the first week''s worth of crystals in advance."

    Noan waved his hand, and a small spider silk pouch flew toward Alex.

    Alex caught the pouch, opened it, and found it filled with rank C energy crystals. He took a deep breath, struggling to contain his excitement.

    "You can pick any room in the dormitory area. From now on, you can stay here," Noan said.

    Alex nodded and left, unable to suppress the hunger inside him.

    At that moment, all he wanted was to find a quiet spot and start absorbing these energy crystals.

    Once Alex was gone, Noan looked at Caleb and asked, "Is there something you want to say to me?"

    Caleb gritted his teeth, walked up to Noan, knelt down, and sincerely said, "Master, I... I want to have power like Austin."

    Noan frowned, his eyes showing a hint of indifference as he looked at Caleb.

    Caleb trembled, not knowing why he suddenly felt afraid, but for the sake of revenge, he stood firm in his decision.

    Noan sighed. "Caleb, ever since you became my subordinate, you''ve done very well, but it''s still not enough."

    "I know you''re dissatisfied, thinking I''ve been unfair with you. But you need to understand how much Austin''s father has done for me."

    "That''s why I need you to prove how valuable you are to meˇŞonly then can I grant you that power."

    Caleb felt disappointed at Noan''s words, but it didn''t mean he''d lost all hope.

    From what Noan said, he understood he still had a chance, so he immediately replied, "Master, please give me a task. I promise I won''t let you down."

    Noan nodded, then waved his hand. Instantly, a group of Skeletons appeared in front of Caleb.

    "These are twenty Skeletons, rank C+ | Level 3," Noan said quietly. "You''ll have command of them, as well as Urlgug and Urlgan."

    "There''s only one thing I want from you. Use these monsters to take the ''Resource Production Center'' in the upcoming event."

    "If you fail, or disappoint me, then you should give up on that thoughtˇŞunderstood?"

    Caleb pressed his lips together, gazed at the Skeletons now lined up in front of him, then nodded and said, "Understood. I promise I won''t disappoint you, Master."

    "Good! I''ll look forward to your good news," Noan replied with a smile.

    Caleb bowed deeply, then left.

    Watching Caleb''s determined back, Noan actually felt a bit of anticipation.

    Although Urlgug and Urlgan were only D-rank monstersˇŞPeak and PerfectˇŞtheir strength was already comparable to rank C monsters.

    If they worked together, even against a group of C-rank Orc Kings, they''d have a good chance at victory.

    On top of that, Noan had raised their levels to 5, boosting their power tremendously.

    While Noan''s command was for Caleb to win, what he truly wanted was to see just how far Caleb could go.

    If Caleb didn''t disappoint him, then Noan would be willing to grant him the power of the Void as well.

    Noan let out a long breath, feeling as ifˇŞfor nowˇŞhe''d resolved the issues with his subordinates.

    "Now, on to Elara''s problem. That girl really is troublesome," Noan thought to himself, deciding to use his teleportation talent.

    Earlier, he''d set an ''Anchor Point'' on Elara, so he wasn''t worried about not being able to find her.

    Besides, as long as she was alive, the Anchor would persist.

    Right now, the Anchor was still there, which meant Zeka hadn''t harmed Elara.

    Of course, he didn''t think Zeka would hurt her anyway.

    Zeka was a total simpˇŞany time he saw a beautiful woman, he''d turn into a puppy, constantly wagging his tail for her.

    And this time, Noan was curious to see just how many buffs Zeka had managed to collect.

    ...

    Deep within the forest, snow continued to fall relentlessly.

    Zeka gazed at the corpses of a group of rank D lords and a horde of monsters sprawled across the snow, a nameless sense of accomplishment stirring in his chest.

    But unlike his battle with Alex, this time Zeka was like a wolf among rabbits.

    To him, this group of rank D lords and monsters posed little threat.

    Zeka sighed as he looked at his wounds, but instead of fear or anxiety, what he felt was excitement.

    "Hahaha... Hahaha..." Zeka suddenly burst out laughing, mumbling, "Five rank D lords, five high-grade buffs, hahaha..."

    Ever since fighting Alex, Zeka had felt some doubts about his strength compared to Vinelord.

    But now, after slaughtering these lords and monsters, he had no more doubts.

    He could feel the power in his body increasing, and his eyes glowed an even deeper red.

    ???? [Ding! Congratulations, you killed a rank D, level 2 lordˇŞreceived a permanent buff: +20% strength.]

    ???? [Ding! Congratulations, you killed a rank D, level 1 lordˇŞreceived a permanent buff: +10% life recovery rate.]

    ???? [Ding! Congratulations, you killed a rank D, level 1 lordˇŞreceived a permanent buff: +10% resistance to extreme weather.]

    ???? [Ding! Congratulations, you killed a rank D, level 2 lordˇŞreceived a permanent buff: +20% physical strength.]

    ???? [Ding! Congratulations, you killed a rank D, level 1 lordˇŞreceived a permanent buff: +10% speed.]

    Clenching his fists, Zeka felt his strength and speed rise, and he also gained resistance to harsh weather and improved life recovery.

    He knew... as long as he kept killing other lords, he would only become stronger.

    Eventually, he''d truly become invincible and immortalˇŞno one would be able to kill him.

    Not stopping there, Zeka flung out his left hand. Vines resembling tentacles shot out toward the corpses, beginning to drain the blood from their bodies.

    Elara, huddled beneath a tree, shivering from the cold, watched the scene before her with growing despair and wanted nothing more than to cry.

    She didn''t understand why, when she awoke, she had been kidnapped by such a monstrous person.

    Though Zeka hadn''t harmed her, everything he did was terrifyingˇŞrevolting, even.

    "He kills so many people, and now he''s sucking their blood... Is he a demon?" Elara whispered between shivers.

    "Hahaha... hahaha..." Suddenly, Zeka''s laughter startled Elara.

    His face twisted with such savagery that Elara could only think of the demons from Hell.

    "Huhuhu... I don''t want to be here, I want to go home... I want good food, I want my warm bed... huhuhuhu..." Elara sobbed, her voice trembling.

    Hearing her, Zeka assumed Elara was worried about him. He immediately grinned and said, "Don''t worry about me, I''m fine."

    Elara: "..."

 Chapter 282: Zeka and Maisy

    Right now, Elara really wanted to curse out loud, silently swearing in her heart: ''Who''s worried about you? Who do you think you are?''

    She let out a sigh but dared not say a word, afraid Zeka would use those terrifying vines to impale her.

    "Elara, don''t worry, I''ll protect you," Zeka said with a smile. "Let''s find a shelter to wait out the snowstorm. I''ll go look for some more food."

    Hearing that, Elara truly wanted to cryˇŞshe wanted to go home, or even return to that fiery realm of souls and keep hauling rocks. Anything was better than following this guy, who made her sick and constantly feel in danger. She had no idea when he might use those vines for something twisted.

    Zeka and Elara found a small cave, where he let her take shelter inside.

    Afraid she''d get cold, he gathered up all the clothes from the dead Lords he''d killed and spread them out as a makeshift bed for her.

    "Elara, sit here, you won''t be cold," Zeka said with a smile.

    Even though he tried to smile as warmly as the sun, after killing so many people, the murderous aura that clung to his face made that smile warped and frightening.

    Seeing that smile, Elara shuddered. And when she saw the patchwork of bloody garments from the dead laid out for her, she was so terrified that tears began to stream down her face.

    When Zeka saw Elara crying, his heart filled with joy: ''See? She''s so moved by my warmth that she''s brought to tears!''

    ''Hahaha... Just wait, soon she''ll accept being my woman and be loyal to me.''

    Of course, Vinelord understood Zeka''s thoughts and could only sigh in weary resignation.

    Even though Zeka was foolishˇŞa hopeless simpˇŞthe current situation was still in Vinelord''s favor for gaining strength.

    At this point, Vinelord could sense that the seal inside Zeka''s body had weakened by about 20%.

    As long as they kept killing Lords and draining their blood, soon the seal would be completely weakened.

    After that, Vinelord would be able to break the seal and unleash his true power.

    At that point, he wouldn''t need this idiot anymoreˇŞhe''d be able to act freely and independently.

    Yet Zeka was having similar thoughts about Vinelord.

    Zeka figured that if he collected enough buffsˇŞenough to rival an A- or S-rank monsterˇŞone day he could get rid of Vinelord for good.

    Even though it was thanks to Vinelord that he could gain buffs by killing Lords, Zeka still hated the feeling of having a mysterious creature parasitizing and controlling him.

    Sometimes he wanted to act on his own, but always had to listen to Vinelord''s nagging and be forcibly manipulated by him.

    This not only left Zeka disgruntled and angry, but also filled him with murderous intent.

    ''Huh! Once I''ve collected enough buffs to match an A- or S-rank monster, I''ll kill you and make you my slave,'' Zeka thought to himself.

    Zeka and Vinelord each had their own simple thoughtsˇŞwhen the time came, they would eliminate the other and that would be the end of it.

    Zeka smiled at Elara. "It''s very dangerous outside. You just stay here in the cave and wait for me to bring back some food."

    Elara said nothing.

    She wanted to cry and really wanted to say: The only danger I see here is you.

    Of course, she couldn''t say that. Right now, she only had enough energy to stay warm and avoid freezing to death.

    Besides, even if she had all her strength, she wasn''t sure she could take on Zeka.

    Having watched Zeka easily kill five rank D lords and a horde of monsters, Elara was even more afraid of this strange young man.

    So, all she could do was obediently sit on the makeshift mat pieced together from the clothes of those Zeka had killed.

    Zeka nodded in satisfaction and left the cave.

    Elara sat quietly inside, thinking of escape, but the snow outside was too heavy.

    Forget running awayˇŞjust moving in that snow for too long could easily kill her.

    So Elara could only sigh, crying and pouting, "I want to go home... huhuhuhu..."

    "Do you really want to go home?"

    "Yes! I want to go home, I want good food, I want..." Elara answered instinctively, then suddenly realized something was off.

    She looked up, searching for the familiar voice.

    "Noan?! Is that you?" For the first time, Elara felt more relief than worry or fear.

    "Noan! Come out, get me out of here, I don''t want to be here, huhuhuhu..." Elara sobbed, looking absolutely pitiful.

    Noan appeared before her, his clothes clean, his face wearing a teasing smile. "Ah! If you hadn''t said anything, I would''ve thought you were a beggar."

    Elara was speechless.

    "You... you..." She wanted to scold Noan, but on second thought, decided not to. Right now, only he could save her. If she cursed at him, he might just leave her to Zeka, and then... her life really would be hell.

    "Noan! Save me, I... I''ll even be your woman." Elara cried. "I''m so hungry, and cold, please..."

    "Ah, but you used to be so stubborn and proud. Why are you begging me now?" Noan teased.

    "You... huhuhuhu... fine, just take it as me begging you, please... save me." Elara said, her voice full of pleading and sobs. "I... I''ll be your woman."

    "Hm..." Noan suddenly stroked his chin, as if hesitating.

    Seeing this, Elara turned pale with fear. "You... you''re hesitating?"

    Noan sighed and waved his hand.

    At that moment, Vylyss appeared.

    Elara had met Vylyss before, and didn''t have the best memories of her, so she knew exactly who Vylyss was.

    But now, seeing Vylyss again, Elara was a bit startled.

    Vylyss seemed even more beautiful, her horns looked like pieces of art, and her aura had grown much stronger.

    "You see, I already have women more beautiful and obedient than you," Noan said, pulling Vylyss into his arms.

    Noan''s hands didn''t stay idle, moving over Vylyss''s body, making her moan and let out lustful sounds.

    "You... you... pervert!" Elara''s face turned bright red with embarrassment.

    "That''s right, I''m very much a pervert," Noan said with a laugh. "So, Miss Elara surely wouldn''t want to be a woman for someone as perverted as me, right?"

    "Um... I..." Elara stammered.

    "It''s fine, you don''t need to force yourself to come with me," Noan said. "You can stay here with your lover."

    "Huh?! Lover? Wait! You... you have to take me with you, he''s terrifying, he..." Before Elara could finish, Noan and Vylyss had already disappeared.

    Elara sat there, mouth agape, not knowing what to say. In the end, she collapsed onto the makeshift mat, crying out, "Huhuhu... why are you so cruel to me?"

    "At least give me some time to adapt, why just leave like that? I''ve never even experienced something like this, how am I supposed to accept you so quickly?"

    "Huhuhu... come back, I was wrong."

    "Noan!!!"

    ...

    Outside, Noan and Vylyss hovered in the sky.

    At that moment, Vylyss pouted. "Master, you sure know how to torment her."

    Noan nodded with a smile. "That''s right, she''s too proud. I need to break down that arrogance."

    "Besides, it seems she carries some enormous secret. I want her to be loyal to me."

    "If anything happens in the future, she might be able to help us."

    Vylyss agreed with Noan about this and nodded.

    She then asked, "Master, how long do you plan to let her stay with Zeka?"

    Noan stroked his chin, thinking for a moment. "Let''s see how things play out first. I have a feeling it''ll be better for her to stick with Zeka for now."

    Vylyss, following his order, didn''t say anything more.

    Suddenly, Noan frowned, looking off into the distance. "Looks like there''s a show happening. Let''s go check it out."

    Vylyss nodded, and together they teleported forward.

    "Do you have a death wish?" Zeka shouted.

    In front of him were three young men and a girl. What stood out most was the girlˇŞMaisy.

    Above her flew a giant butterfly with a wingspan of over five meters, radiating a dazzling glow of every color.

    Maisy saw Zeka and smiled. "Zeka, it''s been a long time."

 Chapter 283: Zeka and Maisy (2)

    "Captain Maisy." Seeing that woman, Zeka was a bit surprised. "What do you want?"

    Although Zeka used to like Maisy, the look in her eyes nowˇŞalong with the presence of the other members of the Management GroupˇŞmade it clear to him that Maisy hadn''t come with good intentions.

    "Hahaha... It''s been a while," Maisy said with a laugh. "Aren''t you going to tell us what kind of lucky encounter turned you into what you are now?"

    "Huh! I haven''t had any lucky encounter." Zeka replied angrily. "Even if I did, that would be my fortuneˇŞwhat does it have to do with any of you?"

    "Oh! How bold." Maisy smiled. "Zeka, do you know how much the System has put on your head as a bounty?"

    Zeka wasn''t surprised to hear that. He''d already seen the system announcements, so he knew he was being hunted.

    But so what?

    He wasn''t weak anymoreˇŞhe was strong, and with all the buffs he''d just obtained, he was even stronger than before.

    Even if he was facing a group of rank D monsters or a bunch of rank D Lords, he was confident he could defeat them easily.

    Now, seeing Maisy and the three young men before him, he felt no fear.

    On the contrary, he was full of confidence and arrogance. As long as he killed these people, he would gain three more permanent buffs.

    As for Maisy? Huh! Even though she wanted to kill him, he would give her a chance to live.

    After all, she was so beautifulˇŞif she died, it would be a waste. So he wanted to let her live, then make her his servant, a tool for his pleasure.

    Why did he want to treat her like that? Because she wanted to kill him, and that reason alone was enough.

    "Hahaha..." Zeka suddenly burst out laughing, his face twisting bizarrely. "Maisy, if you want my head, you''re going to have to pay a very high price."

    Maisy frowned, her eyes showing a hint of confusion as she looked at Zeka.

    But then she waved her hand and said, "Kill him."

    The three young men, together with eight rank D Heroes and nearly fifty monsters, surrounded Zeka.

    This was the first time they''d ever mobilized so many soldiers and heroes just to kill one person.

    Of course, they didn''t dare be careless. According to the information they had, Zeka had already killed five rank D LordsˇŞproving he wasn''t weak at all.

    Zeka looked at the monsters closing in around him and sneered. "Hahaha... You think this pile of trash can kill me?"

    Maisy shrugged. "How would I know if we don''t try? Besides, I don''t believe you''re strong enough to defeat all the monsters here."

    "Oh? So you''re underestimating me?" Zeka laughed, his smile ice-cold. "Then you''ll pay the price for that arrogance."

    BAM!

    Zeka suddenly swung both arms down into the snow. Instantly, the ground shook violently, startling Maisy''s group.

    "What''s happening?" Maisy asked in confusion.

    Moments later, countless vines burst up from the earth, piercing through the surface.

    The vines were thick, more than ten centimeters in diameter, and their tips were capped with incredibly hard, sharp points.

    "Not good!" Seeing vines springing up everywhere, Maisy''s expression changed. "Larose, unleash a hurricane!"

    Maisy shouted, and the giant butterfly above her spun in the air, then beat its wings, creating a growing vortex.

    The whirlwind rapidly grew larger, almost forming a tornado that sucked up swirling snowflakes all around.

    Zeka frowned. "It''s useless, these vines won''t be so easily pulled from the ground."

    "Die!"

    The vines shot toward the enemy monsters. Even though those monsters were all rank D, the fight was nothing to Zeka.

    After all, they were just low-level monsters, not even level 2, so they were no match for Vinelord.

    The vines easily pierced through the monsters'' bodies, beginning to drain them of all their blood.

    Whoosh!

    Suddenly, a sharp gust sounded. Zeka instinctively leapt back.

    BAM!

    A moment later, a rock crashed down at terrifying speed, leaving a dent where Zeka had just been standing.

    Zeka saw that it was just an ordinary stone, about the size of a tennis ball.

    He looked up.

    The tornado was growing larger, sucking stones into itself and flinging them out at high velocity like bullets.

    "Damn it!"

    Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

    Just as he cursed, a barrage of wind howled through the air, accompanied by a rain of stones hurtling at him.

    He gritted his teeth and called out, "Vinelord, help me."

    Zeka had to ask for helpˇŞthe attack range was too wide; even if he ran, he couldn''t escape the incoming hail of stones.

    Vinelord naturally couldn''t let Zeka die so easily.

    After all, his seal hadn''t yet been completely broken; he still needed Zeka''s help.

    BAM!

    BAM!

    At that moment, another cluster of vines erupted from the ground, coiling around Zeka to form a dome-shaped shield.

    BAM!

    BAM!

    BAM!

    All the stones fired at Zeka were blocked by the dome.

    The vines were so thick and tough that, even when battered by countless stone "bullets," they held fast, showing no sign of breaking.

    Maisy, however, was not concerned. Instead, she smiled mysteriously. "Thank you for staying in one spot. Now the real attack begins."

    "What?!" Zeka was shocked. He tried to escape, but it was too late.

    The tornado rapidly shrank, growing smaller and tighter, but its power didn''t diminishˇŞinstead, it grew even stronger, as if it was being compressed to the limit, and then...

    Whoosh!

    A sharp, piercing sound split the air as a green wind blade sliced through space, hurtling toward Zeka.

    Smash!

    "ACK!"

    The wind blade easily sliced through Zeka''s protective dome of vines, splitting it cleanly in two with a harsh, piercing sound accompanied by his pained scream.

    Crack! Crack! Crack!

    The thick vines withered rapidly, turning to fragments and falling to the ground in pieces.

    The dome vanished, exposing Zeka kneeling in the snow, both arms now severed, fresh blood pouring out like a stream.

    "Damn it!" Zeka gritted his teeth, sweat pouring down his face, rage and agony twisting his features into a monstrous mask.

    At that moment, countless tiny vines inside his body began to stitch his wounds, while several others reached out for the severed arm, desperately trying to reconnect it.

    Whoosh!

    Another shrill gust sounded as a crescent-shaped wind blade shot straight toward Zeka.

    Zeka, terrified, tried to dodge, but the blade wasn''t aimed at himˇŞit targeted his severed arm.

    Smash!

    "No!!!" Zeka''s eyes blazed with fury as he watched.

    That wind blade hadn''t struck him, but instead bisected the arm lying in the snow, making any hope of reattachment impossible.

    Now, the severed arm was completely useless.

    "Damn you! Maisy! I swear... I willˇŞ"

    Whoosh!

    Another wind blade shot toward him, instantly shutting him up.

    Clenching his teeth to endure the pain, Zeka jumped back, stomping hard on the snow.

    BAM!

    Countless vines erupted from the ground behind him, forming a wall as a barrier.

    "Huh!" Maisy snorted disdainfully, waving her hand as three more wind blades shot from the tornado, slicing toward the vine wall.

    Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

    The wind blades tore the barrier apart, but by then, the scene behind it had already vanished behind a flurry of swirling snow.

    Maisy frowned, mumbling, "Running away? You can escape for now, but you can''t run forever."

    She waved her hand, commanding, "Return. Prepare for the upcoming event."

    "Yes, Captain." The three young men bowed respectfully.

    Maisy glanced in the direction Zeka had fled and smiled coldly, "You won''t get away, Zeka. Your head... will be mine."

 Chapter 284: Lathel and Violette

    "Ha... ha... ha..." Zeka panted, his face pale as he struggled to move through the icy wind.

    Each step was a battleˇŞsnow was piled over 50 centimeters high, draining what little strength he had left.

    Luckily, the ''buffs'' he''d collected kept his stamina regenerating; otherwise, he would have frozen to death already.

    Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!

    The wind grew harsher, the gusts more violent, making Zeka shiver uncontrollably.

    Even though Vinelord had stitched up his wounds, the blood loss was still severe, and in this brutal weather, his injuries began to turn a worrying shade of purple.

    "Damn it! I can''t die here!" Zeka ground out, his eyes burning with hatred. "Maisy, just keep laughing... Soon... I''ll come back and make you cry in despair."

    He muttered bitterly, but he had no idea where he wasˇŞtoo much wind, snow whipping in every direction, obscuring all sense of direction.

    Vinelord spoke up, "Find somewhere to hide. The snowstorm''s coming."

    Even Vinelord was weary. He''d thought leaving the snowy world behind would bring him somewhere better, somewhere he could grow strong.

    But here? More snow, more cold. This world was just as frozen and merciless.

    Vinelord hated snow and low temperatures the mostˇŞhe couldn''t unleash his full power in these conditions. If he could, those trash from earlier would have been nothing but his dinner.

    Shivering, Zeka kept moving, not knowing where to go next.

    "Damn it! Where am I supposed to hide?" he growled, anger in his voice, but his face was so pale it looked almost bloodless.

    He was already dizzy, feeling like he could faint at any moment.

    Rumble! Rumble! Rumble!

    Suddenly, countless vines burst up from the ground and the deep snow, forming a dome to shield Zeka from the wind.

    Underneath, the ground was lined with thick, soft vinesˇŞmaking a rough but much-needed resting place.

    Zeka sat down in the cramped vine dome, frowning, "You could do this from the start. Why make me walk so far just to suffer?"

    Vinelord sighed, "From here on out, you''ll have to go alone."

    "What?! What do you mean by that?" Zeka was shocked, fear and anxiety flooding his mind.

    He knew that having Vinelord parasitize him was the reason he could harvest so many ''permanent buffs'' just by killing other lords.

    That''s why, until he''d collected as many buffs as he wanted, he absolutely didn''t want Vinelord to leave.

    Zeka, this place is all snowˇŞyou know what sealed me before, Vinelord said, his voice weary. Right now, my life force is exhausted. I can only enter hibernation.

    Don''t worry. If you''re in real danger, I''ll help you. But for now, you''ll have to fend for yourself.

    Ah, fine... Zeka replied indifferently.

    Whether Vinelord left or just slept, Zeka honestly didn''t care.

    Vinelord felt a pang of annoyance at Zeka''s apathy. Though their relationship was built entirely on mutual benefit, that cold reaction still stung. But now wasn''t the time for feelings. He had no choice but to go dormant to preserve what little life force he had.

    No, more accurately, he simply didn''t want to waste his precious energy helping Zeka anymore.

    Vinelord decided that if Zeka died, he would just find someone else to parasitize. There was no point stubbornly sticking to Zeka.

    Zeka, for his part, didn''t give it much thought. He started to feel warmerˇŞthough the cold still bit at him inside the vine shelter, the ''Warmth Aura'' buff from Violette was still in effect.

    And thanks to the regeneration and vitality buffs, he was recovering, little by little.

    Outside, Noan watched the scene, his eyes flashing with a cold killing intent.

    Right now, if he attacked, he''d probably succeed in killing Zeka.

    But there''d be no real benefit in doing that.

    Master... Vylyss, flying beside him, spoke up.

    Noan waved her off, stopping her words: No need. It''s more useful to keep him alive for a while longer.

    After speaking, Noan teleported away from the area. After all, he''d already placed an "Anchor Point" on Zeka, so no matter where Zeka went, Noan could always find him.

    Noan didn''t hurry back to his own territory but instead teleported to a completely different region.

    Although the blizzard hadn''t yet reached this place, snow already covered the entire landscape.

    "So this is the region for Rank D Lords?" Noan frowned, a hint of killing intent flickering in his eyes.

    At this moment, he felt he was fully capable of killing every lord here.

    However, there was one major drawbackˇŞif he did that, the System Events would be affected.

    That meant he couldn''t act as recklessly as he wanted. Besides, he no longer needed too many lord points.

    After all, his rank had already reached its maximumˇŞhe couldn''t go any higher, so there was no rush.

    On the contrary, keeping the lords here alive was more beneficial to him.

    This way, events could proceed as normal. All he had to do was wait for the System to announce the next event, then swoop in and seize first place to claim the reward.

    Noan looked around, as if searching for something.

    Moments later, he vanished again, leaving only the sound of howling wind and a sky filled with swirling snowflakes.

    ...

    In a small, cold, damp, and dark roomˇŞ

    Violette sat curled up in a corner, her body trembling violently from the cold.

    Her skin was flushed red but her face was pale as if she were an anemic patient. She hugged herself tightly, struggling to withstand the intense cold.

    She never imagined that after returning here, she would be pushed to a dead end by Maisy.

    Violette thought she would have more time to prepare, or that with her abilities, Maisy wouldn''t dare do anything harmful to her.

    But Violette was wrong.

    Maisy was like a rabid dog, uncaring about the lives of others.

    No, more accurately, Maisy wanted to kill as many Lords as possible so she could manage this place more easily.

    No matter how strong or talented Maisy was, there were always some who disliked her.

    In fact, several lords had already formed their own groups to oppose Maisy.

    This time, it seemed Maisy intended to wipe out all those who opposed herˇŞall those she considered threats to her position.

    Violette clenched her teeth, her eyes not showing any fear, only burning with intense hatred.

    "I like that look in your eyes." Suddenly, a voice sounded, startling Violette.

    A wave of energy wrapped around her body, warming her and flooding her with fresh strength.

    "Um... m..." Violette let out a soft moan, a sound filled with satisfaction.

    A moment later, she exhaled deeply, feeling her body had recovered, and then complained: "You''re late."

    "I had a lot to deal with." Noan replied as he walked up to her. "I thought by now you''d be living in a cozy room, not a place like this."

    "Tsk!" Violette said indignantly, "Damn it! That bitch Maisy locked me in here so she could easily get rid of the lords who oppose her."

    "Ah!" Noan was a bit surprised, then scoffed, "So... you guys aren''t really united at all."

    "United?" Violette smirked. "Huh! It''s just a facade. Everyone wants to be king, of course there will be conflicts."

    "So... are you also against her?" Noan asked with a smile.

    Violette shrugged, leaning against the wall with a completely indifferent expression. "No, but I can help those who oppose her."

    "You mean..."

    Violette didn''t answer, instead she raised her hand, and a wave of magic enveloped her body, slowly healing the frostbite wounds.

    Noan was startled by this scene. He frowned and said, "This is... your talent?"

    Violette smiled and replied, "That''s right, I have a rank B recovery talent."

 Chapter 285: Iâ€™ve found some food

    "Since when?" Noan was only slightly surprised, but quickly regained his composure.

    Violette tilted her head and smiled, "If you make me happy for a bit, I''ll tell you."

    Noan snorted with laughter, "Pfff! Hahahaha... You''re really funny, Violette. Even in this situation, you still want to do that?"

    "Of course!" Violette pouted, "Because you opened the door to a new world for me, so you have to take responsibility. Besides, doing that with you makes me feel more excited, and my power increases significantly, too."

    "Oh? You realized that?" Noan sounded a bit intrigued.

    "Did you forget what talent I possess?" Violette smiled, "Luckily, thanks to you, I''ve been able to endure until now. Otherwise, I would have frozen to death in this place already."

    "Alright, let''s get started then..."

    "No!" Noan laughed and shook his head.

    "Hm?! Why not?" Violette pouted, clearly displeased.

    "Because you''re too dirty."

    Hearing that, Violette looked down and realized her body really was dirty.

    If it were before, she would have been extremely clean, bathing regularly, plus using magic to clean herselfˇŞher body would not have even a speck of dust.

    But now, after being locked up here for days, her energy had almost run out just from trying to keep her body warm.

    "Tsk!" Violette clicked her tongue, "So can you get me out of here?"

    "Hmm..." Noan pretended to think, stroking his chin for a while.

    "Oy! Are you really going to leave me here?" Violette sounded a little worried.

    "No, I''m just thinking of how you can make the most of your usefulness," Noan smiled.

    "Huh! I''m too weak now, aside from my healing abilities, I''m not much use." Violette said with discomfort, "If I were stronger, that bitch Maisy would surely have to kneel at my feet."

    "Oh? You really mean that?"

    "Of course." Violette replied confidently, "That damn woman is only sitting in the Captain''s seat because she has a C+ rank Hero. If I had a similar hero, she would just be a whore."

    "Noan, if you help me, I''ll bring her to your bed and make her serve you like a real whore."

    As Violette spoke, her smile was filled with a viciousness that resembled a demon from hell, completely opposite to her usual innocent and gentle appearance.

    Noan smiled, "Good! Then... do you want to make a bet with me?"

    "A bet?" Violette frowned.

    "That''s right," Noan replied. "I''ll save you, but I need you to follow Zeka."

    "Zeka? Why would I follow him? Now that he''s become a Dark God, following him is basically accepting death, isn''t it?" Violette asked in confusion.

    Noan shook his head and replied, "No, he really likes you. He definitely won''t harm you."

    "I need you to follow him, to control him. If you can do that, I''ll give you power, strength, and even... beauty."

    As Noan spoke, he reached out and gently stroked Violette''s dirty face.

    Upon hearing this, her eyes lit up.

    She didn''t doubt Noan''s words at all. The truth had already proven that this man was strange, terrifying, and extremely powerful.

    Because of that, Violette believed Noan could do exactly what he just promised.

    "If you fail..." Suddenly, Noan''s voice turned cold and was filled with killing intent: "I''ll throw you to Maisy and let her do whatever she wants with you."

    Violette burst into laughter at those words. "Hahahaha... hahahaha... How funny! Hahahaha... I accept this wager. Noan, if I succeed, not only do I want what you just said, I also want to stay by your side, forever."

    "Hm?!" Noan chuckled, "Of course, if you succeed, you''ll have that chance."

    With that, he stood up, grasped Violette''s hand, and then teleported them both away from that place.

    A moment later, the door to the room opened, and a young man entered. "Violette, it''s time... Huh?! She... where did she go?"

    ...

    "Ah! Escaped, huh?" Maisy was sitting on a wooden chair, her expression lazy but her gaze was full of murderous intent as she looked at the young man.

    He was the one who had kidnapped Violette, the one who had been keeping her locked up.

    Yet she had suddenly disappeared, which confused him greatly.

    "Captain, I swear... I don''t know anything," he bowed his head, trembling. "I really did lock her in that small house and barricaded it carefully with wooden planks."

    "I... I don''t understand how she disappeared. There wasn''t a single footprint or trace left on the snow, as if... she had completely vanished."

    Maisy frowned at his words, and her gaze made the young man tremble even more.

    "How long have you been following me?"

    "Captain, I''ve been following you since we first arrived in this world," he replied quickly. "I swear... I''m only loyal to you. I would neverˇŞ"

    Stab!

    "Huh?!" The young man''s eyes widened in shock as he looked at Maisy. Then, his eyes rolled back, his mind plunging into darkness.

    Behind him, an enormous butterfly had appeared at some point, unnoticed by him.

    It had a sharp proboscis that pierced through the young man''s skull, then sucked out whatever was inside his head.

    A moment later, the butterfly withdrew its proboscis and spun a silk web around the young man, then used its sharp legs to carry him, slowly making its way toward a secret room deep within Maisy''s territory.

    Maisy walked ahead, smiling as she said, "Don''t rush, I promise there will be plenty more food reserves for your offspring."

    Krit!

    The wooden door creaked open. Inside, the room was damp and dark, but with a bit of light spilling in, the scene within was clear enough.

    It was a bizarre sightˇŞcountless large silk cocoons piled up throughout the room.

    The butterfly dragged the young man it had just killed inside, spun more silk around him, turning him into another cocoon just like the others in the room.

    Maisy stood in the doorway, arms folded across her chest, her expression one of deep satisfaction.

    "Ah! Perhaps this still isn''t enough, right?"

    Krit! Krit!

    A strange noise came from the butterfly''s mouth. Maisy nodded lightly, "You''re right, it''s still not enough."

    "Well then... more. As soon as those eggs hatch, I won''t need this trash anymore. Hahahaha..."

    "Hahahahaha..."

    ...

    The snowstorm wasn''t especially severe, but for those who lacked resources, it was truly a disaster.

    No one knew how much time had passed before the storm finally subsided. A vine reached out from beneath the thick snow.

    BAM!

    A loud explosion rang out as a sphere made of countless tangled vines slowly rose up from beneath the snow.

    However, those vines were now very weak, showing signs of withering.

    Crack!

    The sphere of vines slowly broke apart, revealing a young man inside.

    That''s right, it was Zeka.

    Zeka frowned, slowly stood up, and looked around. His wounds had recovered significantly thanks to the "permanent buffs" he now possessed.

    "Hahaha... Lucky for me I have those buffs, otherwise I''d have frozen to death by now," Zeka said arrogantly.

    However, when he looked down at his two severed arms, his anger only deepened.

    "Damn it! Maisy..." Zeka gritted his teeth. "Just wait. Once I get stronger, I will kill you and turn you into my plaything."

    He took a deep breath, trying to calm himself. Fortunately, his injuries had healed. Although he no longer had his arms, in exchange, he could control the vines.

    He raised his arms, and in that instant, several vines sprouted from the stumps of both arms.

    Yet he felt no pain. On the contrary, he could control these vines with his mind, just as if they were his own hands.

    In fact, these vines were even more convenient than real hands.

    "Tsk!" Zeka clicked his tongue. "Convenient as they may be, hands are still better. This is just disgusting."

    "All right, I''ll find a way to create proper hands again soon."

    Suddenly, something struck him and he jolted. "This isn''t good! Elara is still waiting for me. Damn it! I still haven''t found any food."

    Zeka felt a little guilty. He''d told her he was just going to look for food and would be back soon.

    But now, he''d been gone for more than half a day. Worse yet, he hadn''t brought anything back with him, which would surely make Elara unhappy.

    "No, I need to find some food. She needs to eat to survive; she can''t drink blood like I do," Zeka muttered.

    He frowned, glancing into the distance, and spotted a few territories. A greedy smile crept onto his face.

    "I''ve found some food."

 Chapter 286: Crazy Zeka

    Zeka slowly made his way toward the distant territory, his gaze growing increasingly greedy and manic.

    His pace rapidly picked up, and in just a minute, he had run more than two milesˇŞfar beyond the capacity of an ordinary human.

    Snowflakes scattered everywhere with each of his steps.

    In the distance, a group of people was gathering some dry wood to bring back for burning.

    "Damn it! What kind of cursed weather is this?" one of them shouted angrily.

    Another, clearly exhausted, shook his head. "Enough. Save your strength to withstand this cold. We don''t have any proper winter clothingˇŞhaving a fire is the best luck we could ask for."

    "He''s right," another sighed. "Let''s just hope the Captain can capture the ''Resource Production Center'' soon, otherwise we''re all just waiting to die out here in this cold."

    "Don''t worry, I''m sure the Captain will win," one of the four said with a laugh. "I heard someone from the Management group say that their enemies are just a bunch of rank F and E Lords."

    "Damn it! If only I still had my soldiers and Heroes, that would be perfect. A bunch of rank F and E Lords, what''s there to be afraid of?"

    "Exactly! That''s why I think we''re sure to win. It''s just... I''m already thinking about how the resources will be split."

    "Ah! That''s right, the division of resources. Damn it! The Managers and the remaining Lords will definitely get the lion''s share. Only after they have their fill will they even think of us."

    "Tsk! Bastards!"

    "Whatever, we''re just a bunch of useless nobodies. Even if a rank F Lord showed up right now, that''d be enough to wipe us all out."

    "I''m really interested in your little conversation," a strange, cold voice suddenly cut in, sending chills through everyone.

    They looked up, turning toward the source of the voice. There, a young man with both arms replaced by countless vines stood before them.

    "You... you''re..."

    "Is he a monster?"

    "How would I know?"

    "Damn it! Quick, run!"

    "Run?" Zeka let out a cruel smile, and thenˇŞ

    "AAAA!!!"

    "Help! Help me!"

    "Stop! Please! Stop..."

    Blood splattered across the snow, mixed with desperate screams.

    One of the young men, out of the four, collapsed onto the snow, trembling violently with terror, unable even to run.

    He saw very clearly how the vines extending from the young man''s arms pierced straight into the chests of his three companions, then drained every last drop of blood from their bodies.

    To the point that... their bodies slowly shriveled up, resembling dried branches left under the sun for months.

    Finally, when there was nothing left inside them, the vines tossed their bodies carelessly onto the snow.

    Zeka glanced at the last survivor in the group, his gaze growing sharp and brimming with malice.

    "No... no... please..." the young man stammered, trembling in fear.

    Zeka smiled greedily and asked, "I''m quite interested in your storyˇŞso tell me more."

    "My... my story? What do you mean..." the youth was confused, barely able to speak through his terror.

    "Ah, I mean news about the Center... whatever, just tell me more about it," Zeka commanded.

    The young man swallowed hard, fearfully stammering, "The Captain... has started selecting the most capable people to begin the new event."

    "New event?" Zeka frowned, opening his System interface, but there was no information there.

    "That''s strange..." Zeka thought, "Why haven''t I received any notifications?"

    He glared at the young man and barked, "You''re lying! Why haven''t I gotten any information at all?"

    "Ah! You... you''re a Lord too?"

    "Answer my question."

    "Okay! Okay! I... no, all the Lords received a notification about an upcoming event," the young man tried to organize his words and said, "It''s the event to seize control of the Resource Production Center."

    "The Resource Production Center has appeared, and all the Lords are gathering there to claim it. However, the event hasn''t started yetˇŞeveryone''s just securing good positions and building fortifications for now."

    Upon hearing this, Zeka''s eyes grew more puzzled. "Strange, why didn''t I receive that notification? Could it be... because I''m no longer a Lord?"

    He felt that was the only reasonable explanation.

    Because the Evil God Vinelord had parasitized his body, he''d temporarily lost the ability to act as a Lord, which must be why the System hadn''t sent him any news about the new event.

    "Damn it! Is the System planning to abandon me?" Zeka gritted his teeth and looked at the young man before him.

    The young man was so terrified he couldn''t control his trembling, stammering, "Please... don''t kill me... I... I swear I won''t tell anyone about this."

    "We never met. If... if you want to know anything else, I''ll tell you whatever you want."

    "I... AAA!!"

    A vine shot through the young man''s chest, and his fate ended up just like the other fourˇŞreduced to a dried twig, buried beneath the snow.

    After absorbing all the blood from that body, Zeka opened his System interface.

    "Tsk! Still missing way too much, but..." As Zeka thought about the upcoming scramble for the ''Resource Production Center''ˇŞwhich would certainly draw in countless LordsˇŞhe couldn''t help but grin greedily.

    "Hahaha... a whole group of Lords... a whole bunch of permanent buffs. How wonderful."

    "If I can just kill a hundred Lords, then by that time, I''ll be truly invincible. Hahahaha..."

    ...

    At this moment, Noan had no idea what Zeka was thinking, and even if he did, he wouldn''t care much.

    Right now, he was heading to a familiar place. Upon seeing the stone door in front of a large cave, Noan took a deep breath and said, "Lady Carlotta, I''ve brought food again. May I come in?"

    Suddenly, Noan felt an invisible hand grasping him tightly.

    He tried to resist.

    After all, he was very powerful now, reaching rank D ¨C Perfect | Level 5. On top of that, his Void Level had already reached level 3.

    However, even as Noan used all his strength, he couldn''t resist at all.

    "Looks like Carlotta is far stronger than I am," Noan thought to himself.

    The next moment, he was dragged into a familiar space made entirely of ice.

    "Ah! So you dare resist me this time?" A voice, full of arrogance and irritation, rang out.

    Carlotta sat cross-legged atop a large chunk of ice, her arms folded across her chest, her face filled with disdain.

    "You really think you can resist your master?"

    Hearing this, Noan scratched his head and said, "Hahaha... I''ve gotten a bit stronger, so I wanted to see if maybe I could..."

    BAM!

    Before Noan could finish, he suddenly felt as if an enormous invisible hand had slammed into him, sending him flying backward.

    BAM!

    Noan''s body smashed into the wall of the cave before crashing down onto the ground. He opened his mouth and coughed up a mouthful of fresh blood.

    Noan wasn''t worried, though, because he knew Carlotta had no intention of killing him.

    However, he also wanted to test how strong he really was.

    Noan hurriedly got to his feet, pushing his spatial abilities and Void energy to their highest limits.

    BAM!

    Once again, an invisible hand struck at him, but this time it didn''t hit Noan directlyˇŞit crashed against a shield that had formed in front of him.

    Crack!

    "What!" In less than two seconds, the barrier cracked. A surge of panic shot through Noan.

    And thenˇŞ

    BAM!

    This time, his body exploded, leaving only his head intact.

    Blood, flesh, and organs splattered everywhere, creating a gruesome rain of gore.

    A while later, Noan revived, sitting on the ground and gasping for breath, deeply bewildered.

    He knew he was just a rank D Lord, but his strength far surpassed most rank D monsters.

    Still, he couldn''t understand why he was utterly powerless before Carlotta''s attacks, unable to withstand even a fraction of her strength.

    Carlotta, as if reading his mind, sneered coldly. "Huh! You should count yourself luckyˇŞI''ve been sealed in this place, and what you''re facing is only a tiny fraction of my true power."

    Noan: "..."

 Chapter 287: The history of Fate Holders

    After hearing Carlotta''s words, Noan began to seriously doubt himself.

    Carlotta was imprisoned here, her power sealed, so what he had just faced was only a fraction of her strength.

    But what if her seal was broken?

    Noan didn''t dare think any further, knowing just how terrifying that possibility could be. Still, there was something he couldn''t understandˇŞher Talent.

    He remembered: just a single drop of her blood had allowed him to obtain a rank SS - Fake Talent.

    So... just how powerful was her real Talent? Was it SSS?

    No! That was impossible. The System had already stated that his Talent was the only SSS-rank Talent in existence.

    Could it be something higher than SSS?

    Noan didn''t know if such a Talent could even exist, but... perhaps Carlotta''s Talent was at the very least extremely highˇŞif not SSS, then almost at the threshold.

    "So? Are you feeling despair? Are you scared? If you bark like a dog, maybe I''ll be merciful and let you be my pet." Carlotta laughed.

    Noan pursed his lips and shrugged. "No thanks, you can pick someone else for that..."

    BAM!

    Noan hadn''t even finished his sentence before his body exploded once more.

    After a while, he revived again, panting, his face pale.

    "You... damn it!" Noan truly wanted to curse.

    "Oh? Want to explode again?" Carlotta smirked. "If I want, no matter where you try to hide, I can make you explode."

    Noan shuddered at her words. He started doubting whether it had been a good or bad thing to receive the ''Immortal'' Talent from Carlotta.

    He sighed and said, "You... don''t even dream, I''ll never be the dog of someone shorter than me."

    Carlotta: "..."

    BAM!

    "Wait! YouˇŞ"

    BAM!

    "Damn it! Stop, I''m sorry, I..."

    BAM!

    After being blown up several more times, Noan was truly questioning the meaning of his existence.

    Damn it! He really shouldn''t have said the word "short." Judging by how things were going, he''d need an entire day just to recover.

    Carlotta walked over, pressing her high heel down on his head, looking at him with disdain. "Well? Do you want to die that badly?"

    "Hahaha... Carlotta, why don''t we talk a bit? I actually brought you a lot of food." Noan grinned.

    "Huh!" Carlotta snorted disdainfully, then kicked Noan''s head, sending it flying far away.

    At that moment, his body regenerated at a terrifying speed, restoring itself as if nothing had happened.

    Noan knew perfectly well this was thanks to Carlotta''s helpˇŞotherwise, it would have taken him an entire day just to recover.

    Suddenly, he looked around, puzzled, and asked, "Where''s all the furniture I brought here?"

    Carlotta glanced at Noan, pouted, then waved her hand.

    Rumble! Rumble! Rumble!

    The ice wall in front of him parted, revealing an exquisitely beautiful room made entirely of ice.

    All the furniture he had brought had been arranged neatly and elegantly within the room.

    "Ah! You actually used them?" Noan asked with a smile.

    "Huh!" Carlotta just snorted, saying nothing more, but Noan could see her cheeks turning slightly red.

    He took off his shoes, then walked into the room. Sitting on the chair he''d brought, he looked around at everything.

    Even though the room was made of ice, there was still a pleasant scent lingering in the air, making him want to breathe it in even more deeply.

    He didn''t care how cold it was here. His physical power had now reached such a terrifying level that he no longer felt the cold.

    Noan took a few wooden boxes out of his ''Storage Space'' and set them on the table.

    "Come, let''s eat together."

    "Huh!" Carlotta snorted. "You should be grateful you get to eat with your master, you lowly human."

    Noan: "..."

    The meal was truly sumptuousˇŞenough to surprise even someone imprisoned here for hundreds of years.

    Though she wasn''t hungry, given the delicious food, she certainly didn''t refuse.

    Her movements were incredibly graceful and elegant, as if her fingers were dancing.

    After a while, she tasted a bit of wine, sighed, and said, "You humans truly know how to enjoy yourselves. If you keep indulging like this, I''m afraid that when the Abyssal Gate opens, your entire race will be wiped out."

    "The Abyssal Gate?" Noan frowned. "What is that?"

    "Ah! You don''t need to concern yourself with that." Carlotta''s expression was indifferent as she gently swirled the wine in her glass and continued, "I think you''d do better to worry about yourself."

    "Me?!" Noan asked in confusion. "What should I be worried about?"

    Carlotta tilted her head to look at him, her eyes holding a trace of scrutiny. "You... possess a rather peculiar kind of energy. Is that what makes you so confident?"

    "That..." Noan frowned, unsure how to answer.

    Void energy was one of his greatest secrets; he had no intention of telling Carlotta about it.

    "Alright, if you don''t want to say, I won''t force you. However, I can sense that there is also the flow of fate within you."

    "Noan! You... are somehow connected to the flow of fate and those ''Fate Holders,'' aren''t you?"

    Hearing this, Noan realized that Carlotta clearly understood the existence of the Fate Holders, so there was no point hiding it.

    "That''s right. I happened to become one of the ''Fate Holders,'' so I..."

    "No!" Carlotta abruptly interrupted, cutting off Noan''s words. "You are not a Fate Holder."

    "What?!" Noan frowned, his face showing both confusion and a trace of anxiety, as if what Carlotta was about to say would deeply affect his destiny.

    In truth, ever since meeting that mysterious woman imprisoned in the dark space and the new function regarding the ''List of Fate Holders'' had appeared, he had always thought he was one of them.

    But now, hearing Carlotta say he wasn''t, left him utterly perplexed.

    Why?

    Had he misunderstood his own role all along?

    Carlotta didn''t continue immediately. She stared at Noan for a long moment, then sighed and said, "Let me tell you a short story."

    "Long ago... in the distant past, there were many worlds coexisting within a vast universe."

    "The gods granted every race in this universe the ability to use magic, wishing that these races could learn from one another and live together peacefully."

    "That is why the gods merged these worlds into one giant world."

    "After a long period of peace, learning, and sharing of knowledge among the races, conflicts arose."

    "Every race had its own unique advantages, so naturally, there were races whose strengths far surpassed those of the others."

    "That''s why they refused to coexist with the weaker races."

    "War broke out!"

    As she said this, Carlotta''s eyes suddenly revealed a trace of sorrow and disappointment.

    She took a sip of wine, as if trying to wash away her sadness, and continued.

    "The war was unimaginably horrificˇŞthe world was devastated to such an extent that even after hundreds of thousands of years, it still could not sustain life."

    "What''s strange is that the race most despised by othersˇŞthe race thought to be the weakest and most insignificantˇŞwas the one to gain the upper hand in that war."

    "With their overwhelming reproductive abilities and extraordinary adaptability, they began to wipe out the other races."

    "Even the Dragons were forced to flee their homeland, seeking refuge elsewhere."

    "At that time, the other races were baffled. Clearly, humanity was the lowest and weakest of allˇŞhow could they resist with such force?"

    "Can you guess what happened?"

    Noan frowned, thinking deeply for a while before replying, "Because of the appearance of the ''Fate Holders,'' isn''t that right?"

    "That''s right." Carlotta smiled. "Why do you think that?"

    Noan stroked his chin. "Because the ''Fate Holders'' are those who hold the power of destiny. They''re constantly blessed by luck, constantly encountering fateful opportunities that help them grow stronger rapidly."

    "That''s why I think they''re the ones who enabled humanity to rise up, the ones who helped humans become powerful enough to resist the other races."

    "It seems you''re not entirely stupid." Carlotta laughed.

    Noan: "..."

    "You''re correct," Carlotta continued, ignoring Noan''s annoyed expression. "The gods who created the universe decided they would not interfere in this war."

    "However, one among them secretly meddled with the flow of Fate, allowing humanity to win by creating the ''Fate Holders.''"

    "So..." Noan frowned, his heart suddenly pounding faster, unease flickering in his chest. "How did the other races have any hope of winning?"

    Carlotta suddenly smiled, looking at Noan with an expression full of mystery. "It seems you''ve already guessed, haven''t you?"

 Chapter 288: Who are you?

    Noan swallowed hard, his lips trembling as if he were brushing up against the forbidden realm of the gods.

    Carlotta drained the last of her wine, then sighed, her gaze drifting far off as she continued: "The gods decided to put a stop to this, but the god who supported humanity fled."

    "In the end, the gods chose to create another being, one whose destiny was completely opposed to that of the Fate Holders."

    "If the Fate Holders were those chosen by Fate, gathering fortunes from across the world, growing stronger and enabling humanity to overcome the other races, then this new being would be the exact opposite."

    "He... would become the one who hunts the Fate Holders, seizing their opportunities, step by step becoming stronger, and ultimately restoring balance among the races."

    Noan took a deep breath; suddenly, his spine felt so cold he couldn''t help but shudder.

    Carlotta went on: "Such people are called... Hunters of Fate Holders, hounds of the gods, destroyers of Destiny, Nemesis of Humanity... and many other names."

    "There are countless ways to refer to that existence, but in the end, they were given the title... Fate Hunter."

    Noan drew in a shaky breath, then asked, "So... has a Fate Hunter ever appeared before?"

    "Yes," Carlotta nodded, "She killed many Fate Holders, bringing humanity step by step to the brink of extinction."

    "The other races became aware of her existence and began to use her to suppress humanity."

    "But... do you know what became of her?" Carlotta''s question startled Noan, and he suddenly recalled the mysterious woman imprisoned in that dark space.

    She was chained, with only the upper half of her body remaining. Beautiful, but her eyes brimmed with sorrow and despair.

    "I don''t know..." Noan managed to say, his voice strained.

    Carlotta suddenly smiled with a hint of hidden meaning and continued, "The Fate Holders also began to unite to fight against her."

    "The battle raged on for tens of thousands of years, and in the end, she managed to bring all the racesˇŞand humanity itselfˇŞto a point of balance."

    "But... her fate was truly tragic. What she did made her the enemy of humanity, so, naturally, humans did not welcome her."

    "The other races, thanks to her, managed to regain their standing, but they feared her as well."

    "Why?" Noan frowned and asked.

    "Because she was simply too strong," Carlotta replied with a smile. "She was so powerful that the other races grew wary of her, afraid that what happened to humanity might one day happen to them."

    "In the end, the one who had helped all races achieve balance became the most isolated being of all, shunned by everyone."

    "The world was vast, yet she could not find a single place that belonged to her."

    "She once wished that she could go to the place where the Gods resided, to serve themˇŞbecause they were the ones who created her."

    "However, even the Gods feared her."

    "Why? They created her, and yet they feared her?" Noan frowned in confusion.

    That''s rightˇŞthe gods created her, so why would they fear their own creation? Did she somehow escape their control?

    Carlotta sighed and continued, "Because she possessed the power to influence the flow of Fate."

    "The so-called gods were not truly deities. They were beings who had reached the highest realm of existence, which is why people called them gods."

    "Gods... but even they could not grasp the flow of Fate. She was not a god, yet she could affect the flow of Fate."

    "That was the reason why the gods feared her. And so, they made their final decisionˇŞto destroy her."

    "The gods created the most powerful Fate Holder, one who carried the power and will of all the gods and every other race, for the sole purpose of destroying her."

    "That battle lasted thousands of years. Can you guess what the outcome was?"

    Noan didn''t think too hard and replied immediately, "That Fate Holder won, right?"

    "Hahaha... hahahaha..." Carlotta suddenly laughed heartily. After a while, she held out her glass toward Noan.

    He picked up the extremely expensive wine he had bought in the city and poured more into Carlotta''s glass.

    She downed another glass, then smiled and said, "Even if that Fate Holder bore the will of the gods and every race in existence, he was still only a part of the flow of Fate."

    "In the end, he failed. But she forced the gods to break their own laws and personally suppress her."

    "However, her power had grown beyond the gods'' control, and they could not destroy her."

    "The battle dragged on, and in the end, the gods were unable to eliminate herˇŞthey could only imprison her in a special space."

    "From that moment on, no one ever heard any more news about her."

    Hearing this, Noan let out a deep sigh. It sounded almost as if he were sighing for that woman''s fate.

    But in truth, it was also a sigh for his own fate.

    He understood well enough... there was a reason Carlotta was telling him this story.

    Noan looked up at her and asked, "You mean... I am..."

    "That''s right." Carlotta smiled, tilted her head, and looked at him. "You are the next generation''s Fate Hunter."

    Noan: "??!!"

    Even though he had prepared himself mentally, when Carlotta spoke those words, he was still shaken, finding it hard to accept.

    Nevertheless, Noan still frowned, searching for any glimmer of hope that Carlotta might be wrong.

    "How do you know?" Noan asked.

    Carlotta glanced at Noan, a mysterious smile appearing on her lips. "Take a guess. If you''re right, I''ll grant you one wish. If you''re wrong... Hahahaha..."

    Her laughter sent a chill down his spine.

    Noan shook his head. "How could I possibly know? I just want to know... whether what you said is actually true or not."

    Carlotta shrugged. "I don''t need your trust. Believe it or notˇŞit''s up to you."

    Noan frowned, taking a deep breath before asking, "Why are you so certain that I''m the next Fate Hunter?"

    "It''s very simple." Carlotta raised her index finger toward the air.

    Where she pointed, ripples of spatial energy, like concentric circles, began to spread outward.

    Noan felt as if his body was resonating with those waves.

    Suddenly, a stream of black smoke surged out from within him, forming into a dark orb.

    "What is that..." Noan frowned as he looked at the black mist.

    Even though it had coalesced into a sphere, there was still a thin wisp connecting the black orb and his body.

    Carlotta smiled and said, "I sensed it the moment you appeared. At first, I thought I was mistaken."

    "But the feeling only grew clearer. Now, there''s no mistaking it."

    "What... is that?" Noan stammered, anxiety sprouting like a seed in his heart.

    Carlotta replied, "When you stand against the Fate Holders, it means you''ve chosen the side of darkness."

    "This... is the Darkness of Destiny. The more you suppress and kill Fate Holders, the greater it becomes."

    "The larger it grows, the more misfortune and opposition this world will throw at you."

    "If you keep going, the whole world will become your enemy. At that point, you''ll only be able to move forward alone, with no possibility of turning back."

    Hearing this, Noan let out a long sigh. He''d half-expected something like this, but he never thought things would be this serious.

    "Still, you don''t need to worry too much. You''re also someone who can influence the fate of Fate Holders." Carlotta smiled at him. "So I''m sure you''ve already realized that, haven''t you?"

    Noan nodded slightly. Of course, he''d already noticed it. Or rather, to be more precise, he hadn''t thought he could influence the flow of Fate itself.

    What he could do was seize the opportunities of Fate Holders.

    However, those very opportunities were an essential part of the flow of Destiny. If he could steal them, that also meant he could affect the current of Fate.

    Noan took a deep breath. Unconsciously, he had already accomplished what no one else couldˇŞhe was influencing the flow of Fate.

    He frowned, looking at Carlotta, a thoughtful expression in his eyes.

    "Carlotta, just who are you, really?"

 Chapter 289: The Elder and Janky

    Carlotta didn''t answerˇŞshe simply held out her glass, signaling for Noan to pour her another drink.

    Noan frowned, studying Carlotta for a long moment before finally picking up the bottle and filling her glass.

    Carlotta gazed at the red wine swirling in her glass, her voice soft as she said, "You don''t have the right to know who I am just yet. But I can tell you this..."

    She didn''t finish the sentence immediately, instead taking a delicate sip of wine. Noan waited patiently, knowing how much he needed any information she was willing to share.

    "Ah!" Carlotta exhaled and continued, "Even if you reach Level 10, that is only the beginningˇŞit''s not the end."

    Noan was startled, his eyes clouded with disbelief and confusion.

    But he also knew Carlotta had no reason to lie to him.

    He realized her words made sense.

    Just as she''d said earlier, "Gods" were those who had reached heights far beyond what anyone else could attain, and were thus revered as gods. That meant Level 10 wasn''t the limitˇŞLevel 10 was merely the starting point for another world entirely.

    But... if Level 10 was not the highest level, why had he never heard of anyone surpassing it before? Was it taboo to even mention it? Or had no one in history ever managed to go beyond Level 10?

    Noan glanced at Carlotta, wanting to ask her identity, to know how she could possess such knowledge.

    But Carlotta had already saidˇŞhe wasn''t qualified to know those secrets, not yet. So he could only remain silent.

    This world was harsh; the stronger Noan became, the more difficult and suffocating everything seemed.

    More and more, it felt as though some invisible hand was slowly tightening its grip around him.

    Who exactly was that woman? Was she truly the Fate Hunter? Why had she chosen him? Was it because she intended to use him to escape the gods'' imprisonment?

    Noan didn''t know. He couldn''t find the answer. All he felt was the ache in his head from these relentless questions.

    He sighed, then asked, "Carlotta, do you want to leave this place?"

    Carlotta smiled and replied, "For now, there''s no need. I''m quite content here at the momentˇŞbut you''ll have to bring me more things next time, understood?"

    Noan: "..."

    "All right! I understand. But..." Noan intended to ask something more, but in the end, he didn''t say it.

    "Hahaha..." Carlotta suddenly burst out laughing. "The way you''re all hesitant and worried really amuses me, Noan. Hahahaha..."

    "Noan, don''t worry. Your journey has only just begun. It''s just that..."

    Carlotta didn''t finish her sentence. Instead, she suddenly stood up, walked over to him, and gently tapped her finger against his chest, right over his heart.

    "Try to keep hold of your rationality. Don''t let the Dark Fate consume your mind and soul."

    "If you do... you''ll become nothing but a killing machine."

    "When that time comes, no one will be able to protect you. No one will be able to help you."

    "But..." Noan frowned. "You said yourself that, as a Fate Hunter, I''ll have to walk this road alone, didn''t you?"

    Carlotta smiled mysteriously. "That was the mistake of your predecessor. You, the one who comes after, must change that way of thinking."

    "No matter how strong you become, you''re still just one person. If you have allies, that''s a different story."

    Hearing this, Noan felt a bit confused. Was he supposed to find allies? But who could possibly stand by his side to oppose both the Fate Holders and the gods?

    He frowned, about to ask, but Carlotta suddenly leaned in and kissed him.

    After that...

    ...

    In the Terith Empire.

    Empress Catherine was sitting in her private office, her gaze fixed on the man before her, her eyes full of displeasure.

    "Elder, it''s been days already and there is still no news of the people I ordered you to find. What do you have to say for yourself?"

    Hearing Catherine''s words, the Elder wiped the sweat from his brow and quickly bowed his head. "Your Majesty, what you ask is simply impossible."

    "We''ve tried to search, but in the end, we were only able to narrow it down to a small group."

    "Before we could investigate further, they were already sent to the Chaotic World."

    "Your Majesty, I hope you''ll grant me another chance."

    "If I give you another chance, will you be able to find that person?" Catherine asked with a frown.

    "Well..." The Elder sighed and said, "I''m afraid... it''s impossible."

    "Huh! Useless." Catherine snapped angrily. "First, someone infiltrates the Lord Academy, causes trouble, and then escapesˇŞand you couldn''t even investigate that."

    "Next, someone tried to steal an experimental specimen right in the City, and you still couldn''t find them."

    "There was even someone who killed two Elders from the Frankyro family, and you failed to resolve that as well."

    BAM!

    Catherine slammed her fist down on the desk, shattering it into pieces, wooden splinters flying everywhere.

    The Elder immediately fell to his knees, his expression full of worry and fear.

    "Your Majesty, please calm down, we are doing our best to investigate."

    "Investigate?" Catherine said, her voice icy cold and filled with killing intent. "Tell me, how am I supposed to remain calm when trouble after trouble keeps happening, yet you''re all as useless as blocks of wood, huh?"

    Sweat drenched the Elder''s forehead, his eyes growing more and more frantic with fear. "Your Majesty, please, give me one more chance."

    Catherine stared at the Elder for a long moment, then slowly exhaled, frowning. "When is Aldric coming back?"

    The Elder didn''t understand why Catherine suddenly mentioned that young man, but he answered honestly, "About ten days from now. If he''s quick, maybe four days."

    Catherine frowned, then said, "When he returns, send him into the Chaotic World."

    "That... Your Majesty, that''s far too dangerous." The Elder quickly said, "Aldric is that person''s discipleˇŞif you send him into the Chaotic World, his life could be at risk. I think thatˇŞ"

    "Hm?!" Catherine raised an eyebrow, causing the Elder to fall silent at once, fearfully clamming up.

    "Are you trying to teach me how to do my job?"

    "N-no, of course not, my Queen." The Elder sighed.

    "Cease all investigation for now. Wait until Aldric returns."

    "Yes, Your Majesty." The Elder bowed his head. "And regardingˇŞ"

    "Uhm!" Suddenly, a strange sound escaped from the Queen''s mouth, startling the Elder.

    Not only him, but the Queen herself was startled as well. She clenched her teeth and shouted, "Get out!"

    "Yes! Your Majesty!" The Elder hurried out of the room.

    As for Catherine, her eyes now showed clear rage, burning red as if they might spit fire at any moment.

    "Damn it! Carlotta, you... uhm!"

    "You wretch! Don''t let me catch you, or else... uhm... mm..."

    ...

    Outside, the Elder looked at the tightly closed door, which was even covered by a soundproof magic spell to prevent any eavesdropping.

    The sharp glint in the Elder''s eyes at this moment was completely at odds with the fearful gaze he had shown Catherine earlier.

    He shook his head, stepped outside, and entered a black car waiting for him.

    Inside, another man had been waiting for quite some time. He spoke softly, "Elder..."

    "How far have you gotten with preparations, Janky?"

    That''s right, the man in the car was Janky, the father of Jankos.

    Hearing this, Janky sighed. "Damn it! I don''t understand why the Third Elder died. Our preparations have slowed down significantly."

    The Elder sighed as well. "It seems someone has set their sights on us."

    "Elder..." Janky stroked his chin, frowning. "Could it be one of Catherine''s people?"

    The Elder''s eyes flashed with a hint of worry and unease. "Impossible. She can''t have discovered us. I''ve hidden everything far too well."

    "But... isn''t this all too much of a coincidence?" Janky said. "Right when we''re entering the most crucial stage of our plan, the Third Elder is killed, and the Fourth Elder disappears."

    "Apart from Catherine, I can''t think of anyone else who could have done thisˇŞand the Magic Dome didn''t react at all."

    The Elder frowned, a flash of killing intent in his eyes, though it disappeared quickly.

    He took a deep breath and exhaled, then asked, "Do you have any other enemies? Or... is there anyone else who knows what we''re doing?"

    Janky shook his head. "Elder, besides me and the group, I swear no one else knows about this."

    "It seems..." The Elder frowned, his eyes showing a ruthless glint, "there may be a spy within our ranks."

    "A spy?" Janky was taken aback. "But... even if there is a spy, how could we possibly identify them?"

    The Elder didn''t reply immediately. He remained silent, thinking for a while before finally saying, "The one I''m most suspicious of is Billy."

 Chapter 290: The Blood Pact

    "Billy?" Janky frowned, a hint of suspicion in his eyes. "Impossible! He''s just a researcher. He didn''t even dare resist when we made that decisionˇŞhow could he possibly be the traitor?"

    "I''m only suspicious, that''s all," the Elder said with a furrowed brow. "If it''s not him, then all the better. After all, he''s in charge of that technologyˇŞif he were the traitor, it would cause a great deal of trouble."

    "Hahahaha..." Janky suddenly burst out laughing. "Elder, if it were anyone else, I might believe they could betray us. But Billy is differentˇŞa coward like him could never pull something like that off."

    "It''s better to be cautious." The Elder shook his head. "He is one of the few members who holds a lot of important secrets in our group. If he were to betray us, it would be a real problem."

    "Hahaha... Elder, I can guarantee he''d never dare betray us," Janky sneered. "On the contrary, the person most likely to betray us is... Simon."

    "Simon? The father of that girl?" The Elder frowned, asking in a low voice.

    "That''s right," Janky said with a smirk. "That man is definitely resentful about letting his daughter marry my son, so he''s been looking for ways to delay the wedding."

    "If you''re looking for someone most likely to betray us, it''s Simon."

    "No way!" The Elder shook his head. "Simon may have his differences with you, but he''s a smart manˇŞhe''s not foolish enough to do something like that."

    "Elder." Janky hurried to explain, "It''s exactly because he''s smart that he has the highest chance of betraying us."

    "Think about it: what if Simon doesn''t want his daughter to marry my son, and decides to offer the girl as a gift to Catherine instead?"

    The Elder inhaled sharply, his gaze sharpening, full of killing intent. "You''re right. Simon is a dangerous pawn. We need to keep him under control."

    "Hahaha..." Janky laughed heartily. "Elder, just leave that to me. I know his weakness."

    "Hm?! You mean... his wife?" The Elder glanced at Janky, frowning.

    "Not exactly, but we can use her as a temporary hostage."

    Hearing this, the Elder was a bit puzzled. "His wife is only a temporary hostage? Then..."

    "Elder..." Janky began to explain, "He used to love another woman, but was forced by his family to marry Noralia."

    "After Lylia was born, she immediately moved out of Simon''s family to live on her own, too resentful to stay with him."

    "Even so, Simon still feels guilty about it, and always wants to make it up to Noralia."

    "Ah!" The Elder shook his head. "In that case, she''s not exactly a highly valuable hostage."

    "Hahahaha... Elder, I haven''t finished yet," Janky said with a laugh. "Simon may not love Noralia that much, but he truly adores his daughter, Lylia."

    "If we can control Noralia, then Lylia will be in our grasp as well."

    "With both Lylia and Noralia under our control, Simon won''t have a single chance to betray us."

    The Elder nodded in satisfaction, his eyes flashing with approval. "You''re absolutely right. Very well... I''ll leave this matter to you. I hope you''ll succeed."

    "If you cause any more trouble, though... I''m afraid I won''t be able to protect you."

    "I understand, Elder," Janky replied, bowing his head.

    He then turned to look out the car window, his gaze cold and tinged with ruthless greed.

    ...

    More than thirty minutes later, Carlotta was tightly embracing Noan, her body trembling violently.

    Of course, just like before, they hadn''t crossed the final line.

    Noan, however, couldn''t help but feel somewhat dissatisfied. Even though being used by such a beautiful woman made him happy, was this really all there was to it? And what about him? Who cared about his feelings?

    Carlotta let out a long breath, her eyes glinting strangely as she gazed at Noan, thenˇŞ

    BAM!

    She suddenly punched him in the chest, sending him flying backward.

    He landed on the ground, clutching his chest, feeling as if something vital was missing from within him.

    Noan looked down and saw a gaping hole where his heart should have beenˇŞa completely empty cavity.

    "This... Pfff!" Before he could finish his sentence, blood spurted from his mouth.

    His gaze shifted to Carlotta, just in time to see her holding his heart, lifting it to her lips, andˇŞeating it.

    What happened after that, Noan couldn''t remember, for his mind plunged into darkness.

    "Master..."

    "Master..."

    Suddenly, a familiar voice echoed. Noan frowned, slowly opened his eyes, and vaguely saw a girl standing before him.

    "Vylyss?!" Noan managed to utter with difficulty.

    "Master?" Vylyss exclaimed in relief, embracing him tightly. "Thank goodness, you''re still alive."

    Noan: "..."

    Of course he was still alive. With the ''Immortal'' talent, unless his entire bodyˇŞincluding his headˇŞwas reduced to ashes, he could always come back.

    But this time, upon reviving, Noan felt an excruciating pain and fatigue throughout his body, as if he had lost something vital.

    "Hm?!" Noan suddenly realized that a new kind of energy seemed to be stirring inside him.

    This energy was blood-red in color, maintaining a strange equilibrium with his Void Energy.

    Ordinary white energy, on the other hand, was trembling, shrinking down to the size of a bean and hiding timidly in a corner.

    "What is this... this red energy?" Noan tried to sense it, but the energy seemed to have a will of its own, immediately resisting his consciousness.

    "What the hell?" Noan frowned, his worry deepening.

    Suddenly having a mysterious energy inside him, one that even resisted his controlˇŞhow could he not be alarmed?

    He raised his hand and tried to use the red energy. Strangely enough, he found he could use it as if it were any other energy.

    Not only that, but he could even combine the red energy and Void energy together with no rejection at all.

    "This is strange... What on earth is going on?"

    Noan frowned, deeply puzzled.

    "Master... this blood-colored energy is..." Vylyss hesitated, stammering.

    "You know what it is?" Noan asked, frowning.

    Vylyss shook her head. "No, it''s just... I sense that it''s truly terrifying. It doesn''t lose out in the slightest to Void Energy."

    Noan was startled at her words. What exactly was this energy, to be so powerful?

    "Maybe I should ask Malrik," Noan thought, recalling that Malrik was known for his vast knowledgeˇŞhe might be able to explain the existence of this crimson energy.

    Noan let out a long sigh and, together with Vylyss, returned to his territory.

    Ever since coming back, he felt somewhat exhausted, yet he still forced himself to stay alert, waiting for Malrik to arrive.

    Naturally, Malrik appeared almost immediately. Upon seeing Noan, he frowned and said, "Master, this type of energy is none other than the energy of the Immortal Clan."

    "Immortal Clan?" Noan furrowed his brow. "How did I end up possessing this kind of energy?"

    Malrik glanced at him, then replied, "This proves that... Master, you have formed some kind of contract with the Immortal Clan. However, this is only the first stage of the contract."

    "Wait a minute!" Noan held his head, feeling somewhat bewildered, and asked, "Explain it more clearly. I really don''t understand what you''re saying."

    Indeed, all Noan knew was that Carlotta seemed to be a member of the Immortal Clan.

    Malrik sat down across from him and began to explain: "Master, I''m sure you already have some understanding of what the Immortal Clan is, right?"

    Noan nodded lightly, replying, "Yes, you''ve explained it to me before."

    Malrik nodded, then continued, "The Immortal Clan truly cannot be killed; they can only be sealed."

    "Because they are immortal, even if they''re burned to ashes, they won''t die. While they cannot die, they also have a fatal weaknessˇŞthey cannot die."

    Noan: "..."

    He held his forehead, letting out a sigh, feeling as though his head was starting to ache even more. But he didn''t interrupt Malrik, silently listening on.

    Malrik continued, "That is both their greatest strength and their greatest weakness. Other races have exploited their immortality to torture them, making them suffer endless pain that they can never escape from."

    "To prevent such things from happening, the Immortal Clan created a type of contract, known as the Blood Pact."

 Chapter 291: Immortal Clan

    "The Immortal Clan was simply too powerful, which is why all the other races had to join forces to destroy them."

    "For that reason, the Immortal Clan came up with a way to save themselvesˇŞthey created the Blood Pact."

    "Those who receive the Blood Pact will gain the power of immortality. Although it''s not true immortality like the Immortal Clan themselves, it''s still not much weaker."

    "That''s why, out of greed for becoming immortal, many have chosen to betray their own race and sign the Blood Pact."

    "Once a member of the Immortal Clan is imprisoned, the Blood Pact activates, compelling those who signed the pact to seek out and free them."

    "Master, when did you sign the Blood Pact?"

    Hearing this, Noan frowned, his gaze full of confusion, tinged with anxiety and worry.

    He knew Carlotta was a member of the Immortal Clan, but... she was only imprisoned, not even suffering painˇŞso why did she force him to sign the Blood Pact?

    Noan sighed and said, "I don''t really know either. When I woke up, I just felt a blood-colored energy inside my body."

    "It seems..." Malrik stroked his chin, "that person must hold a very high status within the Immortal Clan."

    "Hm?! Why do you say that?" Noan asked, perplexed.

    Malrik continued his explanation: "Because only a member of the royal family of the Immortal Clan can force someone to sign the pact."

    "Perhaps it''s a Princess, a Queen, or the King of the Immortal Clan."

    "However, Master, you don''t need to worry. It appears that the pact is only in its initial stageˇŞyou haven''t yet been fully bound to the point of a soul link."

    "But... if this situation continues, it won''t be long before you and that person become bound both in life and in soul."

    Noan took a deep breath, feeling extremely uneasy. He furrowed his brows and asked, "Then... is there any way to break this pact?"

    Malrik shook his head. "As far as I know, there''s almost no way to break the Blood PactˇŞunless the other party willingly tears apart their own soul to do so."

    "The price is enormous. That''s why, once they put this pact on anyone, they''re essentially deciding that, for the rest of their life, their soul will only be linked to that person."

    After hearing this, Noan didn''t feel even a hint of joy at the prospect of being soul- and life-bound to Carlotta. On the contrary, he felt even more anxious.

    "Wait!" Noan suddenly recalled something, and asked with a frown, "What if my rank is higher than the one who forced me to sign the pact?"

    Malrik tilted his head, as if searching through his memories. After a while, he said, "It''s not impossible..."

    "In the past, there were people who managed to break the Immortal Clan''s blood pact, but the price they paid was enormous."

    "Not only did they lose their immortality, but they were also cursed. As for what happened after that, I''m not sureˇŞthe rest is only legend."

    "In theory, Master, as long as your strength surpasses that of the one who holds the pact with you by a great margin, you can break the pact."

    "The greater the difference in strength, the smaller the price you have to pay. In fact, if the gap is vast enough, you might not need to pay any price at all to break it."

    Hearing this, Noan felt a little more at ease.

    After all, he possessed an SSS-rank talent. He believed that with this talent, he could evolve quickly to an extremely high level.

    "However..." Malrik continued, "Master, if you don''t hurry, once the soul and life link between you and that person is fully established, then no matter how strong you become, you won''t be able to break the pact."

    Noan nodded slightly. "Thank you, I understand."

    He let out a long sigh and asked, "How much time do I have left?"

    Malrik shook his head. "I''m not certainˇŞit depends on the strength of the one who forced you into the pact."

    "I see." Noan nodded, his gaze drifting off into the distance.

    Today, he had received too much informationˇŞfrom learning about the Fate Hunter, realizing he had become the next Fate Hunter, and now the Blood Pact.

    He felt that the deeper he delved, the more terrifying secrets of this world he uncovered.

    Noan held his forehead, cursing inwardly: "Damn it! I never wanted to get tangled up in these secrets right now."

    "I just wanted to quietly develop myself. I''m still just a rank D Lord, and the distance to rank S or SS is so far I can''t even see it."

    "Damn it! Goddamn it!"

    Vylyss and Malrik, seeing Noan''s expression, immediately knew what was running through his mind.

    At this moment, Malrik tried to console him: "Master, you shouldn''t worry too much. Although the blood pact is very dangerous, it also grants you immortality."

    "Although that immortality isn''t the same as the innate talent of the Immortal Clan, at the very least, you have essentially become an immortal yourself.

    Besides that, you can also seek out tombs or ancient ruins of the Immortal Clan to claim the opportunities hidden within."

    When Noan heard the word "opportunities," his eyes immediately lit up. "Opportunities from the Immortal Clan?"

    "That''s right." Malrik continued explaining, "The Immortal Clan is a race with an unbelievably long lifespanˇŞfar beyond even the Dragons or Elves. Some say they''re truly immortal.

    Because of that, over their long lives, they accumulated tremendous knowledge and countless treasures in this world.

    It''s said that if you discover the tomb of a member of the Immortal Clan, it''s like finding a treasure trove a hundred times greater than a Dragon''s hoard."

    Hearing that, Noan took a deep breath and then asked in confusion, "But what does my blood pact have to do with the treasures of the Immortal Clan?"

    "Master..." Malrik laughedˇŞa strange sound given he was now nothing but a skull, but somehow Noan could feel Malrik''s amusement.

    "If you possess a pact with the Immortal Clan, you also possess their energyˇŞthe blood-red power now within you.

    That energy is synchronized with all the treasures of the Immortal Clan, so you should understand what I mean, right?"

    Noan took a deep breath, a greedy smile appearing on his face. "Of course, hehehe... Wait! But where am I supposed to find those treasures?"

    Malrik scratched his skull. "That... I don''t know."

    Noan: "..."

    Noan sighed, not really disappointed anymore. At least, Malrik''s words about treasure hunting were a bit of consolation.

    "All right, let''s not worry about that anymore. Malrik, how strong are you right now?" Noan suddenly changed the subject.

    Malrik replied with utmost confidence, "Master, at present, I can face a rank C+ monster and still leave safely."

    Noan nodded slightly at that. Right now, Malrik had only just reached rank D ¨C Peak. If he could evolve Malrik to rank D ¨C Perfect or even higher, Malrik would definitely become even stronger.

    But... Noan couldn''t help but wonderˇŞjust how strong had Malrik been in the past?

    "Malrik, how powerful were you before?"

    Hearing Noan''s question, Vylyss also looked at Malrik with curiosity.

    After all, when she was first summoned, she was just a rank D Hero and only a Succubus, so her knowledge was rather limited.

    Malrik tilted his head, thinking for a moment before replying, "Master, if I said... my strength back then had already surpassed the understanding of humankind, would you believe me?"

    Noan nodded gently, but then pressed further, "How powerful exactly?"

    "Hm..." Malrik stroked his chin and pondered a bit longer, then answered, "Perhaps... far beyond level 10. At that time, people called it something, but I don''t remember anymore."

    "I just remember they called me the Overlord."

    Hearing that, Noan was deeply surprised, thinking to himself: ''Overlord level? What kind of rank is that? How far beyond level 10 is it?''

    He frowned, finding it a bit hard to comprehend, but decided not to dwell on it. He believed one thing... that in the future, he would definitely be able to reach that level.

    Noan let out a long sigh and said, "Alright, let''s put these things aside. Malrik, I know you were once extremely powerful. Do you... want to possess a type of energy that could help you surpass even the limits of your past self?"

 Chapter 292: First, who is that girl?

    Malrik stroked his chin, falling into deep thought. Noan was a bit surprised by this: "You... don''t want it?"

    Malrik shook his head and replied, "Master, you may think that accepting a new source of energy is a simple thing, but for me, it''s different."

    "Basically, accepting a new energy source is extremely dangerous for anyone. It could even put your life at risk."

    "It''s like smashing apart everything you''ve built, and then trying to rebuild it all from scratch in a very short period of time."

    "That''s why, for now, I can''t accept a new source of energy from you."

    Hearing this, Noan nodded lightly, but then his gaze shifted toward Vylyss.

    Vylyss had accepted the new energy from him; she must have endured excruciating pain that he had never realized.

    ''Perhaps both Vylyss and Austin felt the same thingˇŞpain.'' Noan shook his head and sighed.

    Because his own process of absorbing new energy had been so smooth, he had thought others wouldn''t be affected much either.

    "All right! I understand. Keep up your work. I''ll help you evolve later."

    "Hehehe..." Malrik chuckled, "Thank you, Master."

    "Ah!" As if remembering something, Malrik smiled and said, "Master, there doesn''t seem to be anyone living in the eastern region. May I expand the Abyss in that direction?"

    Noan waved his hand, "As you wish, as long as you keep yourself safe. Other than that, you can do whatever you like."

    "Thank you, Master." With that, Malrik left.

    At this moment, Noan turned to Vylyss and gently asked, "Did it hurt?"

    Vylyss pressed her lips together, gazing at him with gentle eyes, "No. As long as I can become stronger, strong enough to help Master, I can endure even greater pain."

    "You... All right, next time, you''re not allowed to stay silent like that anymore, understand?" Noan said as he tapped her lightly on the head.

    She stuck out her pink tongue, her face filled with happiness: "Understood, Master, hehehe..."

    Noan let out a long sigh, sitting back in his chair, his gaze drifting off into the distance, thinking about everything Carlotta and Malrik had said.

    Especially the last thing Carlotta had told him.

    ''I need to find someone to become my ally?'' Noan sighed, his heart full of confusion.

    He knew that the path he had chosen meant going against the Fate Holders. But if he needed an ally, then who could possibly stand against a Fate Holder?

    ''Wait a minute!'' Suddenly, Noan realized something, and he couldn''t help but grin as he muttered to himself, "I can rely on those people. I just need to build up their strength, that''s all."

    "With my innate abilities, I''m sure I can do it."

    That''s rightˇŞif he succeeded, then in the future, he wouldn''t need to show himself at all. He could simply let those people act in his stead.

    A satisfied smile spread across Noan''s face as he pulled Vylyss into his arms.

    "Um! Master..."

    ...

    The next day.

    The blizzard had subsided, leaving only gentle winds and swirling snowflakes drifting through the air.

    "Damn it!" Zeka was trudging wearily through the snow, the vines that had once replaced his arms now completely withdrawn inside his body.

    "Evil God? Damn it, you''re just a God who''s afraid of the cold." Zeka cursed as he walked, "Just a bit of cold and your precious vines are already shutting downˇŞhow am I supposed to fight like this?"

    Zeka was truly furious, because his arms were gone. Before, it hadn''t bothered him much since he could manipulate the vines as a substitute for his hands.

    But now things were different.

    The vines kept withering away in the face of this brutal cold.

    He couldn''t keep generating more vines, because that process drained both his life force and magical energy.

    If he used up too much energy, he''d be in real trouble against this relentless chill.

    Zeka shuddered, looking up at the sky. It was nothing but an endless gray expanse, the wind and snow still sweeping across everything, showing no sign of letting up.

    "Damn it! How long is this weather going to last?"

    He cursed under his breath, growing more and more frustrated. If the conditions stayed this harsh, he wouldn''t be able to move around comfortably at all.

    Luckily, he still had plenty of ''permanent buffs'' to help him maintain his combat abilitiesˇŞotherwise, he''d already be dead by now.

    Peering into the distance through the thick snow, Zeka could just make out a large, familiar cave.

    "Ah! I finally found this place again." Overjoyed, he used every last bit of his strength to run toward the cave.

    He swung his stump of an arm and punched straight at the entrance.

    BAM!

    The sound of impact rang out, snow scattering everywhere and revealing the entrance to a rather large cave.

    Inside, Elara was curled up on a cloth fashioned from the clothes of the dead, her face pale, her body trembling violently.

    "Elara!" The moment Zeka saw this, he was startled and hurried over to her side.

    "She... don''t tell me she''s come down with a fever?" Zeka muttered to himself.

    He knew all too well that Elara was just an ordinary person. In weather as harsh as this, there was no way she could survive for long.

    "Damn it! What should I do?!" Zeka cursed inwardly, panic showing clearly on his face.

    "Ah! Maybe... I can still save her." Remembering something, Zeka immediately reached out with his stump of an arm.

    At that moment, a vine sprouted from the severed end.

    Its tip was razor sharp, and it stabbed directly into Elara''s arm. A huge surge of energy flowed from Zeka''s body into hers.

    Time passed. In just ten minutes, Elara''s fever was gone, her cheeks even regaining a rosy hue.

    In contrast, Zeka''s face became deathly pale, like someone suffering from severe anemia, exhaustion written all over him.

    He let out a sigh of relief when he saw that Elara was alright, before collapsing to the ground, his consciousness plunging into darkness.

    He had no idea how much time passed, but suddenly, he heard someone calling him.

    "Zeka!"

    "Zeka!"

    "Oy! Zeka!"

    "Huh?!" Zeka jolted awake, his eyes flying open. Before him stood a familiar girl who he always remembered.

    "You... you... why are you here?" Lying on the cold ground, Zeka stammered, "Don''t tell me... I''m dead already?"

    "No! I don''t want to die... I... I..."

    "Are you alright?" the girl frowned, "Do you have a fever or something?"

    "Ah! You..." Zeka''s mouth fell open. He struggled to sit up, staring at the girl, then at ElaraˇŞwho was now sitting in the corner, eating a bit of roasted meat.

    For a moment, he couldn''t make sense of what was happening. Confusion and suspicion clouded his face.

    "You... you..." Zeka stammered, finally managing to say what he wanted, "You''re still alive?"

    Violette glanced at him, her eyes filled with confusion, as if she were looking at an idiot.

    "If I weren''t alive, how could I be sitting here right now?"

    "Ah! No... what I meant was..." Zeka pursed his lips, then suddenly burst into tears, "Huhuhu... I... I... I thought you were dead."

    "Alright, stop crying." Violette sighed. "I thought you were dead too, actually. I never expected you''d become a Heretic God."

    "This..." Zeka was startled, quickly trying to explain, "Don''t misunderstand, it''s not what you think... I... I..."

    He wanted to explain, but the shock of Violette being alive was too much; his mind just couldn''t process anything else.

    "Hahaha..." Violette covered her mouth, her laugh warm and pure, making Zeka''s heart pound even faster. "You really are such an idiot."

    Hearing that, Zeka scratched his headˇŞthen remembered his hands were gone, so he could only bow his head and smile sheepishly.

    "You must''ve gone through some terrible things, haven''t you?" Violette gently touched the stump of his arm, caressing it as if trying to soothe his pain.

    At that moment, Zeka could no longer hold back his tears and wept, thinking to himself, I knew it... I knew there was someone in this world who truly cared about me, who truly understood what I was enduring.

    He shook his head and said, "It doesn''t hurt. As long as I can see you, no matter how much more I have to endure, I can bear it."

    Violette saw his expression and, inwardly, felt contemptˇŞbut she still forced herself to suppress her nausea, playing out the scene Noan had requested.

    "Don''t worry. From now on, we''ll be together again."

    Hearing Violette''s words, Zeka nodded repeatedly, "Uhm! We''ll be together. I promise I''ll protect you, not like last time."

    Violette glanced at Elara, then smiled and asked, "First, who is that girl?"

    Zeka: "..."

 Chapter 293: Zeka and Violette

    Zeka fumbled, not knowing how to explain.

    Was he supposed to say... that girl was also someone he liked?

    While Violette was right here, when he hadn''t even won her heart yet, and he already had another girl by his side.

    How could he possibly explain that to Violette?

    He wanted a harem, but he also genuinely wanted Violette to accept him having a haremˇŞotherwise...

    "Hahaha... Why are you so worried?" Violette laughed and said, "Did you save her from the snowstorm? She''s so pitiful."

    "Ah! Yes, yes, that''s right." Zeka immediately replied, "I saved her from the snowstorm. She was very pitiful, so I let her stay here."

    Elara shot Zeka a look full of contempt, then ignored him and kept eating her grilled meat.

    "And what about you? Violette, why are you here?" Zeka asked with a smile.

    Violette sighed and gently replied, "After you were parasitized by the Heretic God, I was taken out of that bizarre world."

    "Even though I managed to come back here, the weather here turned just as harsh as over there."

    "Besides, Maisy thought I went with you into the Trial Space, so she wanted to use me to find you and get more information."

    "But I didn''t know much, and I trusted you weren''t that kind of person, so I didn''t say a word to her."

    "That''s why she... wanted to kill me. I was lucky to escape, wandering in the snowstorm. I don''t even know how I made it here and found you."

    Hearing Violette say she trusted him, Zeka felt a surge of warmth, almost to the point of tears.

    He silently swore that he would definitely make Violette his first wife, no matter what.

    Zeka said emotionally, "Violette, thank you for trusting me."

    "Don''t say that," Violette replied gently, "I got lost but ended up finding youˇŞmaybe... that''s fate."

    As she finished saying this, Violette inwardly retched hundreds of times.

    Fate? Damn it! It was Noan who sent her here, not fate.

    At this moment, all Violette wanted was to quickly finish her task so she could be by Noan''s side.

    Ever since sensing his power, she''d felt herself more and more drawn to him.

    Of course, the biggest reason was still... Noan possessed a special kind of power.

    Seeing that he could teleport to rescue her as if it was a walk in the park, Violette immediately realized Noan might be strong enough to protect her and give her everything she wanted.

    Zeka nodded lightly and sighed, "Violette, don''t worry, I''m still me, I haven''t been possessed by the Heretic God like everyone says."

    "In fact, I can even use his power to fight."

    "But..." Violette asked with some concern, "What about your arms?"

    "This..." Zeka gritted his teeth, "Damn it! This armˇŞwhen I was in the Trial Space, I was ambushed by a coward."

    "And this one was cut off by Maisy."

    "Ah! You met Maisy?" Violette asked in surprise.

    "That''s right." Zeka''s eyes were full of hatred. "That bitch came after me and wanted to kill me."

    "At that time, I couldn''t control the Heretic God''s power, so she cut off one of my arms."

    "Violette, don''t worry. Give me a little more time and I''ll be strong enough to protect youˇŞand destroy Maisy."

    "Do you know about the upcoming event?"

    Violette tilted her head. "You mean... the resource center conflict event?"

    "Exactly." Zeka grinned excitedly, "As long as I go there and kill as many lords as I can, I''ll keep getting stronger."

    "Ah! You..." Violette seemed a little frightened, even trembling.

    Zeka smiled, trying to reassure her, "Don''t worry, I''ll never hurt you, because..."

    "All you have to do is trust that I''ll never harm you."

    "As long as I get there, I''ll definitely become stronger. So, Violette, help me find the way."

    "Heh?! You don''t know the way there?" Violette asked, confused.

    Zeka shook his head, swearing, "Damn it! Ever since the Heretic God invaded my body, the System stopped sending me any information."

    "That''s why I can only rely on you."

    When she heard that, a hint of killing intent flickered in Violette''s eyes, but it vanished instantly.

    She smiled and said, "Of course, I can help. But... Zeka, with your hands like this, how are you going to fight?"

    Zeka scoffed, "Huh! Violette, don''t worry. I just need a little rest. When the time comes, I''ll be fully capable of fighting."

    Inside, Zeka was full of confidence, because he had so many regeneration buffsˇŞjust one day of rest, and even without food or drink, he could return to his best condition.

    That was the most terrifying aspect of his talent.

    Violette, hearing this, felt puzzled inside and quietly committed Zeka''s words to memory.

    In the corner, Elara finished her grilled meat, sighed, and looked over at Zeka and Violette, her eyes full of disdain.

    After that, she decided not to care about them anymore and tried to drift off to sleep.

    After being tormented by that terrible fever, even though Zeka had transferred a great deal of life energy to her, her spirit was still quite exhausted.

    Even though she was lying on a pile of clothes taken from dead people, and the smell of fresh blood was still thick in the air, that didn''t stop Elara from falling asleep.

    ...

    At the same time, Noan awoke from a long sleep, his energy and spirit much restored.

    Most importantly, the discomfort caused by the red energy had greatly subsided.

    It was as if... his body had finally begun to adapt to the presence of this new energy.

    While having breakfast, he checked his System interface, thinking about upgrading his territory.

    "System, how many resources do I need to upgrade the territory?"

    [????! Currently, your territory has reached the maximum level for this region and cannot be upgraded further.]

    Noan nodded, then immediately ordered, "Collect today''s resources."

    [????! Congratulations, the special effect ''Resource Doubling'' has been activated. You have received:

    ˇń ???? Wood: 200,000

    ˇń ???? Stone: 200,000

    ˇń ?? Iron: 100,000

    ˇń ???? Gold: 20,000

    ˇń ?? Metal Crystals: 2,000

    ˇń ???? Food Medicine: 20,000

    ˇń ???? Energy Crystals Rank C: 2,000

    ˇń ???? Energy Crystals Rank B: 200

    All of these items have been placed in your ''Storage Space''.]

    Noan looked at the resources he had received and couldn''t help but feel pleased.

    "Now, I really don''t have to worry about energy crystals anymore," Noan muttered. "Still, if my innate talent could help me fuse lower-rank Energy Crystals into higher ones, that would be perfect."

    He let out a sighˇŞafter all, Rank C or D energy crystals had gradually lost their effect on him.

    If others knew what he was thinking, they would probably tear him to pieces on the spot.

    After all, he was only a Rank D Lord, yet he was already thinking of not using Rank D crystals anymore, while everyone else in the Chaotic Zone was struggling just to scavenge a bit of any resource.

    Just then, another System notification appeared before him.

    [????! You have received 100 Void Crystals, Rank F, from the Void Tower. Total: 600 Void Crystals. Would you like to use them to summon Void Soldiers?]

    "Not necessary," Noan said.

    At this moment, he didn''t need Void soldiers eitherˇŞhe wanted to use the Void Crystals to upgrade Void for himself and his Heroes, specifically Vylyss and Austin.

    As for Austin...

    Noan waved his hand, and a purple sphere appeared in front of him, with an invisible thread connecting it to Austin.

    "It seems... even without the Slave Pact, I can still keep Austin under my control," Noan muttered.

    However, once Austin was confirmed as a slave, unless Austin died, Noan could not remove Austin from the slave list.

    That''s why, whenever he wanted to recruit a new slave, Noan always thought very carefully, not wanting to waste a slot in his slave list.

    Noan sighed, then gave the order: "System, display the number of Skeletons I currently possess."

    ???? [Here is the number of Skeletons you currently possess:

    Skeleton C+: 26

    Skeleton C: 2

    Skeleton D Peak: 2

    Skeleton D+: 1

    Upgrade milestones: D+ ˇú D Peak ˇú D Perfect ˇú C ˇú C+]

    Noan stroked his chin, then gave another order: "Summon today''s Skeletons."

    ???? [Do you want to use both summon attempts?]

    "Accept."

    ???? [To summon, you need to pay 500 rank D energy crystals, do you agree?]

    Noan sighed. Ever since he evolved to rank D, summoning Skeletons required him to spend energy crystals.

    However, he still couldn''t skip summoning. After all, they were necessary materials for him to use to evolve his Heroes.

    Fortunately, he had a Level 7 Resource Production Center, which could produce a lot of rank C and B energy crystals every day, so he didn''t have to worry about materials.

    "I agree," Noan said.

    ???? [You have successfully summoned 10 Skeletons of rank D - Perfect.]

    "10?" Noan was startled, asking in confusion, "Why is the number only 10?"

 Chapter 294: Noan and the System

    ???? [Previous summons were counted for the 10 days before the rules of the region were applied to you, Master.

    After the rules of the Chaotic Zone found a loophole, it began to enforce its regulations to prevent excessive imbalance.

    Therefore, if you want to summon soldiers, each summon will now cost 250 rank D energy crystals, and the number of soldiers will be reduced to 5 per summon.

    Each day, Master has 2 summons, so the number of soldiers is 10, and the number of rank D energy crystals needed is 500.]

    Seeing this notification, Noan let out a sigh. He had thought he could summon a large number of Skeletons as materials, but in the end, everything turned out differently than he planned.

    "The rules of the Chaotic Zone, huh..." Noan muttered. "Could it be that it knows I''m a Fate Hunter, so it''s targeting me?"

    But as soon as this thought appeared, Noan shook his head, feeling that he was overthinking it.

    Perhaps this was just the way things were meant to be.

    After all, his existence had already disrupted the balance of the ZoneˇŞif he could summon too many Skeletons, then all of the System''s events would become meaningless.

    Even though Skeletons were weak monsters at the bottom of the food chain, the fact that they were all Skeletons of rank D ¨C Perfect meant they were still quite strong.

    "It seems... I need to find a way to change the type of monsters I summon, otherwise, I''ll be spending too many resources while the monsters themselves aren''t strong enough to optimize my combat power."

    Noan recalled that he had once tried fusing construction blueprints to create a building with the property of summoning soldiers.

    However, to create the most effective building, he would have to consume more and more high-rank energy crystals, especially rank S crystals. That way, the monsters he summoned would have many special traits.

    Noan sighed. Right now, he didn''t have any more rank S energy crystals left, so he would have to put up with this situation for a while longer.

    ???? [Do you want to fuse all 10 current Skeletons of rank D Perfect?]

    "No need!" Noan said immediately.

    He didn''t want to keep fusing them, since after fusion, the power he gained wasn''t significant enough.

    He summoned these mainly to use as materials for evolving his Heroes.

    At that moment, Noan remembered his rank A Machine-type Heroes, and felt cheerful inside.

    "Summon Machine Heroes."

    ???? [World rules have now been applied to you. You cannot summon Machine-type Heroes of rank A. Please wait until this Zone merges with another Zone with compatible limits.]

    Noan: "..."

    He held his forehead and sighed, "Alright, at least I still have Vylyss and the power of the Void."

    Noan tried to console himself.

    Not wanting to look at the system anymore, he entered the ''Combat Simulation Room''. He wanted to see just how strong he had actually become.

    The moment he stepped inside, he tried to create a monster he had once seen: the Evil God.

    He didn''t really know what the Evil God was, or if it even counted as an Evil God.

    If it wasn''t considered a monster, the Simulation Room''s system wouldn''t be able to generate it.

    ???? [The Evil God is a special entity and cannot be simulated.]

    Noan sighed, feeling that this was only to be expected. He wasn''t too disappointed.

    "There are still too many restrictions in this place. If only I could generate simulations of lords or other legendary beings, that would be amazing."

    He thought for a moment, then commanded, "Fine then... simulate Malrik."

    Immediately, Malrik appeared before him.

    Noan extended his hands, the Abyss Cube transformed into a sword in his grip, and thenˇŞ

    Whoosh!

    At that instant, flames suddenly enveloped his body, causing him to flinch.

    "What the hell?" Noan was startled, hastily channeling energy to resist the fire.

    However, just a few seconds later, the flames devoured him, turning him into a green soul that drifted in the void.

    "What the hell is going on?" Noan cursed inwardly, but it didn''t end there.

    Malrik opened a mysterious book, and Noan''s soul was pulled into its pages, after which his consciousness fell into darkness.

    A few seconds later, Noan jolted awake.

    "Ha... ha... ha..." He gasped for breath, the feeling of terror and despair still clinging to his mind, making it hard for him to believe what just happened.

    "That''s... Malrik''s power?" Noan glanced at Malrik, feeling both fear and unease.

    After all, right now Malrik was still just a rank D Peak monster, while Noan himself was already rank D Perfect.

    Even though Noan possessed two extremely unique sources of powerˇŞVoid energy and the Blood Energy of the Immortal ClanˇŞ

    In the end, he was still killed easily, without even having time to resist.

    Noan glanced at Malrik, a sense of confusion swirling inside him. Why was there such a huge gap between them?

    He couldn''t believe it. Deciding to try again, the outcome, however, did not change.

    Noan was incinerated by the Hellfire, his soul locked inside the book.

    "Damn it! One more time!"

    As soon as the battle began, Noan immediately unleashed his most confident skill.

    "Voidlight Execution!"

    A beam of light appeared, firing straight at Malrik.

    Whoong!

    A bell-like sound rang out, echoing and stretching on.

    The surrounding space rippled like water, waves of spatial force radiating out from the slash of light.

    "Success!" Noan exclaimed in delight.

    But to his surprise, Malrik''s body, after being split in two, simply began to burn, transforming into blue-green flames before vanishing.

    "What the hell?" Noan gasped, a sense of unease welling up inside him.

    At that moment, a flame erupted, encircling his own body. Malrik''s skull floated in midair, the twin flames in his eye sockets flickering as if in anger.

    And then... the outcome was the same as before.

    A few seconds later, Noan resurrected, lying on the ground, questioning life itself.

    He glanced over at Malrik, frowning in thought: "Just how strong is Malrik, really?"

    That was the only question running through his mind at the moment.

    Noan was certain Malrik hadn''t even used his full strength.

    It was terrifying.

    Just a small portion of Malrik''s power was enough to defeat him. If Malrik went all out, just how powerful would he be?

    Though a hint of jealousy flickered in his heart, Noan also felt lucky that Malrik was his subordinate.

    If Malrik were his enemyˇŞwith Malrik''s knowledge and powerˇŞthe one to lose would undoubtedly be Noan.

    Noan let out a long sigh and kept training. Even if he couldn''t defeat Malrik, he still wanted to keep fighting.

    After all, when he faced enemies as powerful as Malrik in the future, he''d need to find ways to survive.

    ...

    "You really don''t want to serve the Master?" At that moment, in the NPC dormitory, Austin sat on a chair, enjoying his meal and asked.

    Alex was eating as well. He frowned and said, "I already told you, I''m only working for him temporarily. When I''m strong enough, I''ll leave this place."

    "Ah!" Austin stopped asking, a mocking smile flickering across his face.

    "Hey! What''s that smile supposed to mean?" Alex snapped angrily.

    Austin just shrugged, lifting the arm that had once been severedˇŞnow transformed into a terrifying weaponˇŞand waved it in front of Alex. "Nothing. Just found it a little funny, that''s all."

    "Huh! Just because you couldn''t beat him doesn''t mean I can''t," Alex gritted his teeth. "Give me some time and I''ll get even stronger, surpass him, and make him kneel before me."

    Austin just nodded indifferently and kept eating.

    "You... you..." Alex''s face twisted with anger, his eyes full of fury. "Bastard! Keep laughing, but soon I''ll easily defeat youˇŞunlike last time."

    "Huh!" Austin snorted disdainfully, curling his lips into a mocking smile. "Do your best. I hope you really can beat me someday, or else life is just too boring, hahahaha..."

    At another table, Caleb was eating breakfast too, glancing toward Austin and Alex with a trace of jealousy and irritation in his eyes.

    But he understoodˇŞif he didn''t prove himself useful, the Master definitely wouldn''t grant him the strange power that Austin possessed.

    In the end, he could only sigh, stand up, and leave.

    He didn''t want to stay there any longer; he wanted to finish the task the Master had given him as quickly as possible.

    He wanted to become stronger, stronger stillˇŞso he could take his revenge.

 Chapter 295: Just donâ€™t die too soon

    Austin saw Caleb and immediately walked over to ask, "Do you need my help with anything?"

    Caleb just shrugged, trying to look composed. "No need. The Master already gave me a group of Skeletons at rank C. This battle will be easy."

    Austin didn''t respond to Caleb''s wordsˇŞhe just glanced at Caleb''s clenched, slightly trembling hands.

    "Trying to fool me?" Austin pursed his lips, patted Caleb''s shoulder, and said, "Just looking at you, I already know what''s going on inside that head of yours."

    "Anyway, I''ve got nothing better to do right now. Lending you a hand isn''t a big deal."

    Caleb was about to reply, but just then Alex stood up and said, "I''m coming too."

    "Heh?! What are you joining for?" Austin snapped irritably.

    "You gonna stop me?" Alex shot back, his tone full of challenge.

    In reality, he didn''t have any noble intentions to help Caleb.

    On the contrary, he wanted to take advantage of this chance to train his combat abilities.

    Most importantly, if a war broke out between the Lords, he could kill the monsters of those Lords to earn even more energy crystals.

    They were up against Lords of rank D, which meant their monsters and heroes were at least rank D as well.

    That meant a very high drop rate for energy crystals. He could use that opportunity to collect even more.

    Alex glanced at his system notification, which showed he''d reached 80% progressˇŞif he pushed a bit more, he could level up.

    So by helping Caleb, he was also helping himself.

    After all, he didn''t want to just sit around waiting for handouts from Noan.

    Even though Noan gave him some energy crystals every week, he wanted more.

    Caleb heard this and looked at Alex and Austin, then sighed softly. "Do whatever you want."

    With that, he turned and left. He didn''t show much emotion on his face, but inside, he felt a slight warmth.

    Alex and Austin exchanged glances, then followed after Caleb, heading with him to the area where the event would soon take place.

    After finishing his training, Noan didn''t stop them. On the contrary, he watched them go with great interest.

    "What an interesting team. I wonder what they''ll be able to accomplish together if they really cooperate."

    Noan muttered to himself, then suddenly remembered Carlotta''s words.

    "You must have allies. If you walk this path alone, your fate will be no different than the previous Fate Hunter''s."

    Noan took a deep breath, feeling as if he could truly make those three his allies.

    He rubbed his chin, muttering, "Alex has an SS-rank talent, so I don''t need to worry about him. As long as he''s loyal to me, that''s enough."

    "As for Austin and Caleb, neither of them have good talents. However, Austin can already use Void energy. Only Caleb is still a bit of a concern."

    Noan frowned, his gaze thoughtful, clearly considering the future.

    "Maybe... Malrik can help Caleb."

    ...

    The Battlefield Area

    Caleb led Austin, Alex, and twenty SkeletonsˇŞrank C+, all at level 1ˇŞwho stood behind him.

    That''s right, all of the Skeletons were only level 1.

    Previously, when he tried leveling up Skeletons to level 3, he realized that higher-level Skeletons weren''t much stronger than level 1s.

    The strength increase was only about 1.3 times. Maybe that''s why most Lords preferred to spend resources upgrading their Heroes rather than their soldiers.

    Each level of a Hero meant a huge gap in power.

    But for regular soldiers, each level only brought a small difference, barely noticeable.

    Noan figured this was only naturalˇŞif soldiers grew drastically stronger with every level-up, no one would bother investing in Heroes.

    Back to the present: Caleb, Austin, and Alex looked ahead.

    Before them stood a simple building, like a small warehouse.

    Though it looked rather shabby, it was the one thing everyone wanted to seize.

    It was, of course, the Resource Production Center.

    Surrounding that area was a wide open field, encircled on all sides by a dense forest.

    Alex now frowned and asked, "What are you two waiting for? Let''s hurry up and take it already."

    Caleb shook his head and sighed, "Right now, the area around here is a safe zone. We can''t fight."

    "Ah!" Alex frowned again and pressed, "So when can we start?"

    Caleb gazed off into the distance, toward the forest opposite: "We probably need to wait until the event actually starts."

    "But you should all be careful, around here there are a lot ofˇŞ"

    "Ah! A bunch of dogs just showed up," a voice suddenly interrupted Caleb.

    A group of young men slowly approached, followed by Lizards wielding long spears, their bodies covered in tough scales.

    Behind them, a few gigantic monsters also trailed along, radiating a terrifying killing intent.

    "Looks like I''ve found something interesting," a brown-haired youth laughed. "Look at that, SkeletonsˇŞhahahaha! Damn, does he think he can beat us with Skeletons?"

    "Hahahaha..." The crowd around him started laughing too.

    "What can you expect from those rank F and E Lords? Just having Skeletons to use is already a miracle for them."

    "Hahahaha... Skeletons? Damn it! I don''t even need a Hero. A few of my Lizards are more than enough to smash them."

    "Stop making a fuss, let me take care of them."

    "What the hell? I found these dogs first. You can''t take my turn!"

    "YouˇŞ"

    "Alright," the brown-haired youth smirked, "last time you didn''t get to fight, this time it''s your turn to show off."

    He pointed at a black-haired youth.

    The black-haired youth burst out laughing: "Hahahaha... finally it''s my turn."

    "Against trash like that, five Lizards are more than enough."

    As he spoke, he waved his hand. Immediately, five Lizards with spears strode to the front, pointing their weapons at Caleb''s group.

    Caleb frowned, about to say something, when Austin spoke up: "Ah! You''re planning to kill us?"

    "Hahahaha..." The black-haired youth sneered, "Not kill youˇŞjust helping you leave this miserable world, that''s all."

    The crowd roared with laughter, their faces full of contempt and mockery.

    Caleb frowned and reminded Austin: "Are you crazy? Those monsters are all rank DˇŞyou can''tˇŞ"

    "Five Lizards are too few, throw in a few more," Alex spoke up at that moment.

    Caleb: "..."

    Damn it! Are you two not worried this isn''t chaotic enough?

    He genuinely regretted bringing these two bastards along.

    Caleb quickly called out, "Alex, youˇŞ"

    "That''s right, ten of themˇŞno, bring all your Lizards here. And bring your mother too," Austin sneered, raising his voice with contempt.

    Caleb: "..."

    The black-haired youth clenched his teeth, his eyes blazing with fury as he growled, "What did you just say? Do you dare repeat that, you worthless dog?"

    Alex smirked, "Are you deaf? Or illiterate? Didn''t you hear what I said?"

    "I said... bring your mother here too."

    "You bastard!!!" The black-haired youth was livid, his eyes bloodshot as if he was about to spit fire.

    He waved his hand, pointing at Caleb''s group: "Kill them all! Wipe them out!"

    Grao!!!

    The Lizards roared, then charged at Caleb''s group.

    Alex said calmly, "Don''t get involved, this one''s mineˇŞ"

    "No way, I''m not missing out on the fun," Austin laughed loudly. "Hahahaha... just a bunch of trash."

    "Huh! You couldn''t even beat me. How do you expect to handle those monsters?" Alex scoffed.

    "What?! That was only because I hadn''t adapted to my new power yet. If we fight again, who knows who''ll win," Austin shot back angrily.

    "Oh? You think you''re the only one who''s gotten stronger?" Alex sneered. "It''s only been a day, but I''m not the same person I was yesterday."

    "Tsk!" Austin clicked his tongue in disdain. "Wait until the master helps me level up, then we''ll see..."

    "That''s enough! Can you two focus on the fight, please?" Caleb snapped, frowning.

    Alex and Austin turned their attention forward, finally noticing the Lizards charging at them, spears poised to strike.

    Austin snorted, "Huh! Let me deal with these Lizards first, then I''ll settle things with you."

    "Ah! Just don''t die too soon," Alex replied, his tone mocking.

 Chapter 296: Leave him alive

    "You..." The young man with black hair gritted his teeth. "You bastards! Are you looking down on me... ack!"

    BAM!

    He didn''t even have time to finish his sentence before Alex appeared in front of him and swung his fist.

    With a resounding crash, his jaw was shattered by the punch, and he was sent flying more than ten meters away.

    Even though this young man was a D-rank Lord, his level hadn''t yet reached the fourth tier, so in the end, he was still just an ordinary person.

    Alex, on the other hand, was differentˇŞhis physical strength far surpassed that of any regular human.

    He was even as strong as a D-rank Hero.

    That one punch had sent the young man flying more than ten meters before he finally stopped.

    He lay on the ground, his jaw completely shattered, fresh blood pouring from his mouth like a stream, mixed with broken pieces of bone and teeth.

    That young man lay there motionless, no longer breathing.

    Silence...

    The group of D-rank Lords who had been so noisy just moments ago were now so quiet that the sound of their breathing and heartbeats could be heard.

    "What... what the hell just happened?" The brown-haired young man stammered in shock.

    "I... I don''t know."

    "He... he... is he... dead...?"

    They all looked toward Alex, their eyes filled with disbelief and fear.

    The brown-haired young man suddenly realized... that if he didn''t kill Alex, he would end up with the same fate as the black-haired youth just now.

    "No! I don''t believe it." He shouted, "Kill... kill him!"

    Grao!!!

    The Lizards, as if going mad, immediately charged at Alex, but this time, Alex wasn''t afraid.

    On the contrary, he seemed a bit excited, letting out a devilish grin as he said, "Good! Come, let me..."

    BAM!

    A loud explosion suddenly rang out, accompanied by a gust of wind that swept smoke and dust into Alex''s face.

    The group of D-rank Lords jumped in fright, quickly retreating. Some were so terrified they collapsed to the ground, unable to stand and could only crawl away.

    "Damn it! What the hell was that?" Alex waved his hand, dispersing the smoke and dust in front of him.

    When the air finally cleared, Alex saw that the five Lizards from before had been blown to pieces, their remains scattered everywhere.

    The stench of blood and smoke wafted into their noses, causing even the lords standing far away to vomit.

    This scene was even more terrifying than watching the rotten zombies charge at them.

    "Huew!" Someone threw up.

    Immediately after, two others also began to vomit.

    Alex, who was already very familiar with such sights, frowned and said, "Oy! Are you kidding me? You just killed all those Lizards?"

    "That''s right, with just one move," Austin replied with a smile.

    Hearing this, Alex frowned, his eyes landing on the arm formed from energy and fragments like pieces of metal joined together.

    That arm was emitting wisps of white smoke, and Alex could feel an overwhelming energy coming from it.

    Austin waved that arm around as if to disperse the smoke, smiling as he said, "Yesterday I still wasn''t used to this energy, but today is different. Now I know how to use it easily. Hahahaha..."

    "You..." Alex gritted his teeth, a wave of discomfort rising in his heart.

    He had to absorb a pile of rank D energy crystals just to become stronger.

    But what about Austin? In just one night, he had grown many times stronger simply by getting used to the power that Noan had given him.

    Could that energy source really be that terrifying?

    Alex didn''t want to believe it, but the truth was right in front of himˇŞhe had no choice but to accept it.

    "Damn it!" Alex muttered. "I''m not weaker than him, it''s just that his starting point was a bit better than mine, that''s all."

    "That''s right. Time will answer everything. I... will definitely become stronger than the power that Noan has bestowed on him."

    Alex tried to reassure himself.

    At this moment, Austin didn''t care about Alex at all because he was extremely delighted.

    In fact, last night, Vylyss had come and suggested that he use the ''Combat Simulation Room''.

    That room truly was miraculous.

    He had trained in there for 24 hours straight without even realizing it.

    He wanted to train even moreˇŞafter all, inside that room, even if he died, he could revive.

    That was why he could test out every scenario, every possible way to use the new power his Master had granted him.

    Just as Austin had expected.

    At this moment, when facing five D-rank Lizards, he could easily kill all those monsters.

    In fact, he hadn''t even used 20% of his power.

    Austin smiled confidently, looking at the Lizard wielding a shield and sword standing behind the other D-rank Lords, and said disdainfully, "Now it''s your turn."

    The brown-haired young man, infuriated by those words, shouted, "You bastard! Do you think killing a few of my weak Lizards makes you invincible?"

    "Don''t kill him," the young man said to the over two-meter-tall Lizard monster standing behind him. "I want him alive. I want to torture him to death for daring to look down on me."

    Krit!!!

    That monster opened its mouth, emitting a strange sound from deep within.

    Then, it stepped toward Austin, the sword in its hand so sharp that it glinted with a cold, deadly light.

    Austin, seeing this, felt a slight unease in his heart, but very quickly replaced that anxiety with his own confidence.

    ''In the combat simulation room, I defeated a level 3 D-rank Hero. I should be able to beat that monster too,'' Austin thought to himself.

    Alex also seemed to sense that these two Lizard heroes were quite formidable, so he spoke up, "One each, alright?"

    Hearing Alex''s words, Austin snorted disdainfully, "Fine. If you don''t want to lose, then I''ll let you handle one."

    Even though Austin said that, he was actually grateful to Alex for taking some of the pressure off him.

    If he had to face both D-rank Lizard Heroes at once, he would definitely lose.

    But if it was one-on-one, it was not certain he would be defeated.

    "Are you sure you''ll win?" Caleb asked, frowning.

    "Of course. Haven''t you noticed I have new power?" Austin replied with a smile. "If you can help hold back those maggots, Alex and I will take care of the two heroes."

    Hearing that, Caleb glanced at the twelve Lizard soldiers still surrounding and guarding the three other lords.

    He nodded slightly and said, "Don''t worry, I''ll handle them."

    Austin also nodded at this, confidently saying, "Don''t worry, D-rank monsters are no match for me."

    With that, he strode forward toward the two Lizard heroes standing before him.

    The brown-haired young man frowned, waving his hand, and his Lizard soldiers began to line up, preparing to attack Alex and Austin.

    But at that moment, Caleb stepped forward with twenty Skeletons, blocking the Lizards'' advance, and said with a frown, "Your opponent... is me."

    The brown-haired young man frowned, glancing at his two companions: "I give you permission to control my two heroes, support them, and don''t let them fall into any traps."

    The two young men, no longer daring to underestimate Caleb''s group, immediately nodded and left.

    Then, the brown-haired young man turned to Caleb, frowning, his gaze filled with murderous intent and contempt: "Do you really think those moving piles of bones can defeat my soldiers?"

    Caleb shook his head. Though he was confident inside that his Skeletons could easily wipe out the Lizards, he didn''t show any signs of arrogance or overconfidence.

    On the contrary, his face showed a hint of concern: "Let''s just try and see. After all, I have twenty Skeletons, while you only have twelve Lizards."

    "Pfff!!!" The brown-haired young man scoffed. "Hahahaha... damn it! You really make me laugh."

    "You seriously think that quantity can make up for quality? If that were true, there''d be no point in having different ranks, would there?"

    Caleb shrugged and replied, "I don''t know either, but I believe my Skeletons can hold you off."

    "Ah! Hold me off? Do you think those two dogs can defeat my heroes?" the brown-haired young man sneered.

    Caleb just shrugged again: "I don''t know. But I believe they can."

    The smile faded from the young man''s face, replaced by irritation and anger: "Are you kidding me?"

    Caleb smiled with another shrug: "I really don''t know."

    "Damn it!" the young man cursed, ordering his soldiers, "Crush those bastards for me!"

    The Lizards immediately leveled their spears and charged at Caleb.

    At that moment, Caleb simply shrugged and ordered his Skeletons, "Don''t kill that bastard, leave him alive."