Chapter 84
Chapter 84
With the Demon Gods taking the stage, the siege entered its most intense phase.
Xuanniao flapped its wings, rapidly casting support skills.
No longer hesitating, Zhou Ming leaped from the wall and charged Lin Tao, who had lost all reason and was slaughtering everything around him. He opened with Dawnbringer.
Clang!
Yet Lin Tao did not budge beneath the crashing phantom sword.
-36,812! (Critical Damage)
Without Heavenbreaker’s enhancement, Zhou Ming might not even have penetrated Lin Tao’s Defense.
“Ding!”
[Due to Super Berserk (Passive), Corrupted-Bone Blade · Lin Tao is immune to all control effects and debuffs!]
“Urgh!”
After being struck, Lin Tao turned blood-red eyes toward Zhou Ming. A hoarse roar tore from his throat as he rushed over.
“Brothers, attack together!”
“Kill!”
The players who had waited bitterly for Zhou Ming to return to the battlefield charged all at once. Like starving wolves spotting prey, they threw themselves forward without restraint.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!
In the blink of an eye, countless elemental projectiles and arrows came pouring down.
Zhou Ming’s expression was icy. Armor formed from flame covered his body, making him look impossibly imposing.
“Ding!”
[You have used Demonic Flame Armor. Tenacity +50%, and you immediately gain a shield equal to 30% of your maximum HP. In addition, all forms of attack deal 50% more damage for the skill’s 2-minute duration!]
“Ding!”
[Do you wish to leave the Dark Faction?]
[Note: After leaving, you will be unable to join any faction on your own without an invitation.]
“Yes!”
Without hesitation, Zhou Ming stepped onto this new path.
Most of the defending monsters had already become Infamy for him. His objective was complete. Now it was time to fight both factions.
Of course he knew it was still too early, that his wings had yet to fully grow. But the Sin of Wrath was breathing down his neck. How could he afford to worry about the distant future?
“Ding!”
[You have successfully left the Dark Faction!]
In an instant, every unit within sight became an enemy, and Warlord’s power swept across the whole battlefield.
“Ding!”
[You have activated the command skill Warlord. All enemy units lose 10%-23.74% All Attributes. Based on the scale of the battlefield, you gain 31.6% All Attributes!]
The strength of every player surrounding Zhou Ming plummeted while his own power rose even higher.
That was the terror of Warlord!
The larger the battlefield, the greater the enhancement it granted him!
-1!
-2! (Critical Damage)
-1!
Attacks rained down, but each one failed to penetrate his Defense.
“Zhou… you… Shi… jie!”
Although Lin Tao had almost entirely lost himself, his hatred for Zhou Ming remained. Overflowing with killing intent, he slashed with his sword.
“Ding!”
[You have used the Rare S-Rank item Windrider Stone. Damage Reduction +20%, Movement Speed +50%, and Attack Speed +50% for 3 minutes!]
Clang!
Zhou Ming activated the Windrider Stone and blocked with his sword. The impact numbed the webbing of his hand and sent him skidding several meters backward, carving clear tracks into the ground.
Just as every god-tier powerhouse had found an opponent, Lin Tao was the powerful enemy Eric had arranged specifically for Zhou Ming.
A base maximum Attack of 13,500 was absurd.
Even worse, Lin Tao’s immunity to control effects and debuffs greatly reduced the influence Xiaoyou could exert.
“Coordinate with the Boss! Kill Zhouyou Shijie together!” Gaibang Laoda activated Harmony, borrowing power from every side. With all attributes surging, he watched from nearby for an opening.
This was an opportunity that might never come again!
The Myth and Gaibang Guilds had assembled in full, and an even stronger Boss than the Blood-Devouring Queen was fighting beside them. If Zhouyou Shijie had to cut them down one by one, sheer exhaustion would bring him to his knees. There was no reason he could survive.
“Soldiers of Qingshui Town, I carry the military seal issued by the city lord!” Lu Pingyong, who had been watching from the sidelines, shouted. “Zhouyou Shijie has betrayed the Light Faction and earned the hatred of gods and men alike. Killing him matters more than capturing the city. Follow me and cut him down!”
“Yes!”
The soldiers obeyed without question.
Earlier, Zhou Ming’s power had forced them to swallow their anger. Now that they had an opportunity, they naturally turned on him together.
“Ding!”
[Attention! Qingshui’s elite army, led by the Level 80 Radiant Boss General of Qingshui · Lu Pingyong, will launch the fourth attack wave!]
The situation changed in an instant.
An unbelievable scene unfolded across the battlefield.
Attackers and defenders alike now directed their full hostility toward Zhou Ming.
Clang! Clang! Clang!
Zhou Ming and Lin Tao entered a vicious exchange. He unleashed both Rending Slash and Blazing Slash, but even with Demonic Flame Armor active, victory would not come easily.
-3,745!
-6,712!
-3,844!
-6,742!
The difference in their stats was too large!
Zhou Ming’s maximum Attack was still below six thousand, less than half of Lin Tao’s. If not for the stacking All Attribute bonuses from Warlord and Command, even holding his ground would have been extremely difficult.
“Die!”
A Myth Guild player swung a sword at him.
Fire elements surged around Zhou Ming’s left hand. As Dawnbringer activated, he caught the weapon barehanded.
Crack!
The sword snapped in two.
“Ding!”
[Your Bronze weapon has been destroyed and cannot be repaired!]
The player fell silent.
Slash!
The blazing sun sword followed immediately.
Across the packed battlefield, nearly every player within a 100 × 100-meter area around Zhou Ming was wiped out. Bodies collapsed into pools of blood as white light flared in unison.
“Ding!”
[You have killed the adventurer Mr. Mighty. Infamy +1!]
“Ding!”
[You have killed the adventurer Always Hard When Asked. Infamy +1!]
“What the hell!”
Bawang’s heart trembled, and shock made his voice shake. “Why does he look like a god of war?”
“Take my spear!”
Seeing Zhou Ming’s HP rapidly falling, Lu Pingyong could no longer suppress the urge to act.
“Ding!”
[General of Qingshui · Lu Pingyong has used Soul-Chasing Thrust. The next attack deals 300% damage and has a moderate chance to inflict Knockback!]
The spear flashed with cold light and pierced Zhou Ming from behind, then swept upward and scattered drops of blood.
-12,654!
At the same time, Lin Tao’s assault never stopped. As though locked onto Zhou Ming alone, he ignored everyone else and carved wound after wound across his body.
The burning pain twisted Zhou Ming’s features. In the blink of an eye, his HP fell to 50%!
Players more than a hundred meters away surged forward again, threatening to drown him beneath their numbers.
“Chirp, chirp!”
Xuanniao circled anxiously overhead, crying out as it hurriedly cast Holy Light’s Blessing. Even so, it could not stop Zhou Ming’s HP from plummeting.
The adventurers could not penetrate his Defense, but he was facing two Radiant Bosses at once, and one of them had been empowered by a Demon God. The pressure on its master was simply too great.
“A cornered beast’s struggle is meaningless!”
Gaibang Laoda tightened his grip on his weapon and watched Zhouyou Shijie’s fluctuating HP, hoping to steal the final blow. “Destiny’s first rising star is finally about to fall!”
“Everyone, get ready!” Bawang shouted. “If you have any item that deals fixed damage, wait for your chance to use it!”
Suddenly, crimson light flared within the sea of players, deadly flames blazing around it.
“Roar!”
A fire dragon thundered forward. Flames raged everywhere it passed, and even Lin Tao, protected by control immunity, was driven backward at the front of the blast.
-58,612!
-57,150!
-58,888!
The damage numbers appeared a moment later, while the victims had already been reduced to nothing.
At the end of the fiery path stood Zhou Ming, his entire body wreathed in raging flame. His hair flew upward in fury as his power climbed higher and higher.
“Damn!”
“What the hell kind of damage is that?”
“Why aren’t you down yet? Stop struggling!”
The surrounding players stared in disbelief.
“You only dare hide in the distance! You don’t even have the courage to face me head-on!” Zhou Ming stood proudly within the fire and swept a crushing gaze across the battlefield. “You…”
…