Seizing the King
Most poisonous insects are not like magical beasts; they do not control the elements, do not have a large and durable body, and have very low defense.
They possess almost no intelligence, acting entirely on instinct, and their only fatal trait is their poison.
For lone wolves and small teams, encountering these countless poisonous insects in such an Underground Palace means only one outcome: total annihilation.
For a large team of several thousand people with good equipment, it just means that advancing will take some time.
The hunters have plenty of experience dealing with these insects. They can kill a large number of them in no time by burning, freezing, or using drugs to make them fight each other.
As for the Two-Headed Blind Snake, although this venomous creature is formidable, any large team has enough equipment and tactics to hunt large monsters.
The mage's "Slow Ray," "Entanglement," "Air Freeze," and "Swamp Technique" are all spells that limit the speed of monsters.
Mass casting, covering a wide area, makes it easy for the not-so-intelligent blind snake to fall into the trap.
There are also heavy mechs with steel cables and nets, set up there, and with some blood and gore, the monsters will naturally run into the trap.
Once under control, a concentrated attack from thousands of people can wipe them out in minutes, even if they are Fourth Tier or fifth-tier blind snakes.
Despite some casualties, the official mercenary groups of the Rosas Family are advancing at a considerable pace.
As for the toxins in the palace, the casualties were not significant.
It wasn't just because this official Scavenger Gang brought enough Antidote Potion; it was also because the opposing team had a poison expert—the [Poison Master] Gisela.
She is the third disciple of Dia Bannira, one of the "Ten Great Legends" and the "Black Witch".
Those who are good at using poison will naturally know how to detoxify.
With her around, the losses of those hunting teams plummeted by 80%.
At that moment, Rein, who was observing the battle from a distance, recognized the guy.
The Rosas Family's official Scavenger Gang is making rapid progress.
As the flares were fired into the sky, they naturally saw the "Seven-Colored Holy Grail" that was radiating a seven-colored halo.
However, due to the large number of poisonous substances, it is not advisable to approach them for the time being.
Others didn't know what the Holy Grail was, only that it might be a treasure. But Gisela, the "Poison Hand" and an expert in poisons, recognized the hundred-insect pattern on the Holy Grail at a glance and was shocked.
This trip was definitely worth it!
"I never imagined the legend was actually true!"
He exclaimed excitedly, "The Malakas's Holy Grail of Ten Thousand Poisons is actually in this tomb! No wonder there are so many poisonous creatures gathered here; it's all because of this sacred artifact!"
The Poison Master is a branch of the "Plague Law Sequence," belonging to the lineage of Malakas, the Plague Sovereign, who ranks last among the Seventy-Two Divine Generals.
A legend has been passed down through this tradition, claiming that a magical silver chalice appeared in the Ancient Monkell Script. It possessed a deadly attraction to all poisons, drawing all toxins to its worship. The chalice could also absorb the essence of all poisons, crystallizing it, making it the most potent poison in the world.
The Malakas's Holy Grail of Ten Thousand Poisons is a treasure for nurturing poisons and a coveted artifact for Poison Master!
Upon hearing this, the green-haired youth beside the gray-robed sorcerer spoke up, asking curiously, "Master Gisela, is this what you're looking for? Is there anything magical about this silver cup?"
The one who spoke was none other than George Rosas, the young lord of "Black Wind Territory".
The hunting expeditions were originally something that didn't require the higher-ups to personally go down to the ground to explore.
But ever since the day before, when he was ambushed by Rein and Catherine and almost peed his pants in fear, this young master doesn't dare to wander around outside anymore.
That "mysterious man" could cripple the fighting master [Mysterious Hand] Nord, who was known as a top -Third Tier expert, with a single punch. George felt that his own bodyguards couldn't provide him with any sense of security.
Now that his core men have all come underground, George dares not stay on the surface any longer and has followed them down into the ruins.
In his mind, although there were some monsters underground, it was much safer than staying in the camp.
At least, the ruins are full of my own people, so I don't have to be constantly worried that someone might suddenly rush out and assassinate me.
Besides, he felt that the solution to the maze was known only to the higher-ups of the Rosas Family, and outsiders simply couldn't get down there. Staying here was actually the safest option.
"This Holy Grail is related to a legend of our lineage of Poison Master."
Upon being asked, Gisela briefly explained the legend of the Holy Grail.
Then she added, "Not only the Holy Grail, but also the seven-colored crystal within it is a supreme treasure. It is the essence of all poisons gathered from various poisonous substances. With this poison, my [Void Poison Hand] will reach its full potential. At that time, even Fifth-tier Expert, if struck by my palm, will be severely injured, if not killed, due to the poison attacking their heart!"
As she spoke, a confident glint flashed in her eyes, and she unconsciously touched her right palm.
On that hand was a white glove with a waxy sheen, from which a faint black aura emanated.
"Can kill a fifth-tier opponent?"
Young Master George had naturally heard of this Poison Master's reputation, but he had no interest in poisons or Cultivation Method.
He was more curious about whether the other party could protect his safety, so he tentatively asked, "Master Gisela, you've also heard about the guy who severely injured [Mystic Hand] Nord that night. If you really encounter someone like that, are you confident you can kill him?"
As a disciple of the "Black Witch" Dia, Gisela naturally knew what had happened that night.
That mysterious man not only severed Nord's arm, but also used a particularly powerful bomb to seriously injure "Grandmaster" Rocky.
However, she was quite confident in dealing with that kind of guy, saying, "That guy is only Third Tier fighter after all. Although he may have some secret techniques that give him Fourth Tier combat power, as long as he doesn't run into me. If he does, I'll make sure he doesn't leave alive!"
She paused, then added ominously, "I'm not afraid of him coming, I'm afraid of him not coming."
"Oh? That's wonderful!"
Upon hearing this, Young Master George felt much more at ease.
At that moment, as the two were talking, a violent commotion suddenly broke out at the front of the battle line, which had almost reached the center of the palace.
Thump, thump, thump
That was the sound of artillery firing.
Unless you encounter a large monster, you won't use that kind of thing at all.
Not long after the commotion was reported, someone came to report, "Young Master George, something terrible has happened! A huge two-headed black snake has appeared ahead, and it looks like the Snake King! Its venom is too potent; simple traps won't be enough to contain it. We need an expert to restrain it."
Upon hearing this, Young Master George glanced at the gray-robed sorcerer beside him.
Gisela an eyebrow and said, "I'll go take a look. That two-headed snake looks like some kind of ancient, rare species; it won't be easy to deal with."
In the distance, atop a broken stone pillar, a furtive figure was peering through binoculars, observing the battle.
This is naturally Rein, who has been watching the show for quite some time.
When he saw the giant serpent that had been coiled on the ceiling awaken, descend down the stone pillar to the ground, and join the battle, he finally knew that his chance had come.
Once the snake king joined the battle, it charged wildly and was unstoppable.
Just as Rein had guessed, this was a fifth-tier "Beast King," a ferocious beast in combat.
It crashed into swarms of medium-sized mech warriors, and the poisonous mist it spewed out could instantly turn low-level Transcendent into a puddle of thick water.
Ordinary firearms and swords struck its black jade-like scales, producing sparks, but they did not harm it in the slightest.
For a time, because of the snake king's entry into the battlefield, the hunters were completely overwhelmed and unable to fight back.
"Wow, this snake king is incredibly powerful!"
Seeing this, Rein smiled knowingly. He actually hoped the fight would be as intense as possible, ideally resulting in both sides being severely injured, so he could reap the benefits.
However, Rein also knew that the snake king's chances of winning were slim.
The experienced hunters did not confront the giant snake head-on, but quickly changed their defensive formation.
It must be said that the high-ranking members of these large Scavenger Gang recruited by City of Radiance are no ordinary people.
They also have sufficient experience in dealing with such emergencies.
After the Snake King charged into the position, the Scavenger Gang quickly regrouped.
They formed a defensive battle formation using mechs and heavy shields, but instead of completely blocking it, they transformed it into a series of "sharp knife" battle formations.
This battle formation is specifically designed to counter the impact of large magical beasts. The blades prevent the beasts from engaging in a head-on collision, and the interlocking shields deflect most of the impact force into the ground.
Even though the magical beasts possessed immense strength, when they crashed into the battle formation, the hunters suffered less than one-tenth of the impact force.
The giant serpent slithered among the sharp blades, unleashing a barrage of spells that could break defenses, corrode, and reduce resistance. Those whose scales were damaged would be cut without even realizing it.
Seeing the battle formation composed of dozens of "swords and blades," Rein knew that if the giant serpent did not flee, its defeat was already inevitable.
If it fails to break through the hunters' formation in time, then all that awaits it is to be worn down and killed.
After all, the amount of toxins is limited, and physical strength is also limited.
The giant snake's lightning speed was similar to a human's explosive martial arts technique; it was impossible for it to maintain such speed indefinitely.
Just like a certain high-protein substance in the human body, toxins can be expelled more often if they are stored for a longer period of time; once they are depleted, they cannot be replenished in a short period of time, so it is impossible to expel them indefinitely.
In the end, the hunters will win with their wisdom.
However, Rein still did not make a move, but patiently waited for an opportunity.
Although the snake king did not gain the upper hand, it was not at a disadvantage either, and it would not be killed in a short time.
If he were to seize the Holy Grail now, there's no guarantee the giant serpent wouldn't sense his presence and return to its lair.
The opposing Scavenger Gang's commander was also very experienced, and once the battle formation stabilized, the battle proceeded in an orderly manner.
The serpent king was trapped and died in the war, unable to escape.
Gradually, wounds appeared on its body, and scarlet blood flowed out.
Once the scales broke through the armor, the hunters knew exactly how to attack, concentrating their firepower to tear open the wounds and widen their advantage.
In this way, little by little, the snake king was reduced to a cornered beast, fighting desperately, and its defeat was already evident.
After more than half an hour, Rein saw through his telescope that a gray-robed sorcerer walked directly into the poisonous fog.
He knew the battle was about to end.
"Wow, that's amazing. It completely ignored the poisonous mist spewed by the Two-Headed Blind Snake."
Rein was amazed and naturally recognized the famous poison expert, "Poison Hand" Gisela.
This guy is a veteran powerhouse who has been famous for decades, and his poison resistance is naturally much higher than mine when I first awakened the [Voodoo Master] potion.
She completely ignored the venomous mist spewed by the snake king, recklessly moving through the area, detoxifying and saving people, and occasionally delivering a powerful blow to the snake king's massive body.
Her body was covered in a thick layer of green, paste-like substance, making her look like a melting chocolate.
It was because of this layer of mud that she remained unharmed even after being whipped by the snake's tail.
"This method is actually quite tricky."
Rein frowned slightly as he looked at that Transcendent ability.
The intelligence he obtained recorded this woman's ability, which was her signature Transcendent power, "Poison Mud Armor".
The Poison Master is a rather special Extraordinary Profession.
They are not like magicians, possessing abundant magical power; nor are they like melee fighters, possessing outstanding hand-to-hand combat abilities.
Overall, they are physically very weak.
However, they possess some strange abilities, such as this "Poison Mud Armor".
This is neither a "magic shield" nor an "elemental armor," but a protective mud garment formed from its own toxins.
This layer of poisonous mud offers far less defense than a magic shield, but it still provides significant damage reduction. However, it carries a deadly threat—a potent counter-poison!
If touched by external force, this layer of mud armor will explode like a punctured water balloon, splashing your face.
Once this ability is unleashed, it makes one virtually invincible against the vast majority of melee Transcendent. Like a hedgehog, it's impossible for ordinary people to even touch it.
The higher the level of poison cultivation, the more deadly this layer of mud armor becomes.
And the guy in front of us, Gisela, is someone who has mastered poison skills to the extreme!
Although she is only at the Fourth Tier of the Extraordinary Rank, she has an impressive record of poisoning a fifth-level Transcendent.
It's fair to say that among the Transcendent who use poison in this world, this guy's ability ranks in the top three.
Of course, the combat strength of the [Poison Master] varies.
Like these venomous insects, she was physically weak and had only one method of attack: poison.
She can kill fifth-tier Transcendent are unable to resist her poison.
If she encounters a poison that counters her abilities, perhaps Second Tier- or Third Tier Extraordinary could kill her.
Rein thought it was worth a try.
He was confident that his current toxin resistance was not low, and he was also interested in trying out this legendary master of poisons.
But reason told him that he couldn't confront this guy head-on right now.
Because he had never fought against it before and had no data analysis, he was not sure if his body could withstand that completely unfamiliar toxin.
Therefore, Rein is continuing to observe.
As time went by, the outcome of the battle was essentially decided.
The snake king was completely overwhelmed by the attrition-based attack strategy, unable to escape or break through the formation.
It was on its last legs, and its movement in the battle formation was becoming increasingly slow.
Since the outcome of the battle was already decided...
Those high-ranking officials who had previously sought refuge in the maze have now reappeared.
They wanted to witness the final scene of the slaughter of the giant serpent.
Through the binoculars, Rein spotted several familiar faces among the group.
The most eye-catching one was, of course, the Young Master George, surrounded by a group of guards, with his green hair.
Beside him, Gannix, chained up, looked ashen-faced.
"Huh?"
Upon seeing this Young Master George and Gannix, a bold idea suddenly flashed through Rein's mind.
In this noble Scavenger Gang, almost all the experts were currently dealing with the giant snake.
And it seems that he only has two Third Tier guards by his side?
Originally, Rein planned to forcefully seize the Holy Grail in front of these people, but now, it seems he has a better idea.
Having made his decision, he made no hesitation and quietly crept towards the crowd.
At this moment, although the battle is nearing its end, the temporary field hospital set up at the entrance on the second floor is bustling with activity.
Despite being surrounded by battle formations, the snake king still caused hundreds of casualties.
Corpses and wounded soldiers were being dragged back from the front lines in an endless stream, and cries of agony filled the air.
"Doctor! Quickly prepare the Antidote Potion!"
"Logistics team, take the seriously wounded down, and bring up two replacement teams of 100 men each. Hurry up, don't dawdle! That snake king is about to die, beware of its rampage."
"Those who are alright, lend a hand and lift the wounded. Those who are still breathing, administer the Antidote Potion first."
"."
Although the rescue scene was somewhat chaotic and the front line was very long.
Rein, who was mixed in with the swarm of insects, found a corner away from the main battlefield and hid there. Then, when the Serpent King went berserk and its tail swept across the battlefield, and the sand and gravel made it difficult to see, he quietly slipped into the group of wounded soldiers.
These noble Scavenger Gang were not all one team, but rather several large groups pieced together, and they did not all know each other.
Moreover, the passage down the maze had been guarded by their people, and no one would have expected that an outsider would infiltrate the swarm at this time.
The main force is focused on killing the snake king.
Rein carried a corpse and quietly infiltrated the field hospital.
Then, he quietly made his way to the vicinity of the Temporary Command Post at the Stone Gate.
Young Master George guarded, and Rein needed to wait for an opportunity.
The moment the Snake King was killed.
The battles on the front lines are fraught with danger, but here there is no sense of tension.
Young Master George was drinking coffee, taking the opportunity to humiliate Gannix.
"I never imagined that Lady Catherine had been hiding within the hunting party all along. It's such a pity that such a delicate beauty died in the mouth of insects, don't you think, Gannix?"
"Oh, look at you, trying to kill me?"
"Oh dear, what a pity, it was on a leash."
"."
No matter how humiliating it was, Gannix gritted his teeth and remained silent.
This guy is really pathetic. He doesn't want to be a proper rich young master, but instead spends all his time thinking about traveling, hunting in the wilderness, and becoming an adventurer.
You said you'd go hunting in the wilderness, so here we are, but this first real wilderness hunt has been plagued by all sorts of bad luck.
The ruins were indeed a dreamlike site, filled with treasures, monsters, and a wealth of unknown ancient civilization data waiting to be studied.
But then all sorts of messy plot points came along: betrayal by subordinates, encirclement and suppression, capture, forced confessions, and the loss of loved ones and partners.
Reality taught him a good lesson.
In just a few days, Gannix felt that his mind had matured far more than it had in the eighteen years he had lived.
Normally, upon hearing those insulting words, he would have definitely yelled that he would fight this green-haired guy in front of him.
But now, although he was angry, he was also very calm.
Humiliation?
I don't care anymore.
Given the opportunity.
I will definitely kill you!
Gannix suddenly understood what his teacher, Uncle Sam, meant by the threshold of the Third Tier of the Transcendent.
He also experienced a profound realization about life and death.
Unfortunately, it seems a bit too late now.
In his anger, Gannix was also overcome with grief.
Although she clung to a sliver of hope—that her mother had some insect repellent powder and a chance of survival—the Underground Palace was simply teeming with poisonous insects.
Thinking about this, a thought popped into his mind: If I could be as strong as Mr. Rein, then I could definitely protect my family too.
No matter how much he humiliated him, Gannix didn't react at all, which didn't bring Young Master George any pleasure.
At this point, his words became increasingly unrestrained as he continued to fantasize about his unfulfilled lewd thoughts, saying, "I was thinking that if I really caught her, I could enjoy the company of that beautiful president of the 'Redwood Merchant Guild'. It seems I won't have the chance. Hmm, then, won't you have to call me Father?"
After a pause, George added, "Haha. I never wanted a son as big as you."
Gannix listened, expressionless.
He suddenly realized that those words that would have once excited him were naive.
My heart was completely unmoved.
Instead of being provoked, he sneered and mocked, "George, you're nothing but a coward who hides among the guards. Heh, do you think I didn't see how scared you were that night? All you dare to do is spout nonsense. Do you dare to unlock my chains and fight me fairly?"
Having said that, his eyes showed no fear, and he retorted without any politeness, "Hmph, coward! You wouldn't dare!"
"You!!!"
George listened, as if something had been pierced, and his face instantly darkened.
Although he was a Second Tier mage, he had never been interested in learning any magic since childhood. He had completely forgotten all those complex and difficult incantations. How could he dare accept any duel?
He had no way to refute this.
Furious, George was extremely embarrassed.
Unable to find any words to refute him, he could only pick up the whip beside him and lash out at Gannix's face, shouting in a fit of rage, "You fucking want to die!"
Gannix was whipped, and a bloody welt immediately appeared on his handsome face.
He remained fearless, spitting out a mouthful of blood, and continued to mock, "Heh, a nobleman? I've seen plenty of nobles. But someone like you, who doesn't even have the courage to accept a duel, is a first."
"You"
Young Master George, unable to respond, turned purple with rage and could only keep whipping the child.
Snap, snap, snap
The crisp crack of the whip tore through the flesh and struck the bone.
Gannix showed no sign of pain, and even mocked in his hometown slang. "You really think you're an aristocrat just because you're dressed in aristocratic clothes? A toad is still a toad that can't be brought to the table. A coward like you doesn't deserve to be called an aristocrat!"
Young Master George was so angry that his face turned ashen, as if he had a dead rat stuck in his throat that he couldn't swallow or spit out. All he could manage to utter were dry, meaningless words. "You... you fucking want to die!"
I've been humiliating them for ages, and they haven't reacted at all.
Now, he was so angry because of those few words that he almost couldn't breathe.
Whether he was scared out of his wits or simply too afraid to accept the duel, it was a fact. Gannix's words were like sharp knives, each one stabbing into his heart.
Unable to win the argument, George could only keep whipping Gannix, who was bound by chains.
With the "Magic-Sealing Collar" on, Gannix couldn't circulate any fighting spirit at all. The whip struck his flesh with every lash, penetrating deep into his lungs and causing him serious injuries.
"Pooh!"
Even so, he still didn't back down, spitting a mouthful of bloody phlegm onto George, "Coward! I'm chained up now, and you still don't dare kill me?"
I'll kill you!
George was enraged, as if he had gone mad, repeatedly muttering these words. He was about to draw his sword and kill the man who had insulted him.
However, the worshippers around him stopped his crazy behavior.
Gannix cannot die until the exploration of the ruins is over.
After all, no one in the entire hunting team understood the Monkell Civilization better than him.
Gannix sneered repeatedly, looking at the sharp knife without any fear.
Even he himself didn't realize that his "Hero's Momentum" was already beginning to take shape.
Just as a verbal sparring farce was unfolding in the command post and couldn't be contained, cheers suddenly erupted from the front.
"They've killed them!"
"Haha, that snake king has been killed!"
"."
At the cost of hundreds of lives, the most threatening snake king was finally killed!
The hunters knew very well that there was usually only one beast king in a given area. The killing of this snake king meant that the greatest threat to this Underground Palace had been eliminated.
Victory is within reach.
The enormous snake carcass lay motionless on the ground, drawing everyone's attention.
At this moment, Young Master George's attempt to kill was stopped, and he realized that Gannix was deliberately trying to provoke him into killing, so his anger dissipated considerably.
"Snort!"
With a cold snort, George prepared to leave the command post.
Knowing that if he stayed any longer, he would only be mocked and humiliated by this guy, he decided to go and see the giant snake's corpse to clear his head.
Compared to empty talk, the gains from these ruins are the most important.
But after walking only a few steps, a person walking towards them suddenly alerted the guards around them.
The guard roared, "Halt! Which regiment are you from? What are you doing here instead of being on duty?!"
But by the time they discovered it, it was too late, as the two sides were already less than twenty meters apart.
The man who was stopped didn't speak; his long face was mostly obscured by a pig-face mask. But he also stopped, raising his eyes to give the Young Master George a half-smile.
Looking into those malicious eyes, George suddenly felt an overwhelming sense of familiarity, as if struck by lightning, and a terrifying thought flashed through his mind.
"It's that guy?!"
George was terrified; his mind was too slow to process the fear, but his body instinctively wanted to retreat behind the guards.
But then, a figure flashed before his eyes, and a large, iron-like hand gripped his neck.
Immediately, a cry for help, as loud as a duck's, echoed throughout the palace, "Help!"
Thanks to 'Qinglian Daoge' for the 4,500-coin reward, '20201125145104086', and 'LEB'. Thanks to everyone for their reward support. Thanks.