At dawn.
Deep in the Amazon Rainforest.
In the lush rainforest outside the secluded Settlement, a group of uninvited guests quietly surrounded them from all directions.
After approaching the outermost edge of the Settlement, they suddenly stopped.
Kenneth and Shay stood side by side, gazing at the small town shrouded in the morning mist.
Shay glanced at his watch and asked directly, "Should we just storm in?"
Kenneth shook his head in refusal. " Ernie is still inside."
"As expected, he should be brainwashed and controlled by the Dark Lord now."
Shay, seemingly enjoying the spectacle, raised an eyebrow and chuckled, "Ha, isn't that perfect? I've long disliked Ernie's serious, pretentious attitude!"
"This is a perfect opportunity to give him a good beating!"
Kenneth rolled his eyes and retorted, "Stop joking, Shay."
"OK! OK!" Shay smiled and shrugged. "You're the commander-in-chief of this operation, so you'll make the decisions."
Kenneth hesitated for a moment, then decisively ordered, " Shay and I will sneak in to find Ernie Polk. The rest of you are not allowed to act without authorization while under the cover of Stealth Technique."
And so, Kenneth and Shay Invisibility themselves and entered the mysterious Settlement shrouded in the morning mist.
Upon entering the Settlement, Kenneth was surprised to find that most of the buildings appeared to be quite old.
As he passed a two-story thatched Wooden Cabin, he even saw a stable that looked like it belonged to the Middle Ages.
Shay activated the Crimson Mana Resonance Secret Art, continuously searching for Ernie's location.
As they approached the stone mill in the small square of the Settlement, the Resonance Secret Art suddenly activated.
Shay immediately stopped and telepathically called out to Kenneth, " Kenneth, we've found Ernie!"
Kenneth was overjoyed and quickly asked, "Where is he?"
Shay held up the Resonance Array that floated in his palm, flashing red light continuously, and replied, "Fifty meters to the left front."
Kenneth immediately said, "Let's go!"
The two reactivated their Invisibility Magic and hurried towards the location sensed by the Resonance Array.
Soon, they arrived at a Wooden Cabin painted white.
Shay stopped and transmitted his voice, "This is it!"
Kenneth nodded, took a step to the door of the Wooden Cabin, and placed his hand on the door.
'Buzz~'
The air trembled slightly as if a gentle breeze were blowing, and ripples appeared on the wooden door like water.
Kenneth took the lead and disappeared through the wooden door.
Shay turned and stood in the doorway, cautiously observing his surroundings.
The Wooden Cabin was divided into three rooms: a living room, a bathroom, and Ernie's bedroom.
After entering the room, Kenneth first looked around.
The interior decoration was surprisingly simple. The central living room contained only a square table and four low stools. A deer head specimen hung on the wall opposite the Wooden Cabin door. Above the stove in the kitchen on the left, a greasy hemp rope stretched out, with several pieces of unfinished smoked meat and smoked fish hanging on it. On the right was a bedroom with its door closed.
A faint snoring sound could be heard coming from the bedroom.
The moment Kenneth heard the snoring, he immediately recognized it as Ernie.
He strode toward the bedroom, and two Crimson Mana rose from beneath his feet, eliminating the sound of his footsteps on the wooden planks.
I arrived at the bedroom door.
Kenneth reached out and pressed his hand against the bedroom door, then entered the bedroom in the same manner.
But the moment he entered the bedroom, the snoring on the bed suddenly stopped for a moment.
" Ernie ..."
Kenneth walked to the bedside and called out softly.
Ernie, who was lying in bed, suddenly sat up and opened his mouth to shout.
"Come..."
However, Kenneth had already made preparations.
He lunged at Ernie, grabbed him by the neck, and shoved him back onto the bed.
With his other hand, he covered Ernie's open mouth, preventing him from making a sound.
"Shh! Ernie, it's me, Kenneth!"
Ernie looked up at Kenneth, then suddenly began to struggle violently.
He struggled and shook his head violently, trying to shake off the hand covering his mouth.
"Waaaaah (Let me go)!"
"Waaaaah (Let me go)!"
Kenneth could only hug Ernie tightly and raise his voice as if to wake Ernie up.
"Hey Ernie, look closely, it's me! Kenneth!"
"I've come to save you!"
Ernie, however, acted as if he didn't recognize him at all and struggled even more frantically.
"Waaaaah (Let me go), waaaah (You bastard)!"
Seeing this, Kenneth couldn't help but lower his voice and curse, "Fuck! That damned Black Sovereign!"
"Waaaa (God)! Waaaaa (Save me)!" Ernie seemed to realize that Kenneth was difficult to deal with, and immediately prayed to the Black Sovereign for help.
Kenneth's heart skipped a beat, and he chopped Ernie in the neck with a chop, knocking him unconscious.
Soon, he carried the unconscious Ernie out of the Wooden Cabin.
" Ernie?!" Recognizing that the person Kenneth was carrying on his shoulder was Ernie Polk, Shay asked in confusion, "How did you knock him out, Kenneth?"
Kenneth, his face dark, cursed, "He's been brainwashed and controlled; he doesn't recognize us at all now."
"I had no choice but to knock him out first."
Shay understood. "Let's retreat."
The two turned and retreated along the route they had come from.
But they hadn't walked far before they had to stop.
The road ahead was blocked by more than a dozen men carrying guns.
"Fuck! We've been exposed!" Shay cursed under his breath.
Since he had already been exposed, he simply broke out of his stealth state and revealed himself.
Shay glanced at the guns held by the men blocking the way and sneered, "You think you can stop us with just a dozen or so old relics that should have been in a museum long ago?"
The dozen or so men blocking the road remained silent, simply releasing the safety, raising their guns, and aiming, their right index fingers resting on the triggers.
Their series of movements were as synchronized as robots.
At that moment, Kenneth's ears twitched, and he immediately warned, " Shay, don't waste time! More people are coming!"
"OK!" Shay formed a hand seal and stomped his foot on the ground.
'Splash~'
Suddenly, a wave of dust rose from the ground and rushed rapidly toward the people blocking their way.
These roadblocks didn't even glance at the ground; as if receiving some command, they pulled the triggers immediately.
'Bang! Bang! Bang!'
The smoke from the burning primer mingled with the morning mist, and more than ten bullets, trailing orange-red flames, shot towards Shay and his companion after leaving the barrel.
Shay's Hand Seal changes.
Their fingers intertwined, then they pulled sharply outwards.
'Whoosh!'
A Crimson Veil was instantly drawn open.
The dozen or so bullets lost all kinetic energy the moment they Crimson Veil.
The first volley failed, but the expressions of those blocking the way remained unchanged.
'Click!'
They pulled the bolt, ejected the spent cartridge, and prepared to reload.
Shay's attack has arrived!
The earth surged to the feet of the person blocking the way and suddenly exploded.
'boom!'
More than a dozen people blocking the way were instantly sent flying!
" Kenneth, the passage is open, let's go!"
Shay, holding up the Crimson Veil, took the lead and ran out of the Settlement.
Kenneth followed closely behind, carrying the unconscious Ernie on his shoulder.
'Click!'
He caught the sound of a gun being cocked and immediately raised his hand to make a swipe.
'Whoosh!'
A Crimson Veil unfurled behind him.
'Bang! Bang! Bang!'
The hail of bullets fired from behind all struck the Crimson Veil, losing all kinetic energy as they plummeted to the ground.
The two moved with incredible speed, and in the blink of an eye, they had run out of the Settlement and disappeared into the Lush rainforest.
'Click! Click! Click!'
In the morning mist, a dense, dark crowd marched in orderly steps to the spot where the people who had blocked their way had been.
'Whoosh! Bang!'
They suddenly stopped, their long spears landing on the ground.
'Splash!'
A series of noises came from the houses that had been smashed open on both sides of the road.
The few surviving roadblocks limped out of the breach and automatically joined the silent queue.
'Whoosh!'
The crowd automatically parted to create a passage wide enough for three people.
Then, a series of unhurried footsteps sounded.
The Mysterious Man with short black hair and a thin build walked to the front of the group.
He looked in the direction where Shay and the other man had fled, his golden eyes flashing twice.
"Go back."
The Mysterious Man said softly.
The crowd turned around abruptly and scattered away.
Just then, the sky began to brighten in the distance.
As the dawn broke through the morning mist, the sunlight revealed the white eyes and blank expressions of these people.
After returning to the Arbiter Legion, which was hiding in the rainforest, Shay and Kenneth immediately sent Ernie back to headquarters.
Shay looked up at the sky and said, "It's dawn. It's time to attack."
Upon hearing this, Kenneth revealed a sinister smile.
He turned around and looked at the Settlement, which was gradually revealing its full form as the morning mist dissipated.
" Arbiter Legion, heed my command!"
The Arbiter, now Stealth Technique, abruptly straightened up and raised their right hands to pound their chests.
Kenneth suddenly waved his hand and roared, "Attack! Leave no one alive!"
"Drink!" the Arbiter roared excitedly, their bodies suddenly glowing with crimson light.
They dashed out of the Stealth Technique's range and charged into the Settlement like galloping horses.
At that moment, a whirlwind rose beneath the feet of Kenneth and Shay, who had been motionless.
"Whoosh!"
They took flight and flew into the Settlement at an even greater speed.
"Kill! Kill! Kill!"
The first to storm the Settlement were the most fanatical and warlike Berserker in the Arbiter Legion.
After entering the Settlement, instead of proceeding along the Settlement, they brandished heavy Crimson Weapon such as Mace, Great Hammer, and Two-handed Longsword, destroying buildings along their path and bulldozing everything in their path.
Filled with a boiling, war-loving fervor, they failed to notice that they hadn't encountered a single enemy blocking their way through the buildings they destroyed.
Once all the Arbiter have entered the Settlement area.
The Mysterious Man had been standing quietly in place, grinned, his lips curving into an exaggerated arc.
'Buzz!'
His eyes suddenly shone with golden light!
All the Arbiter felt a sudden jolt in their heads, and became dizzy and disoriented.
Most of the Arbiter, after enduring for a few seconds, lost consciousness and fell into darkness.
Only the Berserker, wielding their weapons and smashing through walls of obstruction, are still struggling to resist the invasion of foreign consciousness.
Their faces gradually turned ferocious, and the fighting spirit in their minds surged.
"From my mind..."
"Get... out!"
The Berserker roared, their eyes instantly turning bloodshot.
They brandished their weapons and, with even greater ferocity than before, went on a rampage, destroying everything in their path.
'Boom!!!'
The mournful cries of collapsing buildings echoed around them.
The Mysterious Man's smug smile froze for a moment.
Anger flashed across his face, and he snorted angrily, "No one can defy the will of God!"
Suddenly, strange golden patterns appeared on the Mysterious Man's face, and the golden light in his eyes shot out a foot in an instant.
Those Berserker, brandishing their weapons and wreaking havoc on everything around them, suddenly felt a sharp pain in their minds.
The previously boiling fighting spirit was instantly extinguished.
Their heads slumped, and they all lost consciousness.
The Mysterious Man grinned, threw his head back, and laughed wildly, "Hahahaha! That's it!"
"There is no one in this world..."
"No one can defy... the will of God!"
Suddenly, a roar echoed from the sky.
"Bullshit God's will!"
Two dark figures plummeted straight down from a height of ten thousand meters, accompanied by a piercing shriek!
"What?!"
The Mysterious Man suddenly tilted his head back, staring intently at the two approaching shadowy figures, and then revealed an expression of disbelief.
"It's you?!"
"You guys just now clearly..."
His mind went blank, and he took control of ' Shay ' and ' Kenneth ' within the Settlement.
The next second, these two 'people' shattered like a dream.
"This is impossible!!!"
The Mysterious Man was both shocked and furious, shouting angrily.
Suddenly, Shay and Kenneth, who were plummeting through the air, began to spin in opposite directions, turning into a spiraling descent.
'Bear!'
A surge of Crimson Mana Flame erupted from their bodies.
Then, the two suddenly passed each other, ending up back-to-back, pressed tightly together.
"Bear!"
The two burning Crimson Mana Flame instantly merged into a larger and more surging Crimson Mana Flow Flame.
'Buzz!'
The Crimson Flow Flame rapidly shifted and changed shape, gradually transforming into the form of a Spear.
The moment the Spear took shape, it suddenly unleashed an extremely terrifying power.
In an instant, the Mysterious Man felt a chill run through his body, and his heart pounded wildly!
"I'm scared?!"
He raised his hand in disbelief and covered his chest.
Feeling his heart pounding wildly, the Mysterious Man's face gradually twisted into a ferocious grimace.
"Impossible!"
He gritted his teeth and shouted sharply, "I am a god!"
The Mysterious Man suddenly clenched his fists, and intricate golden patterns lit up his skin inch by inch.
"God is neither... nor can He be afraid!"
'boom!'
His body suddenly erupted with a powerful aura.
Terrifying flames erupted from its golden eyes.
"Bring it on!"
"Feel the true... Will of God!"
As Shay and Kenneth plummeted downwards, they felt as if they had been struck hard on the head by Great Hammer.
"Hmm!"
The two of them couldn't help but let out a muffled groan, their minds suddenly scattered.
The Energy Spear suddenly trembled, and the terrifying power emanating from its shaft instantly vanished.
" Kenneth!" Shay shouted through the excruciating pain, "Hang in there!"
"Don't worry!" Kenneth roared through gritted teeth, his face contorted with rage. "I... am... the Lord's... first believer!"
"Drink it!!!"
He suddenly roared, and together with Shay, quickly stabilized the fused Mana flames.
" Shay!"
Shay responded with a sneer, "Here they come!"
The two clasped their arms tightly together and shouted at the same time:
"Take this—Death's Spear!!!"