The Sunlight King Aldrich Takes the Stage

As dawn broke, the area in front of the portal to the Zane Dungeon was at its busiest.

Most adventurers need to sleep and rest, and those who can come to the dungeon at 3 o'clock sharp are all top-tier players. Most people get up around 5 or 6 in the morning to come over.

Of course, if you can get a bed in Lake Liurnia, then you can sleep until seven or eight o'clock and then get to work.

Normally, adventurers would line up to enter the dungeon at this time, but today, the adventurers in line all made way for the portal.

Because they wanted to send another team, carrying everyone's expectations, into the dungeon.

The Aldrich Extermination Team, a joint force comprised of the Dark Moon Blade and the Adventurers' Guild!

I thought the team would disband after defeating Pontiff Sulyvahn's Phantom, but I never expected to reunite. Moreover, the team's composition has become even more impressive, with some well-known members joining in addition to the outstanding performers from the last team.

People watched the procession and discussed it amongst themselves.

"Hey, look, is that burly guy the Gold-level 'Giant Gate' Ba La? I thought he wouldn't show his face this year."

"Is that the one next to him also a Gold-rank adventurer, 'Mad Blade' Ai Li?"

"With the addition of the Hasawi Squad and Guild Master Sid, is this team just overflowing with gold-level players?!"

Fingel was walking at the front, looked back at the team. Including him, there were six Gold-Rank Adventurer, as well as strong players like Elsa, Da Er, and Leon, whose strength had already reached the gold level, and a group of elites among elites.

To put it bluntly, this team is more than capable of challenging the 100-player raid boss Full Moon Queen's Mimic Tear, and their chances of victory are extremely high.

These gold-level experts were all recruited by Fingel through his connections; these were the only ones who could arrive in a short time.

He had intended to use his personal connections to ask these high-ranking officials for help, but unexpectedly, Princess Serena, far away in the Leyndell, somehow learned of the situation and sent him a large sum of money for the event, telling him it was a sponsorship fee with only one condition:

Tear Aldrich to pieces.

As a result, he didn't rely on personal connections; he simply threw money at people until they came to help. Even gold-level people need money sometimes.

I must visit the Leyndell sometime to thank Princess Serena in person.

The Adventurers' Guild of Bede City also provided a lot of help. To his complete surprise, the small Bede City was full of hidden talents. In addition to the usual few, Sid was able to pull out a few unexpected masters.

This team is definitely more valuable than the team that challenged Sulyvahn Phantom; even Lu Lu Wo was almost eliminated.

Just as Fingel was lost in thought, one of the adventurers standing on either side of the portal, watching them leave, shouted:

"You have to win, Brother Fingel!"

The crowd immediately became even more lively, with voices rising and falling.

"Give our share to Aldrich too!"

"Let that lump of mud see what we're made of!"

Sid looked around and laughed, "This is quite a lively scene."

"When we returned after killing the demons, the locals saw us off in the same way." Da Er stroked the Poké Ball, which contained his companion, the giant wolf.

Elsa, under Lu Lu Wo's coercion, raised her hands and waved them at the crowd. Her emotions, which had recovered over the past few days, were enough to make her feel ashamed of the action, and her face turned slightly red.

As Fingel waved back to the crowd's enthusiasm, he noticed a few people in the crowd whose expressions were not very pleasant; they were clearly from the Holy Light Church.

His smile widened even more.

Not long after.

After passing through the portal and taking a while to arrive in Anor Londo, people were making final preparations in front of the Fog Gate.

The process was no different from the last time we challenged the Sulyvahn Phantom. This time, because of the presence of several powerful opponents, the atmosphere was slightly more relaxed than before.

"Everyone, thank you so much for coming to help me today."

Fingel sincerely thanked everyone, revealing a newfound sense of responsibility and reliability, a stark contrast to his usual carefree demeanor.

"Giant Gate" Ba La patted him on the shoulder and said with a smile, "This time I'm doing this for money. Don't forget I still owe you a life-saving favor. If you need anything else, just come to me."

"Mad Blade" Ai Li nodded as well; they all had some connection with Fingel.

"Um!"

He nodded emphatically, looked at Sid, and said:

"Guild Master, we are ready. Please begin."

"Good."

Sid activated his magic, and Magic Array of all sizes immediately appeared on the ground. Judging by their scale, there were even more magic circles than the Buff Magic he had cast on Solaire!

However, since the effects of these spells were distributed among everyone, the pressure on everyone was not too great, and they were finally able to enjoy the thrill of the monkey show.

Applying such a large-scale and high-intensity Buff Magic to this group of powerful individuals is by no means an easy task for Sid. Why would he do it?

Nonsense, just look at the Silence Edict on Fingel's back; people are carrying an unusually large number of different potions today.

When they felt a continuous surge of power surging within their bodies, Sid's enhancement magic ritual was complete. Without wasting a moment, they swiftly and decisively stepped into the Fog Gate.

The eerie chewing sounds, the churning and writhing sounds, the strange laughter that seemed to come from nowhere, and the reappearance of Gwyndolin's mangled body, surrounded by black mud in mid-air.

Even with mental preparation, people who encounter this scene for the first time inevitably feel a sense of oppression, except for a few.

Fingel thought of Yorshka, who was unaware that Gwyndolin had been killed and was still hoping for her return.

Thinking of this, his gaze toward Aldrich was filled with nothing but pure killing intent.

Elsa reacted the most directly; she immediately bristled, her eyes instantly brightening, and the emotional recovery she made in that moment was more effective than it had been over the past week!

"Let's go, everyone!"

As everyone unleashed their ultimate moves in unison, a dark shield appeared around Aldrich, this time appearing thicker and harder to break than ever before.

The churning black, rotting flesh inside the hall could no longer be described as "layers"; it was practically an ocean of decaying flesh. The adventurers' increased strength had also led Aldrich to make changes.

Powerful monsters are constantly appearing in the ocean, some even belonging to the Dark Souls universe, the worst being Lion Hybrid.

Their common characteristic is that they emerge from the sea of rotting flesh, and after striking the adventurer with all their might, they melt and disappear without a trace. If these monsters cannot be killed in one blow, the rotting flesh cannot be cleared away!

This was undoubtedly a test of both power control and reaction speed. Meanwhile, Aldrich was already charging up Darkmoon Arrow Rain in the distance. The rotting flesh near Gwyndolin's remains coalesced into arms, one hand holding a magic staff and the other a long-handled weapon. Every now and then, he would unleash a barrage of Darkmoon magic upon the group.

But Fingel, who was under the Silence Edict, showed no intention of using it at this moment!

"Watch this!" Giant Gate Ba La slammed his weapon, which resembled a giant iron gate, onto the ground, instantly creating a huge golden semi-circular shield in front of him. In an instant, it enveloped everyone. The Dark Moon magic attack struck the shield, and after a fierce collision, it was actually broken down into countless tiny magical particles. These particles were then condensed by Ba La's power and transformed into magical missiles to counterattack Aldrich!

This is Ba La's signature move, which is similar to the Golden Retribution with increased range but weakened power!

Mad Blade Ai Li Si stood still, sheathed her sword, and several ferocious monsters pounced from all directions.

A flash of red sword light, and she appeared a few steps away, while blood-red Execute lines appeared on the heads of the demons.

With a "snap," a large chunk of rotten flesh was instantly removed from the spot.

Da Er's fighting style was the most unpretentious yet also the most deadly, as he slayed monsters with his Farron Greatsword, which was smeared with Fire Grease. But then, turning his head, he couldn't help but sigh and call out to his giant wolf:

"Don't eat rotten meat, or you'll get an upset stomach."

Elsa's greatsword caught fire again, but this time the flames were only a thin layer, as she was consciously controlling the burning speed.

Each adventurer displayed their unique skills, appearing quite dashing.

However, looking at the entire hall, the amount of rotting flesh they had removed was only a drop in the ocean, and the scene looked rather despairing.

Whether the adventurers' attacks reached a critical point or not, the monster vanished instantly, replaced by a tidal wave of rotting flesh and bones crashing towards the group.

Ba La unleashed the shield's full power, and with Sid's support, the golden shield became the only safe island in the sea of rotting flesh!

It was blocked successfully!

As the first wave receded and the next wave had yet to form, Elsa suddenly appeared in front of Aldrich, her greatsword's flames surging as she slashed fiercely at the thin layer of dark shield that remained.

"Boom--"

It's shattered! The shield is shattered!

The rotting flesh reluctantly returned to stillness, Aldrich lost his ability to move for a brief moment. Seizing this opportunity, Ba La forcefully pushed the huge egg-shaped shield like a cannonball and charged at it. The moment the shield dissipated, everyone who had been waiting in ambush unleashed their strongest attacks on Aldrich.

Nearly a quarter of that enormous mountain of rotting flesh visibly evaporated!

"Everyone, step back immediately!"

Suddenly, Fingel shouted and exchanged a glance with Sid, who immediately unleashed a large amount of magic power, creating a magical barrier even thicker than Ba La's shield that enveloped the group of people gathered together.

The next second, the sea of rotting flesh erupted like a fountain, spewing out countless spikes, mixed with dark moon magic and erupting pillars of fire. Aldrich's figure twisted amidst the burning flames, looking as ferocious as a demon from hell.

People knew that this meant the other party was about to transform into the Sunlight King form.

The flames continued to burn in the hall. As the fire gradually weakened, the magical barrier constructed by Sid was still thin. The power that Aldrich unleashed during his transition was also surprisingly strong.

"Next is territory we've never explored before! Everyone, be careful!"

The King Rank that no one has ever defeated to this day; in fact, it is difficult for anyone to even survive for a certain period of time in its presence.

But this time, Fingel believes he has a chance of winning, not only because of the Silence Edict and the powerful figures, but also because...

Aldrich is weaker than the Farron Undead Legion!

Gwyndolin's mangled body fired Dark Moon Arrow into the sky, instantly shrouding the hall in dark clouds. Large swaths of Arrow Rain rained down, but compared to a fully charged Arrow Rain, these smaller arrows were far less lethal, unable to even cover the entire hall, always providing people with a corner to hide in.

Smough, a rotting flesh engulfed in flames, burst onto the battlefield, forcing several adventurers to distract themselves while the others focused on Aldrich.

In its King Rank, it abandoned the Dark Barrier, wielding a long-handled weapon with both arms. The chilling power of the Darkmoon gathered on the blade, and the Darkmoon Longbow, controlled by its rotting flesh, fired arrows into the sky.

People tentatively attacked him, but magical light suddenly shone from beneath his massive, rotting body, and Aldrich immediately burrowed into the ground and disappeared!

"Careful!"

On the other side, he appeared behind the adventurer who was locked in fierce combat with Smough, and swiftly swung his weapon down!

"I'll do it!" Ba La quickly activated his shield, and after a flash of lightning, Aldrich disappeared again, while Ba La remained.

His protective shield shattered, and not only that, but deep cuts were also made on his Greatshield. His whole body was stained with a faint aura of darkness, and he quickly took out the Aura Moss Ball and ate it.

Elusive and powerful, these are the hallmarks of Aldrich, the Sunlight King.

He constantly appeared on the battlefield, always catching people off guard. With the help of the rotting flesh he controlled, they had no way to fight back on their home turf.

However, this situation will not last long.

As the flames surged again, Aldrich emerged from the center of the inferno. At that moment, people noticed that his Darkmoon Longbow had been charging for a long time and was about to unleash Arrow Rain capable of annihilating the entire field.

"This is the moment!"

Sid cast Buff Magic on people for the last time, Fingel followed suit, waving Silence Edict at Aldrich!

The surface of the magic wand imbued with the Silence Edict immediately cracked. When it shattered completely, a pure black wave enveloped the entire area in a very short time. Anyone who came into contact with this wave could no longer feel the magic power within their body!

Sid suddenly felt incredibly heavy, Fingel also staggered. The feeling of having their magical connection forcibly severed was truly unpleasant.

But some people are suffering even more than them!

The magic was canceled in an instant, like a brilliant rant stuck in his throat. For Aldrich, who was preparing to unleash a powerful spell, this was enough to plunge him into a prolonged period of confusion.

Taking advantage of this perfect opportunity, people rushed forward to attack, each strike feeling like tearing flesh from the opponent's body, and the effect of the attack was quite obvious!

If the opponent can stand still and let them attack for two minutes, no, just one minute, they can kill them!

But just a few seconds later, the enemy moved again.

The most obvious manifestation is—

His body has disintegrated!

The body, made of rotting flesh, suddenly exploded into fragments that flew in all directions. Gwyndolin's remains fell to the ground, Fingel, as if possessed, ran forward to catch them.

The others used various methods to attack the scattered pieces of flesh. Each piece of flesh destroyed caused real damage to Aldrich, but there were so many pieces of flesh that, without magic, the effect of hacking with only melee weapons could be explained as minimal.

Sid suddenly sensed danger. He turned sharply to look at Fingel, who was about to catch Gwyndolin, and shouted, "Something's wrong, get out of the way!"

The next moment, fleshy spikes erupted from the ground. They didn't do much damage, but they were enough to disrupt the battlefield. The dense, towering spikes formed a jungle that blocked out the view. Combined with the smoke and dust from the burning flames, nothing could be seen at all.

Elsa wielded her greatsword with all her might to clear away the spikes and finally met the other adventurers, but in the blink of an eye, she counted them.

It seems like two people are missing?

As the rotting flesh gathered under everyone's gaze, Aldrich reappeared, with Gwyndolin's remains still on his body, but Fingel was nowhere to be seen.

Matilda searched everywhere, but she couldn't find her captain.

Aldrich's body became even more bloated and enormous, with rotting flesh forming hundreds of hands and feet, transforming him into a monstrous, burning creature that charged rapidly toward the people, stirring up black mud, and spewing spikes and flames wherever he went.

"Megamorph? It might actually be easier to deal with in this form!"

After calming down and analyzing the situation, people realized that adventurers were better at dealing with huge, solid monsters, while humanoid or even small monsters were actually more troublesome to deal with.

But people soon realized they had been too optimistic.

After the enemy completed its charge, its massive, deformed body plunged into the sea of rotting flesh. The next moment, smaller versions of it emerged from several directions and crashed into the crowd. The spikes that formed in its path hardened and created high walls, instantly dividing the battlefield!

An Aldrich appeared before each person, but the difference was that only the original Aldridge took over Gwyndolin's remains; the other clones did not.

As luck would have it, the clone was right in front of Elsa at that moment.

Looking at the pitch-black monster, Elsa's greatsword burst into flames. She quickly calmed herself down and controlled the burning speed, but her brows furrowed.

Beyond the spiked walls, the cries of adventurers echoed, filled with doubt, surprise, fear, and anger. What could possibly drive them to this?

Just then, a Great Carian straight into the sky, proving that the Weapon Skill was still usable. Leon shouted:

Watch your step!

What?

Before Elsa could even look down at her feet, Aldrich suddenly swung his weapon wildly, leaving a very obvious opening.

Anyone who sees an opening will instinctively want to attack. Such openings are even more precious in battles between strong individuals, and Elsa instinctively wanted to rush over.

But the next second, she felt something "bite" her legs hard.

It was a hand, countless strips of rotting flesh forming Black Hand!

They clung tightly to Elsa's legs, pulling her downwards with all their might. It seemed as if the entire power of the sea of rotting flesh was concentrated on them, making it impossible for her to resist for even a moment—

Aldrich suddenly appeared in front of him, his massive body slamming down!

"Thump—"

As if she had fallen into a viscous ocean, Elsa's world turned black in an instant, and she fell into a swarm of rotting flesh.

The feeling of being devoured kept coming from all around her, but the pressure prevented her from raising her arms, and she could only fall helplessly.

No wonder I felt like two people were missing; they had been dragged into the rotting flesh.

She'll probably be completely devoured soon. Quickly, think of a way to escape.

When her left arm was completely devoured, Elsa still couldn't think of a way out. Her greatsword was nowhere to be found, and the immense pressure on her body felt like a thousand people stacked on top of each other. Aldrich seemed to be targeting her specifically.

Damn it, Aldrich, your fighting style is despicable! Is this what you call Sunlight King? He's a hideous monster!

She sank to the bottom, her back hitting the hard ground.

More rotting flesh emerged from the ground and tightly enveloped her, leaving her with even less chance to resist.

Rage surged within her, and the desire to tear her enemy to pieces reached its peak. However, this anger was not enough; it was not enough to bring her to the critical point of transformation. She needed more stimulation!

Suddenly, something heavy and hard fell from above, looking like a burly person. She still had the strength to struggle, but she couldn't escape the fate of gradually sinking, and it looked like it was about to hit Elsa.

She struggled to open her eyes and finally saw who it was.

It was Matilda from Hasawi Squad.

When their eyes met, Matilda's eyes showed obvious panic, the reason for which...

Her armor disintegrated in an instant, and her body instantly transformed from a burly man into a girl next door; her strength to struggle vanished in an instant.

And this armor finally came to the person it had longed for.

Elsa donned the weapon "Hell March".