"Captain, don't you think the higher-ups are overreacting a little? We've guarded this godforsaken place for years and haven't seen a single soul."
A young squad member quietly complained to his captain as they patrolled.
"Cut the chatter!"
The captain glared at him. "Stay sharp! This place is too important for you to take responsibility for anything going wrong!"
No sooner had he spoken—
Without warning, all of Mangshan shook violently!
It was as though a Primordial Behemoth deep underground had abruptly rolled over.
"What's going on? An earthquake?!"
Every squad member's expression changed, and they immediately readied themselves for combat.
But before they could react—
Riiip!
The sky overhead suddenly split like fragile glass, an invisible force tearing open a pitch-black rift a hundred meters long!
Inside the rift raged chaotic spatial turbulence and eerie violet lightning that made their hearts pound.
The next second—
Seven figures radiating overwhelming demonic energy stepped out of the rift and hovered above Mangshan's summit!
Leading them was the woman in black wearing the Mercury Weeping Grief Mask and holding the Thunderfire Rapier—
Zero!
Behind her stood six terrifying figures in black High Priest Robes, their auras likewise at the National Authority Level!
The Ancient Gods Church had deployed seven of its strongest National Authority Level fighters at once!
"E-enemy attack!!!"
The garrison captain on the ground stared at the seven figures looming in the sky like gods and demons. Terrified out of his wits, he mustered all his strength to activate the highest-level alarm.
The piercing alarm instantly rang throughout the Mangshan base.
"Open fire!!"
Boom! Boom! Boom!
Dozens of automated defense turrets concealed within the mountain simultaneously unleashed a dense storm of metal at the enemies overhead.
Yet a tall, thin priest behind Zero merely snorted in disdain.
He extended a