novelraw Chapter 457: The Mysterious Third Tier-Five
Chapter 457: The Mysterious Third Tier-Five
Chen Qi felt his body roaring, his frame like burning steel being hammered by a giant mallet.
[Your Constitution has increased by 50 points, Strength by 50 points.]
[You have obtained the Mad Dragon Body talent!]
[You have contracted the Gluttonous Demon mutation disease. Your Deep Sea Monster talent has absorbed and suppressed this power. You have gained moderate Goblet affinity comprehension. Your appetite has increased. Absorption of Transcendent food increased by 20%.]
Chen Qi instantly felt the bones within his body become scalding hot, like steel tempered a thousand times.
"This is the rift unique item, Gluttonous Hand."
In such a short time, directly gaining the bonuses of a Berserker and a Goblet affinity talent!
Chen Qi stretched his muscles and bones, glancing at the slumbering Red Dragon.
The Red Dragon at this moment seemed completely drained of juice. His formidable muscles had atrophied, his entire spiritual energy source had collapsed, leaving him only at the fourth tier.
Gluttonous Hand could cause a permanent reduction in the power of a fifth-tier Transcendent.A weapon that fed on the essence power of Titans and fifth-tier beings... Chen Qi looked at the unremarkable, withered hand in his grasp.
Without a doubt, this was absolutely a divine artifact.
Unfortunately, time was pressing, and he couldn't fully drain the Red Dragon's power!
Chen Qi had the Book Saint properly restrain the Red Dragon and turned his gaze to the battlefield ahead.
Under the combined assault of the Deep-Sea Twelve-Tentacles and the Black Sea Mammoth, the Black Blood Empire's fleet had been annihilated.
Aside from the Red Dragon, the entire fleet didn't even have a single fourth-tier!
This meant the Black Blood Empire and the Blackfin Crew had thrown all their military might into the battle for Moonstone City.
This was an all-in gamble!
Chen Qi said:
"Aslina."
Aslina adjusted her round-framed glasses:
"Black Hunter, the battle is tense. You go to the battlefield first. I need to spend some time in the rift workshop to forge your final weapon for you."
"You're just looking for a chance to run away, aren't you?"
Chen Qi looked speechlessly at the Book Saint's serious face.
Aslina had never been this proactively enthusiastic before.
During the time spent forging in the rift workshop, the Book Saint had consumed a massive amount of spiritual energy. Her current strength was only at a feeble fifth-tier level.
The Book Saint gave a slight smile:
"You guessed it! Little Black Hair!"
That's not up to you!
Without hesitation, Chen Qi used his thick Ember's Touch tentacles to wrap around the Book Saint, firmly enveloping her within the tendrils.
The Book Saint roared loudly:
"Hey! Don't use these ugly, slimy things to wrap around this Saint! At the very least! Don't let outsiders see! Absolutely not!!"
"Let's go, Aslina!"
Ignoring Aslina's wails, Chen Qi jumped onto the head of the Coastal Apex Predator. After instructing the garrison at the shelter, he headed towards Moonstone City.
They had already spent quite some time.
He hoped they were still in time... Chen Qi thought to himself.
...
Thousands of artillery shells streaked across the sea towards Moonstone City, aimed directly at Noah's Wall, stirring up brilliantly dazzling fireworks!
Boom rumble rumble—
The war between the Black Blood Empire and Moonstone City had entered a white-hot intensity from the very beginning.
And upon the pitch-black sea, a hundred-meter black ship sailed forth.
Upon this black ship were a full twelve fourth-tier Transcendents!
Counting the fourth-tier Transcendents the Black Blood Empire had transferred from various battlefields, the current total number of fourth-tier Transcendents was sixty-one, reaching an extremely astonishing scale!
Meanwhile, Madame Oli and Hayer had also gathered many powerful individuals from coastal cities.
However, unfortunately, coastal cities upon the great sea were facing severe crises.
Just the two cities adjacent to Moonstone City had experienced catastrophic collapses of land-based A-rank rifts.
Many cities were struggling to protect themselves, making it difficult to rush aid to Moonstone City.
In the end, relying on vast amounts of money and Transcendent resources, the fourth-tier Transcendents they managed to summon numbered only forty-one.
This number was a full twenty less than the Black Blood Empire's!
Not to mention, the enemy also possessed the Black God's Weapons potion, a power derived from fringe deities.
"This must be an army of a hundred thousand, right?"
"Are you kidding me? Mobile city-states have arrived! The Black Blood Empire only has one maritime mobile city-state, doesn't it?"
Watching the fleet of War Ships pressing forward like a black cloud, everyone's hearts were pounding rapidly.
Madame Oli stood atop the city wall. At this moment, she wore her hair in a dashing ponytail, clad in the Magic Bullet Family's azure light armor, with a Type-50 Truth Magic Bullet Cannon by her side.
Upon learning the news of her husband White Seagull's death, Madame Oli had not fallen into despair but had rallied herself.
Now, she seemed as if she had grown ten years younger, her eyes filled with unwavering determination.
Her long hair danced in the wind as she raised high the Magic Bullet Gun:
"Everyone, do not worry! The great Ice Witch has come to support us!"
"Moreover, in the history of Beiguo, Noah's Wall upon the sea has never had a record of being breached!"
"Hayer's Invisible Hand will protect you!"
"Let them witness the resilience of Beiguo!"
Fifty Truth Magic Bullet Cannons fired!
Within the range of the magic bullets, all is truth!
Accompanied by thousands of explosions upon the sea, the war commenced in earnest.
A fleet led by ten fourth-tier Transcendents sortied from Noah's Wall, advancing to intercept the black ships.
Although they were inferior in the number of fourth-tiers.
However, they were on the defensive.
Upon Noah's Wall were two thousand magic bullet cannons and twenty Annihilation Magic Beam Cannons.
And upon the distant colossal War Ship.
The Blood Lion stood at the ship's bow, like a male lion surveying his territory, looking down upon the sea ablaze with artillery fire.
What a delightful smell of gunpowder smoke! The Blood Lion took a deep breath of the smoke and asked:
"War Messenger, report your mission!"
A woman with a fiery figure adjusted her red-framed glasses:
"Blood Lion, sir, based on my current spiritual energy detection, Moonstone City currently has a total of forty-one fourth-tiers, and fifty war-grade mecha with fourth-tier combat strength!
Among them, there are at least two rift weapons capable of directly harming you.
One of them is the Magic Bullet Family's rift weapon—the Despair Magic Bullet Gun, controlled by Madame Oli. You must always be wary of sniping.
Two fifth-tiers: the Ice Witch and the Invisible Hand, Hayer."
War Messenger Aili was a specialized Disaster Messenger of the Black Blood Empire, possessing extremely formidable reconnaissance abilities.
She was only twenty years old but was a veteran of the Black Blood Empire who had participated in twenty-one campaigns.
Close to a hundred fourth-tier combatants... The Blood Lion stroked his beard:
"As expected, the Black Hunter isn't here. What a pity..."
Then, he flung the red cape behind him aside and declared loudly:
"Blood Hunter, you target Moonstone City's flank!"
Noah's Wall was constructed along Moonstone City's coastline, creating a giant wall covering the shoreline.
When powered by spiritual energy, the runes on Noah's Wall would activate, greatly enhancing its defense.
When this defensive power converged, even the Release of a fifth-tier Transcendent could not easily shake it!
Blindly attacking a single point was not the correct strategy.
Therefore, the Blood Lion needed the Blood Hunter to lead a team and strike directly at another weak point of Moonstone City.
As expected, the battlefield would be divided into two areas.
And he and the Blood Hunter would each face a fifth-tier Transcendent!
However, upon hearing the Blood Lion's command, the Blood Hunter did not move.
The Blood Lion glared angrily:
"Blood Hunter, do you have any objections?"
The Blood Hunter's expression was cold, like a puppet, as he said:
"I have a request."
"What request?"
"Capture the Ice Witch and the Black Hunter alive."
Capture alive... The Blood Lion gritted his teeth.
Their Black Blood Empire trained exclusively in killing techniques.
In this kind of top-tier power confrontation, holding back would only lead to defeat.
The Blood Lion frowned, falling silent for a moment.
They needed the power of the Blackfin Crew, and they also needed the Blood Hunter's power.
"If I encounter the Ice Witch and the Black Hunter, I will do my best to spare them."
"Do not break your word. The Black Blood Divine Soldiers team is also entrusted to you."
The Blood Hunter gripped the longsword at his waist and, like a shooting star, stepped onto another black ship.
The entire massive fleet instantly split into two dense, dark torrents, heading towards the other side of Moonstone City.
Bang bang bang—
Upon the war camp behind Noah's Wall.
"Help me up, help me up, I want to go back to see my mother."
"The Black Blood Empire people coated their blades with black blood, creating special weapons. Even a scratch from the blade would cause contamination from the black whale."
"Doctor, doctor, save me!"
A person engulfed in flames fell from Noah's Wall, crashing down with a thud, breaking into two pieces.
"..."
Little Crow pursed her lips, using healing magic to treat the injuries of the wounded before her.
Under the Ice Witch's arrangements, her task was to treat the wounded.
However, in less than ten seconds after the battle began, there were already a thousand wounded.
"Sigh..."
Little Crow looked at the densely packed wounded, piled up like cargo in dozens of rows, and let out a long sigh.
Facing the severe situation, the Ice Witch and Hayer were discussing their next course of action.
Upon Noah's Wall, Hayer's figure appeared, asking seriously:
"Ice Witch, where is the Black Hunter?"
Hayer frowned. On the battlefield, with the Black Hunter missing, he always felt a lack of confidence.
The Ice Witch shook her head:
"Little Black Hair can't come for now. He's probably entangled with another fifth-tier."
Another fifth-tier... I hope the Black Hunter can win... Hayer's brow furrowed tightly:
"The Blood Lion is on the front. The Blood Hunter is preparing to attack Moonstone City from the flank."
"I'll deal with the Blood Hunter."
The Ice Witch said coldly.
The Blood Hunter and the Blood Lion had different focuses.
The Blood Lion was a War Beast, seated upon a War Throne, constantly strengthening his soldiers, a commander above ten thousand.
The Blood Lion in a state of war was far stronger than an ordinary fifth-tier.
Under normal circumstances, to confront the Blood Lion, one had to pass through layer upon layer of his army.
And the Invisible Hand Hayer mastered the fifth-tier technique, Invisible Leap, which allowed him to easily traverse the layered armies and reach the War Ship.
Simply put, Hayer was a stealth assassin!
Undoubtedly, he was most suited to counter the Blood Lion.
The Blood Hunter, on the other hand, belonged to the category of Saints with extremely strong individual combat prowess.
His heart had already been modified by the black whale, making him a contaminated fifth-tier.
But unlike the similarly contaminated trash Sea God, the Ice Witch could only sense pure, unadulterated power from the Blood Hunter.
Pure, unadulterated physical might!
This was a hunter who had returned from the fringes!
These past days, relying on the potions created by Fen and Chen Qi, her strength had recovered considerably.
The Ice Witch said coldly:
"Let's go."
"Mm."
Hayer blinked, and his figure dissipated.
Madame Oli commanded:
"All firepower, full barrage! Support the Ice Witch and Hayer!
Execute immediately!!!"
Upon Noah's Wall, countless points of light ignited. Countless magic bullets streaked across the sky, like an azure meteor shower rushing towards the enemy.
Boom rumble rumble—
Little Crow looked up, watching the Ice Witch's back as she slowly leaped down, stepping onto the smoke-filled sea.
"Take care."
...
Upon the sea, the massive War Ship advanced like a Titan bulldozer.
An endless stream of crimson artillery shells fired from the War Ship!
This was the source of the Blood Lion's confidence.
As a large-scale war weapon, even without the aid of other fifth-tiers, the firepower of the War Ship was sufficient to contend with a fifth-tier Transcendent.
War Messenger Aili adjusted her glasses and said with a smile:
"General Blood Lion, Hayer's spiritual energy signature has disappeared. The Ice Witch's spiritual energy is moving towards the Blood Hunter."
War Messenger Aili had, by chance within a rift, obtained a special A-rank vision talent. Her spiritual energy sight could even rival that of fifth-tiers with Lamp or Book affinities.
"Interesting!"
The Blood Lion's red eyebrows raised.
Hayer was trying to assassinate him again!
The Blood Lion shook his hands. In terms of individual strength, he was far inferior to Hayer.
But...
The Blood Lion looked back towards the countless densely packed black figures hidden beneath the deck.
The secret team forged by the Blackfin Crew, the Black Blood Divine Soldiers!
Among them were not a few of his personal guards!
These people were hidden on the ship, waiting for the enemy!
"Detecting high-energy spiritual energy!"
The War Messenger's glasses shattered, and the surrounding air began to distort violently.
In the next instant, War Messenger Aili felt countless invisible hands gripping every inch of her body!
These invisible hands continuously tore at her body!
*Crack!*
The Invisible Hand threw War Messenger Aili, smashing several deep pits into the deck.
With just one strike, a fourth-tier Transcendent had over a hundred bone fractures and lost her combat ability.
And a pale, elderly white figure slowly materialized.
It was none other than the fifth-tier Beiguo Phantom affinity Transcendent, the Invisible Hand, Hayer.
Upon his white robes were countless writhing ghostly hands, forming a massive ethereal battle garment.
This garment was named Ghostly Howl. It was a Flesh Armor Hayer had forged in his youth using the souls of countless enemies.
Among them were also warriors of the Black Blood Empire.
"Blood Lion, it's time to repay your debt with your life!"
The Invisible Hand Hayer's figure flashed, abruptly advancing.
"I was actually thinking of borrowing more money from you, Hayer!
Hahahaha!!"
The Blood Lion laughed heartily:
"Personal guards! Cover me!!"
In an instant, from beneath the deck, densely packed black shadows surged forth like a black tide, blocking Hayer's path.
No matter how many ants pile up, they remain mere ants... Hayer swung his arm.
Flesh Armor. Ghostly Howl. Thousand-Hand Grasp!
Countless ghostly hands extended, suddenly enlarging, pointing directly at the Blood Lion!
*Clang!*
"You can't do it! Hayer!"
The Blood Lion used his Release, "War Fanatic," to strengthen the soldiers before him.
Five hundred Black Blood Shadows stood like a wall, firmly blocking the path before the Blood Lion.
The Transcendents beneath these shadows were at most only third-tier, but under the enhancement of the black whale blood and the Blood Lion's strengthening, they possessed fourth-tier bodies.
A wall of flesh constructed from five hundred fourth-tier bodies;
even Hayer could not easily break through it.
Fortunately, Hayer was an assassin...
Phantom Technique. Fade into Invisibility!
Almost in the next instant, Hayer materialized behind the Blood Lion. Countless ghostly hands, like long snakes, burrowed into the Blood Lion's body, aiming straight for his heart.
Phantom Release. Seam of Reality and Illusion!
Its effect was to ignore the opponent's spiritual energy field, allowing one's own weapons to slip into the void before rapidly reappearing.
Hayer activated his Release, having already placed a full twenty ghostly hands inside the Blood Lion's body, beneath his heavy armor and flesh.
One ghostly hand was pressing against the Blood Lion's heart!
Striking at the core!
In the past, Hayer was known as the Ghost of Beiguo!
However, even facing Hayer's close-range Release, the Blood Lion merely smiled.
He knew Hayer too well.
The Blood Lion turned his head, looking at Hayer behind him, and opened his mouth to laugh:
"Over the years, you haven't improved much. Over-reliance on a single technique ultimately means that once that technique is countered, you will rapidly enter the domain of the defeated."
"Cup Release. Grand Sage's Potion. Flesh Tremor!"
The Blood Lion roared with laughter, violently injecting a tube of crimson potion into his own arm.
In an instant, all the flesh of his body, including his heart, began to writhe. His entire person briefly transformed into a twisted mass of flesh.
And within this flesh, crack after crack opened.
*Boom rumble—*
Blood mist erupted!
The Blood Lion violently expelled all the invisible hands from within his body.
After expelling them, the Blood Lion's flesh rapidly restored itself, returning to its original form.
Although this dangerous distortion carried the risk of him contracting an extremely dangerous flesh mutation disease, he had successfully blocked Hayer's full-powered Release.
Grand Sage-level Goblet affinity potions could already achieve this miracle of twisting and then restoring the flesh of a Blade affinity Transcendent.
You like to play dirty tricks, huh!
Then I'll play dirtier than you!
To counter Hayer, he had specifically requested the Empire for the highest-grade Goblet Grand Sage potion.
"Hahahahaha!"
The Blood Lion laughed maniacally as more and more Black Blood Divine Soldiers emerged.
Under the power of the War Beast, they had no reason, obeying only the Blood Lion's commands.
Soon, upon the War Ship, the Black Blood Divine Soldiers piled up into a mountain. The Blood Lion stood atop this mountain of soldiers, looking down upon Hayer with utter contempt.
Hayer looked up, gazing at the Blood Lion.
Was he ultimately going to be the first to activate his domain?
On the battlefield, the fifth-tier who activated their domain first would fall into a massive disadvantage.
But clearly, at this moment, he had no other choice.
"Phantom Release..."
The countless ghostly hands upon Hayer's body began to open.
However, before Hayer could unleash his Release, an ominous aura entered his spiritual perception.
"How is this possible..."
Hayer's pupils constricted. Unbelieving, he looked behind the Blood Lion.
He sensed an aura, an extremely bizarre fifth-tier aura, a vast, peak-level fifth-tier aura.
The Blood Hunter and the Ice Witch were in combat. The Black Hunter and the Red Dragon were entangled at the shelter!
The Whale Father had been under the observation of their Disaster Messengers all along.
How could there be the aura of a third fifth-tier Transcendent in this place!
Moreover, this fifth-tier aura was one he had never sensed before! It did not belong to any of the powerful beings in his memory!
A third fifth-tier... A drop of cold sweat trickled down Hayer's forehead. He felt his body growing colder and colder.