Chapter 770 – Apex Gathering

World Ark, Shadowring Basin, Shadowring Town:

As the only Guild Town in the World Ark’s core area, Shadowring Town quickly attracted over five million human and Holy Race players within a day after its discovery. Among them, over a million were even Tier 6 players. If counting only Tier 6 players gathered, Shadowring Town could triumph over every NPC City in the Eternal Realm.

Meanwhile, following the discovery that Shadowring Town was now open to players, the atmosphere surrounding the millions of players gathered outside the town reached a boiling point. Everyone was eager to be the first to charge into the town.

However, even after some time had passed, none of these eager players dared to approach the town’s entrance. Instead, they remained still as they watched five legions gradually making their way over to the town from a distance. Only after these five legions had gathered before the town’s entrance did the several million players dare to close in on the town a little.

…

“At least these people know their place,” Chalk Splendor, who had already reached Level 187, scoffed. While riding atop a Voyage Train, he cast a disdainful glance with his three eyes at the surrounding several million players.

The moment Shadowring Town was discovered, it was already fated to become the backyard of powers like the Sun Dynasty. If weaker powers dared to interfere with the town’s affairs before the two royal powers and three apex powers reached a conclusion over the town’s ownership, they would simply be courting death.

“Splendor, I didn’t think you could remain a Holy Child despite being defeated by a human and losing the Sunlight Blade. Your elder sister must have done a lot of pleading for you, huh?” Standing on the head of an Elven Dragon several hundred meters tall, a green-eyed young man from the Holy Race suddenly poked fun at Chalk Splendor.

“Venom Tail! Don’t get cocky just because you performed a little better in the last Continental Championship and secured a Holy Child position in Sovereign Mark! Do you think you can win a duel against me?” Chalk Splendor responded as he glared at the Level 189 green-eyed young man.

Sovereign Mark was a royal power no weaker than the Sun Dynasty. The two powers had also clashed numerous times in the Holy Race’s Greater God’s Domain.

On the individual level, Chalk Splendor had traded blows with Venom Tail plenty of times before entering the Eternal Realm. In terms of strength, he was originally above Venom Tail. Hence, he became a Holy Child much sooner than Venom Tail did.

However, since coming to the Eternal Realm, Venom Tail had encountered a lucky opportunity that enabled him to become the first batch of players to participate in the Continental Championship. Meanwhile, thanks to the rewards he earned from the Continental Championship, not only did Venom Tail achieve significant improvements in strength, but his status in Sovereign Mark also skyrocketed. “I might consider it if it’s a duel with Daystar, but you? I’ll pass,” Venom Tail said, chuckling. “Despite being an esteemed chosen one of a royal power, you actually lost to a human with barely any fame. If I were you, I would have chosen to retire on the spot.”

“You bastard!”

Chalk Splendor instantly lost his temper and got ready to attack Venom Tail when he heard the latter’s provocation. His loss to Black Flame was, without a doubt, the biggest sore spot in his life. After all, out of all the royal powers’ Holy Children who had entered the Eternal Realm, he was the first to get killed by a human player. This had caused him to become a joke among the Holy Race.

While Venom Tail was preparing to engage Chalk Splendor in battle, the legions of the Seven Luminaries Alliance, Demon’s Gate, and the Eternal Chamber of Commerce just so happened to have arrived before Shadowring Town’s entrance, their arrival instantly quelling the urges of the two young men.

“These damnable humans and their irritable timings…” Chalk Splendor cursed under his breath as he coldly looked at Verdant Rainbow, a chosen one of the Seven Luminaries Alliance and the leader of the three human legions.

Chalk Splendor similarly hated Verdant Rainbow to the bone. After all, it was only with Verdant Rainbow’s assistance that Black Flame could have killed him. Otherwise, with the Sunlight Blade’s power, nobody could have killed him.

“Verdant Rainbow? I didn’t think you would be the one leading the humans this time,” Venom Tail said, smiling as he looked at Verdant Rainbow. “Well? Are you thinking of interfering with Shadowring Town as well this time? Are you really not afraid Sovereign Mark will annihilate you all?”

“Treasures belong to those who can secure them. The same goes for this town,” Verdant Rainbow calmly said as she looked at Sovereign Mark’s nearly 20,000 Tier 6 experts. action

Meanwhile, after glancing at the near-30,000 human players behind Verdant Rainbow, Venom Tail smiled and asked, “What do you propose?”

“All of us will enter the town first. Then, we will decide who gets to occupy the town using strength. What do you think?” Verdant Rainbow said as she pointed at Shadowring Town’s opened gates while directing her gaze at Venom Tail and Chalk Splendor.

It wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say that any one of the Holy Race’s ten royal powers was stronger than even the human race’s strongest apex power. However, now that the Seven Luminaries Alliance, Demon’s Gate, and the Eternal Chamber of Commerce had joined forces, their combined army was only marginally smaller than the Sun Dynasty and Sovereign Mark’s combined army. If both sides decided to fight, the battle’s outcome could swing either way. Not to mention, the Sun Dynasty and Sovereign Mark weren’t the best of friends.

“The Sun Dynasty can go along with this arrangement, but on one condition.” After recollecting himself, Chalk Splendor smiled at Verdant Rainbow and said, “The Seven Luminaries Alliance must ensure that it will halt all aid to Zero Wing from now onward. If you can agree to this condition, I will agree to your condition of exploring the town together.”

“Halt all aid to Zero Wing?” Verdant Rainbow frowned. “Zero Wing? Is it the Guild of the human who killed our dear Chalk Splendor?” Venom Tail’s interest was piqued when he heard Chalk Splendor’s condition. “If that’s the case, Sovereign Mark will second this condition. A Guild that dares embarrass a royal power of the Holy Race naturally cannot continue to exist.”

Personally, Venom Tail had no interest in the Guild known as Zero Wing. However, considering the Holy Race’s reputation, he wouldn’t mind helping Chalk Splendor get a little revenge. Otherwise, the Holy Children of the Holy Race’s royal powers would truly become a joke in the eyes of other powers.

“We will never—”

Just as Verdant Rainbow was about to refuse Chalk Splendor’s condition, the muscular woman behind her suddenly interrupted.

“Miss Verdant, don’t be so quick to refuse,” Phoenix Flame, a Tier 6 Berserker from Demon’s Gate, said. “I think we can agree to these two Holy Children’s demands. We are only talking about a small Guild here. Surely, you wouldn’t consider having us engage two of the Holy Race’s royal powers in mortal combat simply over a small Guild, right?”

“Are you doing this on purpose, Phoenix Flame?” Verdant Rainbow glared at Phoenix Flame, very much dissatisfied by the other party’s suggestion. It was already bad enough that Chalk Splendor was using this opportunity to corner Zero Wing. She didn’t think Phoenix Flame would do the same as well.

“Hey, it wasn’t me who proposed this condition,” Phoenix Flame said, shrugging. “I am only suggesting what’s best for our three powers.”

Verdant Rainbow’s resolve started to waver after hearing Phoenix Flame’s words. Although she knew this was nothing but an excuse, she still couldn’t help but hesitate.

Meanwhile, amidst Verdant Rainbow’s hesitation, a young man with a slim body like that of a cheetah suddenly spoke up.

“Rainbow, I know you want to support Zero Wing, but you have to look at the situation,” the young man, a Tier 6 Assassin from the Eternal Chamber of Commerce, said. “Even if we set aside Shadowring Town, there is still the Continental Championship to consider. Demon’s Gate’s assistance will be crucial in the competition.

“We shouldn’t sour relationships between our three powers simply because of Zero Wing. Zero Wing isn’t worthy of that. Not to mention, we are only halting support for Zero Wing in the World Ark. We can simply compensate Zero Wing with some rewards afterward.”

After saying so, the Assassin youth looked toward Venom Tail and Chalk Splendor, saying, “I, Fallen Dragon, agree to your condition on behalf of the three apex powers here. I hope you two can keep your promise!”

“Naturally,” Venom Tail said, chuckling nonchalantly.

Chalk Splendor also nodded in response.

Subsequently, the five powers concluded their discussions and marched their armies into Shadowring Town.

…