They both looked ahead with calm and confident eyes. Even though it was their first time facing a battle in a zone like this, there wasn't the slightest trace of hesitation in their gaze. In fact, a clear sense of curiosity radiated from them. If they wanted to keep moving forward and grow stronger, they had to get used to real combat—and this was the perfect opportunity.
Luxandor was slightly surprised by Lein's request. The sect leader narrowed his eyes, observing Laras and Efan briefly before turning his gaze back to Lein.
"Forgive me, Lord Lein, but are you sure?" he asked for confirmation, his tone carrying a hint of concern.
Lein nodded without hesitation. He understood Luxandor's worry— from the perspective of others, Laras and Efan were merely mid-stage grandmasters, a level seemingly unfit for a large-scale battle like this. However, Lein knew something others didn't. With the clone swords they held, their capabilities far exceeded those of ordinary grandmasters.
Seeing Lein's resolve and the confidence radiating from Laras and Efan, Luxandor finally relented. He pulled out two black pouches from his spatial ring and handed them to the duo.
"Inside are Zone Pillars. Use them to mark and claim our territory," he said casually.
Laras and Efan accepted the pouches with slight surprise, but they quickly composed themselves. Without asking many questions, they lowered their heads slightly as a gesture of gratitude before storing them away. They could learn how to use them later.
Without further delay, Luxandor began activating his spatial law. An invisible force enveloped everyone about to be transported. There were no grand energy ripples or visible spatial cracks—within a blink, Lein and the others were transferred to the platform of the Law Manifestation Zone. Experience new stories on Freewebnovel
Lein swept his gaze around. The rocky terrain stretched before them, with deep cracks channeling white energy that resembled lightning. It was as if the land wasn't ordinary, but a living entity pulsing with the power of worldly law.
Meanwhile, Luxandor, still aboard the spatial vessel with the sect kings and crew, focused his attention on something in the distance. His eyes watched another spatial ship rapidly approaching their position.
"They're faster than I expected," he muttered with a slightly surprised expression.
Lein also turned his eyes toward the incoming ship. It was roughly the same size as theirs, though its design was slightly different. It didn't take long before someone appeared from the ship, descending confidently toward the ground.
The person raised their hand, and within seconds, the clouds surrounding the zone began to churn, opening a path to reveal the true surface of the land—just as Grand Elder Darius had done earlier. Then, one by one, grandmaster-level soldiers began to emerge, moving into position with precise and disciplined formation.
"Looks like this battle is going to last a while," Lein muttered, his excitement barely concealed. His eyes gleamed with curiosity. He was truly eager to uncover the mysteries hidden within the Law Manifestation Zone.
Then, a thought crossed his mind.
"If only this zone were an item, I could duplicate it…" he mused, recalling his ability to replicate certain objects.
But moments later, his eyes sparkled with determination.
"It should be possible, right?" he whispered softly, a wide grin spreading across his face. "I've duplicated part of the Floating Island before. A piece of this zone's land should work too…"
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Of course, it was only a theory. But if there was even the slightest chance, he had to try.
Lein shifted his gaze toward the newly arrived vessel. At the front of the deck, several figures stood tall, their aura so intense that the surrounding air felt heavy. Their eyes stared sharply at Lein's ship, as if sizing up and evaluating their opponents.
"Lord Lein, they are members of the Maledictus Sect," Luxandor's voice remained calm, yet carried a subtle tension. "That sect has long been the greatest obstacle to the growth of our Invictus Sect."
Lein glanced briefly at Luxandor, then looked back at the opposing ship with a slight frown.
"So, how exactly am I supposed to help, Lord Luxandor?" he asked, his tone carrying unconcealed skepticism. "Their strength is nothing short of Second-Tier Kings."
As a First-Tier King who hadn't even mastered a single basic law, Lein was fully aware of the gap between them. Compared to kings who had already grasped the laws, he was nothing more than a speck of dust in a storm. More than that, the compensation Luxandor had offered—30% of the Law Zone territory—seemed excessive for his role in this battle. Were they expecting something else from him?
Luxandor didn't answer immediately. He remained silent, eyes fixed on the distant Maledictus ship. His gaze narrowed as if weighing his options, several possibilities flashing through his mind. A moment later, he noticed that Lein was still waiting for an answer. Calmly, he turned to look at him with a relaxed expression.
"You're right—you can't defeat even one of them, Lord Lein." His words were blunt and to the point, as if the fact needed no debate.
Lein wasn't surprised to hear that. He had expected the same. But before he could speak, Luxandor continued with firm confidence.
"But it seems you're underestimating the position of a King-tier ruler." He crossed his arms, his gaze filled with meaning. "Even a First-Tier King holds immense prestige within the Dominion Nova Consortium."
Lein paused for a moment, letting the words sink in.
"Your task isn't to fight them directly," Luxandor went on, now wearing a faint smirk. "You will be the surprise force within the Law Manifestation Zone. Conquer as much territory as possible… and slaughter their disciples."
Lein didn't respond right away, but something inside him began to grasp the strategy behind those words. In territorial battles within the Law Manifestation Zone, there was an unspoken rule that kings would not directly interfere in area control. Their role was to stand guard on the outskirts, ready to respond to sudden attacks from rival sect kings.
Until now, the Invictus and Maledictus Sects had an equal number of kings. Their networks and strengths were also nearly on par. But this battle wasn't just about individual power—strategy, speed, and the element of surprise played crucial roles too.
With Lein's sudden appearance as a new king in Sanctus Lux, Luxandor couldn't hide his astonishment. As far as he knew, no grandmaster-level cultivator was expected to break through to the king level anytime soon. But reality proved otherwise. Lein's unexpected arrival had driven Luxandor to make a bold decision—to wager 30% of the Law Manifestation Zone in order to secure victory against the Maledictus Sect.
This decision didn't come from Luxandor alone. The sect patriarch, the man in the purple robe standing nearby, remained silent, his eyes sharply focused on the Maledictus ship. He stood alert, unwilling to make any move that might provoke conflict before the right time.
"Then take this pouch, Lord Lein. Move when I give the signal," Luxandor finally said. With a swift motion, he tossed a pouch toward Lein.
Lein caught it effortlessly, feeling its weight in his hand before nodding in understanding. He realized he had underestimated the situation. After all, he had reached the rank of King through an unconventional method—using the Divine Promotion Elixir, a rare potion that allowed anyone below the Emperor level to instantly break through to the next stage.
His heart pounded at the thought of the elixir's value. If he possessed an unlimited supply of it, wouldn't that mean he could create thousands of King-level rulers within his own Divine Sky Realm? With such numbers, forming a dominion of his own wouldn't be impossible. He could even become one of its most powerful kings.
But behind it all, something left him uneasy. Mharzan.
Lein clenched his fists, the memory of that man sending chills down his spine. "Who is he, really?" he murmured quietly, sensing something off about the man who had given him the elixir.
But this wasn't the time to dwell on that. The situation in front of him was more important now. He took a deep breath, calming his thoughts, and looked at Luxandor with renewed confidence.
"Very well, Lord Luxandor," he said calmly. Now everything made sense to him. At the very least, knowing his role made him feel more prepared for what was to come.
In the gloomy sky above, the two sects remained still. No one moved; they merely stared at each other, waiting to see who would make the first move.
However, the silence gradually broke.
In the distance, two other space vessels shot through the sky at high speed, piercing through the thick clouds. As the ships reached the border of the manifestation zone, two figures floated out from each vessel. With a light motion, they parted the clouds, creating a path for their sect's disciples.
Luxandor gritted his teeth, his eyes narrowing as he recognized them.
"Sect Tenebrae... Sect Votum..." he muttered under his breath, tension lacing his voice.
"Luxandor, did the Votum and Tenebrae Sects accept the offer?" asked a woman in a blazing red gown standing behind Luxandor. Her eyes gleamed sharply, burning with intensity as she stared at the space vessel belonging to the Votum Sect now hovering in the distance.