Chapter 254 Chapter253-Another Forced Version Update
After settling all the arrangements, John, Blue Sea, and Adam took their leave from Duke Dinan.
Given that John had already set forth his conditions—that he wouldn't be part of the local NPC elites' integration but would arrive when combat was required—Duke Dinan obliged, ordering his palace guards to escort them out.
Before their departure, Duke Dinan gifted them three communication magic crystals.
These small items had no assigned grade but were as valuable as an epic piece of equipment.
By channeling energy into the crystal, one could communicate in real-time with another bound crystal.
These were items many nobles on the Godslayer Continent often used for correspondence.
John graciously accepted, and the trio carefully stowed the communication crystals in their backpacks.
Upon stepping out of the grand palace gates, flanked by golden dragon statues, they spotted Valerie, the lord of Storm City, quietly standing there.
His radiant expression suggested that his trip to the capital had been most rewarding.
It was highly likely that the news of the Devil's arrival, brought by John and his companions, had earned Valerie great commendation.
Hearing their footsteps, Valerie looked up, his face breaking into a hearty smile. "I heard from the Prime Minister that you might be leaving the palace early, so I specifically waited here for you," he said, his voice ringing with enthusiasm.
John chuckled softly, replying, "My Lord, you are considerate. Shall we discuss initiating the Twelve Trials of the Hero?"
Valerie's expression turned noticeably awkward; he let out a nervous laugh. "Rest assured, we will notify you in advance once the church has prepared all the preliminary work..."
One couldn't help but wonder if Valerie had received some news from Duke Dinan, for his tone had become significantly more deferential.
John nodded subtly, his face expressionless as he said, "Remember your initial promise. In one week's time, I'll be in Storm City as agreed."
Valerie solemnly assured him that he would not go back on his word. The parties thus parted ways.
John, Blue Sea, and Adam leisurely strolled through the bustling streets of the imperial capital.
They casually found a small tavern and settled into a cozy booth, engaging in relaxed conversation.
"Finally, we've put a temporary lid on all these matters," Blue Sea mused, gulping down a pint of beer and revealing a face of contented ease. "Who could've thought that a simple quest for the Aqua Blue Flower would spiral into such an outrageous series of events?"
Adam clinked his glass against theirs, deeply resonating with the sentiment. "You're telling me. Now, not only is our quest complete, but we've also inexplicably become part of an elite squad. Just thinking about facing those nightmarish devils gives me immense pressure."
Blue Sea winked at him, jesting, "Why worry? With Galewind leading the charge, we can just sit back and reap the benefits."
"You think Galewind would actually let the devils do us in?"
John shook his head, somewhat helplessly.
These two had become entirely accustomed to this approach, seemingly content in the knowledge that they had a strong ally to rely on—a far cry from their previous demeanor as mighty guild leaders, who commanded with authority and strategy.
Draining his beer glass, John inquired, "Now that matters are temporarily settled, what do the two of you plan on doing next?"
Adam chuckled as he replied, "I need to urgently hatch my pet, and there's a backlog of guild affairs waiting for my attention. I imagine it's the same for you, Blue Sea?"
Blue Sea quickly chimed in, "I've got it worse. Besides all that, I also need to complete my job-change quest. The 'Sea King Mage' class change scroll in my bag is practically getting moldy from disuse."
John and Adam exchanged knowing smiles, detecting the palpable eagerness in Blue Sea's tone. The notion that a class change scroll would "mold" was, of course, preposterous. Blue Sea was simply itching to level up, no doubt invigorated by their recent strategic discussions.
John smiled slightly, "In that case, go tend to your respective affairs.
We'll meet again when the quest to hunt down the devils kicks off..."
Before John could finish his sentence, an abrupt system announcement echoed in his mind.
[System Announcement: In 5 minutes, all players will be forcibly logged off for a new version update. The update contains complex data and may take an extended period. Please be patient. For those in the midst of quests, don't worry. You will return to the same location post-update, and your quest progress will not be interrupted.]
The announcement looped three times, a replication of the previous forced update with only a scant 5-minute warning.
John's brows shot up, a curious glint flashing in his eyes.
Blue Sea and Adam beside him could scarcely conceal their own astonishment.
"Wait, didn't we just have an update not too long ago? Why another system update all of a sudden?" Blue Sea scratched his head, bewildered.
Adam, equally puzzled, ventured a guess, "Do you think there's a possibility that both of these updates are due to the same reason—that the system judged the game's progression needed to accelerate for some reason?"
Both sets of eyes converged on John.
If there was any truth to this speculation, it would undoubtedly be connected to the man before them.
John felt somewhat helpless under their scrutinizing gaze and rubbed his temples. "Speculations are speculations. What are you two looking at me for?"
Blue Sea offered a wry smile, "Oh, come on, Galewind. Who else but you could impact the game's progression? Is there even a second candidate?"
"The last forced update was triggered by the events at Sunset Mountain. This one must be due to the devil invasion, no doubt."
John immediately dismissed the notion with conviction, "Impossible. No matter how formidable I might be, I can't possibly modify the system's programming, can I?"
He refrained from enlightening them about the true nature of the game, Godslayer, and certainly didn't reveal that the game system was, in essence, the world's ORDER.
The wry smiles on Blue Sea's and Adam's faces grew more pronounced. "Oh, come on, Galewind. Don't be so modest. We'd sooner drop dead than believe these system updates have nothing to do with you."
"Of course, you can't directly modify the system, but the events you've encountered must've triggered the system to speed up the game's progression."
"How could low-level players like us ever stumble upon so many clandestine events that literally have existential consequences for the game world?"
John offered a light smile and chose not to argue further.
They were all astute individuals; certain things were understood even if left unsaid.
"Alright then, I guess we'll have to deal with this after the version update," Blue Sea put down his drink and slowly stood up. "Who knows what new features this update will introduce. Best to prepare early."
Adam shook his head and chuckled, "Well, the official game forum will definitely post detailed information about the update. We can just check there."
"I actually think that even if new features are introduced, they won't affect us too much in the short term. Take guild wars, for instance. I haven't heard of any guild actually participating since they were introduced," said John.
Blue Sea nodded in agreement, "True, we're still in the early stages of the game. Players are mainly focusing on leveling up. Guild wars and such will become more common only in the mid to late game."
Stretching lazily, John wore an air of indifference. "We can't change what the system decides. Let's just patiently wait for the update to conclude. Fellas, I'm gonna head out."
No sooner had the words left his mouth than John's figure vanished from sight.
He'd logged out, leaving Blue Sea and Adam exchanging puzzled glances.
"Galewind sure is an interesting fellow. Says he's logging out and does it without wasting a second!"
...
Within the quiet living room, the indicator light on the game chamber abruptly lit up.
The next instant, the chamber's lid popped open, revealing John's sinewy, streamlined frame.
As consciousness meshed back into reality, John softly opened his eyes.
A fleeting flicker of disorientation clouded his gaze before clarity swiftly reclaimed it—a natural state as mind and body harmonized anew.
Bounding out of the game chamber, John took a moment to stretch and savor the surging energy within him.
A joyful grin unfurled across his lips.
The formidable power unique to his Godslayer class had indeed grown considerably more robust.
While still far from his in-game state of invincibility, in the context of the real world, he could already be considered superhuman.
Gradually acclimating to the circulating energy within him, John leisurely made his way to the bedroom.
He wondered how Emma was doing—had she recovered from her cold?
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