Chapter 558 Overwhelming Crisis
The news of Dark Faction breaching the Sunset Mountain Defend Wall quickly reached Storm City, leaving everyone in a state of shock.
John found this impossible to believe. In his view, Defend Wall had a sufficient number of Order Faction guards, and it had received support from Mystery Protector.
Despite the conflicts between John and Mystery Protector, he never thought that Mystery Protector would outright betray the Order Faction.
John immediately addressed the two people next to him, saying, "Defend Wall has been breached by Dark Faction. The demons of Dark Faction are about to launch an attack on Storm City. We might have to leave Storm City to stop their advance. If I have to leave Storm City, you must keep me informed about everything happening inside Storm City."
After delivering this message, John teleported back to Duke Arsena's palace.
He knew that Duke Arsena would gather everyone here.
As soon as he arrived, Duke Arsena appeared at the palace entrance, looking extremely anxious upon seeing John.
"You must have already heard the news about Defend Wall in Sunset Mountain being breached, right? What should we do now? We absolutely cannot just defend Storm City to the death. We must find a way to stop the advance of those demons from Dark Faction. Perhaps the two of us should go out and directly confront them, leaving Natasha to defend Storm City alone."
John did not immediately oppose Duke Arsena's suggestion.
He also thought that Duke Arsena's plan was the most suitable one.
However, Natasha had not arrived yet, and they did not know her thoughts.
Just as the two were discussing their plan, Natasha appeared in Duke Arsena's palace hall through teleportation.
She was also extremely shocked by the current situation, with a fearful expression on her face.
"Why has this situation occurred? Can it be that Mystery Protector couldn't even defend Defend Wall? If Storm City is truly captured by Dark Faction due to Mystery Protector's mistake, I will definitely report all of this to His Majesty the Emperor."
Natasha's questions mirrored the doubts of John and Duke Arsena.
They were all perplexed as to why, with the assistance of Mystery Protector, the Defend Wall in the Sunset Mountain Range had been breached.
Just as the three of them exchanged looks, Mystery Protector appeared directly in Duke Arsena's hall.
Mystery Protector looked extremely battered, and everyone could tell that he had suffered serious injuries.
His condition immediately drew the attention of the three individuals present.
"What happened exactly? Who did you encounter, and why was the defense at Defend Wall breached so easily?"
Duke Arsena quickly approached Mystery Protector, bombarding him with numerous questions as he sought to gather more information for the upcoming defense.
Mystery Protector immediately relayed the fabricated story he had prepared in advance, "Dark Faction didn't just mobilize a large number of demons this time; they also received assistance from many adventurers. More importantly, they deployed several Devils who joined forces to launch an attack. They not only severely injured me but also directly destroyed Defend Wall. If you don't want these Devils to pose a direct threat to Storm City, you must take the initiative to confront them."
Mystery Protector's explanation left Duke Arsena and Natasha feeling extremely anxious.
They were well aware of the formidable power possessed by Dark Faction's Devils.
However, John couldn't help but feel that something was amiss.
He didn't fully trust Mystery Protector's words because he had extensive knowledge of Dark Faction's Devils.
"So, there were several Devils attacking together? But from what I know, the Devils within Dark Faction don't have very amicable relationships.
If these Devils were working together, wouldn't there be conflicts among them? Did you really see many Devils, or were you only attacked by one Devil, but your strength was insufficient, leading to the loss of Defend Wall?"
John questioned Mystery Protector's account.
Despite his doubts, he didn't immediately assume that Mystery Protector had betrayed Order Faction.
He simply believed that Mystery Protector's strength might not be as formidable as initially thought.
"I might have been attacked by a single Devil, but regardless, the forces mobilized by Dark Realm this time are incredibly powerful. You must prepare accordingly. I can not stay here and act with you any longer. I need to return to Storm City's Great Library as soon as possible because it's in the library that I can swiftly recover my condition."
Mystery Protector responded, his tone firm.
Mystery Protector's words did not raise any suspicions among the others, as everyone was desperately hoping for Mystery Protector to recover as soon as possible.
John decided to contact the Ocean Sage directly because with Mystery Protector, the legendary magus, severely injured, they needed another legendary magus to provide assistance.
"I'll get in touch with the Ocean Sage right away. He must fulfill his promise, as the situation in Storm City is dire," John stated.
Duke Arsena and Natasha didn't voice any objections because they knew the situation was already dire, and they needed all the help they could get.
John quickly reached out to the Ocean Sage, but unfortunately, the Ocean Sage couldn't offer assistance.
Their location was also under attack by the Dark Faction.
"What did you say?! Dark Faction has launched an attack on the southern harbor as well? How is that even possible?! They are simultaneously attacking Storm City, the Naga tribe, and the southern harbor?! What kind of formidable force have they mobilized?"
John was deeply shocked upon learning that the Ocean Sage's harbor had also come under attack.
This revelation indicated that the Dark Faction had unleashed an exceptionally formidable force this time.
One crisis after another was unfolding, and John felt slightly overwhelmed.
He realized that even if he managed to handle the crisis in Storm City, there would be more significant threats to come.
However, John was not one to easily lose hope.
After a moment of shock, he quickly regained his composure.
He knew that, given the current situation, swift action was imperative.
Turning to Duke Arsena, John said, "You and Natasha should stay in Storm City for now. I will venture outside to assess the situation. I need to determine whether Storm City faces the greater threat or if it's the Ocean Sage who is in more danger. We must deal with the most significant threat first. After that, we can consider our next steps. There's no time for further discussion here; if we keep talking, the situation will only worsen."
After delivering his statement, John was ready to leave, but he awaited Duke Arsena's response.
Without the Duke's agreement, his plan would be impossible to execute.
Duke Arsena's expression appeared deeply conflicted.
He had a strong sense of distrust towards the Ocean Sage, but at this moment, he had no choice but to place his trust in John.
"I'll agree to your plan. Natasha and I will temporarily defend Storm City. You should head outside and assess the strength of the Dark Realm forces. If the threat faced by the Ocean Sage becomes more significant, prioritize helping him resolve the crisis. However, once you've dealt with his situation, you must return to Storm City. It's inevitable that Dark Faction will attack us here. I believe you understand this very well. I will also dispatch messengers to the Naga tribe."
With Duke Arsena's approval, John immediately sprang into action.
He knew that earning the Duke's trust was no small feat. He didn't want to disappoint Arsena, nor did he want Dark Faction's plans to succeed.
After all, he had yet to complete the hidden quest in Storm City.
If Dark Faction were to successfully take control of the city, completing the hidden quest might become impossible, resulting in significant losses for John.
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