Chapter 581 Chapter554-Outsmarted by One's Own Cleverness
After their conversation, Kingserp and Mystery Protector decided to leave immediately.
They were both acutely aware of the significant risk of remaining in that location any longer.
Mystery Protector, after surveying the surroundings and confirming that John was not nearby, planned to rendezvous with other members of the Order Faction.
He believed it was critical not to let the other members suspect that he might have had other plans in the shadows, as this posed too great a risk for him.
However, upon meeting with Shatras, Mystery Protector realized he had underestimated Darklord.
Darklord had demonstrated formidable strength in the previous battle, using just a mirror to trap the Guard General Natasha, something Mystery Protector himself could not have achieved.
The formidable nature of Darklord's combat abilities was unmistakably evident, whether these were attributed to his own immense power or the exceptional strength endowed by the mirror he possessed.
This combination, or perhaps even just one of these factors on its own, made it abundantly clear that facing Darklord in battle would be a daunting challenge, as his capabilities in combat were enhanced significantly by either his inherent strength or the augmented power provided by the mystical mirror.
Mystery Protector even considered the possibility that Darklord could defeat John in the upcoming battle, especially given the significant toll the previous fight with the Devils of the Dark Faction had taken on John.
"We must provide John with assistance as soon as possible! Although it's highly likely that we are no match for such an adventurer, we cannot just stand by and do nothing!"
Mystery Protector declared with a sense of righteousness to Shatras. Shatras quickly agreed, as she genuinely wanted to offer support to John.
Thus, Mystery Protector and Shatras took action together.
They did not rush to John's location, knowing their strength was not on par with Darklord's.
Upon reaching the area where John was, Darklord did not launch an immediate attack.
He felt confident in his victory and believed it was only right to vent all the grievances John had caused him before securing his success.
"You can stop hiding now. You should be well aware that I can find your location. What good does continuing this game of hide and seek do for you?"
Darklord relentlessly pursued John's precise location.
Despite not being in peak condition, John was still able to use his god-tier spells to conceal himself.
Even with Darklord's immense power, locating John required some effort.
"It seems you're quite adept at hide and seek! But no matter, the Detection spell I possess is far more powerful than any you have!"
Deciding not to waste any more time, Darklord had to find John to proceed with his plans.
He used a Detection spell given to him by Mystery Saint.
Empowered by the force of Mystery, he quickly pinpointed John's location and without hesitation, hurled the mirror he held in his direction.
The Mirror of Mystery, once thrown, swiftly flew towards John.
John, faced with this attack, was far from panicked.
He had previously encountered opponents wielding powerful Sacred Relics, and the slow speed of the mirror thrown by Darklord gave John confidence in his ability to evade the attack.
However, what John faced next was similar to the experiences of Duke Arsena, Natasha, and others.
Despite John's efforts to evade, the mirror persistently pursued him, capable of continuously adjusting its flight path.
John found himself relentlessly chased by the mirror, with Darklord watching the scene from a short distance, observing John's clumsy attempts to escape.
In Darklord's eyes, since his victory was assured, there was no need for any haste.
He simply needed to wait for John's ultimate defeat and could even afford to mock him during the process.
"I thought your strength was formidable. Yet, you can't even overcome this mirror; how do you claim to be the strongest adventurer? Even with the support of the Order Faction and its deities, you still stand no chance against me.
First, try to deal with this mirror's assault. Even if you manage to dodge its attacks, you will still be vanquished by me in the ensuing battle. Therefore, there's only one thing you can do now – beg for mercy. If you plead now, I might mercifully spare you. If you don't beg for mercy now, then I won't offer you any other chances."
Darklord's tone was immensely arrogant as he spoke these words, believing that John must be feeling terrible upon hearing them.
Darklord aimed to unsettle John with his taunts, hoping to make him panic while also venting his own pent-up anger.
However, John's expression remained unchanged in the face of Darklord's antics.
In John's view, Darklord's actions were futile.
If the roles were reversed, John believed that Darklord would have already been defeated by him, as John would never underestimate his opponent so carelessly.
Darklord's current approach inadvertently provided John with time to adjust.
Although John had rapidly recovered to his optimal state through restoratives, the mana points (MP) he had expended in earlier battles could not be replenished as swiftly.
He needed to buy time until his MP was restored to a level sufficient for battle.
Engaging Darklord directly before then would significantly diminish his chances of victory.
Thanks to John's efforts, his MP was quickly regenerating.
Despite Darklord's continued arrogance, he began to sense that something was amiss, indicating a shift in the situation.
Darklord, through his Detection spell, noticed that John's strength was rapidly recovering.
Realizing this, he decided it was time to strike immediately.
"It seems I have underestimated your strength after all. Even under such immense pressure, you're able to quickly adjust your state. You truly are talented. But what does that matter? Even as a genius, you cannot defeat me. The power I wield is beyond your imagination!"
After declaring this, Darklord conjured a formidable force of Mystery energy, causing the space around him to distort noticeably.
John decided not to entangle himself further with the mirror.
He drew his weapon and struck the Mirror of Mystery, sending it flying.
Although the mirror thrown by Darklord was indeed a Sacred Relic of Mystery Saint, it didn't necessarily have the upper hand when faced with other Sacred Relics.
The primary function of the mirror was actually to seal opponents of lesser strength, and during the process of sealing, it could also encapsulate the skills possessed by the enemy.
Now, John was ready to face Darklord head-on.
In their first exchange, both parties unleashed their most powerful spells, making all NPCs and players in Storm City once again aware of the intense battle unfolding not far from them.
The NPCs of Storm City were largely indifferent to this battle.
Their programming dictated a general disinterest in conflicts between players.
However, for the players, this battle held even greater significance than the previous conflicts in Storm City.
They could sense that the combatants were two of their own, which added an element of relatability and urgency to the unfolding drama.
The gaming forums were abuzz with discussions about this battle, with many players recognizing Darklord as one of the combatants.
The consensus was that Darklord's opponent must be the anonymous player at the pinnacle of the player rankings.
This clash would determine the ultimate adventurer.
All players hoped the battle wouldn't end too swiftly, viewing it as a true showcase of the highest level of skill within the game.
While lower-level players enjoyed the spectacle for its excitement, higher-level players saw an opportunity to learn valuable game strategies from the confrontation.
They anticipated using these insights to enhance their own abilities in future gameplay.
The widespread attention from so many players was something neither John nor Darklord had anticipated.
However, they had little time to consider the broader implications, as their immediate focus was on overcoming their adversary.
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