Chapter 592 Chapter565-The Enemy’s Defense Preparations
After a lengthy discussion with Ocean Sage and finalizing all upcoming plans, John left Southern Harbor.
Staying further in Southern Harbor wouldn't be of any help to Ocean Sage, and John needed to swiftly return to Storm City to check if Duke Arsena and General Natasha had made their preparations.
If they were ready, John might have to quickly proceed to the Dark Realm with them, as he suspected that the enemies in the Dark Realm wouldn't just be idly waiting.
They were likely to be preparing their defenses in anticipation.
John's intuition was spot-on.
After their failed attempt to invade Storm City, two devils from the Dark Realm retreated to the Styx Town, planning to strategize their next defensive moves.
The combined assault on Storm City by the Flame Knight and the Corruptor, both powerful devils, had been unsuccessful, which came as a shock to the other devils of the Dark Faction.
Upon comprehending the entirety of the circumstances, the other members within the shadowy ranks of the Dark Faction found amusement in the plight of the Flame Knight and the Corruptor.
They jeered and sneered, taking delight in their comrades' misfortune and failure, showcasing a lack of empathy typical of their nefarious nature.
To the other devils, John's victory was attributed not just to his formidable strength but also to his superior cunning.
The plans devised by the Flame Knight and the Corruptor were riddled with flaws, and they had even been exploited by adventurers from the Mystery faction.
The mockery from the other devils was unbearable for the Flame Knight and the Corruptor.
However, they were in no position to retaliate against their peers.
Their strength had significantly diminished after a series of failures, and engaging in battle with other devils could potentially lead to their defeat.
Coincidentally, the stronghold of these two devils was also in the Styx Town within the Dark Realm.
They decided to discuss their next course of action there.
While deliberating over the reasons for their failure in Storm City with their servant demons, they were startled by shocking news from another player.
"You mean to say that those fools from the Order Faction actually plan to come directly to our Dark Realm and defeat us?!"
The Corruptor was incredulous upon hearing this news from a player.
In his view, the combat prowess of the devils in the Dark Realm was superior to that of devils elsewhere.
Just because John and his allies managed to secure a victory in Storm City didn't mean they could achieve the same in the Dark Realm.
The player who delivered the message was understandably frightened by the Corruptor's reaction, but quickly reiterated what he had said earlier.
This confirmation meant that the news the Corruptor received wasn't false.
After verifying the message, the Corruptor's expression turned ferocious.
"John, this adventurer, is far too confident! He dares to come to the Dark Realm for a decisive battle with me! Since he dares to come, then I shall engage in a battle to the death with him! Even if I can't defeat him alone, with your assistance, I can surely triumph! We must demonstrate the formidable strength of our Dark Realm!"
During his speech, the Corruptor also glanced at the Flame Knight, fully aware that he couldn't defeat John on his own.
John had previously ventured into the Dark Realm and engaged in combat with the Corruptor.
Although John didn't exert his full strength at that time and chose to flee immediately, the power he demonstrated left a lasting impression on the Corruptor.
This was why the Corruptor felt compelled to enlist another devil, the Flame Knight, when he later attacked Storm City.
At this moment, the Flame Knight remained remarkably composed.
His twelve eyes simultaneously turned towards the player who had provided the intelligence.
"Would John really attack the Dark Realm alone? I hardly think he would undertake such a risky action without support. He's likely to join forces with other strong members of the Order Faction. Even if we two unite, success isn't guaranteed. We would probably need additional support, at least from another Devil."
The Flame Knight's words somewhat quelled the Corruptor's anger.
As a devil, the Corruptor's cunning was not as deficient as one might assume.
He understood that they couldn't defeat John and other powerful members of the Order Faction by themselves.
However, after some thought, the Corruptor felt they were unlikely to find a third devil willing to assist them.
"What you've said makes sense. But my concern is that we simply won't find any Devil willing to help us. Those who have previously clashed with John are reluctant to engage him again. And those who haven't faced John are quite wary of him. They all hope we'll engage in a decisive battle with John, allowing them to benefit from the sidelines. They wish for both us and John to suffer heavy losses, seizing the opportunity to defeat us all."
The Corruptor's words laid bare the greatest issue faced by the Dark Faction.
Each Devil within the Dark Faction possesses immense strength, capable of overpowering other formidable members of the Order Faction in individual confrontations.
However, cooperation among the Dark Faction's Devils is exceedingly rare.
This reluctance stems from their competition for control over dark power, which has a finite limit.
The more power one Devil amasses, the less remains for the others.
This statement plunged the Flame Knight into silence, recognizing the dire situation they were in.
The two seemed utterly incapable of defending Styx Town.
If they couldn't even hold Styx Town, their words would hold no weight with other adventurers.
This thought of adventurers sparked a new idea in the Flame Knight's mind.
If the Order Faction could rely on adventurers for successful defense, then perhaps they, too, could use adventurers to their advantage in safeguarding their stronghold.
"When we attacked Storm City, numerous adventurers from the Order Faction provided assistance to their members. So, why can't we adopt their tactics? There are many adventurers in Styx Town as well. We can issue quests to these adventurers, enlisting their help to defend Styx Town.
While these adventurers may not be as powerful as John, and may not be very effective against the stronger members of the Order Faction, their greatest asset is their ability to resurrect continuously through means unknown to us. As long as these adventurers are sufficiently rewarded, they will undoubtedly give their all.
John won't be able to withstand the concerted efforts of so many adventurers targeting him. Moreover, I believe John will also have to consider his relationships with other adventurers."
The Flame Knight, known for his cunning, had thought through various scenarios to devise the most promising plan.
The Corruptor agreed with this plan upon hearing it and even decided to offer all his Sacred Relics as rewards.
For a Devil, Sacred Relics aren't as crucial, suggesting a willingness to use whatever resources are available to ensure their plan's success.
Devils can infuse dark power into any weapon, turning it into a Sacred Relic if the dark power is sufficiently potent.
"Given that, we must prepare adequate rewards, as adventurers are quite shrewd. If the rewards we offer don't meet their expectations, they won't fully commit to the cause," the Corruptor remarked, a sentiment the Flame Knight agreed with.
Nodding, the Flame Knight added, "I will also prepare some rare weapons as part of the rewards. However, beyond weapons, we must offer gold coins and experience points as incentives, particularly for adventurers who aren't as high-level and value these rewards."
"Of course, and to us Devils, gold coins are even less significant! In the Dark Realm, gold coins can't even be exchanged for the slightest bit of dark power!" the Corruptor responded, highlighting the insignificance of monetary rewards for devils, making them a convenient incentive to offer adventurers.
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