Chapter164-A Familiar Aura
In the daylight, the Dark Mausoleum housed far fewer monsters. Howard only needed to summon the Enchanted Boar to fend off the skeleton monsters, continuously casting skills and targeting them with precision.
He occasionally encountered small teams of other awakened, nearly each equipped with a magus and an archer. Upon reaching a new area, they would cast skills similar to Illumination Arrow, meticulously exploring every corner of the Dark Mausoleum.
Some teams were even digging up graves!
They had no choice - the information they received was too vague, stating only that the Starry River Map would appear somewhere within the Dark Mausoleum, without specifying its exact location.
In their eagerness to find the Starry River Map ahead of others, these awakened were ready to leave no stone unturned.
Consequently, some of the powerful corpses that had been in slumber were awakened, filling the entire Mausoleum with a terrifying aura. Intense battles erupted continuously.
It was only because of the daylight and the sun's rays suppressing the attributes of these powerful bosses that the awakened suffered minimal losses.
Knowing that the Starry River Map was controlled by the Alliance and unlikely to be prematurely discovered, Howard did not join the search. Instead, he focused on eliminating ordinary skeleton monsters to gain experience while observing the nearby awakened.
The ages of these awakened varied, with overall strengths hovering around Level 60. Coupled with some coming from notable powers and possessing decent equipment, they even posed a challenge to Howard.
Had it not been for his acquisition of the Power of True Dragon talent, which significantly enhanced his physical capabilities, Howard, as a magus, would have found himself at a distinct disadvantage against these awakened.
"Catch that guy!"
"Damn it, he stole our treasure!"
A sudden outcry jolted Howard from his contemplation.
Looking towards the source of the noise, he saw a group of people rushing in his direction, not far from where he was.
Hearing the shouts, the nearby awakened were also alarmed. Despite coming from different camps, they all converged, their eyes gleaming with anticipation as they stared at the approaching group.
Their interest wasn't driven by a sense of justice, but rather the opportunity to snatch some treasure amidst the chaos.
"Huh?! They seem to be from the Solomon Sacred Assembly!"
"The Solomon Sacred Assembly is notoriously brutal. Who would dare to steal their treasure?"
Murmurs from the awakened nearby stirred Howard's curiosity, making him wonder inwardly, "It seems the allure of the Starry River Map is indeed great, attracting even the forces from the northern part of the Alliance. It's said their methods are quite enigmatic and their abilities are somehow linked to demons. I wonder what they're really like!"
The Solomon Sacred Assembly had been mentioned in textbooks.
Focusing his attention, Howard noticed that the chasing awakened were all draped in capes with alternating black and white stripes, and their faces were masked with devil-like visages.
The one being chased was a young man, not looking much older, with an astonishingly striking appearance, only slightly less so than Howard, drawing gasps of admiration from the observing crowd.
Initially, the young man was fast enough to evade the Solomon Sacred Assembly's members, but his path was quickly blocked by other awakened who saw an opportunity to benefit from the chaos.
The awakened from Solomon Sacred Assembly were no novices. They swiftly reacted, promptly encircling the young man.
A man wearing a mask adorned with six eyes stepped forward, his voice cold, "Boy, hand over the spoils you stole from us, now!"
"Six-eyed devil? Hiss... Solomon Sacred Assembly actually sent a Bloodrobe Bishop, the enforcer of their punishments!"
"It's said that even the weakest Bloodrobe Bishop is at least Level 80, while the Archbishops are formidable beings above Level 90!"
Gasps of astonishment resounded. The awakened from less powerful backgrounds involuntarily stepped back.
Even those wanting to fish in troubled waters had to consider the strength of their opponents.
If the disparity in power was too great, it wouldn't be scavenging but courting death!
Howard also watched the man with the six-eyed devil mask intently, his mind filled with doubt. Wanting to snatch treasure from a bishop-level expert seemed overly ambitious, even for someone like Rick.
The Solomon Sacred Assembly had a strict hierarchical structure.
The higher the rank, the stronger the individual, and the more eyes adorned on their devil masks.
Apart from the nine-eyed devil representing the Holy Emperor and the eight-eyed devil for the Holy Maiden, those who could wear the seven-eyed and six-eyed devil masks were already among the strongest two echelons within the Solomon Sacred Assembly!
Surveying his surroundings, the pursued young man said in resignation, "I've already told you, I was the one who injured that BOSS and forced it to flee towards you. I depleted most of its HP, so the spoils rightfully belong to me!"
"What a joke. Since the BOSS died at the hands of our Solomon Sacred Assembly, the spoils are ours. You say you took down most of its HP, but who can prove that?"
The man with the six-eyed devil mask spoke coldly, "Hand over the spoils, and we might spare your life. Otherwise, don't blame us for being ruthless!"
In the Dark Mausoleum, a territory of the Alliance, even a man wearing a six-eyed devil mask, despite his extraordinary strength, dared not kill recklessly in public.
This was also why Howard chose to act when no one was around in his previous encounters.
"You wish!" The young man shook his head firmly, declaring, "I will not surrender what is rightfully mine!"
"If you refuse the toast, you must drink the forfeit. Attack, take it back!"
The man with the six-eyed devil mask waved his hand. His companions, wearing three-eyed and four-eyed masks, swiftly drew their long swords from their waists and charged at the young man.
Witnessing this, the young man ceased his retreat. With a swift motion, he drew a massive sword from behind him.
In the next instant, like a god of war, he brandished the enormous sword with both hands, creating a powerful and chilling blade aura. His movements were so fierce that the dozen or so warriors, each around Level 50, dared not approach him.
At that moment, Howard, who had been watching the scene unfold, suddenly felt a familiar aura emanating from the young man's body.
His pupils contracted sharply, his eyes filled with surprise.
Despite wielding a massive sword, the young man seemed unaffected by its weight. He moved with the agility of a fish, weaving effortlessly among his adversaries. Each swing of his sword either forced his enemies back or struck them, eliciting pained cries.
Clearly, the ordinary members of the Solomon Sacred Assembly were no match for him.
"He's quite skilled," remarked the man in the six-eyed devil mask, with a cold huff. He smashed his crystal ball wand onto the ground and began chanting incantations, a casting bar appearing above his head.
The onlookers were deep in thought, pondering whether to intervene.
The reputation of the Solomon Sacred Assembly was indeed intimidating.
However, in the face of potential treasure, few could remain calm.
Just as the group of archers was preparing to attack, some of the spectators decisively launched their offensive.
A scroll was thrown, and in the next moment, a thick cloud of smoke erupted, swiftly enveloping the entire area.
Coughs and gasps for air filled the air.
"Damn it, who threw that mist scroll?"
"Curse it, we are from the Solomon Sacred Assembly! How dare you attack us?"
Angry shouts and rebukes echoed through the confusion, but it was too late. Once the battle turned chaotic, the awakened had nothing to fear.
What was there to be afraid of?
In the midst of chaos, even if one killed, there was no way to prove who the murderer was, meaning there would be no retribution from within the Alliance.
At this point, it was a matter of who was more ruthless!
The young man had become the target of everyone present.
It was common knowledge that he held the spoils of battle.
In an instant, countless gazes fixated on him.
Sensing the chilling intent to kill, the young man let out a long howl, brandishing his enormous sword as he began to spin.
As he rotated, his sword swung with great speed, creating a fierce blade aura that howled like a hurricane.
Clang, clang, clang-
Numerous arrows and various skills collided with the spinning giant sword, creating explosions of terrifying force.
Amidst the raging winds, the smoke began to disperse slightly.
However, the scene had descended into complete chaos. Even some of the magus were chanting spells, locking their targets on the young man.
"Boom!"
At that moment, a powerful gust surged forth, a silvery-white brilliance blossoming into a light screen that enveloped everyone, including Howard, within its radiance.
The howling wind completely cleared away the smoke.
The onslaught of the numerous awakened came to a sudden halt.
With the cover gone, they had dared to attack; now, without it, they feared being marked for revenge by the Solomon Sacred Assembly.
The intense battle abruptly stopped.
"Heh, why have you stopped fighting? Why don't you continue?"
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