Chapter 166 Chapter 166-Intervention
The intense pressure immobilized even the man in the six-eyed devil mask, causing his complexion to drastically change.
Howard was not exempt from this force.
His body was overwhelmed by the pressure, his blood heating up rapidly.
Quietly, dragon scales began to emerge on his arms, subtly dissipating the oppressive force.
Fortunately, the other awakened were too preoccupied with the terrifying pressure to notice Howard's transformation.
Internally, Howard felt a surge of relief, recognizing an advantage of his Draconic State - the ability to neutralize such pressure.
The man in the six-eyed devil mask bit his tongue sharply, spitting out a mouthful of blood.
As the blood left his mouth, a strange bloody light burst forth, astonishingly transforming the shadow of the turtle in the air into a blood-red one.
The dreadful pressure dissipated instantly.
The man in the six-eyed devil mask leaped up, shouting, "Is the person who intervened from Black Tortoise City?"
Black Tortoise City, along with Crimson Dragon City, White Tiger City, and Solaris City, belonged to the top-tier cities of the East, each possessing exceptional strength and distinctive characteristics.
Recognizable at a glance, the man in the six-eyed devil mask, having traveled far and wide for many years, was well aware of these facts.
With the pressure gone, the many awakened began to stand up, looking towards the source of the intervention.
They saw that hundreds more awakened had arrived, including familiar faces to Howard.
Leading them, besides Corinna Maya, whom Howard had met the previous night, was the young lady from Black Tortoise City.
Though Corinna Maya was the organizer of the camp, in this world where strength was paramount, the formidable power of Black Tortoise City naturally wouldn't be overshadowed by her.
Hearing the words of the man in the six-eyed devil mask, the young lady from Black Tortoise City didn't respond.
Instead, a middle-aged man from her group stepped forward.
Rather than answering the man in the mask, he posed a counter-question, "With such commotion, could it be that someone has found the Starry River Map?"
Indeed, the intense fluctuations from the six-eyed devil mask man's skills, combined with the earlier battle, had attracted Corinna Maya and her group.
They had acted to prevent the Starry River Map from falling into the wrong hands, unleashing their enhanced skills to suppress everyone in the area.
In reality, the strength of the few individuals from Black Tortoise City wasn't enough to overpower the man in the six-eyed devil mask.
The only reason they managed to suppress him was by catching him off guard, targeting his comparatively weaker physical form.
Once he had regained his composure, he naturally could use his skills to break through such constraints.
The brief skill exchange that had taken place earlier made it clear to both the man in the six-eyed devil mask and the people from Black Tortoise City that their strengths were closely matched, leading to no desire for further conflict.
"Starry River Map? Would the emergence of the Starry River Map create such a minor stir?" The man in the six-eyed devil mask spoke irritably.
"The Solomon Sacred Assembly is dealing with a private matter. Does Black Tortoise City intend to interfere?"
Upon hearing that it was a private affair, the members of Black Tortoise City exchanged glances and then turned to look at the young lady.
They were aware of the existence of the Solomon Sacred Assembly and equally reluctant to create hostility.
They also didn't take to heart the tone of the man in the six-eyed devil mask.
After all, their sudden attack had embarrassed him, and his desire to vent his frustration was understandable.
After the young lady from Black Tortoise City nodded in acknowledgment, a man from her group spoke up, "We apologize for our earlier intrusion. May I know which Bloodrobe Bishop of the Solomon Sacred Assembly we have the honor of addressing?"
"I am Pallor Swift!" The man in the six-eyed devil mask spoke with evident pride.
He was aware that the awakened from Black Tortoise City mostly possessed auxiliary talents and had relatively weaker combat capabilities.
Confident in his invincibility, his demeanor was less than friendly.
His name elicited gasps from the numerous awakened.
Pallor Swift, the foremost among the six Bloodrobe Bishops of the Solomon Sacred Assembly.
Although his level was relatively low, the magic skills he wielded were exceptionally elusive, capable of causing many Level 80 awakened to meet unexpected defeats.
Even Corinna Maya's expression grew serious.
The members of Black Tortoise City exchanged glances and then replied with a smile, "Since it is a private matter of the Solomon Sacred Assembly, we shall not interfere."
Hearing this, the young man's mouth twitched in irritation.
Why not interfere now, after having unjustly unleashed skills previously?
Had it not been for those individuals from Black Tortoise City, he would have already taken the opportunity to escape!
After all, no matter how formidable Pallor Swift was, his profession was still that of a magus with a relatively frail physique.
Chasing after someone was an arduous task for him.
Not everyone was like Howard, who had the fortune of continuously strengthening his physique.
To put it bluntly, in a pure contest of physical strength, some Level 80 magus might not even match Howard!
Seeing the people from Black Tortoise City backing down, Pallor Swift revealed a smile.
However, he didn't push his advantage too far, instead saying lightly, "Thank you for your understanding. Once this matter is resolved, I shall invite you all for a drink!"
After saying this, Pallor Swift turned his attention back to the young man, stating, "Young fellow, the three attacks have passed, and it seems you've moved well beyond thirty feet from your original position."
"Do you still acknowledge our wager?"
Hearing this, the young man's brows furrowed tightly.
He had no desire to join the Solomon Sacred Assembly, but Pallor Swift was pressuring him relentlessly.
To refuse might very well mean death right here!
Pallor Swift's current amiable demeanor was purely an attempt to recruit him.
Should that fail, the outcome was quite predictable.
The many onlookers sighed, knowing that if the young man wanted to avoid death, his only option was to join the Solomon Sacred Assembly.
As for joining first and then looking for an opportunity to leave?
Such powerful factions had numerous safeguards in place - it was not as simple as just wanting to leave.
At that moment, Howard unexpectedly stepped forward, speaking calmly, "A master who has been renowned for years, bullying a junior like this. Is this the way of the Solomon Sacred Assembly?"
"Hmm?!"
Caught off guard by Howard's words, Pallor Swift's expression darkened.
He hadn't expected anyone to stand up for the young man, especially after Black Tortoise City chose not to intervene.
Little did he know, Howard had a hunch that the young man would not end up in Pallor Swift's clutches.
By stepping forward at this moment, Howard could certainly earn the young man's gratitude and perhaps even forge a strong friendship!
As Pallor Swift's gaze settled on Howard, he was momentarily taken aback, then his heart filled with elation.
He hadn't expected that on this venture out, he would encounter not one, but two youths with exceptional talent!
Even though Howard was wearing a Death Mask, a master of Pallor Swift's caliber could still roughly discern Howard's age and aura.
A child in his teens, possessing an aura around Level 50, would be considered a prodigy even in the Church. Why would they willingly let go of such talent?
In an instant, Pallor Swift even felt the impulse to forcibly take both Howard and the young man with him, regardless of the Starry River Map.
With his newfound interest in Howard, the anger in Pallor Swift's heart dissipated.
Far from being angered, he responded with a smile, "Young brother, you speak for him. Would you dare to wager a bet with me?"
"What's the wager?" Howard asked, his demeanor calm, showing no particular concern for Pallor Swift.
It wasn't that Howard had become arrogant, but he aimed to provoke Pallor Swift, luring him into a trap.
As expected, seeing Howard's composed attitude, Pallor Swift understood that Howard must have absolute confidence in himself.
However, he was equally confident in his own abilities.
After all, his level was far higher than Howard's!
In the later stages, the gap between levels becomes increasingly significant.
Pallor Swift, being over Level 70, certainly had the confidence to back up his stance.
As it stood, among all the awakened Howard had encountered in the Dark Mausoleum, Pallor Swift possessed the highest level!
After a moment of hesitation, Pallor Swift decided to gauge Howard's true capabilities to ascertain his specific talents.
Smiling, he said, "Since you claim the previous wager was unfair, let's have you set the rules for this one. Of course, the condition remains the same: if you lose, both of you must join the Solomon Sacred Assembly!"
"And if you lose?" Howard's lips curved slightly.
Without any hesitation, Pallor Swift replied, "If I lose, not only will I give up the previous spoils of war, but I will also gift each of you a piece of Diamond-grade equipment!"
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