William was in a state of disbelief. He had just witnessed his earth demon mentor's explosive demise, and the true nature of his own crime remained undetected. The shock of the separation incident still resonated within him, and he had mistakenly attributed it to the invincibility of his body, considering it a manifestation of a "natural God," an outcome he had never anticipated.
William had a plan: he wanted Sage Ray's Avatar to retrieve three space rings and determine how many Magical Stones could be acquired, with the intention of ultimately reclaiming them. Even if the Holy Spirit's avatar was delayed, it would automatically vanish within ten minutes, resulting in the loss of three space rings.
However, what completely blindsided William was the revelation that Taylor was actually Tyson's brother, Tyder. In his quest to forge an alliance with the so-called "natural gods," he had let the incarnation of Sage Ray go free.
Once he had retrieved the Sage Ray incarnation, William didn't dare linger. He immediately descended 300 meters underground and swiftly dug his way back, fearful of being pursued by someone.
"Nevertheless, ever since I became an epic, it seems that concentrating all my experience on the 'Saint Ray Avatar' was a highly profitable decision, allowing it to last up to ten minutes," William muttered to himself while tunneling.
"In addition, if Taylor believes that the 'Saint Ray incarnation' is a natural God, could I really impersonate one? Could I use the 'Saint Ray Avatar' to establish closer ties with the Orc Empire and give them the impression that I want to seek refuge with them?" The Prince's remaining experience hadn't yet elevated the "Saint Ray Avatar" to the full epic level, and he eagerly anticipated the special effects that would come with maxing out the "split" skill.
This avatar wasn't particularly powerful in terms of attack unless it was equipped with a Legendary Rank epic Level suit, but it was invulnerable, capable of shrugging off the attacks of Sages. What William had now realized was that when he copied Thunder God's left hand with the "split" skill, it emitted a distinct aura, as if it were a "natural God."
William couldn't help but chuckle, "If the 'Saint Ray incarnation' could last even longer, could I truly pass as a 'natural God'? The benefits would be immense."
In fact, Taylor's ideas weren't entirely unfounded. Since the start of the fourth era, some wild gods had indeed emerged in the world of gods. Almost immediately after their birth, these beings possessed epic and Legendary-level strength without requiring any cultivation. By consuming sufficient magic crystals, they could ascend to godhood, becoming Sages. These "natural gods" possessed a range of divine talents far surpassing those of regular Professionals at the same level.
While the "Saint Ray Avatar" was extraordinarily invincible, it wouldn't reveal its true strength without the presence of Thunder God's left hand. Thus, it was understandable that people might mistake it for a "wild God."
William continued to throw aside the soil from the tunnel he was digging, sealing the path behind him. Once he finally left the Black Great Wall, he took stock of the magic crystals he had acquired.
A total of 58 million, equivalent to half of a medium-sized Magical Stone vein. This was worth more than the materials of an entire city.
If these magic crystal veins were buried beneath Dawn City, they could potentially increase the city's magical resources by twentyfold. This would provide enough resources for millions of individuals to cultivate for seven to eight years, significantly accelerating the growth of Professionals. Within five years, the city would produce high-level and Grandmaster Level Professionals in abundance.
In short, even if he expended the magic crystals in his training, he could always acquire more in the future.
And so, upon arriving at the Dawn Fortress, his Highness quickly made his way to the Snow Elf King's city. His original intentions and prayers had been all but forgotten.
After all, Queen Bernice had not responded to his plea, which was a clear indication of her refusal. She was likely unaware of the attention Mu had directed towards him, and he had every intention of reclaiming these stolen items.
But just as he was about to step through a portal, a voice echoed in his mind, "Where are you going? Didn't we agree to split the items we removed in half?"
His left foot hovered in mid-air as he maintained a deadpan expression, reluctantly handing three of the rings to the guard. However, just as he was about to step through the portal, he turned back and stated firmly, "I'll have those space rings back later."
The scene shifts back to the Orc Empire.
The theft of the holy vein was no small matter.
Saint Altai had also returned from the otherworldly space. Inside the palace hall, he sat upon his throne, gazing at Taylor with a mixture of disbelief and curiosity.
"Are you being serious?" he asked.
"Your Majesty, I did my utmost to confront him. Not only did he remain unscathed, but he also managed to break my hand bone. If he isn't a 'natural God,' I'd be one step ahead of him," Taylor replied stiffly, waving his hand dismissively.
In a bid to prove his honesty, Taylor resorted to magic to recreate the scene of his encounter with the "incarnation of Sage Ray." Altai and other Legendary Professionals were captivated by the spectacle.
Taylor's character was far from stellar, but his undeniable strength left a lasting impression. Even other Legendary Professionals found it challenging to compete with the sheer power behind his reckless fists. Yet, the "God" effortlessly raised his palm to block all of Taylor's attacks, leaving everyone astounded.
What was particularly perplexing was that the "Saint Ray Avatar" not only withstood every attack but also resisted Taylor's formidable force. This was simply inconceivable. After all, even a Professional of the same rank would struggle to endure Taylor's blows.
After Taylor had invoked the water mirror technique over ten times, Altai found himself lost in thought. He was keen to analyze the information about this "God," but his abilities fell short. In the entire Orc Empire, there was no diviner capable of reaching the level of a mage. Altai excelled as a Sage in physical combat and melee, but his magic skills left much to be desired.
Finally, Altai spoke in a deep voice, "Let's attempt to contact this individual again, but we should avoid mentioning the holy pulse. Most 'natural gods' tend not to trust any power. Even if we were to offer them two holy veins, they would remain cautious. They only reveal themselves once they've fully matured into real gods and are ready to engage with us directly."
Taylor widened his eyes and inquired, "What about you, Your Majesty? Don't you intend to make personal contact with this individual?"
"It's unnecessary. He won't want to see me. If you have an opportunity, try to establish a friendship with him. If he continually seeks to exploit benefits, inform me, and I'll consider taking action myself," Altai responded before dismissing the gathering.
Although Altai's doubts about the "natural gods" had diminished somewhat after witnessing the water mirror, he couldn't shake the feeling that something was amiss with this particular individual. However, the excavation of the holy vein was scheduled for the following day. If the "natural God" dared to approach and demand magic crystals, it would indicate a genuine need to consume these resources for advancement.
"Darn it, if he has a formidable soul mage at his side, this 'natural God' will be difficult to handle," Altai lamented. He understood why the individual had targeted the Orc Empire for the theft of the holy vein and hadn't chosen any other location. Perhaps the "natural God" possessed exceptionally high physical defenses, rendering him impervious to physical harm. But he likely feared the influence of soul manipulation.
The growth and development of Dawn City over the past five years had been closely tied to resources and funding. The 28 million magic stones left behind by William had been placed underground in Dawn City by the Blood Moon Dark Witch, protected by powerful magic enchantments.
As for the possibility of theft, William couldn't address that concern. He could only hope that potential thieves had a shred of decency left in them. Furthermore, the underground infrastructure of Dawn City was intricate, and anyone attempting to steal magic crystals was likely to encounter a group of dwarves armed with iron.
His original intention was to return directly to Dawn City, but an unexpected encounter disrupted his plans. Doulett, who had always struck William as an NPC-like character, approached him with a question.
"Do you know when the Chosen One will return?" Doulett inquired.
"I don't know," the Prince replied firmly, even though he did possess that knowledge. He couldn't reveal it directly.
Doulett sighed and lamented, "Ah, my purpose in life has vanished. The beloved Chosen One has yet to return, and the Princess remains absent."
"You seem rather idle. Why not focus on your training or consider becoming a mentor at Dawn College?" William suggested. After all, Doulett was an epic boss with Legendary Bloodline, and there was room for further growth. It seemed unnecessary for him to appear purposeless in the absence of the Chosen One.
However, Doulett shook his head, explaining, "Those individuals are not as entertaining as the Chosen One. They lack that certain… excitement."
William nodded in understanding. Indeed, normal individuals couldn't provide the same level of excitement as the Chosen One.
"I'm actually planning to embark on a risky venture. Would Your Highness be interested?" Doulett inquired once more.
The Prince raised an eyebrow and asked, "Where are you headed?"
"I intend to search for the remains of Poseidon. You see, I am a Water Warrior, a magician, and a dual-class Professional. Despite achieving epic status, my strength has remained stagnant for decades. Now, I believe I have the potential to reach even greater heights," Doulett declared confidently, clenching his fist.
"No," William replied firmly.
"Hmm?" Doulett was taken aback. Wasn't the Prince excited to hear this news? After all, he was a grave robber who specialized in uncovering the relics of gods.
"Well, I don't have the time to sail the seas with you. Find Captain Jack, and he can accompany you on the Dawn Warship to explore and search for the Neptune relic," William suggested. He didn't know the precise location of the Neptune relic, but Doulett's statement hinted at the existence of clues. Despite his lack of intention to personally partake in the endeavor, he was willing to provide support.
If Doulett managed to advance to the Legendary stage, Dawn City would gain another formidable asset.
As he watched Doulett depart, an unexpected piece of news arrived, a wedding invitation for Caesar, the second prince of the War-Ending Empire, who was getting married in seven days. The Prince perused the wedding list, and his thoughts began to churn.