Note: combined chapters. Sorry, only a few more.
"Hello, Lady Lam, there might be a chance No One won't be available tonight. He's currently in the hospital."
"Sigh... Really? No One, did you drink five cups of coffee before going to sleep again?"
"Again...?" Hana was stunned.
"That fool has stayed up for days before, just living on coffee."
"Stay put, the doctor says you can only go home tomorrow," Cherished Dream glared at No One.
"Y-yes..." No One could only hide under the blanket sheepishly.
"So are we canceling tonight?" Sword of Love scratched his head.
"What else? Thanks to someone who doesn't know his own limits."
"Ugh. That's disappointing." Sword of Love leaned back in his chair, looking dejected.
"I'm fine, we can still—"
Cherished Dream covered his mouth with his hand.
With his other hand, he grabbed the tablet he brought along to show the doctor No One's health information.
"Either you stay put here or tomorrow your '[Tactical Documents]' folder on your computer will be shared on the guild channel."
Tactical Documents...
"Including the sparring discussion between those two girls and one guy."
What...
"MMMM MMM MMM MMM!!!" No One screamed in desperation.
"But if we don't tackle the Boss tonight, is that okay? The dungeon race is no joke now." Sword of Love looked at Cherished Dream.
Cherished Dream glared at Sword of Love too.
"I-I mean, if not, just let No One rest, we can go ahead first."
"We'll let him video call in to discuss strategy."
Sword of Love pointed at the tablet in Cherished Dream's hand.
He just sighed.
"Fine, but someone has to stay and watch over him."
"Let me help with that." Hana raised her hand."No, you have to go, Musician is still having lots of issues; leaving me here is not an option."
Sword of Love definitely wasn't staying behind.
Cherished Dream's class might also be needed.
No One handed over the tablet to Cherished Dream, after opening a few folders.
"Here's tonight's planned team lineup, you can take a look."
"One night in the Penthouse with two lovely ladies... what is this?"
"COUGH! WRONG!"
Next time, never let two folders share the same name like [Tactical Documents].
"Disgusting." Hana looked at No One with the same gaze you'd give a cockroach.
"Send the link." Sword of Love looked at No One with the same gaze you'd give a cockroach.
"Why are you also in on this!"
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Everyone went to get ready for the dungeon.
Meanwhile, No One waited for someone to come watch over him.
He recalled the time in the Bottom of the Sea of Myriad Flowers.
He felt like a completely different person.
Emotions suddenly intensified.
He couldn't control himself.
Yet somehow, his mind was very clear at that time.
He even had a full understanding of what he should do.
It was an incredibly strange feeling.
Could it be…"Has that water undergone a change in properties?"
He held the tablet and opened his character information.
Scrolling down, he found a new feature had been unlocked.
[[ Principles ]]
He tapped the "i" button to read more information.
[Players who comprehend the Principles will unlock this system interface.]
[Note: Due to a version error, the Principles function is currently unusable in certain content.]
[Current Version: 2.22]
[Function Version: 5.0]
[The number of contents where the Principles can be used is too limited. The system will notify when there is content where the Principles can be used.]
He then browsed through the details of the principle he had achieved.
[[ Undefined Principles ]]
[In ALL THINGS. Not in ALL THINGS.]
[Making the supernatural obvious.]
[The current system has not been updated with introductory information.]
He knew nothing...
Based on the update numbers, each year it progresses by one increment.
2.22 represents the 2nd year, 22nd update.
If that's so, this content should have appeared about 5 years later.Why do you have it now?
Hmm...
The one who might understand this best is probably just one person.
[No One: Master.]
[Heavenly Demon In Black: When the time comes, you will get to use it.]
Uh... Okay?
Having a master who "takes care" of you is truly "wonderful," isn't it?
[No One: Sister Amethyst.]
[...]
Strange. There's no reply.
No One leaned back on the bed.
"So now I'm really supposed to lie here like a patient...?"
I'm fine. Can't I just play games?
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"What, he ended up in the hospital?" Snow Vixen was startled upon hearing this from Cherished Dream.
Tofu perked up his ears to eavesdrop."If Snow Moon doesn't mind, could you keep an eye on him tonight while the guild goes through the dungeon? I'm really worried he might get into trouble."
"Alright, my work just finished, so send me the address, okay."
She also planned to ask No One for some advice on what she should do.
The clues she just found will surely be useful.
The story about Atrum's Lethal Poison, Yaoguai General Mac Van, and even Unholda Kaiser.
"Who's in the hospital?" Tofu curiously leaned back to ask Snow Vixen at her table.
"No One," Snow Vixen sighed.
"Oh, oh...!"
"What's with the 'oh'?" Snow Vixen glared at him.
"You two are that close already... tsk tsk... No wonder he's so eager to play games, having a girlfriend really changes things."
"Stop talking nonsense, you fool," Snow Vixen said as she packed her things and grabbed her bag.
Director Minh, who had just arrived and saw Snow Vixen leaving, stroked his chin thoughtfully.
"Probably not yet?"
"Not yet."
"Care to bet on how long until they become a couple?"
"Two months?"
"They seem pretty shy, so I'll say four."
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Atrum's Lethal Poison.
It's mentioned in the Epic of Atrum in the Library.
The followers of Atrum Pestis were believed to worship the Demon God Atrum.
Long ago, the followers of Atrum received a piece of flesh from their god, which was cast down to the apostles.
That piece of flesh appeared to have life, continuing to pulse like a beating heart even after so many years.
If one were to eat just a small bit of that flesh, it would act like a miracle drug, allowing the consumer to gain strength at an incredibly rapid pace.However, the person will simultaneously receive a curse.
They will become a puppet controlled by Atrum Pestis.
Over time, the piece of flesh produces a fluid on its surface.
Scraping off that layer reveals Atrum's Lethal Poison.
It has the ability to enhance countless toxins within a person who consumes it.
This is the very poison the Poison King uses.
As for the Poison King, an online historian provided some information he knows about him.
After Giovanni was imprisoned by the Distant Association, Atrum Pestis recommended a new individual to become The Black.
That individual is the Poison King.
His name is Bing Quan. He is from The East.
He was mentored by Giovanni from a young age due to his special constitution.
Bing Quan can endure all types of poison in the world without suffering any harm.
He can also use those toxins to create new poisons.
Originally, Atrum Pestis was part of the Demonic Path.
However, since Atrum established the Demonic Path, it's been a very long time.
The organization is currently considered to side with humanity.
Back then, when Atrum became the Demon God, it was in name only.
The Demon Race did not recognize him as part of their kind.
The aura and power he possessed.None of it belonged to the Demon Race.
And the most peculiar thing.
When Atrum became the Demon God.
The White Night still continued.
Atrum had another title, the Guide Leading All Beings Through the White Night.
An event that could only occur when the Heavenly Path favored humanity.
This Demon God Atrum... is truly a great mystery.
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Chapter 150: One Loss, Ten Doubts
The era of the Demon God is a major mystery.
Except for those belonging to Atrum Pestis, who witnessed that day through "The Waters on the Day of God Atrum."
No one knows why that era ended.
Or when exactly it began.
There is too little information about Atrum for her to know how to counteract that type of poison.
As for Yaoguai General Mac Van.
This is an interesting piece of information.
[Yaoguai's Return Event]
[Rumors of the Demon King's imminent return have shaken both the Extreme East and Extreme West. Due to this event, the Yaoguais have begun to take action.]
[Upon hearing the news, The Legendary Yaoguai General immediately took his Blood Spear and pierced himself with it, activating a curse against humanity, but a blessing for the Yaoguais.]
This is an event that opened recently.
It began when Yaoguai General Mac Van used his Blood Spear to pierce himself.
The issue here is that the information was posted by DMG.
The story of Yaoguai General Mac Van committing suicide to bless the Yaoguais is true.
But no one knows what that blessing entails.
Typically, the term "blessing" is associated with a type of buff called [Blessing]
[Blessing of Avery Snow][Blessing of Peerless Dancer]...etc.
But no one has ever received the [Blessing of Mac Van].
So what exactly is the key point of Yaoguai General Mac Van in this event?
He accepts becoming a slave to the Demon Race.
She pleaded persistently, to the point where Tofu finally agreed to document the past events and send them to her.
However, it would take some time.
And the final piece of information she found.
Unholda Kaiser.
He and Demon Emperor George Braveheart are one.
George Braveheart seized Unholda Kaiser's body to continue living.
And awakened when the sword in Qiu Yu City was being drawn.
But was subsequently destroyed by Rabbit in her Domain.
Therefore, the remaining presence in that body, Unholda Kaiser, regained control.
Players who explored the history of the First World know very little about this individual.
Because Unholda Kaiser is an alias.
That name, translated, essentially means Demon Emperor.
George gave him this name, truly reflecting his ambitions.
And this individual, before becoming a vessel for George,
Has no recorded history.
However, thanks to the information about the Demon King and Demon Emperor, Snow Vixen found many stories about Heroes.
The fate of Heroes throughout much of First World history is tragic.
Many Heroes were born only to be raised as materials for the Demon King and Demon Emperor to evolve.
Many Heroes, due to their title, found their lives riddled with tragedy.Even if a Hero manages to defeat the Demon King and Demon Emperor, most often they become pawns in the human game of power and politics. Ostensibly, they are protectors of peace, but in reality, they are puppets controlled by various forces. The fate of a true Hero is closely tied to death.
This is why George decided to abandon the title of Hero and pursue the path of the Demon King. Snow Vixen thought about the Hero currently being approached and nurtured by the Distant Association, a boy living in Aeterfloris. That kid... he is too young.
She investigated the incident where Unholda Kaiser attacked in Aeterfloris to seek out the Hero. In the cities, especially those events hosted by DMG, there are suppressions in place to limit the powers of NPCs. This is to prevent the ancient monsters in the First World from destroying everything. For that reason, Unholda Kaiser was only using a clone at that time.
Snow Vixen looked into the current situation of that child, who is being protected by the Foreigner's Association. Killing a Hero is the shortcut, and also a condition for the Demon King and Demon Emperor to become a Demon God. Simply by killing a Hero, their cultivation will immediately erupt, transforming them into a Demon God.
There is another, less common method, like what George did, using external power. He extracted terrifying power from the sword of the Immortal Blade to forcefully break through and become a Demon God.The child with the potential to become a Hero is currently being nurtured by Thanh Hi.
There was also Rabbit before, but now she has disappeared.
While sitting in a taxi heading to the hospital, Snow Vixen reviewed the data she had backed up.
She opened a message and began to inquire about the Thousand Tails Yaoguai King.
If it's related to the history of the First World, her master would surely know at least a couple of things not written in the chronicles.
[Snow Moon: Master, are you busy?]
[Snow Moon: Your disciple wants to ask you something.]
. . .
The Dungeon Entrance Area is bustling as always.
However, today one of the three main pillars of the First World is absent.
Heaven's Pride is not here.
This absence does not make Mujou and MaGold any more comfortable.
Even though they are aware that it's one less competitor in the dungeon race.
But if Your House gets burned down a few days later, how can your mood be calm?
Like an enemy gifting you a bundle of sticky rice, only to chase you with a stick the next day.
They would rather he be here; that way, their hearts wouldn't be so restless.
Truly, one missing, ten people are suspected!
The Moonlight Clan is also at the Teleportation Point now.The lineup includes Lady Lam, Cherished Dream, Hana, Sword of Love, Hau Hau Noodle, TwinBird, Lunar Ren, and Ye Yu.
Everyone is currently excitedly greeting Lunar Ren.
Since the Sea of Flames event, this player has rarely participated with everyone.
So, they are all eager to say hello.
Lunar Ren responds very briefly, which can make others feel she is aloof.
Her hair covering one eye adds to her indifferent appearance.
Only Lady Lam finds it amusing, seeing her surrounded by guild members.
She's not cold, just afraid of social interaction, isn't she?
A true introvert.
Perhaps, Lunar Ren is feeling quite anxious inside at this moment.
Lady Lam doesn't want to interfere, letting Lunar Ren get used to it gradually.
The guild members are all extroverts!
Ye Yu stands to the side, watching everyone greet each other.
He still feels a bit shy around strangers.
Even though he played a significant role in the Sea of Flames run.
Everyone is very welcoming to him.
"Alright, let's prepare to focus. Snow Moon has arrived at No One's hospital room, so we can begin."
"Understood," Lunar Ren said, simultaneously with Ye Yu.
For a moment, Lunar Ren seemed to imagine.
Oh friend, are you an introvert like me?Ye Yu doesn't understand why Lunar Ren seems to have a bit of fondness towards him.
"Yes, guild leader," Cherished Dream said.
"Let's go in," TwinBird said while feeding a piece of meat to her hawk.
"Yes!" Hana said excitedly.
"I've been waiting for ages!" Sword of Love exclaimed.
"Today, we must defeat that Boss!"
"Why don't we have No One go online first, then bring Snow Moon in later? It's not like No One can't go online because Snow Moon isn't there, right?" Hau Hau Noodle asked with a raised finger.
Everyone turned to look at Hau Hau Noodle.
"...Oh, right?" Lady Lam nodded.
"Yeah...that makes sense," Cherished Dream pondered.
Hau Hau Noodle broke out in a sweat.
Does the whole guild share one brain cell except for me?
"Alright then, Sword of Love, wake No One up."
"Okay."
Sword of Love opened the interface and started calling.
The ringtone echoed, and for a moment, no one knew what to do while waiting.
Everyone looked around aimlessly.
Lady Lam kicked a stone on the path.
The scene was somewhat awkward.
Hau Hau Noodle could only sigh.
Are we really sure our guild can beat the Boss with this many brain cells?
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Chapter 151: Return to Boss Battle
No One was booting up his computer and getting everything ready to watch his guild tackle a dungeon.
Unlike the rest of his single-minded guild, he wasn't going to wait for Snow Moon to log in before diving in himself.
Why wait?
There's already too much current news about First World, so he didn't bother reading it.
Briefly checking, the headlines mostly revolved around the Thousand Tails Yaoguai King.
She's causing quite a stir.
He also heard that the Vong Ngu guild had withdrawn from the dungeon race.
It seems like they're focusing on something more important.
Wow... It must be something the Thousand Tails Yaoguai King ordered.
He grabbed another water bottle to drink.
This was his fourth or fifth one already.
Ever since he woke up, his body had felt extremely thirsty.
No amount of water seemed to be enough.
The nurse, whom he had asked several times to bring him water, was getting slightly annoyed.
No One rubbed his forehead.
His head was aching too.
He looked a bit weary.
Just what on earth is wrong with my body...
"I brought you some fruit."
No One looked up."Yo, Snow Moon."
"In real life, call me Snow Vixen," she smiled as she placed the fruit next to the bed.
"The last time I saw you, you were teleported away by the Forest Wolf Yaoguai, right? Why are you in a hospital bed now?"
"If I tell you, I'm afraid you won't believe it..." No One scratched his head.
"Try me."
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"Yeah. I don't believe it."
"Told you."
No One had already guessed Snow Vixen would say that.
Gained a feature three years before its time.
Body damaged because of the game.
"Are you sure it's because of the game? If it really is, then it's very serious. I must report this to DMG. These things could be life-threatening."
Snow Vixen wore a face full of concern.
"Pretty sure. After I died in the game, I was ejected from the machine booth along with an alarm saying I was clinically dead."
Snow Vixen was deeply skeptical.
A false alarm from the machine booth isn't impossible. Many reasons can cause miscalculations, especially with cheaper booth types.
But the fact No One had to be hospitalized afterwards made the situation much more concerning."Alright. I'll contact the boss soon."
No One nodded.
Snow Vixen didn't hide the fact that she was a DMG employee, but she also didn't broadcast it to everyone.
However, it's clear the guild members don't get any special privileges.
"Here's an apple. Want me to peel it for you?"
"Thanks, that would be helpful." No One was logging into the chat and guild's direct interface to keep track of things.
Snow Vixen took out a pocket knife and began peeling the apple.
She sat next to No One, watching the screen.
"Yo, I'm in."
"Alright, let's get started." Lady Lam signaled in the voice channel.
"Snow Moon is here too."
"Great, great, no lovey dovey around during the stream," Sword of Love laughed heartily.
"Nonsense." No One wished he were nearby to smack the fool on the head.
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"Yoooo! Hello everyone! Today we get to watch the guilds raid a dungeon live!!!"
A voice resembling that of a professional commentator echoed on the channel called REMIxTV.
"And I'm July14!! Hosting the show today! Is everyone ready!?"
A cute girl in a pink sailor uniform, made of holographic fabric, appeared dazzling to the eye.The cute face, with a layer of makeup and a slightly reddened nose, really accentuated her charm.
Her pink-dyed bob haircut added a unique touch to the outfit.
"And I'm Golden Phoenix ! Co-hosting today's program! I hope everyone has an exciting evening!!!"
A young boy dressed up said.
Tofu sat watching the live broadcast.
REMIxTV is a famous live streaming channel for the game.
Besides watching each guild's live events, a channel like this is also great for monitoring players' live status.
He opened a box of tofu stuffed with meat, nibbling as he watched.
"Do you think there will be a team defeating the First Boss tonight?"
Director Minh entered the room to watch the live stream.
"Yes, the Boss's health percentage is very low. This phase should be completed soon," Tofu said, swallowing the tofu piece in his mouth.
"I just fear that the strategy chosen to pass the First Boss by the Moonlight Clan might be a bit hard to grasp, so I don't think it will be done today."
"If they can push it down to 30% today, that would be great," Director Minh nodded approvingly.
Currently, the guilds choosing to battle Phantom Demonic Form/Demonblade can endure the attacks and push the boss's health down to around 25%.
Particularly, Black & White, led by Mujou, managed to push it down to 17% during the event at Qiu Yu City, when they cooperated with No One.
The key to Phantom Demonic Form is simpler than Phantom of Avery Snow.
No One had partially resolved this on that day.
Because of his talent for quickly identifying key points, Mujou also wanted to recruit him into the team.
Although other guilds have somewhat understood how to lower the boss's health, thanks to some tips from No One on that day, there remains a difference in health reduction.
MaGold is a well-known cunning old fox, so he soon realized the issue and quickly caught up with Mujou.Currently, they are competing for every 0.1% of health at the 14% threshold.
The rest are still struggling.
Director Minh looked at the live broadcast screen.
"Ladies and gentlemen! Right now, Eastern Joy Club and Black & White are racing against each other for every percentage of the boss's health! We really can't be sure who will bring the boss's health to zero first!"
"The absence of Heaven's Pride and the Nonsense Guild only adds to the tension of their race!"
"Meanwhile, let's check in on the Moonlight Clan, oh what's this!?"
"No participation from No One in today's battle!"
"The current main lineup of the Moonlight Clan is..."
Director Minh was a bit surprised.
"Really? Heaven's Pride isn't participating, and No One as well?"
He was quite sure that he was the one most eager to complete the Tomb of The Immortal Blade.
"He's been hospitalized. Earlier, Snow Vixen rushed out to visit him," Tofu explained, noticing the boss's surprise.
"Hospitalized... Is he okay?"
"I don't know, maybe you should call Snow Vixen to check?"
"Alright."
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Qiu Yu City.
The live broadcast is showing the guilds in the square battling the Boss.
A dark figure sat among many players watching.
It was the Heavenly Demon In Black."Sister, did you come to support your disciple?"
The Thousand Tails Yaoguai King had been standing next to the Heavenly Demon in Black for some time.
"You could say that, but I still haven't seen him."
"Perhaps he's been affected after grasping the Principles."
The Thousand Tails Yaoguai King playfully wrapped her arm around the Heavenly Demon in Black's neck from behind while watching together.
"When I first grasped them, I also needed a period of rest, not everyone is as resilient as you, Sister."
"Alright then, care to sit and watch with me?" The Heavenly Demon in Black didn't object and allowed her to hang onto his neck like that.
"Of course ~! I must see the face of the one who's captivated you for so long!"
"Nonsense." The Heavenly Demon in Black's face reddened slightly.
"Oh my, Sister, you're really blushing ~~!"
"Huh?"
A bouquet of flowers was presented in front of the Thousand Tails Yaoguai King, who was playfully teasing the Heavenly Demon in Black.
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13.3%
The battle was extremely fierce.
There was no telling who would push the health down to 10% first.
MaGold and Mujou were both streaming live from next door to continuously keep track.
Meanwhile, Heaven's Pride...
He was holding a large bouquet, prepared to present it to the Thousand Tails Yaoguai King.
"Though these flowers may be shy when they meet you, I need them to know who the most beautiful flower in the world is so they can strive to be."
Whoa...
"Ah, should I consider selling my daughter then? How much should the dowry be?"
The Heavenly Demon in Black covered his mouth, laughing.
"Sister!!!"