A minor miscalculation could result in a fatal outcome. The earlier series of struggles vividly illustrated the ruthless nature prevailing in the untamed jungle."Wow, can you believe that giant python got taken down so easily?""Yeah, it was a powerful python, but it ran into its natural predator.""That's pretty scary! If even a strong python can be defeated so quickly, are we in even more danger?"Staring at the wreckage scattered around them, the group felt a mix of shock and unease. The place exuded brutality and danger, leaving them on edge. The fear of becoming prey to the exotic beasts lurking around loomed large, with a high chance of meeting a sudden demise. It finally dawned on them why Ryan had succumbed to madness. Facing such a dangerous and horrifying environment would be daunting for anyone, and it was still early in the night. The looming uncertainty of whether more creatures would emerge in the later hours only added to their apprehension."Looks like thi
"H-Hey?" the man stammered.His jaw dropped as he watched the man in yellow getting skewered by those vines. In a daze, he stood frozen, unable to grasp the sudden death of someone lively who was just talking moments ago.Rhythmic drips filled the air as the vines hoisted the lifeless body, letting fresh blood spill out and eagerly devour the body. Before their eyes, the once withered vines transformed into a more nourished and glossy look with a faint crimson hue accentuating its surface.As the vines greedily absorbed the fresh blood, the man in yellow underwent a swift and noticeable transformation. His once vital body rapidly withered, leaving behind nothing but a desiccated corpse."Help! Somebody, help! Monsters!"Finally, the other man snapped out of his stupor. He started yelling and desperately tried to escape, not even caring about the weapon he had dropped.As he turned to run, a vine shot up from the ground. Swift as lightning, it speared through the man's head li
"Hah! These darn vines dare to ambush my comrade. I shall set you ablaze!" The burly man, enraged by the stubborn, still-moving vines, swiftly grabbed a nearby torch. He was ready to set it on fire.Jackson, watching from afar, noticed a looming danger and quickly shouted, "Hey, look behind you!" "What?" Upon heeding the warning, the burly man swiftly turned. A silver vine, gleaming unlike its dull gray counterparts, approached him like a spear. It was thicker, tougher, and faster."Go to hell!" With a quick wrist flip, he swung his steel blade, aiming to cut the silver vine in half.The blade clashed with the silver vine, creating sparks and a loud metal clash. The vine's attack paused, making the burly man stagger back in shock."This is tougher than I expected." His eyelid twitched as he examined his steel blade, noticing a clear nick from his recent strike. Realizing the vine was tougher than his blade, he wondered about its origin and concluded it must be a divine weap
Dealing with one silver vine was already challenging. However, what caught everyone off guard was the sudden appearance of a dozen equally strong ones. The burly man, momentarily caught off guard, found himself impaled by the silver vines. In an instant, his body became a gruesome canvas of blood and wounds."What—" He couldn't believe his eyes. He thought he had faced the vine's deadliest move, only to discover it was just a setup for an even more ominous threat. The monstrous entity's origin and unmatched strength puzzled him.Dozens of silver vines, like tentacles, lifted the burly man into the air. The silver vines ruthlessly tore his body apart with a resounding crack. Blood sprayed and mingled with the dismembered pieces. Unlike the previous vine that drained blood, these silver vines seemed to assert dominance."No!" Jackson roared at the gruesome scene before him. Unhinged by the sight, he wasted no time and charged forward with his sword drawn."Die!" With relentless
"What on earth is happening?" A collective gasp filled the air as the group laid eyes on the majestic golden vine soaring into the sky. The gray and silver vines had already stunned them, but the dense and commanding presence of the golden vine took the spectacle to new heights.If the gray vines were akin to soldiers and the silver ones acted as generals, the golden vine now assumed the role of a commanding king. A haunting stillness surrounded the golden vine, sending shivers down the spines of all those present."I've got a bad feeling about this. That golden vine might surpass the strength of all the silver vines combined!""What should we do? What's the plan now?""Are we going to die here?"A sense of impending doom and unease gripped the disciples of the Embersteel Order, members of the Black Scorpion Squad, and Grace's envoy teams. The overwhelming presence of the vines rendered them utterly helpless."Fear not, everyone! Mr. Ridge is here. He's got this!" a voice rea
Aidan raised an eyebrow, commenting, "Let's be clear—we're just fellow explorers with our own goals. We're not allies, and even if we were, why do we have to share both good and bad times?"Jackson hesitated, momentarily lost for words. It dawned on him that the rumors about Aidan's unpredictable nature were indeed true."Mr. Ridge, state your conditions. If it's something we can accommodate, we won't turn you down," Grace replied promptly. She sensed Aidan's longing for some sort of benefit."Great!" Aidan grinned, impressed by her quick understanding. He went on, "I can help you in getting out of this situation and guarantee your safety. However, in return, I'd need you to give me the Dragon Rope.""What? The Dragon Rope?" Jackson frowned at the unexpected mention.The Dragon Rope could restrain even grandmaster martial artists, making it invaluable. Aidan's request at this moment appeared to exploit their vulnerable situation. Hence, the unexpected behavior from such a resp
Aidan demonstrated remarkable strength as he skillfully wielded his crescent-shaped dual blades. With a swift motion, he released a barrage of blade aura toward the golden vines. Each blade carried enough force to split mountains, accompanied by a powerful gust of wind and vibrant lights.In response to his attack, the silver vines transformed into long spears, hurtling rapidly toward him with astonishing precision. These spears adeptly intercepted every blade aura, triggering a sequence of explosions. The countless blade auras shattered, forcefully pushing back the silver vines."Hmph! Let's see how tough you are!" Aidan charged forward, crossing his dual blades. With a swift swing, he shouted, "Destruction Slash!"A crackling sound filled the air as two crescent-shaped blade auras swiftly slashed toward the golden vine. Initially three feet in length, these razor-sharp blade auras expanded to a towering three yards as they closed in. Appearing like unstoppable blades, they c
The initial assault proved ineffective, prompting the golden vines to launch another attack. The front end of the vine elevated, resembling a fully drawn bowstring. After a moment of gathering strength, it struck down toward Aidan in the crater.The follow-up strike demonstrated increased speed and force compared to the previous one. Before reaching full power, the air itself seemed to tear apart, resonating with the anticipation of the impending strike.The velocity and strength exhibited by the golden vines far exceeded those of the silver ones. Each strike carried a seismic impact as if the earth trembled.Aidan noticed the approaching golden vines and chose not to confront them again. With a strong push from his legs, he moved sideways. At that moment, the powerful strike of the golden vines hit precisely where he had been standing moments ago.The impact was thunderous, shaking the earth and creating a powerful shockwave. It resembled a gust of wind clearing away fallen