Centered on Jarred’s position, the overwhelming force spread like a tsunami, with countless blade energies bursting forth like a drilling rig, tearing apart the center of the bridge. The bridge’s surface, its supports, railings, beams, and cables were all shredded by the relentless blade energy, while even the waters of Grieving River below were shaken by the residual shockwaves, killing hundreds of aquatic creatures hiding below watching the scene.A small, barely visible nanobot hiding behind Jarred also shuddered, then quickly charged into a blade energy beside it, self-destructing without causing any significant impact.“Lawton, big brother!”“Vice squad leader Lawton!”“Vice leader!”The shockwave from the explosion created unparalleled force, with the energy storm sweeping away all foreign energies, knocking Hope Town soldiers left and right. The area fell into a momentary silence. However, they quickly regained their balance and screamed in panic. More than half of the squad le
This... It means something. No, it’s very serious. He gritted his teeth and muttered under his breath, full of anger:"Damn it..."Memphis, seeing Verne’s expression, seemed to have softened his hostile feelings toward him.The two of them had fought, but perhaps neither had even shown half of their real strength, let alone a third. Both had held back a lot. The terrifying show of power they displayed for the onlookers was, in reality, no different from the back-and-forth exchange of skills between hundreds of people by the riverbank—it looked intense, but the actual effect was minimal. It was more for show than anything else.Verne had, from start to finish, only used one skill: the wind ball buil
After observing for several dozen seconds, Fergus Clark, standing at the forefront, suddenly spoke up:"Memphis, were you the mastermind behind the attack on us?"Memphis, on the opposite side, sighed deeply and slowly shook his head, replying:"I won’t deny it anymore, because none of you will believe anything I say. However, you can provide evidence yourself. If there’s proof of a crime, I’ll bind my own hands and offer myself up to you."Fergus remained silent as he listened, then raised his hand and spoke in a low voice:"Everyone, step back. Unless I give the order, no one is allowed to intervene in the next proceedings."At his command, the Lakeside group hesitated for a moment but eventually began to slowly retreat, returning to their previous defensive positions. On the western shore, Memphis also raised his hand calmly and said:"Prepare for high-intensity defense. No one is allowed to move forward without my command."Three minutes later, only two figures remained on the Lak
The zombie had died, and its body was no longer as tough as a living one. If it had been a normal P2-level 25, Fergus would not have been able to destroy it so easily. But this was just a corpse, so he was able to effortlessly crush it.Memphis leaped from his position, 20 meters away, feeling both terrified and heartbroken. Terrified because the enemy was so fast, closing the 200-meter gap in less than 2 seconds with ease. His agility was easily double his own. Heartbroken because a strong servant had been destroyed just like that, and the opponent seemed hardly exhausted. This was a huge disadvantage."Piercing Strike!"Although he was at a disadvantage, he didn't let it distract him. At this moment, he raised his hand and pressed it forward, activating the enhancement skill of the "Ring of the Heart's Will."The opponent, surnamed Fergus Clark, was incredibly fast, meaning that the potential he allocated to his intelligence must be low. Using his strength to target the enemy's weak
The dozen or so black blade lights, as they slashed toward him, seemed to sink into a quagmire, their speed greatly reduced. When they hit the ice armor, they were covered in a layer of silver frost, and their lethal energy was completely sealed inside.Crack... Crack... Crack...The first strand of sword energy fell to the ground, followed by the second, the third, and all the sword energy slashes that came were frozen and sealed into a narrow strip of black shards, falling and scattering in pieces. After blocking this strike, Memphis pressed his hand down and coldly shouted:"Shadow!"He immediately used the Ice Image technique to move away, switching positions with one of the broken shards of ice from the shattered ice sphere that had exploded at the start of the battle.It was the farthest position, also the one that had been arranged and controlled most precisely to scatter the shards.Fergus, having just struck out a dozen strands of sword energy, immediately jumped and appeared
After sacrificing one decoy, Memphis continued to "spray" three more decoys from his "World Bound Ring.” using them to block the ominous, sharp attack. This restored 9 stamina, after which his true body swung his hand down to unleash a fourth-tier "Counterturn.” pushing the weakened sword energy far from him.As Fergus charged forward, he immediately felt his own terrifying sword energy turn back toward him. Realizing that the man named Jackman also possessed "Counterturn.” he didn’t hesitate to raise his left hand. The ring on his ring finger shone with a brilliant light."Lead!"The "Lost Path Ring" Level 4. Enhancement skill: Lost Path.As the sword energy slashed toward him, Fergus suddenly and eerily changed its direction, striking the ring instead. Despite the blade's sharpness, it posed no threat whatsoever, all its power was absorbed by the ring and disappeared without a trace.Three hundred meters from the river, a strange wave of sword energy appeared and sliced downward. Se
To close the gap with someone as fast as Fergus, he couldn’t afford to race in speed. That was futile. It was like trying to outsmart the smartest kid in class. The only solution was to slow Fergus down, make him "dumber.” and then win through slowness and experience—like a tortoise overcoming a hare.To counter Fergus effectively, Memphis had three strategies.The first was to maintain as much distance as possible. This strategy involved using the Ice Phantom skill, but Ice Phantom was a limited-use ability. Starting the battle, Memphis had only eight uses remaining, once they were depleted, it would be game over.Thus, he needed to consider the second strategy: dismantling his opponent's speed. Since the start of the battle, Memphis had been darting from east to west, ostensibly to evade attacks, but his larger purpose was to spread frost throughout the battlefield.Ice Poison was an incredibly effective speed-diminishing skill. Every time an opponent was affected by the frost poiso
"Damn it... Ugh..."Fergus had just fully recovered from his injuries, no longer under any control effects, and even his six stat lines had been randomly boosted by 5–9%. Yet, now he was once again taking hit after hit from Memphis. He wanted to flip the table, but a single misstep would mean his defeat. His opponent’s attacks were too sharp, and the preparation for this counterattack was too meticulous—there was no gap to exploit.In less than a second, his intelligence stat had dropped by over 30 points, and his vision was filled with bubbles that expanded and burst, his Soul Type crushed, drowning him in pain and nausea. His flesh began to crack as the third-tier skill Cicada Shedding activated.Boom!Latest Chapter Zeth sighed deeply, seemingly marveling at the situation.The man before him, not only adept in social dealings and interpersonal relationships, but also sharp and intuitive when it came to analyzing natural phenomena.When he first arrived, this so-called Hope Town leader, Jackman, was like a clueless fledgling. Now, the fledgling could crow and flap its wings—albeit just a little.Zeth nodded in agreement."I can’t confirm anything. The experimental equipment here isn’t sufficient for definitive conclusions. Everything I’ve said is just theoretical."Even so, Memphis was more than satisfied. He smiled with interest and said: “Don’t worry. I’ll have my people scour the area for all the equipment you need. Just focus on your work and let your talents shine. Now, about my third question: why can the two ice crystals switch places?"Zeth could only offer a wry smile and nod in agreement.With such favorable c Physical forces or foreign high-frequency energy could shatter it, but only superficially. Without the right "key.” it wouldn’t detonate to release the accumulated energy.Even Memphis himself couldn't fully unleash the energy stored within him at the moment. His control over the fourth-tier skill was still too weak. He held a bomb he had created with his own hands but couldn’t detonate it entirely as intended."So that’s how it is... Turns out, when I summon larger Ice Constructs, they consume more stamina and intellect. It’s not just about size, it’s about increasing both the quantity and quality of extraordinary energy to achieve high-pressure states, thereby solidifying the ice.""Good thing I didn’t use a fourth-tier Ice Burst move while sparring with the team members. Otherwise, I might have ended up with the label of accidental manslaughter on more than 20 people...""If I can increase my control and refine the infusion of extraordinary energy into my skills, the summoned ice w Zeth saw no reason to refuse. Gesturing towards a nearby guest table, he said:"I'll explain it to you in terms even a grade-schooler could understand."The humor in his statement was layered with respect. Simplifying complex concepts to an elementary level required immense effort and intellect. It was not something that could be done casually.After they both sat down, Memphis conjured two ice spheres with a snap of his fingers—one round and one square. He slid the round one towards Zeth and, with a serious tone, said:"There are three questions.""First, why can this object exist indefinitely at room temperature?""Second, why is it harder than steel?""Third, why can these two objects exchange positions?"As Memphis finished, the round ice sphere before Zeth morphed into a square, while the two swapped places.Zeth stared at the scene, utterly astonished. Picking up the square ice shard, he tested its reactions and properties. His pupils contracted as he stammered:"Ice… superionic Zeth jumped to his feet, his voice trembling with urgency: “Is that true? Memphis, are you serious?"His home was in Sable. If it had been liberated, his family had a chance of survival.Memphis nodded firmly: “It’s true. This information came from intelligence reports. I’ve also dispatched people to investigate your family’s safety. Once we have news, I’ll personally take you to them—or bring them to you."Information about the outer areas of Harbor Line wasn’t hard to obtain, as the Lakeside and Harbor Line governments maintained communication. Such details could be acquired with just five pounds of food from the "information stations."However, identifying specific individuals among thousands in the Harbor Line base was no easy feat. Given the tense relationship between Hope Town and the Lakeside government, extracting specific and detailed intelligence was even more challenging.Zeth was a capable and intelligent man. He knew better than to express undue impatience, understanding "Idiot. You can’t even control your zombie transformation yet. What if giving her your blood turns her into a zombie?""Your body right now is no different from pesticide-laden vegetables. You’ve stuffed yourself with zombie meat—are you sure you’ve digested all of it? What about leftover zombie traits in your body? Are you planning to poison your sister?"A chill ran down Albin’s spine at Memphis’s scolding, goosebumps prickling his skin. He had completely overlooked such a crucial point.He hurriedly turned to Memphis with a desperate plea: “Commander, then what should I do? You mentioned there were four methods to cure her, right?"Memphis nodded, his tone deliberate: “Yes.""The third method is to drain her energy completely. When Virginia has an episode, we’ll gather people to 'share the damage,' absorbing the energy she releases. This will deplete the reserves of her auto-triggered high-tier skill, allowing her mind to weather the energy storm and regain clarity.""However, I’ll Within three seconds, Virginia’s mouth was filled with blood. Moving with practiced efficiency, Memphis used his free hand to gently massage her throat, helping her swallow the vivid crimson liquid in gulp after gulp."L-Leader?!"Albin was horrified by the sight, while Memphis simply furrowed his brow, pressing the ice blade deeper to widen the wound, letting the blood flow even faster.Thanks to his two passive third-tier skills, Super Recovery and Valor, Memphis’s injuries were divided into countless tiny fractions. The 5-centimeter cut on his wrist immediately began to heal halfway, only to shrink further. This forced him to cut himself several more times.Calmly pointing to his own blood, Memphis explained:"When activating a skill, stamina and intellect serve as its foundation. Essentially, it requires energy.""A skill is like an engine, drawing energy from the body, transforming it into extraordinary power, and releasing it.""Vir lacks the energy her high-tier skill demands. Access to the system marketplace had to be granted by Memphis. He didn’t want the leader to have any reservations when he sought to exchange for a mid-tier progression card.Memphis’s smirk widened slightly: “This guy lies poorly.” he thought. Albin’s inner turmoil was written all over his face and reflected in his hesitant speech.In the presence of the master liar and con artist, this clumsy act was laughable.Leaning back on the stone bench, Memphis turned his gaze to Virginia, who remained motionless nearby. Her beauty was captivating—delicate like an exquisite doll crafted by non-human hands."You’ll become like your sister, descending into uncontrollable madness. One i In just one night, two blind soldiers, a deaf one, and an amputee had been "reborn" under her care, becoming whole once again.This skill erased past injuries—a miracle for anyone. It was also a safety net and a powerful morale booster for all combatants.Fight until you lose a limb, don’t fear being scratched by zombies. If it happens, chop off the affected limb without hesitation. You won’t remain disabled—no need to worry.If only this skill didn’t consume 50% of both the user’s and the recipient's maximum stamina and mental energy per use, while only healing 50% of the injury per session, its brilliance would shine even brighter.After offering words of encouragement to the injured, handing out gifts, and making a few promises, Memphis moved to the adjacent psychological treatment ward.This section catered to many people, primarily injured soldiers and survivors suffering from severe hallucinations leading to mental instability. There were also cases of genuine mental illness and After a night of endless revelry and the following day's rest, it was unsurprising that nine out of ten soldiers had skipped their regular training. The training grounds felt eerily empty.However, more than twenty members were still training in small groups, honing their combat techniques. The sounds of zombies growling in iron cages, wooden swords clashing, system abilities exploding, heavy breathing, fists colliding, and heated shouts echoed across the area.No matter the era—pre-apocalypse or post-apocalypse—every society harbored people of all kinds. Among them were those with an extraordinary sense of discipline. Even if the sky were falling, they would stick to their schedules and routines.When these individuals noticed Memphis’s arrival, they immediately ceased their activities, standing at attention and saluting."Commander!""Sir!""Salute, Commander!"Memphis returned the salutes with a standard gesture before conjuring two Ice Golems: one standing 3 meters tall, consumingChapter 696:
Chapter 695:
Chapter 694:
Chapter 693:
Chapter 692:
Chapter 691:
Chapter 690:
Chapter 689:
Chapter 688: