Chapter 404: The Dark Domain Hideout Launches an Invasion, Constructs Wonder Buildings, and Unlocks the Nemesis Effect. |
This is a world of volcanoes, a world whose colors are only black, red, and gray.
The ground pulsates, with the black-gray earth cracking open to form rivers of magma that flow slowly across the surface.
Accompanied by the eruption of subterranean heat, wisps of black ash are carried aloft, dancing in the air.
The air is thick with the pungent smell of sulfur and the distinctive dusty odor of melting minerals.
It feels like with every breath, you inhale this ash and dust into your nostrils, carrying a distinct granular sensation.
Charred, blackened trees, resembling lumps of charcoal, stand like the skeletal remains of a forest, rooted in this world filled with deathly stillness and destruction.
On the branches of those trees, several red-eyed crows are preening their scale-covered wings.
Caw—
With their croaks, a few sparks spray from their beaks.
"Woof woof woof... gather up, pups!"
A booming voice rang out.
One after another, dog-headed humanoids, each about one and a half meters tall, burly, stocky, and stout, emerged from lava mining caves.
These ordinary dog-headed humanoids were completely charred black, their skin covered in fine, intricate cracks resembling cooled lava.
Looking closely, one could see fine capillaries beneath these patterns.
On the dog-headed humanoids' elbows, knees, spine, chest, and head, there were coverings of black, glossy, sintered keratin composite shells, providing them with protection and thermal energy storage.
As the dog-headed humanoids gradually gathered, they soon assembled beneath the charred trees.
There were about two hundred lava dog-headed humanoids in total. Among them, the seven standing at the front were a full one point seven meters tall.
Their bodies were also entirely covered in a layer of red-black scales, their eyes bloodshot.
The scales on their bodies slowly brightened and dimmed in rhythm with their breathing.
But whether ordinary or special, all the dog-headed humanoids wore black armor forged from condensed black slag, offering them some protection.
The weapons in their hands resembled firearms but bore many traces of mechanical gears, with various metal hoses connected to them.
These were unmistakably steam-powered shotguns.
Slung diagonally across the dog-headed humanoids' chests were tactical harnesses woven from special vines.
Inserted into them were red capsules the size of shotgun shells; inside these capsules, one could see plump worms slowly wriggling.
Additionally, each was equipped with seven or eight fist-sized red ore chunks.
Each piece of ore had a barely perceptible crack.
Standing at the very front of the formation was the dog-headed humanoid who had initiated the gathering.
He was one point eight meters tall. Unlike the others, the keratinous crown on his head resembled a royal crown.
The scales on his body also occasionally flashed with dark golden patterns.
As the king of the lava dog-headed humanoids, the leader of the lava dog-headed humanoid civilization.
Ichiro Kobayashi stood atop a massive chunk of raw lava ore. He looked at the potion in his hand—[Bloodline Purification Potion] (Epic)—and revealed a satisfied smile.
"The Blood Clan is truly generous, willing to part with an Epic-grade potion for a trade, just to eliminate a Rock-rank player. They really have money to burn!"
To be honest, Ichiro Kobayashi was unwilling to offend the Yu Yuan Shelter.
After all, it was common knowledge that he had a high-ranking big shot backing him.
Moreover, a week ago, the other party eliminated three high-ranking players in a single day, which truly shocked and made everyone wary.
But helplessly, the Blood Clan's offer was simply too good.
The lava dog-headed humanoids possessed lava demon bloodline within them. The level of their strength was directly related to the purity of the demon bloodline within their bodies.
The Blood Clan understood him well. He simply couldn't refuse this deal, nor would he refuse.
"Still, it's just someone ranked in the eighties. This time, I'm bringing all my clansmen. With lava grenades and explosive steam shotguns, even if he controls an elite-level faction, taking him down shouldn't be a problem."
"The only pity is this bottle of [Bloodline Purification Potion] can only be used after killing the Yu Yuan Shelter to fulfill the contract. What a shame!"
Thinking this, a [War Token] already appeared in his hand.
Calculating the time, he chose to activate the [War Token].
[Launching invasion war, target—Yu Yuan Shelter]
[Player ID: Black Domain Shelter uses 『War Token』 on Player ID: Yu Yuan Shelter. Invasion war begins in one hour. Please prepare for war.]
[During the war period, social and trade functions are temporarily disabled. Functions will be restored after the war ends.]
Yu Yuan listened to the mechanical prompt ringing in his ears, his expression pausing slightly as he checked the other party's leaderboard ranking.
"Hmm? Rank 7... Black Domain..."
He then checked the outside weather temperature.
-32°C, strong winds...
He promptly stopped paying it any mind, his gaze returning to the wall before him, where a peculiarly shaped sheep's skull was placed.
——[Meriyes Sheep Skull]
Quality: Silver
Type: Decoration
Function: Place this item in a fixed shelter/mobile shelter. Upon winning an invasion war, spoils +2%.
This was a spoil found earlier in the Moss Cottage Shelter. Now it was time for it to serve its purpose.
And next to the sheep's skull was the wonder facility Yu Yuan had focused on creating.
——[Wall of the Victor's Glory]
Introduction: This is the victor's declaration of war against the vanquished! Only your skull can proclaim my glory as the victor.
Type: Wonder
Specification: 1 square meter
Trophy Count: 1
Trophy Race: Blood Clan
Effect: When the victor displays the vanquished's skull as a [Trophy] on the [Wall of the Victor's Glory], the victor will gain the [Natural Enemy] effect when facing that faction, race, or civilization again.
When the owner of the [Wall of the Victor's Glory] is the leader of a faction, race, or civilization and possesses absolute control over the affiliated faction, race, or civilization, the [Natural Enemy] effect will spread to the affiliated faction, race, or civilization.
([Natural Enemy] Effect: ① During combat, all attacks carry additional damage effects: Armor-Piercing +1, Damage Range +1, attacks carry [Corruption] effect. This effect is a special attack effect with priority judgment permission.)
Looking at Xiao Wu's skull placed in the center of the wall, Yu Yuan was quite satisfied.
It was ugly, sure, but the shriveled skull, the black-gray skin, plus the four ferocious fangs... looking closely, it did have a certain feel to it.
After admiring it for a while longer, Yu Yuan sighed.
This wonder building's effect was powerful, no doubt, but to create this one square meter of [Wall of the Victor's Glory], he had completely exhausted his last remaining [Spirit Crystal].
And in the Spirit Collector, the spirit collection progress had only reached about 27%.
This made Yu Yuan think of the Freedom Tower world.
How he missed those days inside, freely collecting spirit energy!
Now, although he could enter that world through the Civilization Teleportation Gate, it was highly unlikely he could farm spirit energy without limits anymore.
The only way was to wait for the next Wasteland Battle Royale.
"Let's wait and see for now! After I resolve the Reyes Legion incident and unify Green Forest City, before advancing to Bronze Rank, it would be safer to have a few Spirit Crystals in hand."
Preparations to deal with the incoming Reyes Legion were in full swing.
The plan to unify Green Forest City was also progressing step by step. Currently, only four hostile forces remained in Green Forest City.
Yu Yuan could probably deal with them in a day or two, but he needed to leave time for the Recruit Training Camp to digest and absorb them.
With the building effect bonus of the [Recruit Training Camp], absorbing each batch of Thugs and stabilizing for two or three days should be sufficient.
Calculating it out, it would take at most ten days to half a month to complete the unification of Green Forest City.
This speed and pace should be considered relatively steady and safe.
Yu Yuan planned silently in his heart.
He always liked to consider multiple aspects when doing things.
Consider defeat before considering victory.
Only then could he better manage risks and improve fault tolerance.
And as he was pondering this.
On the Workbench, the item he had been crafting earlier was completed.
It was precisely that Rare-tier [Large Logging Chainsaw · Improved Version] from before.