Deacon Water, Li Daqian, and the others were now cursing Ye Zhongming in their hearts.
Not only had he brought them here without a clear explanation, but he had also placed them so close to the battlefield of two level-nine lifeforms. Wasn’t this just setting them up for disaster?
In truth, Ye Zhongming hadn’t intended this. Guang Yao’s Battle Squad was with them; even if he wanted to set them up, he wouldn’t drag his people into it.
The real issue was that he had underestimated the battle between two level-nine beings.
He had based his expectations on the standards of the Saint Father.
However, it was clear that the only level-nine lifeform in the Blue Secret Realm wouldn’t have the same reservations as the Saint Father when faced with a level-nine being from another world. All it knew was that killing this foreign being would allow it to enter the new world. It had already caught the scent of its own clone from the space gate.
Thus, in response to the Armor King’s provocation, the Nine-Winged Crow retaliated with its full power.
The might of a level-nine lifeform could alter the heavens and the earth. Even though Deacon Water and the others were far away, they were still overwhelmed by the force. They could handle it as eight-star evolved, but the other evolved, and battle beasts were not so fortunate.
However, like a stubborn rock, Guang Yao refused to retreat, insisting that this was the best ambush point and that they couldn’t leave.
It’s hard to get off once you’re on a pirate ship. They couldn’t leave this place and had no choice but to endure.
On the distant battlefield, the two level-nine beings unleashed some skill. With a deafening roar, a massive wave of energy, mixed with dirt, rocks, and debris, surged toward them. In an instant, it swept over the four teams. Even though they had used various methods to defend themselves, many of the lower-level or poorly equipped warriors couldn’t withstand the onslaught and suffered serious injuries.
“Guang Yao, if you insist on your previous stance, we won’t accompany you anymore.”
Commander Mu had known Guang Yao for a long time, but they had never interacted much since they belonged to different war zones. However, their statuses differed, giving Commander Mu a psychological advantage over Guang Yao. Unlike Deacon Water and Li Daqian, who saw Guang Yao as Ye Zhongming’s representative, Commander Mu didn’t hold him in the same regard.
Before he could finish speaking, another shockwave hit, causing chaos in the ranks. It wasn’t enough to knock everyone over, but it disrupted their formation.
Guang Yao thought momentarily, then pulled out a piece of equipment, planted it in front of the team, and installed a shimmering light blue gem into it.
“Staff of Nature?!”
Deacon Water, who was very familiar with Ye Zhongming, immediately recognized this blue-grade defensive equipment. The Staff of Nature had ranked quite high in the national equipment rankings. If not for its level limitations, it could have ranked even higher.
“A Nature Gem?” Commander Mu’s focus was clearly different. He noticed the gem, and his heart stirred.
This wasn’t an ordinary Nature Gem but a top-tier Super Gem. A single one of these was incredibly precious, if not priceless.
Guang Yao activated the Staff of Nature, and the Water Bottle Protection appeared, enveloping all the teams within it.
Unlike other water-type gems, the Super Water Gem’s Water Bottle Protection was almost completely transparent. The beautiful illusion it created flickered in and out, and despite its wide coverage, it gave off a fragile feeling.
“Earlier, I used a concealment item to weaken our presence, making the two level-nine lifeforms ignore us even if they noticed us. But this is different.” Guang Yao pointed at the Water Bottle Protection, which had already blocked the incoming debris. “The protection it provides can even withstand a full-force attack from a level-nine lifeform. Even if it shatters, it will still save our lives. But… it might draw the attention of the Nine-Winged Crow and the Armor King.”
“You!” Mu Xinfei glared at Guang Yao, furious that he hadn’t mentioned such a critical detail earlier. Compared to drawing the attention—or even attacks—from level-nine lifeforms, enduring some debris and energy waves was nothing.
“I’m just stating a possibility so you can be prepared. Most likely, they won’t be interested even if they notice us.”
Sure enough, when the Water Bottle Protection was activated, everyone felt the Nine-Winged Crow and the Armor King pause momentarily, but they quickly resumed their battle.
This eased the tension among the leaders.
“It seems we can hold out until they decide the outcome,” Guang Yao thought to himself, feeling somewhat relieved. He had been worried that things wouldn’t go as the boss had predicted.
But before Guang Yao could fully relax, he suddenly became alert, looking toward the smoke-filled battlefield ahead.
Just a few seconds later, a black light slammed into the Water Bottle Protection. The previously indestructible barrier shook violently, its glow intensifying from near-transparency to a bright, luminous sphere.
This was the reaction of the Super Water Bottle Protection when it suffered an attack that rapidly depleted its energy.
Deacon Water, Li Daqian, and Commander Mu had also sensed something wrong almost simultaneously with Guang Yao. Seeing the Water Bottle Protection react like this, their expressions turned grim.
“What’s going on?” an elder from the Thousand Beast Villa asked nervously.
Guang Yao’s face darkened as he stared at the shadow that had flashed by earlier. He spat out two words: “Clone.”
He had seen the true form of that shadow—it was strikingly similar to the clone the Nine-Winged Crow had sent to Earth. In other words, the boss’s judgment hadn’t been entirely accurate. The Nine-Winged Crow had indeed taken an interest in them and sent an avatar to attack.
Guang Yao quickly reconsidered. Did this mean that the Nine-Winged Crow still had strength to spare while fighting the Armor King?
And if so, the boss had predicted this correctly!
Guang Yao stood behind the Water Bottle Protection, unmoving. He knew the boss hadn’t sent anyone else to accompany Commander Mu and the others because he needed Guang Yao’s excellent judgment to determine the right moment for someone to strike.
Only now did Guang Yao realize the weight of his responsibility.
So, the Nine-Winged Crow was as overwhelmingly powerful as the boss had feared, holding an absolute advantage over the Armor King. Without human intervention, the Armor King truly stood no chance against the Nine-Winged Crow, incapable of inflicting serious damage.
Then…
Guang Yao suddenly sensed something. Without hesitation, he pressed a small device on his body.
It felt as if he had just endured an intense battle. A sense of detachment filled his entire being. Guang Yao knew he had done all he could, but he wasn’t sure if the timing was right. He just hoped everything would turn out well.
Earlier, he had felt the Armor King being suppressed, teetering on the edge of defeat.
Deacon Water and the others looked at Guang Yao, who now seemed somewhat listless, and thought to themselves that this person was very strange.
In the chaotic battlefield, a black shadow suddenly appeared within the still-open space gate, blending seamlessly with the Nine-Winged Crow’s dark clouds.
This shadow didn’t hesitate. As soon as it appeared, it transformed into a dark halo and floated toward the massive shadow in the sky—the Nine-Winged Crow’s true form.
The Nine-Winged Crow immediately noticed but didn’t act immediately, only casting a suspicious glance.
The shadow rushed to the side in that brief moment, revealing a human form. It then tore open its clothes, exposing a peculiar device on its chest.
It resembled Iron Man’s arc reactor but was much larger. The bright crystal suddenly lit up, followed by an explosion.