Jacob looked at the statue's head with uncertainty in his eyes because of the newly congealed golden crown resting over its head.
But he didn't have the time to mull over it because of the sudden tremor, and the entire underground foundation started to shake, just like what happened when he cleared the first condition.
Suddenly, Jacob's attention was drawn by the cracking sound toward the right, which was the wall with the riddle.
Under his astonished eyes, a passage cracked open, and he could see old stone stairs going downward.
'How convenient…' His lips curled up.
But before taking the passage, he quickly tried to grab the crown over the statue's head. Since the condition was clear, then it won't be dangerous anymore.
Since this crown was reformed, then this means it probably had some other uses, just like the flower he got after he cleared the first condition.
However, to Jacob's surprise, the moment he tried picking up the crown, the statue's head got lifted with it as if both of them were now attacked together.
'Well, what the hell.' Jacob didn't mind as he stowed away the crowned statue head.
The tremor was getting violent as the cracks started to appear around the room. Jacob knew he didn't have time, so he flashed toward the newly open passage. He was still in 6x acceleration, so his speed was akin to an extraordinary-tier-3.
---
The entire Dark Ruins was experiencing violent tremors at this moment.
Inside the secret underground room where the throne and the headless kneeling figure were.
The Wight Minister was trembling while prostrating on the floor in front of the Lich King, who was emitting an ice-chilling ghostly aura as a dark blue flame was ignited over his menacing helmet.
"Tell me, Wight Minister, this tremor is not what I think it is?" The dark blue flame suddenly rose as Lich King questioned with a hint of madness in his voice.
Wight Minister trembled violently despite the tremor fading away. He was afraid of dying right now because he knew the Lich King was completely enraged right now, and immeasurable bloodlust was leaking from his very being.
Before Wight Minister could answer, right at this moment,
"Boomm…. Boommm... Boom…"
Explosions started to ring above the castle, and they were so high pitch the voice could be heard deep down there.
"Those livestocks don't know their place!" The Lich King furiously roared, which was more like an eerie shrill filled with mad wrath.
The Lich King vanished from his position giving Wight Minister a new lease on life.
"I need to figure out this damn riddle, or I won't be able to live if another shackle was broken by those hateful ants!" Wight Minister mumbled as blue flames within his eyes flickered madly.
---
At this moment, somewhere in the outer castle.
The team of five was hiding in an empty room.
With a hoarse voice, one of them asked, "What was that tremor just now?"
"A shackle had been broken!" Maroon Assassin stated in a foreboding voice.
"What?! Could it be we are already too late?" Skull No. A-501 palely questioned.
"I don't know, but there is a 90% chance of its being the same shackle within the palace. Furthermore, our time bombs were also gone off at a very terrible time, and if I'm not wrong, the lords might abandon the attack plan after finding out the shackle was broken. There is no meaning in sacrificing our manpower anymore." The Maroon Assassin stated grimly.
"Then what about us?" A female voice sounded with a hint of nervousness.
"Since the shackle is broken, there is no need to stay here any longer, and we are on our own to retreat now!" Maroon Assassin coldly stated.
"But we are already this deep into the castle, and the areas we blow up too close to the hidden passage, and if the lords are not coming to distract the Lich King, then we will be sitting ducks for him to slaughter!" Skull No. A-501 ruefully stated.
However, at this moment, the Maroon Assassin suddenly said something which sent everyone into the abyss of despair.
"Heh, this is indeed the case; if all five of us go back, that's why you guys should just stay here forever!"
The next moment, before the other four could react, Maroon Assassin's hand suddenly surrounded by the wind before turning into a windy blade and flashing past those four throats!
---
In the outermost area of the Dark Runes.
The Dark Annihilation Army was garrisoning this place while the potent smell of blood and blood scattered around.
Large piles of dark beings' corpses were in the west of these camps.
There were also natives of freedom plains corpses which were also piled in the rear of the army camps as some soldiers were burning them on high command's order.
It was evident that there was a huge fight not long ago in this place. The Dark Annihilation Army had earned itself this foothold in Dark Ruins after scarifying over 10,000 troops.
However, they also killed over 10,000 dark beings under Lich Minister's command, so the exchange was equal.
At this moment, in a huge camp, ten people clad in armor were sitting around a table with grim expressions.
The Golden Swords Freedom Lord, as well as another Giant figure who wore crimson armor with spiky shoulder guards and long black dreadlock hair, and a menacing mask, was also present in this place. It was the Crimson War Freedom Lord!
The Golden Swords Freedom Lord gravely spoke, "As everyone might already have guessed, I'm afraid another shackle had been broken a few minutes ago. Since it was broken before we could start the operation, then it would be safe to assume that the Dark Beings had broken the shackle in the castle.
"This means the stealth team is now on their own, and we'll need to turn our focus to finding the other shackle. The advantage we had before is now gone, so I don't need to tell everyone what is at stake here, right?"
A masked person with blue fur on his hands suddenly spoke with a hint of panic, "Then what about the item in 501's possession? If he abandons them, then doesn't it mean that item will also be lost if they won't able to come out?"
This person was another Skull, the commander of Skull Kingdom's Army Unit, No. A-502.
He never expected their plan would go into smoke even before it started, which was a massive blow to their future plans.
Furthermore, the item that Skull No. A-501 was carrying was even more precious and one of the killer skull society's trump cards in rare plains, and losing it would definitely make No. A-0 went berserk.
"Is your measly item more important than our current predicament where all of our lives are at stake?!" A golden elf berated coldly.
"Measly item? How about you throw your Life Points into the gutter and then try saying the same!" No. A-502 retorted without holding back.
"Bastard, you dare to profane Holy Water! Supreme Lord, please let me kill this profaner!" The golden elf instantly stood up while his hand was tightly on the sword hilt around his belt.
The Holy Water was the most sacred object of Golden Elves, and just one drop of it could cure any illness or curse and increase someone's lifespan by ten years!
pαпdα`noνɐ1`сoМ That's why it was known as Life Potion by everyone. But elves won't give to anyone no matter what the price, as they consider it a blessing granted to them by the World Tree of myths!
Even Golden Swords Freedom Lords went icy, but he knew this wasn't the time to dispute, and that item was really equivalent to ten drops of Holy Water, so No. A-502 anger and panic were justifiable.
"Enough with your retard talks!" At this moment, the Crimson War Freedom Lord's icy voice boomed into everyone's ears, almost deafening them!
Everyone looked toward the giant with a hint of fear.
Many feared Giants, and they were killing machines if they went on a rampage, so no one wanted to offend them. And this person was probably the strongest giant because he was called the First Freedom Lord for this exact reason, strength!
"You have something to add, First Lord?" Golden Swords Freedom Lord's eyes shifted to the giant as he didn't dare to mess with this guy.
"It's simple, I'm going to kill that Lich Bastard (Lich King), and I need you to hold back those underlings. Can you do that?" The Crimson War Freedom Lord coolly stated as if it was a trifling matter while looking at the Golden Swords Freedom Lord.
However, before Golden Swords Freedom Lord could reply, a terrifying aura suddenly descent before they heard eerie roars and powerful footsteps marching; the ground was rumbling.
Lich King's wrathful voice rang in the entire Dark Ruins at this moment,
"Cunning livestock, forfeit your lives!"