Back on the thirtieth floor of the Tower of Truth,
Mike, blissfully unaware of Maxen’s unfortunate predicament, returned to Brookfield Town with the Nature Elf Envoy in tow.
Dracula, though unharmed, was unusually pale. Subduing the Nature Elf Envoy had clearly taken a toll on him.
However, it was a price he was more than willing to pay.
The ring on his pinky finger was a blood artifact of immense value!
To other races, it might seem like an ordinary S-rank equipment.
But in the hands of a blood clan member, its power was truly terrifying.
Mike nodded in satisfaction as he surveyed the bound Nature Elf Envoy.
That old Dracula, despite his haughty demeanor, was a surprisingly efficient worker.
When it came down to it, he delivered!
“Here’s your ring back,” Mike said, tossing it to Dracula. “And as promised, I’ll have the Mystic Market gather the prince level blood essence within a day.”
Surprise flickered across Dracula’s face.
He hadn’t expected his master to be so generous.
In his wildest dreams, he had hoped for maybe a payment plan.
Vladimir, standing nearby, chuckled softly.
Oh, Dracula, you naive fool!
He had long since figured out Thor’s true nature.
Thor is only this generous when his life is in danger!
He was probably about to dive headfirst into another abyssal adventure.
And to ensure his survival, he was willing to shower his underlings with power-ups, even if it meant bankrupting himself!
Little did Dracula know that every act of Thor’s generosity came with a hefty price tag, carefully noted and filed away for future collection.
Still, both Dracula and Vladimir had performed admirably during the battle on the thirtieth floor.
The two vampire powerhouses had outdone themselves, practically tripping over each other in their eagerness to please their master.
It was only natural for Mike to reward them handsomely.
With Dracula taken care of, Mike turned his attention to Vladimir. “Now, about that river of blood… how do you plan to compensate me for that?”
Vladimir:…
In a desperate bid to stall the wilderness wolf, he had transformed the river of blood into the Blood Sea.
As a result, the river of blood was no more, and the Poseidon decoy had suffered significant damage, requiring a costly repair.
Both the river of blood and the Poseidon decoy were merely borrowed from Mike in the first place.
“Ah, forget it. It’s not like I’m hurting for money,” Mike said with a wave of his hand. “I’ll cover the cost of the Poseidon decoy’s repairs. But consider it added to your tab.”
Vladimir breathed a sigh of relief. “Your generosity knows no bounds, master, like the morning sun…”
“It’s nighttime,” Mike deadpanned, cutting off Vladimir’s attempt at flattery.
As far as Vladimir was concerned, a tab meant nothing.
He was already drowning in debt. What difference did it make if he owed one copper or a million Lord Merits?
None whatsoever!
And repairing the Poseidon decoy and the Blood Sea’s core would cost at least ten thousand Lord Merits!
All in all, Vladimir had made a tidy profit.
With his two hardworking vampires appeased, Mike turned his attention to the Nature Elf Envoy.
She glared at him, her teeth gritted in anger. “What’s your connection to Ares?” she spat.
The White Wolf King chimed in, “Ares is his second bro.”
A look of realization dawned on the Nature Elf Envoy’s face. “No wonder… that weapon…” she murmured.
Mike glanced down at the hammer at his waist, a sense of unease washing over him.
What did Ares have to do with the Thunderclap Hammer?
Wasn’t that Nathan’s weapon?
“Care to elaborate?” he asked the Nature Elf Envoy.
“Elaborate?” Nature Elf echoed, her confusion evident. “You’re carrying the Thunderclap Hammer, what else is there to say?”
“Hold on a minute.” Mike held up the Thunderclap Hammer, his voice serious. “Are you saying this weapon… belongs to Ares?”
Had that old trickster Shadow Nine lied to him again?!
The Nature Elf Envoy, faced with such a ridiculous question, was about to launch into a sarcastic tirade when Dracula cleared his throat. “Think carefully before you answer,” he warned.
Vladimir, for once, didn’t contradict Dracula. “Choose your next words wisely,” he added. “Your life might depend on it.”
It seemed Thor’s generosity had bought him the unwavering loyalty of his two blood clan
companions.
They were more than happy to help him intimidate the Nature Elf Envoy.
The Nature Elf Envoy knew she was in no position to argue.
“The first time we saw that weapon, it was called the Mj?lnir, and it was wielded by Ares…” she said slowly. “As for anything more… I truly don’t know.”
Mike believed her.
The Thunderclap Hammer held more secrets than he had ever imagined.
Originally known as Mj?lnir, it was first discovered by Morpheus, who, unable to unlock its full potential, entrusted it to Nathan.
Nathan, too, couldn’t wield the hammer, and so he renamed it the Thunderclap Hammer.
Then, on the brink of death in the Supreme Abyssal, Nathan used the last of his strength to send both Shadow Nine and the Thunderclap Hammer back to the mortal realm (earth). According to Shadow Nine, the Thunderclap Hammer landed in the Forest of Truth, where Ares attempted to claim it but was refused.
But the Nature Elf Envoy was certain that Ares had possessed the Thunderclap Hammer at
some point!
In the past, Mike would have dismissed her words as lies. Shadow Nine would never lie to him!
But…
He had come to realize that Shadow Nine was nothing more than a history inventor.
He had definitely been lied to about the Thunderclap Hammer!
“I need to speak with Apollo,” Mike muttered. freeweɓnovel.cm
Apollo would know the truth.
But first, he had to conquer the thirtieth floor.
So far, everything in Apollo’s prophecy had come to pass.
With all loose ends tied up, Brookfield Town stood deserted. And the Exploration Rate before Mike’s eyes began to shift.
[Brookfield Town Faction Exploration Rate: 100%]
[Wilderness Faction Exploration Rate: 100%]
[Elf Faction Exploration Rate: 100%]
The Brookfield Town faction’s Exploration Rate was a given.
The Wilderness faction had been divided into two camps. One sought to help the wilderness
wolf slay the White Wolf King, allowing it to devour the sun and achieve a 100% Exploration
Rate.
The other supported the White Wolf King, aiming to eliminate the wilderness wolf.
The Elf faction was similarly divided.
One side supported the Nature Elf Envoy.
The other sought to subdue her and reclaim her weapon!
Among the elves, the Nature Elf Envoy was nothing short of a traitor.
Mike nodded in satisfaction as he saw the 100% Exploration Rate for all three factions.
Turning to the others, he instructed, “Return to my private space. I’ll deal with everything
once I’m done here.”
Dracula, his chin held high, remained silent.
Vladimir, however, eagerly agreed, ushering the Nature Elf Envoy and the White Wolf King
towards the exit.
As for the little White Wolf pup and the residents of Brookfield Town, they would remain on
the thirtieth floor, continuing their lives in this world.
With everything settled, the participants, including Anderson and Kaelum, dispersed,
resuming their exploration of the thirtieth floor.
Mike summoned the Truth Core Crystal, taking a deep breath to steady his nerves.
He couldn’t shake the feeling that something was amiss.
Maxen’s presence outside the ninety-ninth floor was no coincidence!
If everything was truly fine out there…
Then something was about to go terribly wrong in here!
“Relax, Apollo’s still up there. Nothing bad can happen,” Mike muttered, trying to reassure
himself.
He placed his hand on the Truth Core Crystal and initiated the conquest settlement.
“Settlement in progress…”
“Congratulations, Participant [Thor], for achieving an SSSSS-rank conquest on the thirtieth
floor!”
