In the end, Mark, Hanna, and Kilian couldn’t get past the Tier 7 grotesquely tough Devil Spider. Only Klaus, Lily, Anna, and Omari managed to kill it.
Surprisingly, Omari was a rather good swordsman—actually, a great one. He defeated the Devil Spider by cutting off all 16 legs and delivering a lethal attack to its head, cutting it in half.
Everyone who witnessed his battle with the spider was stunned. Some even applauded him. His finesse in handling the sword and how calm he appeared while fighting was truly eye-catching. He won himself some admirers after that display.
The next to display similar finesse was Anna. Her battle was short due to a mistake made by the spider. Instead of using the trees, it stepped on the ground, which Anna had turned into water, making the soil muddy.
The moment it stepped on it, the water solidified into ice, trapping the spider for a few seconds. Those few seconds were enough for her to summon dozens of sharp ice shards that pierced the spider’s relatively soft belly.
It was both decisive and chilling, yet strangely alluring to many who witnessed it. Perhaps seeing a Tier 7 devil turned into a statue was enough to earn her applause.
Even those from the other regions applauded her.
Then came Lily, the one who earned the nickname “One with the Wind.” Her movement from the start of the battle to the end was silent. Her swings were also silent, but they were incredibly lethal.
Those who witnessed her battle wondered just how a human at her level could move like that. She was silent and swift—a lethal combination, to say the least.
But they weren’t the only ones who got past the Tier 7 Devil Spider. The three Legacies also succeeded. They all displayed prowess that left many stunned, especially Ethan, who harnessed lightning with great precision and finesse.
He was like the god of lightning.
Max was also lethal. It took him just 15 shots to kill the spider, and all of these shots occurred within the span of 5 minutes.
He went all out, just like everyone else. Well, Ella Duncan was rather unusual. Everyone watching saw that she was still holding back despite going against a Tier 7 devil. However, she struggled, which meant she hadn’t had it easy like Klaus.
They had all heard and seen what Klaus was capable of, but only a few had witnessed him fight. So seeing him live like that was a shock to them.
From the start of the battle to the end, his hands never left his back. Many spirit masters, especially inexperienced ones, use their hands to control the needles to reduce the stress on their minds and to add some force to the weapons. However, Klaus merely used his mind to control the needles.
In less than 10 seconds, the spider was riddled with countless holes. The Void Piercing Needle, after merging all 360 needles together, became thick and very pointed, so the spider stood no chance.
The traitors Klaus had killed broke into a cold sweat when they saw what he did to the spider. Subconsciously, they made a vow—even in a life-and-death situation, they would never betray their comrades again.
In the end, only four people survived from Klaus’s team, ten from Ella’s team, and six from Lawrence’s team. Klaus was the first to be transported outside of the Willow Forest. He appeared in front of a vast sea.
Looking forward, he saw a large eye many kilometers out at sea. It was so large that he could see it clearly from 42 kilometers away. However, a barrier separated him from the sea.
A minute later, Omari was also transported. He wasn’t shocked to see Klaus there and quickly moved to stand beside him, gazing at the enormous eye.
Soon, Alvaro, one of Ella’s lieutenants, appeared, followed by Anna and Ethan, along with another member of Ella’s team. Within four minutes, twenty people stood at the edge of the barrier.
Four on Klaus’s side, ten on Ella’s side, and six on Lawrence’s side.
No one needed to be told what would happen next. But first, they had to know the details of the next trial, and as expected, Cephas’s voice filled the space.
“Welcome to the last phase of the competition. Congratulations on making it this far. However, there is still one task left.
“For the last trial, you must traverse the Sage Sea and place your hand on the Sage Eye. Be aware that a Devil Sea Monster is guarding the eye. Good luck, and may the best person win.”
Klaus turned to look at Ella, then at Lawrence, and smiled.
“You don’t have to stand there; you can join her. I already knew you were a traitor. I never expected you to be a pathetic one.”
Lawrence’s face turned green as he heard Klaus’s words. Indeed, he had been with Ella from the beginning but had never revealed himself like the seven Klaus had executed. His job was to divide the Eastern Region team, and he had succeeded.
“I have to give it to you, Ella; you are very cunning. I really pity your future husband,” Klaus said, turning toward her with a smirk.
Ella’s expression remained calm, but a flicker of annoyance crossed her face. Klaus’s words were just too raw.
“You think your words can get to me, Klaus? I have heard worse”
Klaus chuckled lightly,
“Oh, I’m sure you have. But it’s not about what I say. It’s about what you do next. You’ve managed to manipulate everyone around you, but I wonder how long that will last once we hit the sea.”
“Oh, you won’t be getting the chance to take the next step, Klaus. This is where you wash out,” Ethan said from beside Ella. Lightning crackled around him.
“And what power do you have to make that possible?” Klaus asked.
In response, the people around Ella began encircling him, Lawrence included. Klaus watched as they created a circle around him and his team.
However, instead of panicking, he held a small smile and turned to the three with him. “You guys can head out the moment the barrier comes down. I will handle this first.”
“I can’t fly, Klaus, so I will be sitting this one out. However, I would like to see how the top genius from the southern region handles his sword.” Without even a moment’s thought, Omari lunged at a youngster also wielding a sword.
Klaus just smiled and turned to Lily and Anna. “Well, ladies…”
“You go handle those three idiots and their minions. I will handle Lawrence,” Lily said before swinging her sword at Lawrence, taking him out of the equation.
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Anna looked at a certain young lady also holding a staff. Without saying anything, the ground beneath her gave in, and the young lady sank into the earth. She died without even making a move.
Then, like an ice princess, a blizzard of ice gushed out from the ground, encasing two more members of Ella’s side. Just like that, Ella’s team was five people short.
Klaus smiled and made a mental note to reward his two girlfriends later. He turned toward Ella, but before he could make a move, She spoke a spell…
“Decipio Manus.”