Chapter 327 Chapter326-Awe Across the Arena
No matter how incensed Wolf Prime became, the outcome remained unchanged.
John's energy-blade moved like Flowing Light, slashing the horizon with agility and fierceness.
An unprecedented pressure bore down on Wolf Prime, causing sweat to bead on his brow.
Aware that his Rage State's duration was dwindling, desperation consumed him.
He mustered all his might, launching ferocious axe blows, but never managed to land a hit on John.
Just as despair took hold, John gently raised his blade, intentionally meeting Wolf Prime's axe.
With a slight touch, the axe was flung away, leaving Wolf Prime retreating, his complexion as pale as parchment.
The Rage State concluded.
Wolf Prime stiffened, mirroring Dirge, succumbing to an inevitable weakened state.
"How... How is this possible? How can you resist the system's penalty? This isn't in line with the game mechanics!"
Even facing an inevitable defeat, Wolf Prime remained fixated on this question.
At that moment, dark clouds gathered overhead, casting a shadow over John.
Bolts of lightning flashed within, presenting a grand spectacle.
A lightning bolt, thick as a baby's arm, crashed down, a sight of grandeur.
John looked up, giving it a fleeting glance, making no attempt to dodge.
In fact, there was no dodging such system-inflicted ORDER lightning, for it was a direct lock-on.
The bolt struck John, causing a slight shudder in his frame.
A hint of surprise flashed in his eyes; it seemed this round of ORDER lightning was marginally more potent than the last he faced at the Dawn Breeze Auction House.
However, lightning of such intensity was hardly enough to harm John.
The pent-up energy within him surged forth, effortlessly neutralizing the force of the ORDER lightning. Yet, in its wake, an even more formidable bolt descended!
It seemed the system took note of a player audaciously defying its authority.
The potency of the punishment was ratcheted up once more.
Yet John merely swayed slightly, easily dissolving the force of the ORDER lightning.
This spectacle left every onlooker utterly astonished.
They gazed at John with disbelief, their eyes reflecting an awe as if they had witnessed the descent of a deity.
Some of the more astute players had quietly activated their recording functions.
How could such a breathtaking scene not be captured, to be boasted of in later tales?
After John effortlessly neutralized the second bolt of ORDER lightning, the intensity of the system's punishment conspicuously escalated further.
This time, the dark clouds looming overhead descended closer to John, almost solidifying in form.
A massive bolt of lightning, thick as a baby's arm, streaked down towards John in a flash.
John let out a soft grunt, a hint of fervor evident on his face.
He could distinctly feel the immense energy contained within this punitive bolt, an intensity potent enough to injure him.
This, in turn, stoked John's combative zeal.
With a sly grin, he swiftly raised his energy-blade.
A dazzling arc of luminance soared upwards, meeting the lightning head-on.
"BOOM!"
A deafening roar, akin to the world shattering, abruptly echoed throughout the valley.
In an instant, the ears of every player present went momentarily deaf.
Those positioned closer to John clutched their ears, expressions contorted in pain.
Yet even amidst this agony, their fervent admiration was unmistakable.
Their gazes remained unwaveringly fixed on John, unwilling to miss a single moment, even if the blinding brilliance seared their eyes...
The sword's radiance, akin to a dragon emerging from the water, instantly reduced the lightning to mere fragments of energy.
Its momentum unabated, it pierced the looming clouds.
Sword auras crisscrossed and gleamed brightly.
The dark mass of clouds, cleaved and churned by the sword's might, gradually dispersed above John.
The system's punishment thus came to an end.
Although the shackles of the ORDER still bound him, John paid little heed to such trivial constraints.
After a brief pause, noticing no signs of escalating retribution from the system, a satisfied grin stretched across John's face.
He then once again directed his gaze toward Wolf Prime, who was not far off.
At this moment, Wolf Prime looked utterly haunted, his eyes wide with terror that he couldn't conceal.
John smirked slightly, the Divine Blade in his hand once again pulsating with a potent energy wave.
Its oscillating brilliance imparted an overwhelming pressure, making the guild players around him feel an irresistible sense of oppression.
"If you're not convinced, we can continue our duel later. However, right now, both of you have lost your combat prowess, and hence, the one-on-one protection mechanism is void," John's voice was cold, carrying a subtle murderous intent that sent a shiver down Wolf Prime's spine.
True to John's words, the platform beneath them began to fade, and members from both guilds were restored to combat readiness.
Wolf Prime's face turned ashen, teeth gritted, he seethed, "Galewind, what profound grudge do you hold against my Wolf Guild? Time and again you thwart my plans! While I acknowledge your strength, this level of tyranny is uncalled for, isn't it?"
John wore an enigmatic smile, his gaze shifting to a tense Wolf Howl nearby.
He responded languidly, "Guild leader Wolf Prime, let's not be disingenuous. Surely you must know the reasons for my particular interest in your Wolf Guild?"
"Moreover," he continued, "even if there was no significant feud between me and your Wolf Guild, encountering you all bullying the weak here... given my strong sense of justice, assisting the Tide Guild seems only natural, doesn't it?"
Wolf Prime was momentarily taken aback by John's retort.
Following John's gaze, Wolf Prime's eyes landed on the vice guild leader, Dugu Longxiao.
Having built the Wolf Guild from scratch to its current prominence, Wolf Prime was by no means a fool.
From John's expression, he discerned something amiss, causing his own demeanor to fluctuate between calm and agitation.
With a casual flourish of his sword, John continued in a muted tone, "It seems that Guild leader Wolf Prime might have deduced the reason behind my actions against your Wolf Guild, right?"
Despite his words, John was internally taken aback.
Judging by Wolf Prime's reaction, it seemed he was unaware of the collaboration between Wolf Guild and Darklord Guild to hire AGHHO to assassinate him.
Could Wolf Howl have orchestrated this behind Wolf Prime's back?
With the duel platform now dissolved, the face-off between the guild leaders concluded.
Members of both guilds, now re-entered into combat mode, once again were on the brink of confrontation.
Wolf Prime, a formidable figure in his own right, suppressed the fatigue weighing him down and shakily rose to his feet.
"No matter the reason, my Wolf Guild won't be so easily intimidated by a lone man like you!"
Unfazed by Wolf Prime's threat, John approached Dirge, helping her up, her face lit with an expression of sheer admiration.
With a scowl, Wolf Prime glared at the rescued Dirge, shouting angrily, "What are you worthless lot waiting for? Attack! Wipe them out!"
"I refuse to believe that Galewind, having just endured the system's punishment, can single-handedly defeat all of you!"
At Wolf Prime's roar, the members of Wolf Guild instinctively tightened their grip on their weapons.
Though deep down they recognized that John was far beyond their league, the harrowing sight of him withstanding the system's punitive lightning further chilled their spines.
Yet, these Wolf Guild members had no choice but to raise their weapons and charge forward.
After all, if they wished to further their standing within the Wolf Guild, obeying the guild leader's command was paramount.
Abruptly turning, an intense aura emanated from John, his eyes sharpening with a cold, god-like indifference.
"Just give me a moment; this will be over soon..."
As his words trailed off, in a flash, John's form blurred into a shadow, rapidly confronting Wolf Prime's subordinates.
His blade moved like a tempest, every slash carrying the might to annihilate.
The Wolf Guild members stood no chance.
Effortlessly, like breaking twigs, in mere moments, John had vanquished every advancing member of the Wolf Guild, leaving a solitary Wolf Prime standing.
A profound fear flickered in Wolf Prime's eyes, never having anticipated such overpowering strength from John, a force seemingly insurmountable.
"Attack him! Don't falter now!" Wolf Prime bellowed.
Yet, the remaining members of Wolf Guild lowered their weapons, stepping back hesitantly.
They had all witnessed John's prowess firsthand; his effortless onslaught had utterly shattered their last vestiges of courage.
Death in battle wasn't terrifying; after all, one could respawn in the game.
True fear arose from the abyss of despair.
These weren't greenhorns from the Wolf Guild, unfamiliar with battle.
They had participated in many a Guild Battle in other games.
Yet, never had they encountered someone like John, who single-handedly decimated their ranks in an instant.
It was a devastating demonstration of sheer disparity in power.
John returned to his position, once again supporting the severely weakened Dirge, who hadn't yet regained her vitality.
Seemingly aware of the distinctions between men and women, John signaled to MoonWhite from afar.
When MoonWhite approached with reverence, taking Dirge from John's arm, he turned his gaze, a faint smile on his lips, sword pointing at Wolf Prime, and remarked with a nonchalant tone, "Is this the extent of Wolf Guild's capabilities? I was expecting an intense battle, but it seems it was merely a warm-up for me."
Foll𝑜w current novels on fre(e)w𝒆bnovel