Chapter 484 Chapter484-An Unforeseen Dilemma
Darklord's words not only enraged John but also made Adam and Blue Sea, who were in the midst of battle, sense that something was amiss.
Although Adam and Blue Sea were top-tier players, they didn't possess John's acute perception of Mystery forces.
They were unaware of the Mystery monsters attacking other parts of Iceburg Castle.
"What does he mean by that? Could it be that our actions have been anticipated by him all along, and he's even managed to exploit our moves?!"
Blue Sea, still confused about the entire situation, asked John directly.
John didn't respond, as he was also in a bad mood.
"We don't need to worry about what he's saying. We just need to stick to our plan!" John replied after a moment of silence, continuing his attacks on Darklord during the conversation.
In John's view, if he could quickly eliminate Darklord, there would be enough time to deal with the other Mystery monsters.
This revelation shifted the focus of their strategy.
It became clear that defeating Darklord was not just about winning a battle; it was also about preventing the further invasion of Iceburg Castle and safeguarding the broader interests of the Order Faction.
However, Darklord's subsequent actions thwarted John's plan.
Utilizing his Mysterious wand and bolstered by the powerful Mystery force, Darklord successfully repelled John and his companions temporarily and swiftly made his way to the second floor of the guild.
"You don't really think I'd fight you to the end, do you? Although my strength has indeed increased significantly, I still know my limits. I'm not as strong as John! I've completed my quest, so I'll be taking my leave now. Don't bother chasing me; you certainly won't catch up!"
Darklord said, and then he transformed into a wisp of black smoke and disappeared quickly.
Adam and Blue Sea naturally wanted to continue the pursuit, but John stopped them. "We can't keep chasing him. We need to deal with the situation in Iceburg Castle first! A large number of Mystery monsters have already appeared here. If we can't eliminate these monsters, Iceburg Castle will surely fall under the control of the Mystery Faction. The overall situation will become much worse for us. We must ensure that Iceburg Castle remains in the hands of the Order Faction."
John's words brought a sense of disappointment to Adam and Blue Sea, but they understood that their current quest was to ensure the safety of Iceburg Castle.
Thus, the three of them left the Darklord Guild. Since Darklord had already fled, there was no point in wasting more time there.
Their focus now shifted to dealing with the monsters and securing Iceburg Castle from the Mystery Faction's onslaught.
As they embarked on their mission to rid Iceburg Castle's other districts of Mystery monsters, the vice guild leader of the Darklord Guild finally returned to the now severely damaged guild headquarters.
He looked around with a hint of disappointment and murmured, "Why hasn't your plan succeeded yet? If it had, maybe I would have become the guild leader by now."
The vice guild leader, in reality, wasn't particularly loyal to Darklord.
He had always aspired to control the entire guild and become its leader.
However, his main limitation was his relatively low level, which prevented him from assuming the position of guild leader.
After a heavy sigh, the vice guild leader decided not to dwell on these thoughts any longer.
His next task was to organize and repair the guild headquarters as quickly as possible.
He was indifferent to the events unfolding in other areas of Iceburg Castle, considering them unrelated to his interests.
Meanwhile, in other districts of Iceburg Castle, the guards were engaged in fierce battles against the Mystery monsters.
Due to their limited numbers, they struggled to eliminate all the monsters swiftly.
It wasn't until John's arrival that they finally managed to defeat the Mystery creatures.
With John's assistance, the guards were able to temporarily secure the main district of Iceburg Castle.
However, they were powerless to protect the outskirts of Iceburg Castle.
The guards were too few, and they needed to call back reinforcements from the Defend Wall to effectively defend the entire castle.
"Thank you so much for your help. Without you, Iceburg Castle would have fallen to these monsters," the captain of the Iceburg Castle guards expressed his gratitude to John.
Simultaneously, John received a notification that his relationship with Iceburg Castle had improved to 'Friendly', indicating that he could expect assistance from the NPCs of Iceburg Castle in future visits.
"You don't need to thank me; I did what I had to do. You must know Duke Arsena of Storm City, right? I've helped him before as well," John replied.
Upon hearing this, the captain had a moment of realization, "So you're the adventurer who once saved Storm City. If I had known it was you, I would have sought your help earlier."
"It's not too late to seek help now. Our cooperation has been a great success, and we've temporarily secured the safety of Iceburg Castle.
As for the Mystery monsters outside, we can deal with them gradually. I've also informed Duke Arsena, and he should be able to arrive soon."
As they were speaking, Duke Arsena appeared at the teleportation point of Iceburg Castle.
The Duke was in a complex mood.
As a member of the Order Faction, he was deeply concerned about the attack on Iceburg Castle.
However, alongside his concern was a sense of relief that this time, the attack was on Iceburg Castle and not Storm City.
While contemplating these matters, Duke Arsena noticed John's presence, which slightly puzzled him as he didn't expect to see John here.
"Duke Arsena, you've finally arrived! We've managed to eliminate most of the monsters inside Iceburg Castle, but we couldn't deal with those outside the city in time," John briefed the Duke on the current situation.
Duke Arsena listened intently and nodded in acknowledgment. "Your actions have been very effective. Securing the safety of Iceburg Castle is already a significant achievement. The rest can be handled by the other soldiers of the Order Faction. I have brought sufficient reinforcements to swiftly eliminate the Mystery monsters outside Iceburg Castle," the Duke assured John and the captain of the Iceburg Castle guards.
The captain was visibly relieved and thanked the Duke, who then suggested, "You might have other matters to attend to. I would like to discuss our next plans with John in private."
Understanding the implication, the captain quickly left, aware that the forthcoming conversation between Duke Arsena and John was meant to be confidential.
Once the captain was gone, Duke Arsena asked John directly, "Why are you here? To be honest, I was quite surprised when I received your message. I thought Storm City was under attack. It never occurred to me that Iceburg Castle would be the one facing an assault by Mystery monsters, and that you would be here. You need to explain this situation."
John sensed a hint of distrust in the Duke's tone, likely stemming from the suspicion that his appearance at Iceburg Castle was too convenient to be a coincidence.
"The reason I'm here is to track down clues related to the Mystery force. As you're well aware, some adventurers have already sided with the Mystery Faction. As an adventurer myself, I aim to prioritize the elimination of those who have joined the Mystery Faction from within our ranks. It's the only way to ensure we don't face significant threats going forward. After all, you're also well aware that adventurers can resurrect endlessly."
John's explanation was reasonable, but Duke Arsena still felt something was amiss and intended to probe further.
However, before he could continue his inquiry, a guard from Storm City approached them hurriedly.
"Duke Arsena, the Mystery Protector has found a crucial clue and wishes to discuss it with you as soon as possible!"
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