Unsurprisingly, Dark Crow had also taken Tree Monarch's idea into consideration. Despite Tree Monarch’s layered protection, #18 couldn’t withstand the harsh Spiritual Speech power. With no combat ability, it was like a defenseless beastmaster controlling familiars. Dark Crow’s curse easily beheaded it.
The Hall of Heroic Spirits malfunctioned, and Tree Monarch vanished again.
The next day, after repairing the Hall of Heroic Spirits, #18 re-summoned Tree Monarch’s heroic spirit.
“Send me back. I’m already dead. Disturbing the balance of yin and yang is wrong. As part of the Divine Deer faction, we shouldn't break the very laws that we're enforcing! Let me go—!”
Tree Monarch struggled as #18 clung to her, refusing to participate in today’s team sparring.
#18 tugged hard. “Please reconsider, Senior Tree Monarch. Can’t you feel it? Every time you revive, your power grows stronger! I’m trying my best too. Let’s work together.”
Tree Monarch fell silent and looked at #18’s determined expression. “Who’s today’s opponent? No, tell me—how many opponents are left? What are their strengths? Just lay it all out.”
“Only two left! There’s the Star Dragon Sudden Death King, and the Three-Blade-Style Captain Doofus.”
“The dragon... that one with decent defense? What’s its species rank and defense like? If Baby Cloud’s elemental bomb hit it, how much damage would it take?”
“Individually, it’s quasi-Legendary, but with its shield weapon kin, they’re Low Legendary. It was because Sudden Death King awakened the rare Star attribute and, with the help of the Divine Turtle, it fused with the Chaos Dragon God’s blood, making its defense incredibly strong. Under the full defense of its Planet Intent, Baby Cloud’s elemental bombs probably wouldn’t even scratch it.”
Star attribute? Divine Turtle? Chaos Dragon God’s blood?
Tree Monarch’s green hair fluttered as she laughed manically. “HAHAHAHA! And what’s this Three-Blade-Style Captain Doofus? Wait! Don’t tell me! I don’t want to hear it!”
#18 sighed even more deeply. “The ‘three blades’ part of its name doesn’t refer to literal blades. While Sudden Death King only contracted one kin, Captain Doofus contracted three sword-shaped kin. The weakest one, the Mechanical Lightsaber, inherited part of Captain Doofus’ sword talent and comprehended the Annihilation Moonlight Sword Intent!
“The Annihilation Moonlight Sword is a light-energy weapon created by humans and powered by moonlight. It’s a threat even to gods. That lightsaber mimics the Annihilation Moonlight Sword’s sword light and intent.”
The mastermind behind it was actually #18. The Star Shield and the lightsaber were both its creations. The lightsaber made of Star Iron later incorporated the Annihilation Moonlight Sword’s concept during enhancement. It was one of the sci-fi weapon ideas that it had borrowed from the Divine Research Institute.
Since it only had partial blueprints, it never expected the Mechanical Lightsaber to mimic that super weapon’s sword light after inheriting Captain Doofus’ sword talent. Although its power paled compared to the real Annihilation Moonlight Sword, the lightsaber could receive Captain Doofus’ power boost in battle!
“The Hell Bone Sword evolved from the remains of the Wind Dog God, a faith divine beast, and mastered the Death Sword Domain with unparalleled skill.
“The Star-Splitting Swordgrass, which the Void Leaf had blessed, evolved from the Longleaf Swordgrass because we encountered the Void Leaf’s manifestation. It passed its Star-Splitting legacy to Captain Doofus’ swordgrass kin.”
Tree Monarch was taken aback. She could tolerate the first two, but she couldn’t believe a kin receiving the legacy of the Void Leaf—a being on par with the Divine Tree and Six-Path Flower.
Why do I feel like I’m even less impressive than a kin of Lu Ran’s familiars?
“Senior Tree Monarch, just hold on for one more month. Once the World War begins, things will ease up.”
A tear slid down Tree Monarch’s cheek. Her mentality was crumbling. This team battle felt like it would eventually surpass the brutality of the great battle from the Ten Thousand Year Agreement.
The biggest victim of the team battle was decided. Lu Ran observed the entire process, sighing for Tree Monarch. However, this was the only way #18 and Tree Monarch could grow stronger and ensure #18 had a fighting chance in the World War.
In the blink of an eye, over half a month passed. News of the four ancient Legendary Beastmasters’ revival on Blue Planet finally reached the Stellar Moon Federation.
At the same time, rumors spread about Lu Ran contracting a mysterious mechanical angel, summoning the Bai Ze’s spirit, and defeating an ancient Legendary Beastmaster of Blue Planet while underleveled.
While the Stellar Moon Federation acknowledged the revival of Blue Planet’s ancient Legendary beastmasters, who all had a quasi-Legendary familiar, they remained confident in their ability to win the World War. However, Lu Ran, a fourth-generation beastmaster from Blue Planet, using only a Superior-Overlord mechanical angel to defeat an ancient Legendary beastmaster and their quasi-Legendary familiar stunned the federation’s beastmasters.
“The Bai Ze is an auspicious beast from Blue Planet’s ancient myths that can counter evil. Although it’s unclear how Lu Ren projected its power mechanically, his victory was likely due to type advantage and external resources related to the Bai Ze. It was probably rewards from an ancient Blue Planet ascension realm. Some of us also obtained unique items from Blue Planet realms.” Follow current ɴᴏᴠᴇʟs on novel~fire~net
The Stellar Moon Federation analyzed Lu Ran thoroughly, sensing that his threat could rival the four ancient Legendary beastmasters. One detail about the mechanical angel caught particular attention.
Isn’t that a signature product of the Flare Source Mechanical Conglomerate? Is it just a coincidence?
Given the Mechanical Era’s tech level, it wasn’t surprising that the era could produce what Flare Source could.
Most pondered briefly before dismissing it, except for Death Gun, a Legendary beastmaster and the Underworld God’s messenger.
“Damn that Lu Ran!” Death Gun was livid.
Connecting the dots, he now understood why Bai Lu acted cryptically when he asked her about the Beastmaster King’s details. The Beastmaster King was indeed the Divine Deer’s messenger, but he was also a Blue Planet native. It was a sensitive identity.
The Beastmaster King and Pedestrian A were the same person. The mechanical angel in the intel was likely the #18 he’d gifted to the Beastmaster King.
His return to Blue Planet explained Bai Lu’s silence, Lu Ran having a mechanical angel, and the Beastmaster King’s absence from Stellar Moon’s king challenges.
As a divine messenger, Death Gun knew of Blue Planet humanity’s origins. Yet he never imagined that the Divine Deer, a divine dragon kin, would hedge its bets by bringing Blue Planet’s messenger to Stellar Moon for training.
Worse, he had unwittingly aided the enemy by helping Lu Ran obtain a mechanical familiar. Without it, Lu Ran couldn’t have made such a groundbreaking invention in the ascension realm that took place in the Mechnical Era. Now, this mechanical familiar had grown strong enough to defeat quasi-Legendaries and would soon be his opponent. Death Gun went numb.
Death Gun went numb. Seething, he muttered, “You best hope I don’t encounter you in the World War... I’ll remember this grudge.”
Although Lu Ran was only level 6, he was already as strong as a Legendary beastmaster. After all, he had cleared a Mythical secret realm.
Will I... lose to him?
“Lord Nether God, I need more training! Your colleague has no honor! It deceived us.”