---) Water Spirit Pendant (One-Time Use Star-Level Prop): Made from the solidified tear of a high-level, star-grade water spirit. It can save the wearer from one fatal attack delivered by a star-level being or below.
The Water Spirit Pendant was a star-level prop that Azrael had possessed since the day he first arrived in Genesis.
This particular item had been given to both Azrael and Kael by Ashara. Kael’s pendant had already been consumed during the Galactic Eclipse event, which occurred when Azrael first set foot in Genesis.
But Azrael’s own pendant remained intact because the original Azrael of Genesis had mysteriously disappeared at the time of his arrival, leaving behind his belongings including this pendant.
This star-level prop possessed the ability to protect its wearer from a fatal strike delivered by a star-level being or anything weaker. The pendant had a built-in mechanism to activate automatically when the wearer faced a deadly blow, but it could also be triggered manually by the user if needed.
After considering every possible option, Azrael concluded that facing Vanessa and the other members of the Transcendent Organization with only three people on his side would be far too dangerous. As a result, he decided to make use of his star-level prop.
Although such a prop was extremely rare, and using it against a epic level warrior was a complete waste, Azrael considered solving the mystery of the rattling chains that echoed in his mind to be even more important.
Since he couldn’t directly harm Vanessa, he resolved to ensure that she would not be able to harm him either.
Normally, once the pendant blocked an attack, its barrier would disappear. But that would only occur if the strike came from a star-level being, as all the pendant’s energy would be consumed to resist such power.
Vanessa, however, was merely a peak epic-level warrior. Although her strength might seem overwhelming to Azrael and his companions, before the defense of a star-level barrier, she was nothing more than an ant.
Even if she continued to attack the barrier with her full strength, it would still take her months to deplete all the energy within it. Of course, a barrier generated by the prop would not last for months; it would naturally fade within a day or two even if it were not attacked.
But a day or two was more than enough time for Azrael and his companions to reach the underground area of the castle and examine the mysterious door the Transcendent Organization was attempting to open.
Vanessa displayed an utterly shocked expression when the deep-blue barrier flared to life around Azrael and the others.
Feeling the tremendous power radiating from the shield, she involuntarily drew in a sharp breath, the playful expression on her face vanishing completely.
"A star-level barrier..." Elyara muttered under her breath, staring at Azrael in disbelief, her eyes wide.
Luo Bingqing was the same, staring at the barrier around them with a stunned look on his face.
’Just what is his background for him to use a star-level prop so casually?’ Both of them wondered at the same time, taking a deep breath in an attempt to calm their pounding heart.
Elyara herself came from a prominent background and fully understood how difficult it was to acquire a star-level prop. That was why seeing Azrael use such a priceless item merely to deal with a peak epic-level warrior felt almost absurd, like witnessing something utterly unreasonable. ɴᴇᴡ ɴᴏᴠᴇʟ ᴄʜᴀᴘᴛᴇʀs ᴀʀᴇ ᴘᴜʙʟɪsʜᴇᴅ ᴏɴ 𝓷𝓸𝓿𝓮𝓵•𝓯𝓲𝓻𝓮•𝓷𝓮𝓽
Azrael paid no attention to the shocked expressions of Vanessa and the others.
He turned to Luo Bingqing and Elyara and said seriously, "Let’s go. We need to collect the items in the core area and leave the ruins before the barrier’s time runs out."
His words snapped Elyara and Luo Bingqing back to their senses and although they were still stunned, they both nodded and dashed toward the deeper parts of the castle.
"Stop!" Vanessa shouted, her voice filled with fury as she saw Azrael and the others racing toward the underground area.
Taking a single step forward, her figure blurred, and in an instant she crossed more than two hundred meters, appearing directly in front of them.
However, Azrael did not slow down and continued forward with Luo Bingqing and Elyara, his expression indifferent.
Vanessa attacked them with all her strength, but the deep-blue barrier enveloping them did not even ripple under her assault and the three of them swiftly ran past her.
As he passed, Azrael gave her a respectful nod and said sincerely, "Thanks for coming to see us, aunty. But you should go back and take care of those people who killed your friends."
Vanessa’s beautiful face twisted with rage, her eyes burning with hatred as she glared at Azrael.
"Bastard..." She spat through clenched teeth as she watched the trio reach the stairs leading to the underground area and begin their descent.
She turned her gaze toward Morrison and the remaining members of the security forces in the distance and with a single thought, she activated the poison that had infiltrated their bodies when they were engulfed in the blood mist earlier.
Suddenly, everyone, Morrison included, felt a searing pain inside their bodies and collapsed to the ground.
Vanessa spared them no further attention and quickly followed after Azrael and the others.
As Azrael and his companions descended the staircase, a few voices carried to him on the wind.
"Seriously, man, the boss told us to wait here and went off to play with those people by herself."
"What do you mean, play? There are also ten epic-level warriors over there, and one of them is level fifty. If you think she went there just to play, you are mistaken."
"I think it won’t be long before that damned door finally opens and we can leave this place for the outside world."
"It’s been more than two years. The moment I get out, I am going to find some young chicks to play with."
Different voices drifted into Azrael’s ears, yet his expression remained completely unchanged. With the star-level barrier protecting them, he had no fear of walking into the enemy’s den.
Soon, the people in the underground chamber heard the sound of rapidly approaching footsteps and looked toward the stairway.
There were around forty people present in the underground area, seven of whom were epic-level warriors.
Several of the epic-level warriors tensed when they heard the footsteps, immediately realizing that more than one person was approaching. That could only mean Vanessa was not coming alone.
"Something is wrong..." A man said with a deep frown.
Just as he spoke, Azrael and the others emerged from the staircase and came into view.
When the group saw that it was not Vanessa, their expressions changed dramatically.
At that very moment, Vanessa also came running in from behind Azrael’s group, still attacking the barrier with all her might.
"Damn it! What are you fools staring at? Stop them!" She shouted when she saw the people of the Transcendent Organization gaping at the sight of Azrael and his companions.
Her words snapped them out of their stupor and they quickly launched a flurry of attacks at the approaching trio.
But the barrier surrounding Azrael and the others still showed no sign of damage and they pressed on, running deeper into the underground chamber.
While sprinting, Azrael and his companions passed by giant sand pillars engraved with countless intricate images. Yet, because time was short, they did not stop to examine them.
"That guy said the door is at the end of this open space, right?" Luo Bingqing asked as they rushed past the towering sand pillars.
"Yes," Elyara replied with a brief nod, her eyes flicking toward the strange carvings.
Azrael also glanced at the images and the more he looked, the more familiar they seemed, as if he had seen them somewhere before.
Behind them, the members of the Transcendent Organization continued their frenzied attacks, their faces growing darker with frustration when they realized they could not even make the barrier ripple.
At that moment, at the end of the open space, a high platform suddenly came into Azrael and the others view.
When Azrael’s eyes fell upon the cracked, black throne resting atop the platform, his heart unexpectedly skipped a beat and a strange, indescribable feeling welled up inside him.
(You have completed the task—Find the Traces of the Enders)
A sudden notification flashed before his eyes.