Wolf Riders, along with numerous Dark Frogmen, encircled Tian Wen and Han Wu from all directions. Liu Letian and Zhang Gang swiftly emerged, mounted atop Raid Wolf Lords.
Tian Wen swiftly ordered his Rabbitmen to stick close, a move to both fend off the Wolf Riders and ensure Han Wu’s safety. Meanwhile, Liu Letian surveyed the scene, recognizing the scattered corpses of the Xu couple and their fallen units strewn across the ground, which Tian Wen had not yet fully cleared from the area.
“Unbelievable, Mr. Tian and Han Wu! It seems you’ve become so incredibly powerful that you can kill two Demigods and emerge mostly unscathed,” Liu Letian commented, his voice tinged with a noticeable unease and a hint of envy.
Han Wu’s gaze swept over his enemies, observing that there were at least 40 million Wolf Riders and Dark Frogmen in total. They were all fresh, uninjured, and eager for combat. He found himself questioning his chances of victory against such an overwhelmingly large army.
On the other hand, Han Wu was limited to just four exhausted Lord life forms who hadn’t had any time to recover their strength. Tian Wen’s Rabbitmen were similarly depleted after expending so much energy on Carrot Missiles, now barely able to stand upright.
Han Wu’s confidence wavered regarding their current odds. Tian Wen, assessing the situation, knew their survival was highly unlikely. He made the immediate decision to risk everything for Han Wu’s escape, even if it cost him his life. He believed that sometimes, excessive deliberation could actually diminish the chances of survival.
He whispered, “I’ll use my units to carve out a path for your escape. When the moment comes, run and ascend high into the sky. They won’t be able to catch you then.”
“No.” Han Wu firmly shook his head. While he deeply respected Tian Wen’s willingness to sacrifice himself for his survival, he absolutely didn’t want their escape to come at such a cost.
“Stop being so stubborn, Han Wu. I will only have one chance to create this opening for you. You must seize it at all costs!” Tian Wen urged, steeling himself.
Gripping Tian Wen’s arms, Han Wu shook his head. “Mr. Tian, there’s absolutely no need for you to sacrifice yourself. I have this situation under control. Just trust me.”
The sheer conviction in Han Wu’s voice carried a profound weight that rendered Tian Wen utterly unable to resist.
“You have the situation under control? You?” Liu Letian sneered, a harsh laugh erupting. “That’s complete bullshit! There’s 40 million of us here, and so few of you! There’s no point in even trying to resist.”
Zhang Gang nodded in agreement. “Mr. Tian, our objective here is to capture Han Wu. We will spare you if you withdraw now and do not interfere with our mission.”
Liu Letian’s eyes briefly betrayed a vicious intent, though he swiftly masked his evident displeasure. Tian Wen, however, broke into open laughter. “Mr. Zhang, I appreciate your willingness to spare me, but as a teacher, my unwavering principle dictates that I cannot permit my student to die before I do.”
Zhang Gang sighed. “Mr. Tian, we truly could’ve been good friends, but you’ve forfeited that chance. Don’t blame me for this then.”
With a wave of his arm, his Wolf Riders immediately charged. Tian Wen swiftly ordered his Rabbitmen to unleash as many Carrot Missiles as they possibly could, while the battle-oriented Rabbitman Lord immediately jumped into the chaotic fray, cutting down as many enemies as it could.
Unfortunately, the sheer number of Wolf Riders proved overwhelming, slowly forcing the Rabbitman army to retreat. Tian Wen’s heart was heavy with grief as he saw his Rabbitmen, whom he had personally nurtured, being relentlessly slaughtered. The pain was as sharp and unbearable as that of losing one’s own child.
Deeply moved, Han Wu sprang into action. He retrieved a Spectre Vine seed from his pocket and, after consuming it, immediately activated Gene Lock. His cells rapidly processed the Spectre Vine genes, causing thin, spectral vines to begin sprouting from his body. Gripping his Rust Demon greatsword, he then activated the Defiant Sword, which, to his surprise, transformed into a lethal scythe this time.
Han Wu had absorbed so many locust souls in his previous battle with the Xu couple that his Defiant Sword had evolved, unlocking a new form: the Soul Reaper. Upon grasping it, he instantly comprehended its powers. This new form possessed the unique ability to alternate between a physical and an incorporeal state.
In its physical form, the Soul Reaper’s edge became incredibly razor-sharp, allowing it to effortlessly cut through most objects. Conversely, when it shifted to its intangible form, it gained the ability to phase through anything. Every creature killed by the Soul Reaper would have its soul absorbed, which in turn sharpened the scythe’s blade.
Han Wu seamlessly fused it with the Rust Demon sword, transforming it into a formidable war scythe. He stood like the legendary grim reaper with the scythe in hand. Curiously, despite this striking transformation and his aura reaching the threshold of a High Lord, Zhang Gang and Liu Letian remained completely unfazed by his new form.
At Zhang Gang’s command, his Wolf Rider High Lord stepped forward. This particular unit was born from the fusion of an orc High Lord and Raid Wolf High Lord—a combination that rendered it far stronger than any of its typical peers.
With a surge of power, the Wolf Rider High Lord activated its Frost Domain and Berserk Domain simultaneously. The other Wolf Riders braced themselves, ready to join the hunt. Han Wu frowned, clearly unsettled by the combined assault of the Wolf Rider High Lord, and pointed a finger at it.
Swathes of Spectre Vines erupted from the ground, but the Wolf Rider High Lord displayed impressive agility, successfully evading all of them. What the High Lord didn’t realize, however, was that Han Wu hadn’t intended to directly attack them with those vines—they were meant to be used for his Spectral Dash instead!
Han Wu vanished from sight and instantly materialized at a large Spectre Vine directly behind the Wolf Rider High Lord. Almost immediately, a wide, cross-shaped wound appeared on the Wolf Rider High Lord’s body—it was severely injured.
Han Wu gave the enemy no opportunity to recover, instead materializing randomly and unpredictably amongst the dense Spectre Vines. He steadily eradicated the combined forces of the Wolf Riders and the Dark Frogmen as cross-shaped slashes blossomed across the battlefield. Numerous units fell instantly to his attacks.
The Soul Reaper expanded, growing visibly larger and sharper with every soul absorbed, but Han Wu knew it still wasn’t enough to secure victory. His primary objective was to eliminate their leaders first. Killing Zhang Gang and Liu Letian would cripple their command, transforming their vast army into nothing more than mindless drones.
Han Wu, fixing his gaze on the pair, disappeared once more. A massive, cross-shaped slash, almost invisible to the naked eye, swiftly flew towards their throats.
Reacting instantly, Zhang Gang crushed the protective jade talisman he had received from the bankrupt God King, causing a protective shield to materialize and block the otherwise fatal attack. Liu Letian, however, found himself utterly stunned and could only watch in silence as Han Wu vanished from his sight.
Han Wu reappeared behind Liu Letian in the blink of an eye. While Zhang Gang remained completely unharmed, Liu Letian’s expression was fixed in a horrified shock as his head slowly slid off his neck.
Han Wu felt a growing fatigue spread through his cells after unleashing that intense attack—an undeniable signal from his body alerting him that Gene Lock would soon deactivate. Deciding it was time to retreat, he swiftly dashed through the Spectre Vines, seized Tian Wen, and made his escape.
“Don’t you dare think you can escape after slaughtering so many of my units!” Zhang Gang roared, his voice thundering behind them. He swiftly activated his Divine Skill, instantly summoning a massive wolf from thin air.
The giant wolf Fenrir immediately obeyed, relentlessly chasing after Han Wu, who was using his Spectral Dash. Its enormous paws then struck, sending both Han Wu and Tian Wen flying. At that critical moment, Han Wu’s Gene Lock reached its limit and deactivated, rendering him unable to activate it for the next ten days.