Chapter 405: Chapter 407: The Return of the Two Transcendents, Eve of the Great Battle

Events always unfolded beyond individual control.

The news of the Black Dragon had a significant impact on Lide’s original plan. He had intended to capture Black Iron Castle and use it as a base to steadily promote the Twilight Sect and plunder various magic materials and ores.

But now, the news from the Naga had made him abandon that plan.

If the Naga Tribe succeeded in conspiring with the Black Dragon, it would mean a change of rulership in the Underworld–something he absolutely could not accept.

As the Ancient Days were approaching, and with the addition of players from the outside world, it was no longer suitable for Dawn City to expand its power.

At this moment, the Underworld had become crucial for Dawn City.

Not to mention, he still needed the Dark Race to supply him with the Dark Faith Power. To activate the Twilight Godhood, he was still missing 950,000 points out of the needed one million…

From Lide’s experience, even after activating the Twilight Godhood, controlling its power would definitely require even more Faith Power.

At present, he could only acquire the Dark Faith Power from the Underworld.

Thus, it was a deadlock; the Underworld was an area Lide absolutely couldn’t relinquish.

Besides the Power of Faith, the Underworld was also a vast treasure trove, rich with precious ores and unique magic materials, all waiting to be mined.

Under these circumstances, the Black Dragon seeking to compete with him for dominion over the Underworld was clearly a death wish.

Had his blade grown dull?

Since things had changed, they needed to adapt their plans accordingly.

After inquiring in detail from the Level 17 Naga about the Naga Tribe, Lide hesitated no more and immediately began mobilizing his troops.

Soon, all the decision-makers of Dawn City were assembled in the main hall of the City Lord’s manor.

Beastman King Kapp, Level 18; Half-Body Mage Mahari, Level 18; Fierce Half-Ratman Kedri Sharp Tooth, Level 16; the second generation Bloodline Audis; Heart of Fearlessness successor Anthony, Level 15; and the young girl Nicole.

After everyone had arrived, Lide wasted no time with small talk and went straight to the heart of the matter.

“I’m aware of the news from the Naga Tribe, and now that the situation has changed, we need to alter the plans we initially set.”

These words immediately made the attendees look solemn, but he continued without hesitation.

“The Naga are not an indigenous race of the Underworld, they come from the Abyss, and they have now found a way to reopen the once-destroyed Space Gate.”

“The most critical point is–the Black Dragon of the Mud Swamp has also joined them.

That Black Dragon has touched the pinnacle of Transcendent, and if the Naga opens the Abyss Gate, it’s very likely he’ll immediately break through to Legendary.

Once the Black Dragon becomes Legendary, then no one in the Underworld will be able to stop it.

If the Black Dragon then uses the power of the Naga to conquer the Underworld, dominion over it will belong to them.”

Lide swiftly summarized the entire situation.

Those present were no fools–except for maybe the Naga… The threat was immediately apparent upon hearing this news.

If the Naga truly achieved their goal, the army of Dawn City would have to retreat from the Underworld.

By then, let alone preaching, even the Magic Crystal Veins they were currently mining might be snatched by the Black Dragon.

One could easily sense the enormity of the crisis this posed, and if it happened, it would be an unacceptable loss for Dawn City.

The importance of the Underworld had already become increasingly apparent, and at this critical juncture, whoever tried to seize control of it from them was digging at the roots of Dawn City!

This was intolerable.

“City Lord, how much longer until the Naga open the Space Gate? And where is the Black Dragon now?”

Nicole stepped forward, her delicate and stunning face bearing a hint of inquiry.

“If we can find out where the Black Dragon is, can we attempt to assassinate him first to avoid future trouble?”

This spirited girl instantly grasped the key point: the Black Dragon.

If the Black Dragon were eliminated, even if the Naga managed to open the gateway to the Abyss, they might not be able to do much to Dawn City.

This was a bold yet potentially effective strategy.

The eyes of the people around her lit up.

However, the Level 17 Naga shook his head. “The Space Gate will be opened in about half a month.”

“The Black Dragon has always lived in the Mud Swamp, and only the Chief has the method to summon him. Including myself, all of the Naga are unaware of the Black Dragon’s exact location.”

At this, everyone fell silent; it seemed they had underestimated the difficulty of this war.

Nicole didn’t give up despite this, her bright eyes shifting as she continued.

“If that’s the case… You could use your authority to claim you’ve found a treasure lost by the Naga Tribe or discovered the materials needed to construct the Space Gate.

Lure the Naga Chief out from the Naga Tribe.

Once we ambush and defeat him, couldn’t we then obtain the method of summoning the Black Dragon?”

And if the City Lord were to subdue the Naga Chief, perhaps, like ruling the Centaurs, we could directly use the Naga Chief to govern the Naga Tribe.

As a result, not only would we avert the looming crisis, but we would also gain a significant ally.”

Lide looked at the girl who was presenting her ideas with a smile; he couldn’t help but admit that the girl’s mind was indeed agile.

“Do you think it’s feasible?”

The crowned Naga, upon hearing Lide’s query, pondered for a moment and then smiled bitterly as she shook her head.

“Master, the Chief has already gathered all the materials; currently, she is setting up a Magic Array. The most crucial thing now is to open the Space Gate. Nothing can make the Chief leave, not even a Divine Artifact appearing.

So this method won’t work either…”

After two suggestions were successively rejected, Nicole did not lose heart and continued.

“Then, can you disguise yourself and infiltrate the Naga’s stronghold to steal the materials for constructing the Space Gate, or use Alchemy Bombs to destroy it…”

Lide was amused by what he heard; this young girl sure had many bizarre ideas.

“No one can enter the Chief’s sanctuary, not even me…”

“Can we poison them? Just poison all the Naga to death…”

“Can we lead trouble elsewhere? Draw other monsters to the Naga’s stronghold…”

“Can we…”

What followed was Nicole continuously coming up with ideas. This girl’s agile thinking and cunning approaches from various angles widened everyone’s horizons–were there really such sly maneuvers?

The only pity was that, while most of her ideas sounded great, they had low feasibility.

When Nicole finished speaking, there were actually a few good plans that Lide approved of.

Like luring a few important missions from the Naga Tribe and then using the Power of Faith to convert adversaries so that they would betray their own during a crucial moment.

Or having the crowned Naga carry Alchemy Bombs back and then wait for the right moment to bury them beneath the city walls and blow them up during a critical time.

These two plans were highly feasible because of the crowned Naga’s status.

Lide’s approval brought a sweet smile to Nicole, sweeter than honey.

The other experienced veterans were not idle either; based on their own insights and experience, they began offering various opinions. Although they were not as clever as Nicole’s, theirs were more practical.

After a day, once everyone had expressed their opinions, Lide took everything into consideration and made the final decision.

“Although the information we have received is that the Space Gate will be successfully constructed in half a month, no one knows if this is just misdirection by the Naga Chief.

For safety, we must attack the Naga’s stronghold in a week!”

“This war is to seize the rule of the Underworld. Dawn City must achieve victory no matter the cost!”

Lide’s gaze was sharp as a blade, his tone firm and unshakable–a death order, leaving no room for negotiation.

With the tone set, the specific commands followed.

“Kapp, you will command all the Beastman armies, and in my absence, you are responsible for coordinating the troops and commanding the attack.

Also, immediately send a message back to Dawn City, instructing Harrison to prepare the siege engines, and order the Alchemy Factory to spare no expense in producing the best, most powerful Alchemy Bombs.”

“Yes, Your Highness.”

“Audis, you are in charge of leading the Magic Language Bats and Dawn Wings; in the upcoming battle, you will be the main force–don’t disappoint me…”

Audis stepped forward, his expression utterly solemn, “By your command, Your Highness.”

Lide’s tone didn’t falter as he turned to the 18th-level Half-Elf Mage, “Mahari, you are responsible for mobilizing the followers of the Twilight Sect in the rear, getting those with strong combat power from the Dark Race to also join this war.”

“As you wish, Your Highness.”

“Naga, I will act alongside you next; we must lure out more of the Naga elite in the shortest time.

These Naga will become your protectors and helpers within the Naga Tribe.”

“Yes, Master.”

Nicole, who had been eagerly waiting for her own orders, suddenly pouted pitifully at Lide when none came; however, the girl dared not speak up, as this was not the occasion for talking back or acting spoiled.

“Kedri Sharp Tooth, you will lead the priests of the Twilight Court, supporting the main army in the attack!”

The now extremely powerful super Cave Dweller nodded, his voice filled with a fatalistic fervor.

“Your Highness, fighting for you is everyone’s honor!”

From a weak Cave Dweller to being endowed with this devastating power, others could not fathom how profound this Cave Dweller’s devotion to Lide was.

Even if Lide asked him to die, the Cave Dweller would not hesitate.

After making the arrangements, Lide nodded slightly. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed Nicole still pouting and couldn’t help but smile slightly.

“Nicole, this time I will assign the Giant Army to come here, and you will command the Giant Army in the attack.”

Upon hearing the command, Nicole, who had just felt aggrieved, immediately smiled radiantly. If it weren’t for the crowd, she would have definitely jumped up in celebration.

The entire Giant Army had been trained by her.

Furthermore, this was the first time she had been permitted to participate in Dawn City’s external warfare; taking command of the Giant Army undoubtedly constituted Lide’s greatest recognition of her, which delighted her even more than the command itself.

“Understood, Lord of Kachar City!”

Seeing Nicole’s happy demeanor, Lide spoke solemnly, “This is a very important mission. If it is not completed, military law is no joking matter.”

Military matters must not be taken lightly. If Nicole’s performance had not won his approval, no matter what, he would not have delegated the command of the Giant Army to her.

“Yes, I will complete the mission decisively!” Nicole responded firmly and cleanly.

Lide, seeing this, did not elaborate further. The training over the past few years was not only for Nicole to grow up but also greatly honed her own abilities.

After arranging Nicole’s duties, the initial framework was set up.

As for the more detailed tasks, such as which legion would lead the main attack, how to use siege engines, how the reserves should prepare, and so forth, these detailed arrangements would naturally be handled by a more professional military command.

As the dominator of Dawn City, he only needed to control the general direction.

After everyone had left, Lide sat alone in the main hall, frowning at the empty surroundings, and then sat down to meticulously sort through the threats he might face during this period.

First and foremost was the most urgent crisis — the Ancient Arrival.

No one and no records had ever noted anything about the Ancient Arrival.

The unknown is the greatest fear.

This was a concern that he constantly bore in mind due to its many uncertainties.

Although he had received vague information from Zhao Yue about snow covering the land and the blood moon rising at the time of the Ancient Arrival, it was still far from enough.

It was as if he knew that a major event would inevitably occur in a few months, but he didn’t know what the event would involve or what impact it would have. This uncertainty was the source of his anxiety and unease.

Therefore, he could only make the most of the last two months to prepare his strategies.

It was now November 5th. By late December or early January, it was traditionally the time when snow covered the land.

Realistically speaking, he had at most two months left.

Even more importantly – the Ancient Arrival would inevitably be accompanied by the arrival of the Ancient Evil God.

He hadn’t forgotten the God of Plague, that bringer of fortune.

This meant that in two months, he might very well face the threat of the God of Plague directly.

This danger was not as simple as it seemed; although he had gained the upper hand in their previous two encounters, that was in specific circumstances, and the God of Plague had not even exhibited 1% of his power.

Once he could descend to the Main Plane, it would undoubtedly be an unprecedented disaster for Dawn City.

At the very least, the centaurs of the Dwarf Hills would be forced to leave, and Risier City’s Fierce Half-Ratman would undoubtedly overwhelm the Dwarf Hills. The Iron Hoof Tribe, lacking natural defenses, could not possibly withstand the endless Fierce Half-Ratman.

According to this reasoning, once the Dwarf Hills fell, it would be akin to directly severing his arm.

Not only would his sphere of influence shrink, but the availability of various resources would also be drastically reduced.

Thus, he must prepare for a rainy day. Intensifying the storage of supplies was a strategy, and opening up new channels for resources was another.

The Underworld was vast and rich in resources; should the situation he anticipated occur, it could completely compensate for the loss of the Dwarf Hills. This was also a major reason why he was eager to conquer the Underworld.

After a brief summary, Lide confirmed the potential crises that might urgently arise in the near future.

1. The unknown catastrophe brought by the Ancient Arrival,

2. The direct threat of the God of Plague,

3. The shortage of resources after losing the Dwarf Hills.

Aside from the dangers brought by the Ancient Arrival, there were also several other troubling issues in Dawn City at present.

The most typical was–the population.

Although the population was sufficient for the short term, Lide’s vision for Dawn City was that of a vast city. Currently, with merely 150,000 humans, it was far from reaching that standard.

Even though Dawn City had recently taken in tens of thousands of Half-Elves, Centaurs, Beastmen, and other races, pushing the population just over the 200,000 mark,

for him, the core human population was still too low.

In two months, the Bloodline would once again embrace the first embrace, and the number of Bloodline would surge from over 2,700 to over 5,400.

And next year, even more remarkably, the number of Bloodline was expected to exceed 10,000.

This was an extremely exaggerated and frightening number. With a population of 150,000 supporting over 10,000 Bloodline, although it seemed more than sufficient, it was clear that development was being restrained.

So, how to continue expanding the population would also become a challenging issue troubling Dawn City in the next phase.

“Internal troubles and external threats, the current Dawn City may seem strong, but it still lacks some depth.

Conquering the Underworld would greatly make up for this deficiency.”

After careful consideration, Lide became increasingly certain about the importance of the Underworld.

Not to mention anything else, the fact that he was the only outsider here who could develop freely without restrictions was something incomparable to the outside world.

As long as he conquered this world, everything here would belong to him.

It was different in the outside world; even if he conquered the Dwarf Hills and strategized over Gale City, he would still face threats from the sea, humans, Beastmen, and the Fierce Half-Ratmen of Risier City.

This powerful geographical advantage was something the outside world lacked.

“Indeed, farming is the ultimate truth… While you all are fighting fiercely out there, I develop my farm here. When you are all desperate, wouldn’t it be perfect for me to come out and clean up the mess?”

After serious contemplation, Lide once again clarified his developmental direction for the next phase.

Rule the Underworld, farm the land!

There was no retreat to speak of.

Whether it was the Black Dragon or the Naga, even if they truly opened the Abyss, he would never give up.

This place was crucial for the future development of Dawn City following the descent of ancient times.

But just then, Lide suddenly felt a stirring in his heart.

He sensed a familiar presence calling him.

What was this?

He abruptly stood up, then connected his consciousness with the Land of Bone-Burying.

Moments later, an uncontrollable joy appeared on his face.

Emi had transcended the extraordinary!!

On the verge of battle, he now had another extraordinary combat power in his hands.

But just as he thought the surprises were over, another familiar presence emerged in his mind, calling out to him.

“Father God…”

Hearing that, Lide’s eyes snapped open; Divine Monster–Asreaga, the Divine Monster who had taken the arm of the God of Plague, and had been missing for over half a year, had finally awakened!

He immediately focused his mind, connecting with Asreaga through the Power of Faith.

Moments later, Lide’s smile was as brilliant as the stars.

“Hahaha, the return of two Extraordinary beings!

What does it matter if the Black Dragon has touched Legendary Status?

Let the bayonets clash, only then will we see who remains standing.”

It seemed that Emi and Asreaga had conspired to awaken at the same time.

At this critical moment in his dealings with the Extraordinary powers and the Naga Tribe, adding two more Extraordinary beings was undoubtedly a tremendous boost for the upcoming battle.

Moments later, Lide’s expression shifted; he noticed something was amiss.

By his calculations, the number of Extraordinary powers he could utilize had reached an astonishing five…

– Divine Monster Asreaga,

– Blasphemer Emi,

– Frost Giant Dragon Stran,

– Along with the Blade Spider,

– And finally, himself.

The Extraordinary Spider Queen should also be counted, but she was too clumsy for battle; having her lay eggs was enough.

A total of six Extraordinary beings, five of which could be mobilized for war.

After careful consideration, Lide suddenly realized.

He had unknowingly amassed such a terrifying force.

Five Extraordinary beings!

He could even directly take over Green City.

And he was so powerful that no matter if Green City was harboring other Extraordinary beings, they could only prostrate themselves at his feet.

With this thought, his previous concerns about the ancient descent vanished.

A lofty spirit arose in his heart.

No matter how mighty you are, in front of five Extraordinary beings, everyone must bow down.