Chapter 213: The Destruction of Shadow City
The group's speculations did not help in resolving their current predicament. So, Irving directly reminded his companions, "No matter how the Night Blades elders returned to safety, it isn't very important for us. What we need to do now is quickly figure out where we are. If we are no longer in the Desolate Canyon, we may have to resort to forcibly returning to our shelters."
Irving's words helped calm everyone down. Aron, holding the map in his hands, kept looking around. He hoped to gather more information that would allow their current location to appear on the map. However, Aron's attempts were unsuccessful. Even after collecting enough information, the map still did not indicate where they were.
"It seems that the map you have won't provide us with much assistance," Irving concluded. "So let's split up and explore the area."
However, as soon as Irving finished his suggestion, Aron directly opposed it. "I think we shouldn't split up! We don't know where we are, and we can't determine if this place is safe! We can only ensure everyone's safety if we stick together. I believe you can agree with my reasoning, Irving."
Irving looked at Aron. "You're right; then let's move forward together!" Although Irving agreed with Aron's idea, he felt that Aron was being overly cautious.
Aron's demeanor now was a stark contrast to how he had been before. When they first entered the Desolate Canyon, Aron had been very willing to take risks. But after a series of crises, he had become much more cautious.
After they had been moving for a while, the group suddenly spotted a moving structure ahead. That building clearly exhibited the architectural style of the Night Blades.
"It seems our earlier assumptions were wrong! We are indeed in Shadow City. It's just that this part of Shadow City is still under construction," Irving quickly assessed upon seeing the building ahead.
Almost the moment Irving finished speaking, the voice of Elder Howard echoed from behind the group. "You're right; this is also part of Shadow City. Here, we Night Blades hold a significant advantage!"
With Elder Howard's words, Irving and the others found themselves enveloped in a thick fog.
"Everyone, stay calm! The fog created by Elder Howard won't pose a significant threat to you in a short period. I will rescue you all as quickly as I can," Irving urged.
He did not want his companions to act rashly. In his view, they would not be able to assist him in the upcoming battle. He hoped they would remain calm and stay put. Once he defeated Elder Howard, he would naturally be able to rescue all his companions.
Benjamin and Wendy naturally followed Irving's orders. However, the three members of Angel Guild did not heed his advice. They felt they should find a way to escape the encroaching fog. Unfortunately, their actions not only failed to succeed but also led them into a more significant predicament.
Aron and Nick found themselves trapped in a deeper layer of fog. Even if they wanted to call out to Irving for help, they were unable to do so. In the depths of the fog, their voices could not be heard by the outside world. Even if Irving did hear them, he would have no capacity to assist them.
Irving was now not only engaged in battle with Elder Howard; Elder Kent had also arrived on the battlefield. Moreover, the two Night Blades elders could utilize the magical formations of the Night Blades within Shadow City. From the very beginning of the battle, Irving found himself at a disadvantage.
"Although we haven't figured out how to deal with the Werewolf leader and Lawrence yet, eliminating you and the core members of Angel Guild is still something to be pleased about," Elder Kent remarked during the fight, aiming to disturb Irving's judgment.
However, Kent's words had no effect whatsoever. Irving maintained his composure throughout the battle. He believed that the enemy's words should not influence him.
Instead, he focused all his energy on the fight. Because Irving never fell into a state of panic, even though the two Night Blades elders had the upper hand, they could not quickly eliminate him. The battle had reached a stalemate.
Although Irving was stronger than the average Night Blades elder, the two Night Blades elders were able to utilize the magical formations within Shadow City to their advantage. This meant that the battle would likely drag on for a long time before a victor was determined.
During the fight, severe tremors began to shake various areas of Shadow City. By the time Irving and the Night Blades elders noticed the vibrations, most of the buildings in Shadow City had already been destroyed by the violent shaking.
"What is going on?! Could there be an unexpected situation in the underground tomb?!" Elder Howard exclaimed, breaking off from his battle with Irving as he hurried toward the control center of Shadow City.
At the control center, Howard could assess the specific situation within Shadow City. Although the control center had been recently destroyed by Benjamin and Nick, the arrival of reinforcements from Night Blades enabled them to successfully repair it.
When Howard saw the information displayed on the large screen in the control center, he was taken aback. A tremendously powerful entity had emerged from the underground region of Shadow City.
This entity had completely annihilated the underground tomb. After the tomb's destruction, the powerful being could quickly make its way to the surface.
Although Howard could not ascertain specific details about this formidable existence, he knew that the strength of Night Blades would not be enough to defeat it.
"The situation is dire! We need to retreat immediately! We absolutely cannot stay in Shadow City any longer!" Howard quickly assessed the situation.
He issued orders to all Night Blades members, instructing them to leave Shadow City as quickly as possible. In the absence of a fast escape route, Night Blades members needed to return to their shelters promptly.
"All Night Blades members must not hesitate! A moment's hesitation could cost you the chance to escape successfully!" After giving his orders, Elder Howard chose to return to his shelter without even consulting Elder Kent.
Elder Kent, still engaged in battle with Irving, soon learned of Howard's orders. Although he was puzzled, he decided to flee immediately.
At first, Irving did not understand what was happening. "Why are the two Night Blades elders fleeing in such a hurry? Is there a greater threat within Shadow City?"
As Irving muttered this to himself, memories of the sacrificial ceremony in the underground tomb flashed through his mind.
"Could it be that one of them, either the Werewolf leader or Elder Lawrence, has already completed the sacrificial ceremony?! If that's the case, I need to retreat quickly!" The moment the crisis dawned on him, Irving spoke urgently to his companions.
"We must return to our shelters as fast as we can! While doing so will mean losing some equipment, if we don't act now, we could very well be destroyed along with Shadow City!" After saying this, Irving forced his way back to his shelter, leaving his equipment behind.
Though Benjamin and Wendy were unsure of the situation, they immediately followed Irving's orders, leaving their gear in the same place. The three members of Angel Guild were momentarily at a loss about what to do.
Aron felt that Irving was overreacting. "There's no need to panic. Since we already know this is Shadow City, we can follow the map to a safe location," he said, pulling out his map.
But before Aron could finish, Anna and Nick, in a state of panic, pointed behind him. Aron turned around and saw a sight that would haunt him for the rest of his life.
All the buildings in Shadow City had been violently uprooted, and beneath them, a twisted, indescribable entity, as if emerging from an abyss, was gradually revealing itself.
At that moment, the temperature in the area where Aron and the others were rapidly dropped. All the surrounding plants withered at an alarming rate, while the animals nearby transformed into horrific, distorted monsters.
In that instant, Aron finally understood why Irving had chosen to forcefully return to his shelter. Nick and Anna quickly made their way back to their own shelters. Although Aron didn't react immediately, he wasted no time. Before the surrounding animals were completely transformed into twisted monstrosities, he too forced himself back to his shelter.
As Aron left, the area around Shadow City erupted in a blinding crimson light. A deafening roar filled the air, and Shadow City, the Night Blades' stronghold in the Desolate Canyon, was utterly destroyed.
The violent sound of Shadow City's destruction echoed throughout the entire Desolate Canyon. Players in the shelters within the canyon were thrown into a panic upon hearing it. At the same time, the terrifying power of the Werewolf God spread outward with the booming sound.
Although Irving managed to destroy Night Blades' Shadow City during this operation, he also unleashed an even more terrifying monster. Overall, Irving's actions were a mix of gains and losses.
Night Blades suffered significant losses; they not only lost their stronghold in the Desolate Canyon but also created a far more formidable adversary for themselves. The outcome of Night Blades' operation could only be described as a complete disaster.
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