### Chapter 1019: Unbelievable Luck

**Translator:** Hellscythe\_ **Editor:** FluffyGoblyn

Chapter 1019 \- Unbelievable Luck

When Shi Feng opened the Epic Treasure Chest, a purple radiance enveloped the forging room. Had he opened the chest in the middle of White River City, he would've attracted everyone's attention.

As the purple light faded, the room's Mana density increased significantly and remained that way for quite some time.

There were a total of three items in the Epic Treasure Chest.

One item was luxurious red armor fashioned with white detailing. The armor was encrusted with seven gemstones, neatly arranged to form a miniature magic array. The surrounding Mana gathered around this magic array, condensing into a thin layer of seven\-colored mist, which made the armor extraordinarily eye\-catching.

When he saw the finished product, even Shi Feng was shocked.

This was definitely the most visually\-appealing armor he had ever seen.

*What kind of armor is this?* Shi Feng wondered.

This was the first time he had seen equipment that could increase the surrounding Mana density. Despite not wearing the armor, his mind felt much clearer than before. The Special Forging Room's Mana was even denser than the Basic Meditation Room.

If a player's mind could be this clear all the time, it would massively help their training and battles.

Following which, Shi Feng clicked to check the armor's introduction.

\[Seven Luminaries Battle Armor\] (Chest Plate, Fragmented Legendary Rank)
Equipment Requirement: Strength 1,000
Class Requirement: Berserker
When equipped:
Defense increased by 100 \* Player's Level.
All Attributes increased by 3\* Player's Level.
Strength increased by 60%.
Agility increased by 40%.
Endurance increased by 60%.
Magic Resistance increased by 30%.
Ignore Levels +20.
All Berserker Skills +5 Levels.
All item level requirements reduced by 10 Levels.

Additional Passive Skill 1\-
Seven Luminaries Protection: Decreases incoming damage from players of a lower tier by 70%, players of the same tier by 40%, and players of a higher tier by 20%. Grants immunity to Control Skills.

Additional Passive Skill 2\-
Magic Reinforcement: Increases the Strength of wearer's attacks by 50% and improves wielder's physique by 30%.

Additional Active Skill 1\-
Sky God's Glory: Grants immunity to all magical damage, decreases physical damage received by 80%, and increases Movement Speed and Attack Speed by 100% for 10 seconds.
Cooldown: 1 hour

Additional Active Skill 2\-
Seven Luminaries Domain: Effective radius of 50 yards. Decreases all enemies' reaction speed within affected area by 30%, Movement Speed by 40%, and Attack Speed by 40%. Wearer can also control up to three Seven Luminaries Spears. Each spear contains 200% of wearer's Strength and causes 500% holy damage.
Duration: 2 minutes
Cooldown: 5 hours
(Skill is currently Tier 1. Skill's tier will increase with player's tier.)

The Seven Luminaries Battle Armor was a Legendary item created by the Blacksmith God, Soros. During the Great Ancient War, it had been greatly damaged by the Lord of the Abyss. However, as the battle armor's core remained intact, its repair only requires ten God Crystals. Current number of absorbed God Crystals (0/10).

Shi Feng was dazed for a long moment after reading the armor's introduction.

He had never thought that it was possible to obtain a Fragmented Legendary item from an Epic Treasure Chest. It was even a considerably powerful Fragmented Legendary item.

Whoever equipped the Seven Luminaries Battle Armor would watch their combat power soar.

Unfortunately, only Berserkers could equip this armor. If he could equip it, it was very likely that he wouldn't find a single player throughout God's Domain that could match him. After all, if he had two Fragmented Legendary items equipped, not only would he have an overwhelming advantage in terms of Attributes, but he would also possess absurdly powerful Skills.

If his opponent didn't have a similar line\-up of equipment, he would be invincible.

Although the Battle Armor had its own glaring flaws, repairing it would be easier than repairing other Fragmented Legendary items. There was a much higher chance that he could repair it and transform it into a true Legendary item.

Aside from the Battle Armor, two plain, old books lay within the Epic Treasure Chest.

As Shi Feng was already satisfied with the Seven Luminaries Battle Armor, he hadn't paid much attention to the two old books. However, when Shi Feng read their introductory texts, he was shocked once more.

*Icarus's Heart's effects are unbelievable!* Shi Feng was speechless as he held the two books.

Of the two books, one was an Alchemy Secret Journal, while the other was the design for the Magic Tower.

In God's Domain, both books were treasures that could only be obtained with luck.

Among the two books, the Alchemy Secret Journal recorded the recipe for an Exotic Potion. However, only a maximum of ten Alchemists could learn the recipe.

There were many types of potion in God's Domain. Most generally lasted only one or two hours. Moreover, the effects would disappear upon death. However, Exotic Potions were different. Not only did they have long durations, but their buffs would remain after the player died and resurrected. Furthermore, these were only Exotic Potions' side effects.

Exotic Potions were the product of the hard work of God's Domain's Craftsman Alchemists. Every Exotic Potion was extremely powerful.

The Secret Journal Shi Feng held contained the recipe to produce an Exotic Potion named Exotic Stamina Potion. When consumed, the potion increased player's maximum Stamina by 10% and Stamina recovery rate by 80% for 10 hours.

Stamina was indispensable for players. Regardless of whether players fought or ran, they consumed Stamina. Only, the amount consumed was different. If players ran out of Stamina, even if their HP were full, they would lose the ability to move. Hence, most players generally took a break after grinding monsters for a certain time, using the opportunity to recover their Stamina.

If a player's Stamina recovery rate and maximum limit increased, they would become far more efficient when grinding.

Hence, in God's Domain, all items capable of increasing a player's Stamina or their Stamina recovery rate were extremely valuable.

Although the Exotic Stamina Potion was not as effective as the Blood Refining Crystal's Life Essence, its effects were still considerably good. It was useful to both expert and ordinary players.

With this Alchemy Secret Journal, the Candlelight Trading Firm's business would reach a whole new level.

However, compared to the Alchemy Secret Journal, the Magic Tower Construction Design was truly useful to Zero Wing right now.

In God's Domain, players could purchase defensive weapons in the Adventurer's Association after capturing a town successfully or while constructing a town. Defense Turrets were one of the most common defensive weapons. Not only did they possess massive firepower, but their attack range was also relatively large.

However, Turrets were the most basic defensive weapons. There were many others that players could find elsewhere. The Basic Mana Pulse Cannon was one example. Unfortunately, it was very expensive. Moreover, not only did it possess a very long Cooldown, but it was also costly to operate. Even so, its attacks were a force to behold. A single blast could almost rival the might of a Tier 4 large\-scale destruction Spell. The Defense Turrets could not compete with it.

However, there was something even more advanced than the two aforementioned defensive weapons–the Magic Tower.

Not even eight Defense Turrets were a match for the defensive capabilities of a single Magic Tower. This was precisely the reason that the Basic Tower had become a mainstream building in Shi Feng's past.

Unfortunately, constructing a Magic Tower was very difficult. Now that Shi Feng had the design, he would need a lot of resources to build it.### Chapter 1020: Soaring Attributes

**Translator:** Hellscythe\_ **Editor:** FluffyGoblyn

Chapter 1020 \- Soaring Attributes

Shi Feng looked at the tattered Magic Tower Construction Design in his hands. He would be lying if he said he wasn't excited right now.

In reality, the Magic Tower was not very valuable to God's Domain's current Guilds; it wasn't even worth as much as the Alchemy Secret Journal. To Shi Feng, however, its value far surpassed that of a Fragmented Legendary item.

If he constructed a city in Star\-Moon Kingdom, the city's potential profits would even be enough to tempt Super Guilds to strike against them, disregarding all costs to themselves.

After all, a city was much larger than a town. No measly town could compare to the population a city could hold. One could also construct a larger variety of buildings in a city. Most importantly, players seeking entertainment would flock to the city, which could impact its economy in a massive way. Then there was the Mana Tower, which would allow resident players within the city to accumulate the Double EXP buff.

With Zero Wing's current strength, going up against Super Guilds was suicidal. Once the city's protection period ended, Zero Wing wouldn't be able to defend the city with its own strength. When the time came, others would take the city from them. Shi Feng didn't want to see that happen.

That was the reason that Shi Feng wouldn't construct the city right now, regardless of whether or not he could afford to.

Without sufficient strength, excessive wealth only invited disaster.

He would not naively believe that those Super Guilds would kindly offer to cooperate with Zero Wing. To begin with, these existences were playing virtual reality games to earn money, not to have fun. If they were fully capable of reaping the benefits by themselves, why would they share?

If Zero Wing wanted to cooperate with Super Guilds, there was a precondition; the Guild needed to be able to protect the city it constructed. Otherwise, there was no point. It was similar to the encounter with the Dragon\-Phoenix Pavilion.

Shi Feng had been worried about his city's defense. Acquiring the Magic Tower Design was undoubtedly good news. Once he constructed his city, he simply needed to construct a few Magic Towers to protect it. At that time, with Zero Wing's constantly rising strength, defending a single city should not be a problem.

However, like a Teleportation Magic Array Forging Design, the Magic Tower Design had limited uses. Up to five Magic Towers could be constructed with one design. This was enough for Shi Feng.

"I had planned to add several more turrets to stabilize Stone Forest Town's safety. It seems that won't be necessary now." Shi Feng smiled. He then contacted Aqua Rose, instructing her to collect the necessary materials and Lifestyle players to construct the Magic Tower in Stone Forest Town.

Unlike other items' production, the Magic Tower's construction did not require specific Lifestyle classes. In fact, any player could construct the Magic Tower. It was only a matter of speed and efficiency. However, to construct the Magic Tower's core, players needed to be capable of drawing an Intermediate Magic Array. After all, the tower's most important components were the magic array and the Mana circuit.

For Shi Feng, who was capable of manufacturing Intermediate Magic Arrays, constructing the Magic Tower's Mana circuit would be a piece of cake.

As for the Magic Light Set Equipment, Shi Feng put the project on a temporary hold. In any case, no one else in the Guild could equip the set right now. The number of sets he had already produced was more than enough for the moment.

Shi Feng then replaced his Tier 1 Set Equipment with the Fine\-Gold ranked Magic Light Set Equipment. Following which, he replaced all three of his Intermediate Mana Armor Kits with the Advanced versions. Immediately, his Basic Attributes soared to a new level. His Strength instantly broke past the 1,200\-point threshold. He was significantly stronger than a Lord of the same level. His HP also soared to 32,550, while his Defense could probably render even Zero Wing's number one MT, Cola, speechless.

"With this set of equipment, I can likely solo an ordinary Level 50 Lord without any Berserk Skills." When Shi Feng clenched his fist, he could feel that his combat power had reached a new realm.

He had to admit that there was a massive difference between Level 50 and Level 45 equipment in terms of Attributes.

After Shi Feng switched into his new equipment, he used the Demon Mask to alter the Magic Light Set's appearance, using his previous appearance. This way, outsiders would not notice any changes to his weapons or equipment, and they would not be able to gauge his strength without fighting him.

As Shi Feng arrived downstairs and was about to rearrange the counters in the Candlelight Trading Firm's first\-floor hall, he noticed that the number of players in the hall had decreased significantly. Moreover, a few of the players here scoffed at the trading firm's products.

"The Candlelight Trading Firm is unreasonable. Both the Heavenly Trading Firm and the Blackwater Trading Firm are selling their Light Stones for 80 Copper each, yet Candlelight is still selling them for a Silver each. I think I'll be better off shopping at the other two trading firms."

"Isn't the Light Stone supposed to be the Candlelight's specialty product?"

"What? You don't know? Not long ago, both the Heavenly Trading Firm and the Blackwater Trading Firm announced that they are selling Light Stones. Moreover, they're selling each stone for only 80 Copper and have declared that they will never raise its price, unlike a certain blackhearted trading firm, who only wants to wring us dry."

"What?! They're so cheap?! If I had known, I wouldn't have purchased so many Light Stones from Candlelight."

…

While these several players chatted loudly, the surrounding players that overheard their conversation promptly changed their minds about purchasing Light Stones from the Shop. They began to filter out of the Candlelight Trading Firm in search of a better deal. It was obvious that they were going to investigate the Heavenly Trading Firm and Blackwater Trading Firm's new products.

Even 20 Copper Coins was a significant sum of money to ordinary players. If they used five Light Stones in a day, they could save up to one Silver Coin each day. That was enough money for independent players to buy themselves several drinks at the bar. If they saved up for a few days, they could also afford a nice piece of Bronze or Mysterious\-Iron Equipment.

*They sure are quick to extend their hands.* Shi Feng glanced at the several independent players who conversed with each other. He then called up the Shop's system interface and teleported these players out of the Shop. He banned them permanently from all of Candlelight's Shops.

It was very obvious that these people had no intentions of purchasing anything from Candlelight. They were either hired by Heaven's Burial or Blackwater to come here and steal customers. Otherwise, why would these people bother coming to Candlelight if they knew that the Heavenly Trading Firm and Blackwater Trading Firm sold Light Stones?

Instead of blabbering on in the Shop, showing no signs of leaving, anyone who heard the news would likely rush out of the Shop as the previous customers had.

"Crap, why can't I enter the Shop!?"

"What kind of trading firm is this?! They dare to chase away their customers?! I'm never coming back!"

…

After Shi Feng banished several independent players from the Candlelight Trading Firm, those players stood outside the Shop, cursing in indignation. Very quickly, they attracted passersby's attention.

"The Candlelight Trading Firm is outrageous! How can they randomly kick people out of their Shop?! Isn't there some saying stating that customers are akin to God?! They dare to kick God out of their Shop! They must want to go out of business!"

"It my opinion, Candlelight is no longer a friend to players."

Hearing those words, the crowd on the street began to discuss the Candlelight Trading Firm, their discontent rising as the discussion stretched on.

However, Shi Feng didn't pay any attention to the situation outside of the Shop. Instead, he opened a new counter in the first\-floor hall. He then placed ten Advanced Mana Armor Kits on display inside the counter's cabinet.### Chapter 1021: Astronomically Priced Armor Kit

**Translator:** Hellscythe\_ **Editor:** FluffyGoblyn

Chapter 1021 \- Astronomically Priced Armor Kit

"I can't wait to see what the Candlelight Trading Firm plans to do now!"

As several players felt triumphant, thinking that their actions would damage the Candlelight Trading Firm's business, they noticed that the player traffic entering the firm gradually began to increase, rather than decrease.

Moreover, among these players, there were even members from various large Guilds.

A flood of advanced horse carriages also began to stop near the Shop's entrance.

"Quick! Quick! If we're late, they will sell out!"

One after another, Guild players alighted from the carriages.

"What's going on?" The independent players who had been banned from the Shop realized that something was off, but they had no idea what was wrong.

Although they wanted to enter the Shop to investigate the situation, no matter how hard they tried, they could not take one step into the building. They could only stare at the establishment from outside.

"Fellow brother, do you know what's going on inside the Candlelight Trading Firm?"

"It seems that Candlelight has revealed a new product in the first\-floor hall. After hearing what a friend told me, I stopped what I was doing and hurried over immediately. The new product is called the Advanced Mana Armor Kit, and I heard that its Attributes trump the Intermediate version. However, the production volume is much lower. Hence, Candlelight intends to hold an auction in a few minutes. If I can get my hands on one, I'll definitely make a fortune by reselling it later!"

"Advanced Mana Armor Kit?"

The several players that Shi Feng had chased out were stupefied.

They had been tasked to observe the Candlelight Trading Firm and to cause some trouble while they were at it.

Yet, as soon as they had been kicked out of the Shop, the Candlelight Trading firm began to sell the Advanced Mana Armor Kit…

Everyone in Star\-Moon Kingdom and the several surrounding countries knew about the Mana Armor Kits. However, due to their rarity, very few players could actually get their hands on them. For the Intermediate Mana Armor Kits, only Zero Wing's members had reliable access to them with their Guild Contribution Points. Even then, elite members were only allowed to purchase one kit, while only core members were allowed to purchase three.

Because of this, the various large Guilds were forced to purchase the Intermediate Mana Armor Kits from Zero Wing's members secretly and at a high price. Moreover, only their Guilds' top\-tier experts qualified to use the kits.

Now that Zero Wing was selling the superior Advanced Mana Armor Kit, it would cause an uproar throughout Star\-Moon Kingdom. It was no wonder why the various large Guilds had frantically dispatched their representatives to Candlelight. Even the large Guilds, who had come to White River City to grind abyssal monsters, surged into the Candlelight Trading Firm.

Thinking up to this point, these spies contacted Blackwater's upper echelons immediately, hoping these upper echelons would send representatives to purchase the kits. If they could make it in time for the auction, the Guild might decide to forego their punishment.

However, as soon as they began to contact their upper echelons, they heard a cheer from inside the Candlelight Trading Firm. Following which, a loud, clear voice echoed down the street.

"Welcome, everyone, to the Candlelight Trading Firm! The auction for the Advanced Mana Armor Kits will now begin!"

When the announcement ended, some new arrivals rushed into the Shop with eager smiles.

Upon hearing news of the Advanced Mana Armor Kits' auction, they immediately teleported to White River City and rushed over in an advanced horse carriage. Had they waited a minute longer, they might have lost their chance to purchase the armor kits.

At this moment, the several incognito Blackwater members were stunned. They no longer had a way to explain themselves to their superiors. Even if someone from White River City's Blackwater Trading Firm headed this way now, they wouldn't arrive for at least another ten minutes. By then, the auction would be over…

As for having their Guild send them money, although the funds would arrive in time, they couldn't enter the Candlelight Trading Firm.

Meanwhile, inside the Candlelight Trading Firm, the various Guild members and independent players began to yell out their bids.

The Advanced Mana Armor Kit's starting bid was 10 Gold. Everyone was surprised; no one had expected the Candlelight to sell these kits so cheaply. Even the Intermediate Mana Armor Kits cost more than 10 Gold per piece.

Every player here had seen the Advanced Mana Armor Kit's Attributes for themselves.

If a player equipped three of the kits, the kits could increase their Basic Attributes by roughly 10%. This might not be a lot to Tier 1 players, but once players reached Tier 2 or above, the boost would be massive.

When everyone thought about how they could use the Advanced Mana Armor Kit after reaching their Tier 4 and Tier 5 classes, the passionate light in their eyes blazed as they looked upon the kits.

This time, a total of ten armor kits were up for auction, with each lot containing one kit. The various large Guilds inwardly cursed the Candlelight Trading Firm for this despicable decision.

The benefits of a single Advanced Mana Armor Kit were barely noticeable. If one wanted the most benefits out of the kits, they had to collect three of them. In other words, if one managed to obtain two kits in this auction, they would have to purchase the third kit, regardless of the cost. The competition in this auction would be fierce.

Although the starting price of a single kit was 10 Gold, shortly after the auction began, the price quickly soared, surpassing everyone's imaginations.

"Fifty Gold! The Hundred Flowers Palace wants it!" Cleansed Rue, who wore vermillion red mage robes, declared softly.

Everyone instantly shifted their gaze towards Cleansed Rue, gasping.

However, their shock was not due to Cleansed Rue's beauty or elegance, but her bid.

With 50 Gold Coins, one could purchase a relatively valuable piece of Level 35 Dark\-Gold Equipment…

Suddenly, an indifferent youth emerged from the crowd and said, "What arrogance from the Hundred Flowers Palace. Isn't your offer just a measly 50 Gold? The Secret Pavilion bids 100 Gold!"

This youth was none other than the Secret Pavilion's genius newcomer, Cold Autumn. The youth had already reached Level 40 and was fully geared in Level 40 Dark\-Gold Equipment. Many Guild members were stunned when they saw Cold Autumn.

"One hundred and ten Gold!" Cleansed Rue unhurriedly announced.

She must obtain the Advanced Mana Armor Kit. If Zero Wing had only held the auction after some promotion, the Hundred Flowers Palace might not have had a chance to purchase the armor kitt. This auction was too sudden. As a result, not many Guilds had made it in time. She, on the other hand, just happened to be in White River City to purchase Land for a Guild Residence. Hence, she had plenty of Coins on hand. She definitely had what it took to compete with the Secret Pavilion.

However, Cold Autumn did not give up as he shouted his next bid.

Within a short moment, the Advanced Mana Armor Kit's price rose to 150 Gold, causing most players to give up on the item.

Although the Advanced Mana Armor Kit was impressive, one would only have around a 10% increase to their Basic Attributes after gathering three kits. It was not worth that much money.

Just as everyone thought that the Advanced Mana Armor Kit would go to the Hundred Flowers Palace, a woman wearing green mage robes raised her hand and called out, "I bid 200 Gold!"### Chapter 1022: Candlelight’s Large\-scale Auction

**Translator:** Hellscythe\_ **Editor:** FluffyGoblyn

Chapter 1022 \- Candlelight's Large\-scale Auction

"Two hundred?! She is insane!"

"With that much money, I'd rather buy a Level 40 Dark\-Gold Weapon!"

Everyone inside the hall looked towards the woman who had placed the latest bid. What they saw, however, stunned them.

The woman who placed the bid was Level 41.

Among the crowd in the hall, there were only a handful of players who had reached Level 40. Meanwhile, every one of these players was an expert from a powerful Guild such as Cleansed Rue from the Hundred Flowers Palace and Cold Autumn from the Secret Pavilion. Even among their own Guilds, these people were top\-ranking personnel. Even so, they were relatively far from Level 41, yet this woman had surpassed them.

More importantly, such a powerful expert did not wear a Guild Emblem on her person, which was truly surprising.

*Alluring Summer? Who is she?* When she saw the woman, who was no less attractive than herself, Cleansed Rue was astonished.

She had practically memorized all of the well\-known experts' names in Star\-Moon Kingdom. She also knew about many powerful experts, who hid from the public eye, in the various large Guilds.

However, logically, it was impossible for an ordinary expert to be able to reach Level 41 at this stage of the game, much less an independent player.

Cleansed Rue wasn't the only one surprised by Alluring Summer's presence. Even Cold Autumn was shocked.

The Secret Pavilion's information network was extensive. However, despite his search, he found no information relating to Alluring Summer.

Not only did this woman feel dangerous, but she was also clearly wealthy.

Logically, a person like this should not be able to hide from the public. The Secret Pavilion's records even included the notable achievements players from some cities had accomplished, yet they included nothing about Alluring Summer. This was too strange.

To Cleansed Rue and Cold Autumn, 200 Gold was not much money. However, neither of them was a fool. At this point, the Advanced Mana Armor Kit's price was already way above its actual value. Hence, in the end, they decided to let Alluring Summer have it.

Following which, the auction for the Advanced Mana Armor Kits became a bidding competition between these three players.

In the end, however, Alluring Summer purchased the second and third armor kit for 200 Gold each, astounding everyone who took part.

It would've been fine if a Guild player had purchased the armor kits for such a high price. After all, large Guilds like the Hundred Flowers Palace and the Secret Pavilion had many members. Naturally, they could get their hands on a lot of money. To ordinary players, however, 200 Gold was undoubtedly astronomical. Even expert players could not produce that much money.

Yet, an independent expert like Alluring Summer had spent 600 Gold on just three Advanced Mana Armor Kits. Her wealth invoked questions about her origins. Moreover, judging by the woman's expression, it did not seem as if she particularly minded spending 600 Gold. For a time, everyone was concerned about Alluring Summer's identity. They were very curious about this woman's identity.

Some large Guild representatives even messaged Alluring Summer secretly, stating that they wished to recruit her into their Guilds and that they were willing to offer any benefits that she wanted. However, without exception, Alluring Summer deleted every message. She showed no interest whatsoever in these Guilds.

After Alluring Summer bought the first three Advanced Mana Armor Kits, Cleansed Rue and Cold Autumn split the remaining seven. In the end, the other Guilds and players had wasted a trip to the Candlelight Trading Firm.

Just when everyone thought that the auction was over and was about to leave the premise, a voice resounded through the hall once more, arousing everyone's excitement.

"Our auction for today has officially come to an end. In four days, Candlelight will hold its first large\-scale auction. This will be the venue for that auction, as well. However, the auction will not be limited to the Advanced Mana Armor Kits. Many other valuable items will be available. Bronze Mounts will be among those items! As for the grand finale, we will be auctioning entrance slots to the Holy City of Titan! We hope that you all will spread the news of our upcoming auction!"

As the announcement faded, everyone in the hall had chills.

Although they had no idea what the Holy City of Titan was, they knew what Bronze Mounts were.

Many top\-tier experts in God's Domain had already reached Level 40. This hinted that the era of Mounts had officially begun. Unfortunately, they weren't easy to obtain.

Ordinary players had a hard time obtaining Common Mounts, not to mention Bronze Mounts. Any Guild that had their own would prioritize their own experts. A Guild would never sell their Bronze Mounts.

Yet, the Candlelight Trading Firm had publicly declared that it would sell Bronze Mounts in its large\-scale auction. How could they not be excited?

After the announcement, many independent experts started to consider joining the competition for the Bronze Mounts.

After all, even ordinary experts only found one if they were lucky. However, if it were only a matter Coins, then independent experts had a chance. At this moment, some independent experts were even considering to purchase Coins with Credits.

Bronze Mounts were different from Common Mounts. Not only were they faster, but they could also assist players in battle. This small difference might not be much to ordinary players, but to experts, it was extremely important. More often than not, that small difference could decide whether or not they could solo a powerful monster. Moreover, if they had the assistance of a Bronze Mount, their survivability and hunting capabilities in the fields would increase significantly. Hence, even if they had to spend a lot of Credits to get their own Bronze Mount, they would do so. This was the equivalent of investing into one's business.

*What? Is Zero Wing that desperate for money? They're even selling the Titan City slots?* The announcement surprised Cold Autumn. The majority of the players present might not know what the Holy City of Titan was, but he knew. After all, Pantheon had exposed the truth about the Holy City to God's Domain's various super powers. So, he understood how valuable the slots to Titan City were.

*What an interesting Guild. Everyone believes that Zero Wing will succumb to Blackwater's attack. It seems that they have underestimated Zero Wing's foundations.* Cleansed Rue smiled upon hearing this announcement, her interest in Candlelight's large\-scale auction growing.

…

After the auction, players left the Candlelight Trading Firm, one after another. However, once outside the Shop, they found that a group of Level 39 expert players radiating killing intent had surrounded the trading firm's entrance. Every one of these players wore Blackwater's Guild Emblem. Seeing this, ordinary players moved out of these players' way, afraid of attracting their attention.

Suddenly, a tall, robust man wearing silver battle armor stepped into Alluring Summer's way and asked sternly, "Are you the one who purchased the Advanced Mana Armor Kits?"### Chapter 1023: Intense Battle at the Entrance

**Translator:** Hellscythe\_ **Editor:** FluffyGoblyn

Chapter 1023 \- Intense Battle at the Entrance

When Blackwater's members blocked Alluring Summer's path, the people on the street turned to watch what was happening.

Setting aside Alluring Summer's great beauty, her Level 41 drew everyone's admiration. Between that and Blackwater's menacing players, this group had no difficulty attracting attention.

*So, he's Laughing Drunkard of Blackwater.* Cold Autumn's gaze chilled when he saw the leading silver\-armored man.

Laughing Drunkard was one of the few experts who had risen to prominence in the Blackwater Guild.

Although his battle record was limited, he had, single\-handedly, defeated the Star Alliance's Purple Eye and a dozen or so experts, wounding the first\-rate Guild. He already ranked within the top 1,000 on the God's Domain Experts List. Moreover, it was obvious that Laughing Drunkard had not used his full strength in his last battle.

Due to this, the Secret Pavilion had investigated this man thoroughly. Even now, Cold Autumn could remember Yuan Tiexin's words, warning him that, should he encounter Laughing Drunkard in the fields, caution would be best. His safest option was to step aside and take a long way around.

Now, after observing Laughing Drunkard in detail, Cold Autumn discovered that the man radiated quite a pressure. Laughing Drunkard wore a full set of excellent Level 40 Dark\-Gold Equipment. The man also carried a snow\-white spear across his back. Overall, the man looked like a daunting general on a battlefield. However, with his current strength, he shouldn't need to fear Laughing Drunkard to the point of avoiding contact. This left Cold Autumn confused about Yuan Tiextin's warning.

While Cold Autumn watched Laughing Drunkard, the man shot the youth a look, revealing a sneer, as if he had sensed Cold Autumn's gaze. He then ignored Cold Autumn and returned his attention to the woman before him.

Watching Laughing Drunkard and the others, Alluring Summer nodded and said, "That's right. What business do you have with me?"

"Good. We'll give you 150 Gold; sell us all of your Advanced Mana Armor Kits," Laughing Drunkard said in a commanding tone after confirming that he got the right person. "Of course, you can choose not to sell them. But I can't guarantee you will leave White River City with your life."

As soon as Laughing Drunkard made the threat, the dozen or so Level 39 players beside him encircled Alluring Summer, sneering at the woman.

Laughing Drunkard had not spoken softly. Almost every player watching his group had heard him clearly. Many players instantly voiced their complaints.

"That woman spent 600 Gold to buy those three kits, yet he wants to buy them all for 150 Gold? Blackwater's members are too much!"

"Has Blackwater lost its mind? They dare extort others in broad daylight. Are they not afraid of the guards?"

"Sure enough, independent players shouldn't stand out. I've heard that Blackwater members even dared to attack Ouroboros's Guild Leader, Gentle Snow, in the middle of the city. That beauty has no choice but to concede."

Many players began to pity Alluring Summer. Everyone understood that, rather than targeting Alluring Summer specifically, Blackwater's true intention was to demonstrate its might in White River City.

Blackwater was currently engaged in an all\-out war against Zero Wing. Now that Zero Wing had declared its large\-scale auction in four days, Blackwater had to do something to suppress Zero Wing, preventing the Guild from making a comeback.

An independent player like Alluring Summer, who had purchased the Candlelight Trading Firm's items and wasn't particularly strong, would undoubtedly be Blackwater's best target for a demonstration. Whether Alluring Summer handed over the items willingly or they took the items by force, the act would send a message that anyone who purchased items from Candlelight would suffer the consequences!

"You're going to attack me if I refuse?" Narrowing her eyes, Alluring Summer smiled as she said, "I want to see if your Blackwater is strong enough to do so, then."

"You must want to die!" A Level 39 black\-robed Assassin suddenly appeared behind Alluring Summer, his eyes containing bloodlust. The Assassin thrust his dagger towards the back of Alluring Summer's head, giving the woman no room to dodge or counter.

*Despicable!* Cleansed Rue, who stood by the side, inwardly cursed this sight.

While Laughing Drunkard had been talking, he had sent an expert Assassin to approach Alluring Summer stealthily and attack her should the negotiations fail. This was truly despicable behavior.

As everyone thought that Alluring Summer was done for, they watched the Level 39 Assassin's dagger pass through the woman's body harmlessly. Rather than finding its target, the Assassin's attack struck Alluring Smile's afterimage.

*Her reaction time is so fast!* Cold Autumn's eyes widened, shocked at Alluring Summer's speed. If he faced such a sneak attack, he would likely lose his life, then and there, yet Alluring Summer had dodged the attack as if she had predicted it.

However, these players from Blackwater weren't ordinary players either. Every one was an expert. After realizing that his attack had failed, that Assassin turned to where Alluring Sumer had aimed her Blink. After discovering the woman, he used Shadow Steps.

In the blink of an eye, the Assassin appeared behind Alluring Smile once more. With a backhand swing, he sent a Backstab at Alluring Smile, the fluidity of his movements impressing many of the Guild experts who watched the fight.

*Peng!*

Before anyone realized it, an Ice Wall had appeared behind Alluring Summer. When the dagger struck the wall and subsequently slowed, Alluring Summer tilted her body forward slightly, deftly dodging the Assassin's Backstab. Following which, she turned and before anyone realized it, completed chanting and tracing the runes for another Spell. She then pointed her finger at the Assassin.

Immediately, an arc of blue lightning shot from Alluring Summer's extended finger and struck the Assassin before her.

However, the Assassin was no fool. Understanding that the lightning attack was quite powerful, he immediately activated Vanish, utilizing the brief 1.3\-second invulnerability to block the attack.

"It seems this chick is quite strong." Seeing that Alluring Summer's was extraordinarily strong, Laughing Drunkard turned to one of the Swordsmen beside him and said, "Bullet, go, help take care of that chick. After this, I'll ask the Boss to help you apply for training at the main headquarters."

"Thank you, leader! I'll take care of her!" The Swordsman named Bullet licked his lips before activating Windwalk and charging towards Alluring Summer.

Cleansed Rue frowned when she saw the expert Assassin and expert Swordsman working together against Alluring Summer.

She could tell that both the Assassin and the Swordsman could easily rank near the top of Hundred Flowers Palace's players with their combat standards. If their coordination was good, even Cleansed Rue herself was not confident of defeating them.

When Bullet arrived before Alluring Summer, the latter turned suddenly once more and pointed her finger at the Swordsman.

*Xiu!*

Another arc of lightning flew from Alluring Summer's finger. Moreover, the lightning was even faster than before. The attack was far more powerful this time.

Before anyone realized it, three Ice Walls had appeared around Bullet, preventing him from moving sideways or backward and leaving him with no choice but to defend against the attack.

*Peng!*

Bullet quickly activated Parry to block the attack. However, the instant his weapon met lightning, his body was launched like a cannonball, crashing through the Ice Wall behind him and landing over twenty yards away. The massive power within Alluring Summer's attack made everyone shudder involuntarily.

*Such skilled double\-casting!* Alluring Summer's performance surprised Cold Autumn.

"It's no wonder why you dared to challenge us. So, you have a few tricks up your sleeves. Ghost, join them. I want to see how long she can hold up," Laughing Drunkard ordered.

"Understood!" At this time, a large, tanned Berserker named Smoking Ghost stepped forward. Without hesitation, he used Charge on the fatigued Alluring Summer.

Just when this Level 39 Berserker's weapon was about to hit Alluring Summer, a three\-meter\-tall skeletal claw appeared beside the Berserker without so much as a sound. Catching Smoking Ghost by surprise, the skeletal claw grabbed the Berserker before squeezing him, releasing a loud crunch. Smoking Ghost's body transformed into a pile of ash that fell through the skeletal clawed fingers.

"This is…"

Every spectator was stupefied. They could not figure out what had happened. That had been a Level 39 Berserker!

Even Cold Autumn and Cleansed Rue were shocked.

They could not believe that such an expert had died in a single move.

Suddenly, a clear voice resonated down the street. "This is Zero Wing's territory! Do you people from Blackwater think you can do whatever you want here?!"

The crowd turned towards the voice's owner.

They were speechless.

The person who had spoken was none other than Zero Wing's Vice Guild Leader, Aqua Rose.### Chapter 1024: Mage God

**Translator:** Hellscythe\_ **Editor:** FluffyGoblyn

Chapter 1024 \- Mage God

"So strong!"

"As expected of Zero Wing's Goddess!"

Aqua Rose's Tier 1 Curse, Soul Annihilation, shocked every player on the street. Many female players were even mesmerized.

*She's Zero Wing's Vice Guild Leader?* Cleansed Rue's eyes widened in shock in shock as she saw Aqua Rose.

Although she had been in White River City for a time and had seen photos of Aqua Rose and watched many of the woman's videos, this was the first time she had seen her in person.

However, the Aqua Rose she stared at was different from her Guild's reports.

Based on the information her Guild had provided, although Aqua Rose was very strong, the woman's combat power was only slightly stronger than the Star Alliance's Red Feather. Although Aqua Rose had improved as time progressed and had even defeated Thousand Blades, one of the Glorious Lions Battle Team's apex experts, in the Dark Arena, she was not strong enough to kill a Level 39 top\-tier expert with a single attack.

Ordinary players might not realize how strong that Level 39 Berserker was, but as the Vice Guild Leader of a first\-rate Guild, Cleansed Rue did.

This Level 39 Berserker's timing was even better than the Assassin and Swordsman who had attacked first. He was definitely a Half\-step Refinement Realm expert. Moreover, based on Laughing Drunkard's tone, it was obvious that he was relatively confident in this Berserker's strength.

A Half\-step Refinement Realm expert was no noob. In a first\-rate Guild, said expert would rank near the top of the Guild. Said expert might even become the Guild's strongest player.

Yet, Aqua Rose had killed such an expert instantly…

Cleansed Rue began to wonder if Zero Wing had bribed her information department.

It had only been a short time since she had received the report on Aqua Rose. How could one person improve so quickly?

Suddenly, the masked Level 40 female Assassin beside Laughing Drunkard asked, "Drunkard, why don't we gang up on Aqua Rose? If we kill her, it will deal quite a blow to Zero Wing. Guild Leader and the others will have less resistance when they strike."

"Forget it. We should save some of our cards for later. Lethal Gale suffered precisely because he grossly underestimated Zero Wing," Laughing Drunkard said, shaking his head as he glanced at Aqua Rose. He then said in the team chat, "Bullet, you two go all\-out and deal with Aqua Rose. I want to see how strong this Vice Guild Leader is."

Laughing Drunkard had planned to put on a dominant show in front of the Candlelight Trading Firm to suppress Zero Wing's recently\-rising prestige. Now, however, it seemed as if that were no longer possible.

Now that Bullet and the Level 39 Assassin had actively attacked someone inside the city, the NPC guards would kill and jail them upon arrival. It was also obvious that the two were not capable of killing the woman named Alluring Summer. Rather than lose their lives pointlessly, they might as well use this opportunity to test Aqua Rose's strength.

No matter what was said or done, Aqua Rose was Zero Wing's Vice Guild Leader, a VIP.

If they could collect some information on Aqua Rose now, it would be easier to deal with the woman in the future.

This war between Guilds would not be determined with just one or two big battles or several dozen minor skirmishes. Aside from an economic war, information gathering was extremely important. Information could determine a war's outcome if used during a crucial moment.

"Understood!" After Bullet and the Assassin received their command, they activated their Berserk Skills before turning and dashing towards Aqua Rose. Like machines, there wasn't a shred of hesitation in their eyes.

Both players' Attributes rose significantly, and their dangerous auras resembled that of wild beasts. The surrounding players instantly felt death loom over them, and they started to back away from these two players.

After the two activated their Berserk Skills, each temporarily gained the combat power of a Lord of the same level.

Yet, as if the pressure these two players radiated were a spring breeze, Aqua Rose remained unfazed as she stood before the Candlelight Trading Firm's entrance.

Watching the two players charge at her, Aqua Rose simply waved her staff. The ground beneath her feet turned pitch\-black, and as if this black shadow were contagious, it spread quickly, covering the ground around her. The shadow then enveloped the Assassin and Swordsman, and they instinctively jumped into the air to avoid the attack.

"Begone!" Aqua Rose did not even bother to look at her assailants as she swiped her right index finger across the air.

The pitch\-black shadow rose from the ground, transforming into a pillar of black light that shot into the air. Even players several streets away saw the pillar of black light.

Giving neither of the players a chance, the black pillar devoured them whole. Despite the two players activating their Lifesaving Skills, they screamed in agony from inside the pillar. They felt as if they were trapped in hell. The spectators even began to pity them after hearing the screams.

When the pillar of black light finally disappeared, only Aqua Rose and two pieces of top\-tier equipment remained on the battlefield…

"They died?"

"How did she do that?"

This scene left everyone gasping.

Unlike the Berserker, who had died without any display of strength, Blackwater's Assassin and Swordsman had shown off their combat standards against Alluring Summer. Thus, everyone watching the battle had a clear grasp of how strong those two experts were.

Laughing Drunkard, who watched from afar, wore a dark expression.

Aqua Rose was a lot stronger than he had expected. Until now, she had only used two Skills. This wasn't enough for him to judge her current standard. Moreover, the information he gleaned from the pillar of black light was not enough to reach a conclusion. The Assassin and Swordsman had died for nothing.

After Aqua Rose finished collecting her loot, she looked towards Laughing Drunkard and said, "If you still want to fight, attack me together. I don't have time to waste on fighting you one by one."

Currently, she was in a relatively good mood. She had only used two Skills to earn two pieces of Level 35 Dark\-Gold Equipment. She could probably make close to 100 Gold if she sold these two items. Unfortunately, Blackwater's members had swiftly retrieved the equipment the Berserker had dropped. Otherwise, she could have earned more money.

"You!"

When Blackwater's players heard Aqua Rose's provocation, they all wanted to jump into action.

Although Aqua Rose's Skills were indeed powerful, Skills like those generally had very long Cooldowns. If they charged at her now, they would be more than capable of defeating the Cursemancer.

"We're leaving!" Laughing Drunkard extended a hand to stop his teammates. "Now is not the time to fight them. We will have plenty of opportunities in the future."

Saying so, Laughing Drunkard led his team away from the Candlelight Trading Firm's entrance, earning jeers and mocking gazes from the surrounding players for his trouble. At the same time, the bystanders began to admire Zero Wing even more than before.

White River City's native players cheered.

In their eyes, Zero Wing was a local Guild, while Blackwater was the enemy. Naturally, they would celebrate when Zero Wing suppressed Blackwater.

"Aqua, isn't your transformation a little too intense? It's only been some time since we've seen each other, yet I nearly failed to recognize you." As everyone left the venue, Alluring Summer, who had silently stood by the side, smiled and greeted Aqua Rose.

"Not here. Let's continue our conversation inside." Aqua Rose responded to the greeting with a smile of her own. She then led Alluring Summer into the Candlelight Trading Firm.

…

The remaining players on the street were stunned.

They had never expected Alluring Summer to be acquainted with Zero Wing's Vice Guild Leader, Aqua Rose.

*They know each other? Why doesn't the Secret Pavilion know anything about this?* Cold Autumn was similarly shocked. Alluring Summer's strength could not be ignored. After seeing the speed of her double\-casting, Cold Autumn knew that the woman was extraordinary. Unfortunately, Aqua Rose had ended the battle too abruptly, giving Alluring Summer no opportunity to display her true strength.

If Shi Feng were present, he, too, would have been surprised.

After all, he was extremely familiar with the woman named Alluring Summer.

Shi Feng wasn't the only one. Practically every player in God's Domain had heard of her in the past. Her fame had all been due Alluring Summer's past nickname.

The Lightning Mage God!### Chapter 1025: Recruiting the Mage God

**Translator:** Hellscythe\_ **Editor:** FluffyGoblyn

Chapter 1025 \- Recruiting the Mage God

After the auction for the Advanced Mana Armor Kit ended, news of the Candlelight Trading Firm's plans to hold a large\-scale auction spread like wildfire. It quickly became the hot topic throughout Star\-Moon Kingdom.

"Zero Wing is so amazing! I never thought that it would even sell Bronze Mounts! I have to collect enough money to join the auction myself!"

"Stop dreaming. Those are Bronze Mounts we are talking about. Even large Guilds only have a few. If Zero Wing really intends to sell them, independent players like us won't be able to afford their price."

"Even if I can't afford it, visiting the auction is still be a good idea. I heard that, aside from the Bronze Mounts, they'll be selling rare items."

…

The majority of the players eagerly anticipated the Candlelight Auction in four days. Even if they could not buy themselves a Bronze Mount, they would be more than satisfied with a good weapon or piece of equipment.

As the public disregarded this as just another normal auction, God's Domain's various large Guilds immediately took action, secretly gathering funds.

To ordinary players, the most attractive item up for auction was the Bronze Mount. To large Guilds, however, the entrance slots to the Holy City of Titan and the Advanced Mana Armor Kits were far more important.

The entrance slots were particularly valuable to Super Guilds. After all, they had the master Lifestyle players that other Guilds did not. Only, these Lifestyle players had yet to familiarize themselves with God's Domain's Lifestyle system. As long as these players had enough resources, they would easily become true Master Lifestyle players.

With Super Guilds' expansive network of connections, they could easily earn a ton of Coins with these Master Lifestyle players' advanced products.

Hence, when the various Super Guilds and super\-first\-rate Guilds heard the news of Zero Wing selling the Holy City's entrance slots, they immediately began to gather funds.

…

"As I expected of the number one Guild of Star\-Moon Kingdom… to think Zero Wing still had such a move." Singular Burial could not help but laugh when he read the report his subordinate had sent.

Others might only see Zero Wing holding a simple auction, but he knew the true value of the Holy City's entrance slots. Those slots would attract a large number of super\-first\-rate Guilds and Super Guilds. There was also the Advanced Mana Armor Kit to consider.

A 10% increase to one's Basic Attributes was no trifling matter. If one could equip a 100\-man expert team with the Advanced Mana Armor Kits, raiding large\-scale Team Dungeons would be much easier. This was especially true for Level 50 large\-scale Team Dungeons.

As the saying went, "once ahead, always ahead."

Level 50 was a major turning point for God's Domain's players. If a Guild compiled a stock of Level 50 top\-tier equipment ahead of its competition, when the time came, the Guild's experts could complete their Tier 2 class\-changes ahead of others as well.

"Guild Leader, what should we do? If we let Zero Wing move unhindered, by the time the auction is over, they will resolve their funding problem."

"It doesn't matter. We'll proceed as planned. Fog and her group should finish constructing the magic array in less than four days. Even if Zero Wing collects enough Coins, it will be powerless to change the situation. Collect some money for the auction. We need to join in on the fun as well."

Singular Burial was not worried about Zero Wing making a comeback with the Candlelight Auction. Heaven's Burial and Blackwater had already prepared to take down Stone Forest Town. No matter how hard Zero Wing struggled, nothing would change.

…

Inside the Candlelight Trading Firm's VIP guest room:

The seven\-story Candlelight Trading Firm was at least the equivalent of a ten\-story building in the real world. On the top floor, one could see the beauty of White River City past the french windows and the ant\-sized players wandering through the streets.

In White River City, aside from the Candlelight Trading Firm's 3\-star Shop, no building offered such scenery. Most of the high\-class restaurants throughout the city were at most three stories tall. Even NPC\- and other player\-owned Shops were not as tall.

Alluring Summer, who currently sat by the french windows, glanced at the city before turning back to Aqua Rose and saying enviously, "Aqua, you really are getting by a lot better than I am. After not seeing each other for some time, your strength has improved so much. What have you been doing recently? You couldn't be training deep in the mountains, right?"

Aqua Rose had hidden her level during the scuffle on the street. After entering the VIP lounge, however, she had no reason to.

Level 44!

When Alluring Summer saw this, her eyes nearly fell out of their sockets.

She had barely reached Level 41 after encountering several miracles and spending most of her time cooped up in her home playing God's Domain, yet Aqua Rose, who was busy as Zero Wing's Vice Guild Leader, had managed to reach Level 44. It was truly inconceivable.

Alluring Summer could clearly remember that, when Aqua Rose had resided in the Storm Empire and one of Twilight Echo's Honorary Elders, the woman's level and equipment had been on par with hers.

If she had lost to her friend only in levels and equipment, she wouldn't have minded. The biggest issue was that Aqua Rose had also improved her combat techniques. Coupled with the woman's equipment, she was not confident that she could defeat Aqua Rose right now.

"What are you talking about?" Aqua Rose covered her mouth and grinned.

She had known Alluring Summer since she was young as their families were friends. However, Alluring Summer was a far more talented gamer than herself. Due to that, this woman had always bullied her. Now that Alluring Summer had said such a thing, the little vanity inside her was quite satisfied. She felt even happier than when she had defeated the Star Alliance.

"Who do you think you're trying to fool?! Look at that smile on your face!" Alluring Summer rolled her eyes at her friend. Eagerly, she asked, "Speak! What have you been doing recently?! How did you improve so quickly?!"

"Alright, alright! I'll talk!" Aqua Rose nodded. "To be honest, I've asked you here for a reason. I'm sure that you have heard about Zero Wing, even in the Storm Empire. I invited you here today to ask you to join Zero Wing."

"Join a Guild?" Alluring Summer shook her head straightforwardly and said, "Forget it. I'm used to moving alone. I hate being bound by Guilds' restrictions more than anything. Don't even try to persuade me. I refuse to join any Guild."

"Don't you want to improve your combat techniques?" Aqua Rose had predicted this reply. Smiling, she said, "Hasn't that always been your goal? If you are always alone, I'm afraid that you'll never catch up to *that* person. I've heard that that person is getting by pretty well in God's Domain. His strength has already reached an unimaginable realm."### Chapter 1026: Top Ten

**Translator:** Hellscythe\_ **Editor:** FluffyGoblyn

Chapter 1026 \- Top Ten

Alluring Summer fell silent at Aqua Rose's words.

Others might not know why she had started playing virtual reality games, but Aqua Rose knew her end goal.

"I know how that person is doing. I'm still nowhere near his strength. However, I recently accepted a Hidden Class Quest. If I can complete the quest and obtain a hidden class, I might have a chance of catching up in the future," Alluring Summer said seriously. "I believe that you are familiar with his standards. Can you say with certainty that I can surpass that person by joining Zero Wing?"

Before she arrived in Star\-Moon Kingdom, she had researched Aqua Rose's Guild thoroughly.

She had to admit that it was miraculous that a small, unknown Guild had grown to become Star\-Moon Kingdom's number one Guild in such a short time.

However, Star\-Moon Kingdom wasn't much when compared to the whole of God's Domain. There were hundreds of kingdoms. Star\-Moon Kingdom was only slightly above average kingdom. Meanwhile, empires stood far above kingdoms.

Based on what she knew, there were other small, unknown Guilds that had taken control of entire kingdoms. There was even a third\-rate Guild that dominated an empire, though said third\-rate Guild possessed an extraordinary background.

On the other hand, Zero Wing had yet to take control over Star\-Moon Kingdom fully. Among the many rising small Guilds in the game, it merely ranked among the top; it did not rank number one.

Furthermore, the recently\-established Blackwater Guild was an extremely tough opponent for Zero Wing. In the real world, the Blackwater Corporation had begun to gather all sorts of resources. It was clear that the corporation planned a major move in God's Domain to seize some of the shares in God's Domain's market.

As an international corporation, the amount of resources the Blackwater Corporation wielded was beyond imagination. Even without any tricks, it could easily defeat first\-rate Guilds.

To put it bluntly, Zero Wing was having a hard time staying afloat right now. How could the Guild possibly help her improve?

When Alluring Summer had expected Aqua Rose to hesitate and fail to answer her question confidently, Aqua Rose revealed a dauntless smile and responded, "If you work hard enough after joining Zero Wing, I assure you that you will achieve your goal."

If Alluring Summer had asked this question in the past, she wouldn't have been so certain.

After all, she knew full well how powerful Alluring Summer's target was. It was not just a matter of being strong. That person was on an entirely different level. Only someone as talented as Alluring Summer could dream of surpassing such a person. As for herself, she had only been able to look up to him.

However, things were different now.

In the past, she had been barred from that person's world. However, thanks to Shi Feng, she was beginning to enter it. With Alluring Summer's frightening talent, it was incredibly likely that she would surpass that person in the future.

Hearing Aqua Rose's resolute answer, Alluring Summer was stunned.

If Aqua Rose were not her best friend, she would suspect the woman of some trick.

Seeing Alluring Summer's hesitation, Aqua Rose took a deep breath and said, "I understand your thoughts. How about this? Join Zero Wing. If you think remaining in Zero Wing won't help you reach your goal, I'll ask the Guild Leader to let you go personally. How about it?"

In reality, she had not asked Alluring Summer here only because she wanted to add her strength to Zero Wing, but also because she wanted to help her friend realize her dream.

Firstly, she planned to recruit Alluring Summer as a Zero Wing core member and expose her to the Guild's training. This was the greatest concession she could offer right now. After all, Zero Wing was not hers. She could not selfishly offer the Guild's resources to an outsider.

"Really?" Alluring Summer asked warily.

She knew that as players were given access to more resources in a large Guild, they would be bound by more restrictions. It was impossible to up and leave for no reason. Take Aqua Rose for example. If not for the Sun and Moon Group position as one of Twilight Echo's major shareholders, she wouldn't have been able to leave the Guild so easily.

"Don't you believe me?" Aqua Rose rolled her eyes at Alluring Summer.

"These are your words. Don't regret them later. If I sense that there is no point to remaining in Zero Wing, I won't hesitate to walk away," Alluring Summer stated seriously.

"That's fine," Aqua Rose said, smiling bitterly. "If you don't have any other issues, sign this contract. Once you sign it, you'll be one of Zero Wing's core members and can enjoy all of the benefits that come with the position."

Alluring Summer then read the system\-approved contract. Indeed, as Aqua Rose had said, the conditions were lax. She could leave the Guild anytime she wanted. However, she would not be permitted to share any information relating to Zero Wing with others. Otherwise, she would be banished from God's Domain.

Alluring Summer understood the clause. After all, every Guild had its secrets. After finding no faults with the contract, she signed at the bottom.

After Aqua Rose confirmed that the Main God System had acknowledged the contract, she sent her friend several battle videos.

"Since you're a core member, you are allowed to learn from these. As for how much you learn, that depends on you. If you wish to enhance your learning speed, you can fight for the Hundred Berry Wine. If you want to improve your strength quickly, you can also apply to join Zero Wing's training grounds in the real world. There are dedicated experts there to offer pointers. If you rank within the top ten in Zero Wing's rank matches, you may apply for the black card. With that, you can train in the simulation training system."

"Black card? What's that?" Alluring Summer could not help but ask.

"I'm not allowed to offer any concrete information. You can only learn more if you rank among the top ten in the matches," Aqua Rose said, chuckling.

She had been using the black card Shi Feng had sent her. She had never dreamed that Shi Feng would get his hands on something so valuable. Before this, she had not realized how frightening Super Guilds were. Despite her previous participation in a Super Guild's training camp, she felt like she was learning about Super Guilds for the first time.

During the several days she had spent in the Secret Pavilion's training system, she had improved significantly.

"Don't be so stingy. Do you think that I can't rank among the top ten with my strength?" Alluring Summer curled up her lips into a sneer.

"I believe that you can in the future. However, you won't make it in the upcoming rank matches," Aqua Rose said, shaking her head.

"Aqua, do you think that I used my full strength against those bastards on the street? I'm not trying to brag, but if I used my full strength, very few people in Zero Wing could stand against me," Alluring Summer said, annoyed.

She had experienced many hardships in the Storm Empire. She had even disguised herself and defeated many well\-known experts. Among them, some were even top\-tier experts ranked on the God's Domain's Experts List. With her standards, aside from Super Guilds and super\-first\-rate Guilds, she would easily rank at the top of any of any large Guild.

"I knew you would say that. However, take a look at these videos. Once you're done, you'll understand what I mean," Aqua Rose said, not bothering to explain further. "If you still think that you're strong enough, I will find someone to spar with you. If you can defeat that person, I'll help you apply for a black card immediately. What do you think?"

"These are your words, not mine. Don't regret them."

Seeing Aqua Rose's resolution, Alluring Summer decided to humor her friend, and she started to watch one of the videos she had been given. She was curious to find out what gave Aqua Rose such great confidence.### Chapter 1027: Overwhelming Strength

**Translator:** Hellscythe\_ **Editor:** FluffyGoblyn

Chapter 1027 \- Overwhelming Strength

Only Zero Wing's core members could view the battle videos Aqua Rose had sent to Alluring Summer.

God's Domain's various large Guilds usually had their own intelligence departments that specialized in information gathering and videos of various battles. Battle videos of apex experts were not unique to Zero Wing. However, the battle videos Aqua Rose had sent were somewhat special.

These battle videos could not be found anywhere on the market.

The majority of these videos were of Shi Feng fighting other apex experts. Moreover, they had been recorded from Shi Feng's point of view, not from a third party's. In addition, they had been recorded with the Holographic Simulation Mode. Rather than watching the video on a flat screen, one could experience the fight themselves. Among the recorded opponents, the weakest were in the Refinement Realm, while the strongest had been an old monster in the Domain Realm. One could say that this was the classical collection of Shi Feng's battles.

As for opponents that had not reached the Refinement Realm, those had not qualified. After all, there were too many expert players who had yet to reach the Refinement Realm. Those videos were easy to find. Referencing those videos had no value.

Aside from Shi Feng's PvP battle videos, Alluring Summer also had access to his battle videos from the Secret Pavilion's Battle Tower.

The Battle Tower was the most direct method of testing a player's combat standards. These videos could help a player summarize their deficiencies.

These videos were precisely the reason that Zero Wing's core members improved so quickly.

Alluring Summer had not paid much attention when she had started to watch the videos. However, when the fight began, she couldn't pull her eyes from the recording.

Before she realized it, she had already watched all of the videos Aqua Rose had sent her.

After Alluring Summer finished watching the videos, she took a deep breath to calm herself. Excitedly, she turned to look at Aqua Rose and asked, "Aqua, do you have other videos like these?"

Although she had only watched a few and none of these videos lasted long, she had to admit that they were inspiring. Shi Feng's battles gave her a glimpse of an entirely new world. She had never thought that players could fight in such a way.

"These videos are the best we have. There are some others stored in the Guild's database. The most exciting of those are the battles between core members. However, regarding combat standards, they are no match for the videos you just watched," Aqua Rose said.

"They are no match?" Alluring Summer was disappointed.

Although she had only watched the videos for a short time, she already felt that she had improved in a way. If she could watch more recordings of such high combat standards, she could improve faster than relying on trial and error.

"Are you disappointed?" Aqua Rose asked, giggling.

"Of course. I usually collect battle videos of God's Domain's experts, too. However, compared what you have given me, those experts are no more than children playing house." At this moment, Alluring Summer still couldn't get enough of those videos.

"To be honest, you don't need to feel so disappointed. If you fight your way into the top ten in the rank matches and obtain a black card, you'll develop even faster." Aqua Rose chuckled.

One could fight all sorts of experts in the simulation training system. Experience would help one grow stronger much faster than watching videos.

"Really?" Alluring Summer's excitement was immediate. "Didn't you say that, if I defeat a particular person, I can apply for a black card immediately? Call them here! I want to find out what this black card is."

After watching the battle videos, while she admitted that she was absolutely no match for Shi Feng, she did not believe that, with her current strength, she could lose to anyone else in Zero Wing. After all, she had secretly defeated the 766th ranked expert on the God's Domain's Experts list.

Furthermore, although she acknowledged that Aqua Rose had grown stronger after watching her friend fight, she believed that she had roughly a 40% chance of defeating the Vice Guild Leader.

"Alright, then. I'll contact them," Aqua Rose said, smiling helplessly.

She knew full well how confident Alluring Summer was of her own strength. She also knew that Alluring Summer was a capable expert.

Had Alluring Summer visited a few days earlier, with her current strength and techniques, she likely would have ranked among the top ten. In addition to her status as Vice Guild Leader, it shouldn't be hard to get Alluring Summer a black card. Now, however, things had changed.

Some time ago, Gentle Snow joined Zero Wing with a bunch of Ouroboros's top players, increasing Zero Wing's strength significantly.

Right now, she was not certain of how well Alluring Summer would fare in Zero Wing. After all, she was not particularly familiar with the strength of Gentle Snow's people.

However, since her friend was eager to fight, she might as well accommodate the woman. She could use this opportunity to determine how much her friend had improved while they had been apart.

…

Following which, Aqua Rose contacted Violet Cloud and led Alluring Summer to the Divine Colosseum.

"Aqua, you're kidding me, right? You're having me fight a Cleric? Aren't you underestimating me a little too much?" Alluring Summer frowned at the young Violet Cloud before her.

Before arriving, she had thought Aqua Rose would find some middle\-aged uncle to face her. She never thought that her opponent would be such a young girl.

It was common knowledge that improving one's techniques in virtual reality games was not as easy or convenient as improving one's weapons and equipment. One needed to invest a lot of time to accumulate combat experience. Aside from those extremely talented youths, very few youths became experts.

Most of the famous experts in God's Domain were over 25 years old.

Violet Cloud was also a Cleric. Alluring Summer's victory was practically guaranteed.

"Just fight her. You'll understand soon," Aqua Rose said, smiling meaningfully.

She had already promised that, as long as Alluring Summer defeated the person she called upon, she would help her apply for a black card. If she chose someone like Flying Shadow or Cola, her application might not be accepted. However, if Alluring Summer could defeat Violet Cloud, getter her access to the simulated training system would easier. Her application would definitely be accepted. After all, defeating Violet Cloud meant that Alluring Summer was already strong enough to rank among the Guild's top ten.

With no other choice, Alluring Summer helplessly entered the arena. She decided to put an end this pointless farce quickly.

As soon as the timer reached zero…

Alluring Summer immediately began to double\-cast. Moreover, both of her chosen Spells were Tier 1: Lightning and Chain Fireball.

First, she intended to use the numerous fireballs to block her opponent's paths, keeping the girl in one place. Afterward, she planned to attack Violet Cloud's weak point with Lightning. Even an expert on her level would struggle to cope with such a combination.

"Go!"

As soon as Alluring Summer finished chanting, she hurled five fireballs at Violet Cloud.

Each fireball was just as powerful as a full\-powered attack from a Berserker of the same level. Moreover, the fireballs were extremely fast. Even an Assassin of the same level would find them difficult to dodge. This Spell should kill a Cleric instantly.

Even if Violet Cloud survived the attack, Alluring Summer still had the more powerful and faster Lightning. This was the Spell she had used to throw Bullet, the Swordsman from Blackwater, over twenty yards away. It was overkill against a magical class.

However, just as Alluring Summer thought that the battle was over, dozens of Mana Balls appeared around Violet Cloud.

Under Violet Cloud's control, these Mana Balls transformed into a beam of black light that struck the five fireballs.

*How?!* Alluring Summer was stunned.

The instant the five fireballs encountered those Mana Balls, not only had they been destroyed, but over a dozen more Mana Balls continued towards Alluring Summer.

Despite using Lightning and Ice Wall to defend herself, the Mana Balls adjusted their attack trajectories as if they were alive, avoiding her Lightning and Ice Wall and surrounding her.

A series of explosions echoed throughout the arena as Alluring Summer's body fell to the ground.

The system then displayed the victor's name above the arena.

Violet Cloud!