Chapter 405

Chapter 405: Territory Challenge

This was the blood oath!

Midi felt deeply shocked.

He had initially believed it to be a magical curse binding both parties through mutual restraint, akin to undead magic.

Yet he never imagined the blood oath could truly summon such overwhelming Overlord power from the Black Dragon.

"This is the nature of the Shaded Realm," Rot’s voice sounded beside him. "The entire region is steeped in Dark Dragon City’s aura. The city lends its power to the black dragon priestesses, enabling them to enforce this binding blood oath. In return, Dark Dragon City gains the faith and worship of the Shaded Realm’s inhabitants. Such devotion only strengthens the city further."

A symbiotic relationship.

The phrase surfaced unbidden in Midi’s mind.

Dark Dragon City grew stronger through the Shaded Realm, while the realm itself—once a lawless battleground of survival—gained order and structure through the dragon city’s blood oath.

This cycle benefited both.

It was easy to envision how formidable Dark Dragon City had become after millennia of nurturing by such faith.

Ordinary legacies, even those left by supreme experts, inevitably faded over time as adventurers plundered them—until nothing remained.

Rot’s hastily crafted Mind Maze, though sustained by the Star Ocean, became obsolete once Midi claimed the Inheritance of the Sea Emperor. Now, it served merely as a training ground for Thought Capturers.

But Dark Dragon City thrived. For ages, it had selected trial participants through the Black Dragon Conference, growing ever stronger, its resources and legacies multiplying. Undoubtedly, this stemmed from the Shaded Realm’s unwavering faith.

Legends claimed King Bacal of the Tyrant Dragon had founded Dark Dragon City.

Midi had once doubted this.

Yet witnessing the blood oath’s mechanisms, he now believed. Only a far-seeing supreme expert like Bacal, with endless time to scheme, could forge such an enduring legacy.

Midi’s anticipation for the Black Dragon Conference swelled.

Merely entering the Tyrant Dragon’s Dragon’s Blood White Crystal Pool had transformed him into an Awakened One of Extraordinary Awakening. What greater opportunities lay within Dark Dragon City itself?

Rot’s "Fate’s Choice" had indeed guided him well. He could only pray Fina and Alice—Holy Blood heirs and his cherished lovers—would find their own destined legacies too.

Staring at the colossal spectral Dragon Head, Midi’s mind raced.

To the surrounding dark elves, however, this spectacle was mundane. None batted an eye.

The blood oath’s invocation signaled the territory challenge’s official commencement.

Henceforth, both Wolfspider tribe and Blue Serpent Tribe fell under the Black Dragon’s protection and constraint. No treachery or danger could interfere—only raw combat would decide the victor.

"Allow me to play host first!" A Blue Serpent warrior leaped into the arena, roaring.

Alexis coolly gestured a Wolfspider warrior forward. After exchanging names, the two clashed beneath the Dragon Head’s watchful gaze.

The rules were straightforward: each side deployed ten warriors, one per round. After ten bouts, the tribe with more victories claimed the territory.

If both sides had an equal number of victories, the Black Dragon’s Head would still select whichever side pleased her more. Such situations were rare, of course.

The battles themselves followed simple "one-on-one" rules without restrictions or concepts of restraint – pure life-or-death struggles typical of the Shaded Realm.

Yet this simplicity allowed multiple strategies. When opponents fielded strong warriors, conventional wisdom dictated matching them with stronger fighters. But between the Blue Serpent Tribe and Wolfspider Tribe, whose strengths differed little beyond Blue Serpent’s greater wealth and population, such direct clashes often led to unpredictable outcomes. Their high-end combatants being evenly matched, victories hinged on momentary conditions and luck.

Many tribes avoided "strength against strength" tactics. Instead, they’d sacrifice weak warriors to exhaust enemy champions, deploy their own champions against mid-tier opponents, and use mid-tier fighters to crush weakened foes. The strategy resembled pitting lower-grade horses against higher-grade ones, then mid-grade against lower-grade – securing two out of three wins through calculated mismatches.

Executing this proved difficult in ten-match territory challenges where warriors bore no obvious rankings. Familiarity between Wolfspider and Blue Serpent bred misjudgments, as warriors often concealed abilities or emerged as dark horses. Slave warriors added volatility, being less predictable than tribe members.

Midi observed Alexis’ shrewd assessment during the first match. Both sides fielded Level 61 warriors, but the Wolfspider champion’s techniques perfectly countered Blue Serpent’s fighter, creating a "high-grade vs mid-grade" advantage. The Wolfspider warrior steadily dominated, weathering his opponent’s desperate surge to deliver a crippling counterattack. Blue Serpent surrendered to save their warrior’s life, conceding the first match.

"That Alexis is dangerous…" Monks exchanged worried glances with Cuide.

Alexis sneered. "You can’t hide anything from me! Continue challenging or respond?"

"Respond!" Monks decided after consideration.

"Zaknavan," Alexis commanded. The Dark Elf Demon Swordman sprang into the arena. Hailing from distant City of Fierce Wind, this slave warrior remained unknown to Blue Serpent, having concealed his skills while guarding Midi during previous missions.

Midi grasped Alexis’ plan – secure six quick victories by deploying hidden cards early. Blue Serpent countered by sending a powerful warrior, resulting in an evenly matched chaotic melee. For challengers, this stalemate counted as success.

During the second match, Zaride approached Alexis. The alluring dark elf glanced at Midi before proposing, "Alexis, I know Monks is your prey. Send that human against Blue Serpent’s second-strongest after their Great Warrior."

The Black Dragon Priestess received a cold stare. "Giving orders?"

"Merely suggesting." Zaride’s smile dazzled. "Help me, and I’ll gift Black Dragon Dust Crystal for your ascension needs."

"Sharp ears." Alexis nodded curtly. "Deal. I’ll drain every drop of that human’s value too." Ruthless light gleamed in his eyes.