Sterl looked at the prompt that appeared before him, flipping through it with great interest.
[You can choose one reward from the following options—
SSS-grade Guild Materials2, Dream Tooth (Platinum Item), Larvae Transformation Spell (Platinum Skill), Malicious Intent Rain Boots (Legendary Equipment), Gaze of the Ancient One (Talisman)]
"You know, these are some pretty good items," he said with a grin.
The guild materials were obviously what Sterl originally aimed for. As for the Dream Tooth, he wasn't quite sure what it was, but a Platinum Skill item wouldn't be garbage. There was also the Legendary Equipment, which was a guaranteed gain, and the talisman.
Not to mention the Platinum Skill related to the mysterious Larvae from the instance—this skill should be of considerable strength, probably worth around forty to fifty thousand contribution points in the Hall of Valor.
Unfortunately, Sterl had no intention of accepting the reward.
"Clearing the instance now? I haven't wiped out the swarm or gathered enough Blood Force, and you expect me to just leave?"
"You didn't ask for my opinion when you pulled me in, did you?" Sterl scoffed.
He had a rough idea that this was probably the mastermind behind the instance trying to back down and asking him, the mighty player, to leave. But Sterl thought...
How foolish!
Wouldn't killing you, the mastermind, yield these items anyway? While it might not drop everything, there's a chance I could get more than one item! If I were willing to use a Fate Token, I could get them all!
Plus, if I leave now, who's going to make up for the Blood Force I'm missing?
Sterl began to understand.
To the mastermind of the instance, the deaths of players and swarms didn't matter; as long as that eerie airflow remained, they could revive infinitely. But Sterl could absorb this airflow, thanks to the Origin of Chaos he acquired through a bug exploit—it was simply overpowering!
At this moment, Sterl's wanton slaughter was akin to carving up the flesh of the instance's mastermind. If he were to drain the airflow completely, the mastermind would undoubtedly suffer significant losses.
Thus, the mastermind only wanted Sterl to leave.
But Sterl, without hesitation, charged toward the swarm once again.
...
At the same time, along with the words announcing the clearing of the instance, the King Worm within the swarm suddenly regained consciousness. It stared in shock at the scene before it!
"No...
Where's my swarm? Where did my massive swarm go? There's only two-thirds of them left now."
The King Worm gazed at Sterl's Bionic Tear, and memories of everything that had occurred during its controlled state began to resurface in its mind. Hatred filled the King Worm's eyes.
"Creeeak!!"
It howled, as if a tidal wave of rage surged within it, stirring the remaining swarm into a frenzy.
Then the swarm began to move, charging forward wildly.
Gradually...
They were running in the opposite direction of Sterl. Clearly—
They were trying to escape.
At this moment, Sterl remained calm and unhurried. He wasn't worried at all because the flow of time in this instance was different from that of the outside world. Even though he couldn't use this time for training, spending extra time defeating monsters didn't matter at all.
Thus, the Bionic Tear pursued relentlessly, bolstered by the Blade Law, enhancing the output of Flowing Water Thousand Cuts significantly. This included an increase in overall damage output, the efficiency of Sterl's various combat techniques, and the overwhelming effects of his sword's might.
Sterl could only feel one thing.
The thrill of battle!
Sterl switched to another character and charged forward again, ready for another round. Just then—
The army led by the King Worm finally sensed the calamity. It looked at the wreckage within the nest and let out a heart-wrenching wail.
Then...
Boom!
This insect beast actually self-destructed!
Green blood surged through the swarm, causing the essence of all insect beasts to spike. Their bodies ignited with green flames, seemingly entering a state of burning life, willing to do whatever it took to exact revenge on Sterl!
Sterl switched back to the Bionic Tear, only coldly smiling as he watched the swarm.
"Come on!"
...
The black sun descended once more!
The waves of green flames gradually extinguished before this terrifying power, turning to nothing.
However, this time...
Swish!
Surprisingly, quite a few swarms, relying on the flame's reduction, managed to force their way to Sterl's front, opening their grotesque mandibles in an attempt to launch an attack.
Reluctantly, Sterl's main body resurfaced, rapidly activating the Blade Law-enhanced Flowing Water Thousand Cuts to shatter the remnants of the insect race's Law enhancement, ensuring his safety.
After all, Sterl was a third-class entity, and compared to his formidable offensive power, his defensive capabilities were considerably lacking.
Among his conventional defensive techniques, only the incomplete Iridescent-Level skill, Rebirth of All Thoughts, was somewhat reliable. However, this skill required him to endure a wave of damage before it could be activated.
Sterl had a strong vitality, but being attacked simultaneously by a large number of swarms posed a risk of sudden death.
"Interesting?"
Sterl realized at this moment that the King Worm's self-destruction wasn't without effect; now, the enhanced swarm could no longer be taken down by Silent Domain.
With no other options, Sterl had to change his approach. The Blade Law-enhanced Flowing Water Thousand Cuts could still kill, albeit at a slower efficiency. The swarm quickly engulfed his figure, a dark mass of yellowish-brown bodies and dark green flames seemingly blotting out the heavens.
However, if one were to look closely, they would find at the center of the swarm's assault a young man wielding a flowing water sword with an air of elegance and grace. It was as if he had undergone countless battles; despite the overwhelming pressure from the swarm, he moved as if strolling through a garden, effortlessly slaughtering the surrounding enemies.
The swarm around him constantly transformed into airflow to be reborn, then merged back into the army, returning to trouble the young man, only to be slaughtered once more.
Time passed slowly, second by second.
Due to the decreased efficiency, after one hour, Sterl's Blood Force surpassed 30 points.
After three hours, Sterl's Blood Force exceeded 40 points.
...
After ten hours, Sterl's Blood Force had reached a staggering 80 points!!
He felt a sense of bewilderment. The reserves of recovery potions were sufficient, but the mental toll was immense. Fighting without rest was taking its toll on him.
So...
He took out the Fire of Ten Thousand Souls and took a deep breath. Dive into stories on NovelFire,mpyr.
The next second, Sterl opened his eyes, fully revitalized.
However, the emerald green flames on the insect beasts within the swarm had slowly begun to extinguish. This tug-of-war battle was coming to an end, and the outcome was clear.