Chapter 52: Chapter52-Skirmish!

John and the others had left.

Compared to the cheerful Lily and the others, John's mood was inevitably heavy.

The countdown on the status bar was like a death sentence, urging John forward relentlessly, not daring to let his mind wander for a moment.

His life had less than two years left.

In two years, if John failed to attain [god]-level power, his life would end the moment the countdown reached zero.

Sensing John's emotions, Helena walked up and gently breathed into his ear.

"Hey! Why the long face?"

"No, nothing. Why would I have a long face?"

"You absolutely do. Everyone saw your expression just now, John. I always feel like you're hiding something from us."

Hearing this, John felt a bit guilty.

Astonished by a woman's terrifying intuition, John avoided Helena's gaze and smiled, "Everyone has secrets, right? Don't worry, I'll find the right time to come clean with you all."

"I'm just worried that if you hold it in too long, you might drive yourself crazy."

Helena took a few steps back, sighed softly, and said, "Smile more. No matter what happens, it won't make this world any worse, right?"

"..."

John really wanted to tell Helena, no, that's not the case.

Things could get worse. Imagine a day when countless monsters emerge from the [Abyss], followed by nearly invincible [Apostles] harvesting the lives of every survivor like grim reapers.

John didn't need to imagine it; he had experienced it firsthand.

Yet, these words remained unspoken, escaping only as a sigh.

Walking through the dense forest, the group's attention was entirely on John, leaving them unaware of the dark shadows flitting through the underbrush on either side.

Moments later, the sharp sound of a crossbow bolt tearing through the air reached them, arriving in front of John in an instant!

At the same moment, a shield of light appeared, blocking the near-fatal attack for John!

Clearly, it was the equipment's properties activating, saving John from the ambush.

[Hermes' Tunic]

Quality: [Epic]

Property: [When attacked, a roll is made; if the result is greater than 5 points, the damage is negated; otherwise, it does not activate. The damage absorption limit is four thousand points; damage exceeding this limit directly affects the player.]

Stats: [Stamina +40, Defense +40]

Description: [If you're lucky enough, without a doubt, this is the strongest armor below legendary quality! However, a one-sixth chance...]

As armor John had acquired from a major event, there was no doubt that [Hermes' Tunic], like [Hermes Dice], seemed tailor-made for him.

After the ambush, Exiled Immortal was the first to react, his thoughts focused as a green wind swept his longsword forward, stabbing into the dense forest ahead!

"Careful, my attack missed! The terrain here prevents me from taking to the air; the canopy obstructs my view!"

"To the left rear! Lily, be careful!"

"Your Majesty, what should we do with the outsiders?"

"Send out another scout team. Make sure they avoid direct contact with the humans. Just follow them from a distance, and report back immediately if anything unusual happens."

After calmly giving her orders, the Elf Queen bowed her head and sighed softly.

"Humans have been appearing more frequently lately. What is happening?"

If their sanctuary were exposed, it would become a target for humans, goblins, and even filthy, foolish orcs.

As the leader of the elves, she could not allow this to happen!

Yet...

"Why have I been feeling such inexplicable unrest lately?"

The Elf Queen massaged her temples, a blush creeping over her pale cheeks, her breathing growing a bit more rapid.

With a dazed look in her eyes, the Elf Queen waved her hand, and vines surged from the ground, sealing off the entire palace from view.

No one would witness her current state.

...

Meanwhile, in the real world!

At the center of Riverside, within the rift of the [Abyss].

The [Deception Apostle] suddenly opened his eyes and looked in a specific direction, a strange light flickering in his pitch-black eyes.

"Is it my imagination, or is the [Lust Apostle] really showing signs of awakening?"

At this point in time, the awakening of a new [Apostle] was not good news for him.

The [God Nurturing Plan] had only just begun.

If John were to encounter another [Apostle] so soon, the consequences would be dire.

"I'd better find an opportunity to warn John. The [Lust Apostle] is far more troublesome than I am. After all, it has no sense of reason; only desire can pique its interest."

With a dazed look in her eyes, the Elf Queen waved her hand, and vines surged from the ground, sealing off the entire palace from view.

No one would witness her current state.

...

Meanwhile, in the real world!

At the center of Riverside, within the rift of the [Abyss].

The [Deception Apostle] suddenly opened his eyes and looked in a specific direction, a strange light flickering in his pitch-black eyes.

"Is it my imagination, or is the [Lust Apostle] really showing signs of awakening?"

At this point in time, the awakening of a new [Apostle] was not good news for him.

The [God Nurturing Plan] had only just begun.

If John were to encounter another [Apostle] so soon, the consequences would be dire.

"I'd better find an opportunity to warn John. The [Lust Apostle] is far more troublesome than I am. After all, it has no sense of reason; only desire can pique its interest."