"Qing, how many more days do you need to complete the main questline of Spartonia?" John asked, looking at Qing.
Qing shook his head helplessly and replied, "That's not up to me. If you ask me to fight twenty-five matches in one go, I can confidently win them all. But the problem is that I don't control the schedule. Helena has already asked multiple times to have my matches scheduled more tightly, but this is the best they can do. By my estimation, it will take at least another month."
Hearing this, John frowned and pondered for a moment before saying, "Then we have to put it on hold. We can push the main storyline when we have more time. Without you, our chances against two Divine Emissaries will be significantly lower."
It was an unavoidable decision.
Whether John alone could fight a Divine Emissary was still unknown.
Naturally, having more allies was crucial, and there was simply no time to give Qing to complete the main questline.
Qing felt some regret upon hearing this, but he didn't object. The main quest could be tackled anytime, but losing a companion was something they couldn't afford.
With the decision made, the group split up. John took Exiled Immortal for combat training, while Helena and Qing went to the Spartonia royal family to request withdrawal from the tournament.
Six days passed in the blink of an eye.
Everyone did everything they could to enhance their combat strength in preparation for facing the Divine Emissaries.
Elaria and Lily returned from Deep Forest, arriving just outside Spartonia.
Elaria initially wanted to bring the dragon hatchling, but reconsidered, realizing that the mere shockwaves of such a high-level battle could harm the dragon, so she decided against it.
War and Hunt arrived on the sixth day as expected.
Upon seeing John and his fully armed team gathered together, War immediately understood the situation.
"Sara, it looks like some people have betrayed your kindness. They promised to hand over the Godslayer Bow in a month, but now they're backing out," War said.
"Then there's no need to hold back. Kill everyone else and leave only her alive," Sara replied, drawing her bow with an arrow aimed directly at John.
There was no room for further argument; the battle was about to begin!
With a thought, John's wings unfurled behind him, and he stood beside Qing, ready to confront Windsor, while Hunt was left to be handled by Elaria and the others.
With a roar, Windsor unleashed a powerful shockwave, sending Qing flying back over ten meters. The sky darkened with rolling clouds, and lightning flashed like scars across the heavens, threatening to tear the world apart. Windsor waved her hand, and the thunder rumbled. The lightning coalesced into a formidable spear, aimed directly at Qing.
"Using a divine weapon against you insects is overkill, but... to avoid any complications, I'll finish you quickly."
With a grunt, Windsor called down a bolt of lightning from the sky. It struck John, who felt a chill run through his heart. Instinctively, he tried to dodge, but his aura was locked on, leaving no room for escape. The lightning hit him dead center.
As the lightning dissipated, John's body lay charred and lifeless, collapsing to the ground.
"John!" Qing's eyes widened in fury. He charged at Windsor but was effortlessly impaled by the lightning spear, pinning him to the ground.
"Insects should know their place. You should be groveling," Windsor said, glancing at Qing with disdain. She seemed to have forgotten that just a minute ago, Qing had her on the brink of defeat.
"Now, it's your turn, you pesky little brat," she said, turning her attention to Exiled Immortal.
Windsor looked up, locking eyes with Exiled Immortal. The intense gaze sent a chill down Exiled Immortal's spine. With a thought, he activated his talent skill. A whirlwind erupted, forming a protective tornado around him.
Unfortunately, Exiled Immortal underestimated the power of the lightning. The usually invincible tornado was torn apart the moment it touched the lightning, which then pierced through Exiled Immortal's shoulder, causing him to plummet from the sky.
In less than a minute, three allies had lost their combat effectiveness. Elaria's eyes reddened with fury.
"You villain!" she shouted.
"Even your insults are weak and powerless. Insects are truly insects. Since you like standing out so much, you're next."
Windsor turned her gaze to Elaria, her lightning spear crackling ominously. She thrust it forward, and the lightning roared down.
But this time, the anticipated scene of Elaria being struck down did not occur. Instead, a black wing shielded her, blocking the lightning completely.
Seeing this, Windsor's face changed. She turned around to see John, who had clearly seemed lifeless before, now standing up.
"How... is this possible?"
"That weapon belongs to my useless brother, doesn't it?" John raised his head, his dark eyes glinting with amusement.
Recognizing the look and tone, Windsor's face turned pale with disbelief. "You... you are... Lord Hades?"
"Children playing games is something I can understand. Whether John wins or loses, I can accept it. After all, if John were truly killed by you, it would just prove his incompetence. But using such a thing is hardly fair. So, in the interest of balance, I'll be confiscating this. Consider it a warning," Hades said through John's body, his voice chilling and authoritative.