stonecrandall Page 397
Page 397
Before the words were even finished, a rousing roar of fighting spirit erupted from all around: "For victory!" "For the future!" The entire team was in high spirits, everyone ready to face the unknown challenges ahead...
Suddenly, a piercing shriek shattered the brief peace. Countless new enemies surged forth from all directions, all with one goal—to destroy this brave squad!
Zhao De gripped his weapon tightly, his gaze resolute as he looked at his companions. "Protect the crystal ball; it's crucial! We must trust Leia and follow her instructions!"
Meanwhile, amidst the chaos of battle, a villager noticed something unusual. "Hey, look over there, isn't something new happening?!" Following his pointing finger, they saw a gigantic face made of pure energy appearing in the distant sky…
Chapter 1112 The Ancient Guardian
Chapter 1112 The Ancient Guardian
"Oh my god! This is really serious!" someone exclaimed, their words laced with an undisguised mix of curiosity and fear. At this moment, everyone was filled with even more questions and uncertainties about what to do next and how to solve the final mystery.
Zhao De turned to look at Zhao De and Zhao De beside him, both of whom wore serious expressions. "No matter what, we must keep moving forward," he said, trying to boost morale while silently encouraging himself. "Even if the road ahead is fraught with difficulties..."
“Yes, after all, we’ve come this far,” Zhao De replied softly. “Whatever awaits us, we must face it.”
Just then, a strange wind swept across the battlefield, bringing a chilling feeling. "Did you hear that sound? It sounds like... it sounds like something is about to appear..." the youngest man in the group said uneasily, his eyes flashing with barely concealed fear.
Before the words had even finished, the surrounding air began to grow heavier. The enormous human face pattern gradually became clearer in the sky, as if some ancient guardian had been awakened.
"Everyone be careful, prepare for battle!" Zhao De said in a deep voice, his sharp eyes scanning the surroundings, trying to find the best defensive formation. "Zhao De, Zhao De, you two are responsible for protecting the crystal ball. The rest of you, follow me and prepare to face the new enemy!"
The team quickly dispersed as Zhao De ordered. Zhao De and Zhao De tightly guarded the crystal ball that emitted a mysterious light, while the other members surrounded the three of them, forming an unbreakable human wall.
"What exactly is this thing?" a team member asked in a trembling voice, clearly sensing the tension and unease in the air.
“Whatever it is, we must be prepared for battle,” Zhao De replied, taking a deep breath and trying to remain calm. “The most crucial thing now is to find a way into Aztland as soon as possible.”
"Listen!" Zhao De suddenly said softly. Immediately afterwards, everyone seemed to hear a faint and melodious voice, as if it were a call coming from afar.
“This is…” Zhao De narrowed his eyes, listened intently for a moment, and then exclaimed in surprise, “I think this is the true voice guiding us to Aztland. As long as we follow this melody, we can find the right path!”
Just then, the enormous energy face suddenly let out a long howl, followed by a violent tremor of the ground. Countless plumes of black smoke rose from it, coalescing in the air into a group of bizarre creatures that hurtled towards their location!
"It's bad! Everyone, get ready to fight!!" Zhao De shouted. He was the first to draw his sword and rush forward, leading his squad in a valiant fight against the unknown threat. However, even so, they were struggling against the large number and formidable strength of the new enemies.
Just at the most tense moment of the battle—
"Hey buddy, don't rush us! We can't let them tear our group of good friends apart!" A cheerful, slightly teasing voice came from not far away. Everyone looked in the direction of the voice and saw a strange man holding a strange weapon, followed by several equally skilled companions.
Chapter 1113 Enemy Army
Chapter 1113 Enemy Army
The newcomers quickly integrated into the battlefield, successfully defusing several waves of attacks thanks to their impeccable teamwork. The leader, in particular, displayed extraordinary martial arts skills: he moved with lightning speed among the numerous enemies, effortlessly and skillfully dispatching them with each strike; at the same time, he turned back to Zhao De and the others with a bright smile: "Oh my~ how could such an exciting battle be complete without me? Hahaha~"
Seeing this, Zhao De realized that the other party was probably a friend who had come specifically to help. "Thank you for your help! But please allow me to ask your name?"
"Oh haha, I am none other than Guo Jing, the renowned hero known as 'The Hero Who Comes to the Rescue'! Don't worry, my friend, I have absolutely no ill intentions in coming here. I just happened to be passing by and saw you all in trouble, so I decided to lend a hand." With that, Guo Jing continued to demonstrate his unique fighting style against the attacking enemies…
After a fierce battle, although enemy monsters continued to arrive as reinforcements, the situation gradually stabilized thanks to the strong support of this unexpected hero and his companions. Just as everyone was catching their breath, a rich and mysterious aura suddenly wafted from the depths of the dense forest ahead, alerting everyone.
"Wait... what's going on?" Zhao De looked up at the giant face in the distant sky, his brows furrowed.
“Something feels off… that power is changing!” Zhao De added.
"Changes?" Zhao De followed Zhao De's gaze to the giant face in the sky. "This power is getting stronger and stronger! We must find a way to deal with it!"
Just then, Guo Jing brandished his weapon and dealt with the last wave of attacks, then turned to Zhao De and the others: "It seems we need to find a solution quickly, otherwise the situation here may get even worse."
“That’s right,” Zhao De nodded in agreement, “but we currently have limited information. Although that voice has shown us a path, we’re not entirely sure how to get there…”
"Hmm, why don't we calm down and listen carefully first?" Guo Jing suggested. "Who knows, we might find some clues in the song!"
After saying that, he sat down cross-legged, closed his eyes to rest, and asked his companions around him to temporarily stop fighting and switch to alert mode.
Seeing this, Zhao De could only instruct his teammates to try to concentrate and listen to the melodious yet ethereal sound in the air, as Guo Jing had suggested. Gradually, they actually managed to discern some highly regular and beautiful melodic fragments within the seemingly chaotic music—it seemed to be pointing them in a certain direction…
"I know!" Just as everyone was trying to figure out the direction the music was coming from, the youngest guy in the group suddenly shouted excitedly, "It's over there! That's it!! Just keep going east along this stream, and you'll reach the secret entrance to Aztland!"
Upon hearing this, everyone immediately focused their attention and headed towards the designated location, while the giant face projection that kept changing colors slowly moved away from them and stopped following.
After passing through a narrow and dark passage, the group finally arrived at an open area: there stood a magnificent ancient city gate, half-open, exuding an ancient and solemn aura.
Chapter 1114 Pattern on the Crystal Ball
Chapter 1114 Pattern on the Crystal Ball
Just as everyone was about to pass through the door, they were suddenly blocked by an invisible barrier and could not take another step. "Strange... why can't we get through?" someone shouted out their doubts.
"Let's wait and try again!" Guo Jing gestured for everyone to be patient. "Perhaps we need some special method or conditions to trigger the door mechanism!"
After speaking, he took the lead and carefully observed the surroundings, trying to find any flaws. The others also dispersed to search for clues. Finally, they found several tiny indentations at the base of a stone wall that closely resembled the pattern on the crystal ball. Without hesitation, Zhao De placed the crystal ball there.
As the last ray of light disappeared, the previously tightly closed city gates slowly opened a crack, accompanied by a deep, ancient, solemn, and slightly mysterious echo—
"Welcome, brave one, to this forgotten land... Remember, it holds countless mysteries and immense riches; however, it also brings unimaginable risks and challenges... Are you ready to face the test?"
As soon as they finished speaking, everyone involuntarily exchanged glances and then revealed determined expressions—no matter how arduous the road ahead might be, they would forge ahead!
Just then, a strong yet familiar force surged into the air once more. "Oh no, how is this possible?" Zhao De stared at the sky in shock, seeing the enormous human face become even more lifelike.
"It seems the Guardians don't want us to get through so easily." Guo Jing clenched his fists, his brow furrowed slightly. "Everyone, prepare for battle!"
Zhao De nodded. "No matter what happens, we cannot back down."
Just as the tension reached its peak—
"Hey friends!" came an energetic voice from behind them. "Now that we're all here, let's fight side by side to the very end! How about it? Haha!"
As that energetic voice rang out, everyone turned around and saw a young man dressed in light leather armor, wielding two short swords, striding towards them with a sunny smile on his face. He was the most cheerful and lively member of the group—Zhao De.
"It's you!" Zhao De recognized the newcomer first and couldn't help but smile broadly. "What a perfect time! Your arrival always brings a sense of excitement."
Zhao De blinked and replied, "Hehe, not at all, I just saw you guys were having a little trouble, so I rushed over to help!"
"Oh, thank you so much." Zhao De joined the conversation, his tone revealing a hint of gratitude. "But what awaits us behind this door is probably a more difficult task than ever before."
Guo Jing nodded slightly in agreement, but his eyes remained warily scanning his surroundings. "You're right, and it seems the real trial may have only just begun."
At the same time, the seemingly settled environment suddenly changed again: a thin layer of mist filled the air, and then the entire space seemed to begin to shake...
"Be careful, everyone," Zhao De warned, his longbow already nocked an arrow, ready to engage the enemy. "I sense something new is about to happen."
Chapter 1115 The Stone of Courage
Chapter 1115 The Stone of Courage
Almost as soon as he finished speaking, a gust of cold wind blew out from behind the city gate, carrying a chilling aura; and what followed out were not any living monsters or warriors, but countless ghostly, blurry figures. They floated silently in the air, moving around everyone, making it impossible to fathom their true intentions.
Seeing this, everyone became more vigilant, ready to face the unknown challenge that was about to arrive. "What exactly are these guys?" Zhao De whispered, already gathering an energy ball in his hand just in case.
Just then—
“Don’t worry, friends,” Zhao De said with a relaxed smile, then turned to Zhao De and asked, “Do you remember the story you once told me? The story about the Courageous Heart and the Stone of Courage…”
Before the other person could fully react, he continued, "I think that's exactly the kind of strength we need right now! Only with an indomitable spirit, a courageous and forward-looking attitude, and a spirit of unity and cooperation, can we overcome any difficulty we encounter. Come on everyone! We can definitely do it!"
Encouraged, everyone seemed to perk up. "That's right!" Zhao De said, clenching his fist. "Now that we've come this far, we won't back down easily! No matter how great the danger, we'll persevere to the end!"
Even Zhao De, usually calm and cautious, showed a resolute glint in his eyes. "That's right, let's face whatever may come next together!"
In this atmosphere filled with determination and hope—the first ghostly shadow finally launched its attack on them…
The battle was about to erupt, but unlike the direct threat posed by visible, tangible enemies of the past, these elusive beings, radiating waves of fel energy, presented an unprecedented challenge to every hero present. This was especially true when one of them successfully bypassed the defenses of the others and charged straight at Zhao De, attempting to invade his mind—
Although the latter reacted quickly and parried the attack with his sword, he was still slightly shaken. "Ugh!" Zhao De gritted his teeth, enduring the discomfort from the impact, and quickly adjusted his posture to prepare for a counterattack. "Heh, you think you can eat me up so easily!" Immediately, two short swords slashed out like a storm, creating circles of silvery-white light in the air, surrounding the approaching target and forcing him back to his original position, unable to advance an inch.
Meanwhile, the other companions were not going to stand idly by: Zhao De unleashed a barrage of tracking arrows, specifically targeting those with unpredictable movements, aiming to reduce their numbers as much as possible and buy the team more time and space to adjust; Guo Jing, on the other hand, used his exceptionally strong physique to withstand the various impacts from all directions and even slammed his hand heavily on the ground to create small seismic waves, attempting to destroy the very structure upon which these mysterious creatures depended for survival; not to mention, Zhao De, being a magic-based professional, and his companions combined their powerful magical shields and continuous AOE damage skills to ensure that everyone remained relatively safe and unaffected, allowing them to maintain their normal combat capabilities...
Chapter 1116 Ghosts
Chapter 1116 Ghosts
After a period of fierce fighting, they were finally able to turn the tide and regain the initiative thanks to their excellent teamwork and the use of their superb skills, until they successfully repelled all the invaders and achieved a temporary peace and tranquility.
Amidst the rising and falling breaths, everyone felt an unprecedented sense of exhaustion, but no one showed the slightest sign of frustration. "Phew~ That was really dangerous!" Zhao De was the first to speak, breaking the silence after wiping the sweat from his forehead. "But thankfully, we all worked together~ Otherwise, I'm afraid it would have been really difficult to deal with so many ghosts on my own."
Zhao De chuckled and patted Zhao De on the shoulder, his eyes filled with satisfaction. "Yes, it's all thanks to everyone's hard work. Everyone performed their best in their own position."
Zhao De straightened his disheveled clothes, then looked up at the crowd with a tone full of certainty. "It was indeed a tough battle. But we did it. Just as you said, unity and courage are the strongest forces."
Guo Jing, who had remained silent for a long time, finally broke the silence. "Well... what I wanted to say was," he paused, seemingly considering how to phrase it more appropriately, "while victory is indeed something to be proud of, now is clearly not the time for us to let our guard down. After all, based on past experience—the real enemy often lurks in the shadows, waiting for the most opportune moment to reveal themselves..."
Upon hearing this, Zhao De was taken aback for a moment, but quickly nodded in agreement, saying, "Old Guo is right! That feeling just now was like an appetizer; the real test is probably yet to come!" He then winked at the others, hinting that they should also remain vigilant to avoid being caught off guard and suffering a great loss in the future.
Seeing this, Zhao De chuckled and said, "It seems everyone is quite confident. In that case, why don't we rest for a while and adjust our state before making a decision? After all, whether we advance or retreat, we must ensure that everyone is in the best condition."
“That’s a good suggestion,” Zhao De immediately agreed, and had already begun preparing to restore magic so that everyone could quickly regain their fighting strength. “I will complete the preparations as soon as possible so that everyone can get into their best condition quickly.”
Just as the group was actively planning their next move, strange noises suddenly came from not far away, as if something was quietly approaching...
Zhao De immediately became alert and whispered, "Hey, did you hear anything?" Before he finished speaking, his two swords had already silently slid out of their sheaths, and a cold glint flashed in his eyes.
"I heard it too, it sounded like... footsteps," Zhao De replied in a low voice, gathering energy in his hand into a ball again to prepare for any unexpected situation.
Zhao De stopped what he was doing and turned his head toward the direction from which the sound came, casting a puzzled look: "Strange, there was no indication that anyone else was here before... Could there be other adventurers?"