Chapter 94: Going to the Ironclad city

Arthur entered the game and opened his eyes on the ground floor of the shelter.

"The Divine Blacksmith should appear somewhere near Ironclad City around this time," Arthur muttered, recalling the information he had gathered about the man.

He needed the Divine Blacksmith for two important tasks. The first was to repair his spaceship, while the second was to forge his own lifebound weapon.

Arthur teleported out of the Omega Shelter and appeared outside. He immediately activated his stealth skill, concealing his presence as he prepared to leave for Ironclad City.

However, before he could move far, he noticed a group of players approaching in his direction. Judging by their appearances, they were foreigners, and each of them radiated a powerful aura. All of them were at least Level 13 to Level 15.

"What are they doing here?" Arthur muttered, observing them from his concealed position.

In fact, he recognized their leader. It was Yorichi Tsugikuni, one of the future super players who would eventually rank sixth in the world.

Yorichi was an exceptionally powerful sword master, and his one-on-one combat prowess was even greater than that of the three players who occupied the top positions in the rankings. His mastery of the sword made him a formidable opponent, even among the strongest players of the future.

The group passed by Arthur’s concealed position and continued toward the Omega Shelter. However, just as they were about to move past him, Yorichi suddenly turned his head and glanced in Arthur’s direction with a confused expression.

After a moment, he looked away and continued walking without saying anything.

"What a monster. His instincts are already this powerful at this stage?" Arthur thought, feeling genuinely impressed by the young sword master’s perception.

Soon, the three players stopped in front of the Omega Shelter’s gate. Yorichi stepped forward and addressed the shelter, his voice carrying a respectful tone.

"Hello, Darklord. My name is Yorichi Tsugikuni, and I would like to propose a partnership with you. We are planning to explore a ruin, and I hope you will consider joining us."

After introducing himself, he bowed sincerely, while the other two players followed his lead.

Arthur considered the proposal for a moment. Forming a partnership with Yorichi would not be a bad idea, considering the man’s character and future potential.

Unlike many powerful players who became arrogant as their strength increased, Yorichi was straightforward, principled, and exceptionally loyal to those he considered friends.

In his previous life, Yorichi had once fought a player ranked fourth in the world for three days and three nights without stopping, all because that player had offended a friend of his who was not even a demigod. Yorichi had only apologized after the two finally settled their dispute, and the other player had given him the nickname Madman because of his absurd persistence.

With such a personality, Yorichi was undoubtedly someone worth befriending.

Arthur canceled his stealth and walked toward the three players.

The moment he appeared, Yorichi’s eyes widened in surprise. After taking a closer look at the man standing before him and recognizing his resemblance to Arthur Miller, he immediately understood that the person he had been waiting for was none other than Darklord himself.

"Thank you for coming here personally, Darklord," Yorichi said with a smile.

His attitude was respectful without being excessively flattering, and he showed no trace of arrogance despite being a powerful player in his own right.

"Speak. What is this ruin you want to explore?" Arthur asked directly, unwilling to waste time on unnecessary pleasantries.

"The ruin belongs to a powerful ancient civilization. I believe exploring it could provide us with numerous powerful weapons that we could bring into reality. Those weapons would greatly improve our chances of surviving the first wave of the monster invasion," Yorichi explained calmly.

Arthur’s eyes lit up as soon as he heard the explanation.

"Is it already time for that?" he muttered, recalling the details of the ruin.

He knew exactly which civilization Yorichi was referring to. It was the ruin of the Crystal Human Civilization, an ancient civilization that had developed extraordinary technological achievements before its destruction.

Among its numerous treasures were several supreme-grade mechs comparable in size to kaiju. When the kaiju and other terrifying monsters appeared in reality, these colossal machines played a crucial role in humanity’s resistance.

In his previous life, Jiapan had obtained a significant advantage by acquiring these mechs, allowing the country to become one of the strongest nations during the apocalypse.

"What is the date of the expedition?" Arthur asked, looking at Yorichi.

"The expedition will begin in two days," Yorichi replied, a hint of excitement appearing in his eyes as he realized that Darklord was genuinely interested in the proposal.

"In two days?" Arthur muttered, frowning slightly.

Unfortunately, his own plans would not allow him to participate in the expedition personally. He still had several important matters to handle, and delaying his journey to Ironclad City was not an option.

After considering the situation briefly, Arthur looked at Yorichi and offered an alternative.

"Although I cannot go there myself, I can send my ten cousins to support your expedition. Would you be willing to accept them?"

"Your ten cousins? You mean the players who occupy the top ten positions in both the level rankings and the combat prowess rankings?" Yorichi asked, momentarily stunned by the offer.

"Yes," Arthur replied with a nod.

"Of course! That would be more than acceptable!" Yorichi answered immediately, his expression brightening with genuine happiness.

Having ten of the strongest players supporting the expedition would undoubtedly increase their chances of success. More importantly, with Darklord personally recommending them, Yorichi had no reason to hesitate.

"Very well. Give me your contact information and the expedition’s location. They will be there when the time comes," Arthur said.

"Understood," Yorichi replied, still somewhat surprised by how smoothly everything had gone.

He had prepared himself for the possibility of being rejected or having to negotiate extensively. Instead, Darklord had agreed to help almost immediately, even though he would not be participating personally.

"Thank you, Darklord," Yorichi said, bowing respectfully once more.

Arthur nodded, saved Yorichi’s contact information, and recorded the location of the ruin. With everything settled, he vanished from their sight once again.

Only after Arthur had disappeared did the other two players finally release the breaths they had unconsciously been holding. Beads of sweat trickled down their foreheads, and their expressions showed just how much pressure they had felt in his presence.

It was as though they had been standing before a mythical boss, despite never having encountered one themselves.

"Sir, what kind of monster is he?" one of them asked, looking at Yorichi with disbelief.

Yorichi himself was still shaken by the encounter. He took a moment to collect his thoughts before shaking his head with a faint sigh.

"He is the strongest player in the world, after all. Even though his level is still only eleven, he continues to occupy the number one position in the combat prowess rankings. You should never forget what that means," Yorichi explained.

After exchanging a few more words, the three players left the Omega Shelter and continued with their own plans.

Meanwhile, Arthur was already heading toward the forest region, riding on his Shadow Panther as he began his journey to Ironclad City.

The city-wide teleportation system had not yet been activated. Only players who reached Level 30 or the lord of a city could activate the corresponding teleportation facilities, which meant Arthur could not simply teleport to his destination.

He would have to cross the vast region on foot or travel through the air. Even at his current speed, the journey would take at least two days because of the enormous distance and the dangers lurking throughout the wilderness.

Fortunately, his Shadow Panther could move at an incredible speed, making it a suitable mount for such a long journey. As the panther raced through the forest, Arthur leisurely admired the breathtaking scenery surrounding him, taking in the beauty of a world that was as dangerous as it was magnificent.

Towering trees stretched toward the sky, their dense canopies casting enormous shadows across the ground. Strange plants and unfamiliar creatures occasionally appeared along the path, reminding Arthur that this seemingly beautiful wilderness concealed countless dangers.

Despite the risks, Arthur remained completely relaxed. With his current strength, ordinary monsters posed little threat to him, and even powerful creatures would have difficulty stopping his journey.

"Amelia should be entering the city around this time," Arthur thought, a cold glint flashing across his eyes.

"That bitch must have waited until now to obtain a Legendary-grade foundation while evolving her class."

In his previous life, Amelia had only managed to acquire a Royal-grade foundation. However, with the knowledge and opportunities available in this life, she had clearly changed her plans and was aiming for something far greater.

Arthur was well aware that her ambitions would eventually bring her considerable power. Unfortunately for her, he was no longer the man she had betrayed in his previous life.

As these thoughts crossed his mind, an amused glint appeared in Arthur’s eyes. He could already imagine the day their paths crossed again, and the thought of making Amelia pay for everything she had done filled him with anticipation.