Chapter 187: Heaven-Devouring Demonic Art

A faint smile appeared on Cain’s face.

Across the ruined battlefield, Heavenly Demon looked at him for a moment.

A similar smile gradually appeared on the black-haired man’s face.

Neither of them spoke.

Cain had finally seen why this man had repeatedly remained ahead of everyone since the apocalypse began.

In turn, Heavenly Demon had also been observing Cain for quite some time.

Even before meeting him personally, the name Heavenly Dragon had already become impossible to ignore.

A human who had killed a 2nd Echelon being before even entering the 1st Echelon.

Someone who had repeatedly triggered World Announcements afterward.

Neither of them needed to say anything for their curiosity toward the other to grow.

However, Heavenly Demon’s attention suddenly shifted as he felt something stirred deep inside his Mana Core.

His eyes lit up as notification floating before his eyes had already confirmed the completion of his Advancement Mission.

Now, the power accumulated within his Perfected Mana Core was beginning to react.

Heavenly Demon turned his head and called out.

"Yue’er."

A figure appeared in front of him a moment later.

A young woman with long dark-purple hair stopped beside the ruined military plaza.

Her delicate features were unusually calm considering the battlefield surrounding her, and a pair of violet eyes swept across the nearby Zombie Race soldiers without showing the slightest nervousness.

Several small daggers rested neatly between the fingers of both hands.

She did not ask what Heavenly Demon needed as one glance at him was enough.

The black-haired man sat down directly among the broken stones.

The violent Qi surrounding his body gradually withdrew toward his Mana Core.

The young woman moved in front of him, her back facing Heavenly Demon.

The daggers remained between her fingers as she looked toward every enemy within the surrounding area.

Nobody would approach him without passing through her first.

Heavenly Demon closed his eyes.

A faint distortion spread around his body.

Cain noticed what was happening from a distance and immediately knew that he was advancing to the 3rd Echelon.

Cain withdrew his gaze, his smile disappeared as he shouted.

"End the battle as soon as possible!"

His voice carried across the Northern Anchor Town.

The humans pushed forward again.

The battlefield had already changed completely as the balance was collapsing quickly with the death of their commanders and reinforcements from Cain and Aurelia’s groups.

Around a minute later, every human on the battlefield heard the same sound.

[Ding!]

Cain stopped for half a second.

The notification finally appeared before his eyes.

[World Announcement]

[The first player to have successfully advanced to the 3rd Echelon.]

[The name "Heavenly Demon" shall be recorded in the history of this world.]

[Heavenly Demon has received a Cyan Scroll and a Cyan Orb.]

Cain looked toward the military plaza.

The black-haired man remained seated.

However, the pressure surrounding him had changed completely.

Cain focused on Heavenly Demon’s information again.

He did not bother reading through every Talent and Skill description this time.

His eyes moved toward the changed information.

3rd Echelon.

The Mana Core had undergone Core Metamorphosis.

Some skills had become stronger.

The difference in his physical attributes was enormous.

Cain compared what he saw against his own current strength.

His expression gradually relaxed.

"Good."

Even if Cain unleashed everything he currently possessed, Heavenly Demon’s overall combat strength had now surpassed him.

Cain was not irritated by the discovery as he was satisfied instead, because with their current circumstances, he truly needed someone strong.

The System had changed his Advancement Mission after the Youngest Prince entered this Corridor.

That alone was enough for Cain to treat the new enemy seriously.

He had already reached one conclusion.

If the System believed his appropriate Advancement Mission at the 1st Echelon was to kill one of the Youngest Prince’s subordinates rather than the prince himself, then that bastard was most likely beyond what Cain could currently kill.

That situation would change once Cain advanced.

But first, he needed the opportunity to complete his own mission without Serath crushing the entire plan.

Heavenly Demon becoming a 3rd Echelon solved part of that problem.

Cain’s eyes moved toward the other side of the town.

The Northern Tyrant was still fighting.

"If he advances too..."

Cain smiled because by then, things would become much easier.

Near the ruined plaza, Heavenly Demon finally opened his eyes.

His Core Metamorphosis had finished.

The young woman standing guard glanced behind her.

Heavenly Demon gave her a faint nod.

She lowered her hands slightly.

He did not enter the battlefield right away.

Instead, Heavenly Demon looked toward the corpses of the three 3rd Echelon commanders lying near him.

Black Heavenly Demon Qi gathered around his palm.

He placed his hand against the nearest corpse.

Heaven-Devouring Demonic Art.

The dead commander’s body trembled.

Dark-red energy began flowing out from beneath its damaged armor.

Mana followed afterward.

The remaining Blood Essence within the corpse was dragged toward Heavenly Demon’s hand before disappearing into his body.

He moved to the next corpse afterward.

The process continued.

Unlike absorbing energy from a living opponent, the dead commanders could no longer resist.

Their remaining power became nourishment.

The exhaustion left behind by his previous battle gradually faded.

The wounds across Heavenly Demon’s body healed.

More importantly, the newly formed 3rd-Echelon Mana Core within him began stabilizing at a frightening pace.

Newly Formed.

Then higher.

The enormous amount of energy stored inside three 3rd Echelon bodies continued feeding it.

By the time Heavenly Demon finished absorbing the final corpse, his newly advanced Mana Core had already reached the Solidified Stage.

He opened and closed his hand.

The difference was satisfying.

However, he did not allow himself to become distracted by it as the battle was not over yet.

Cain was moving through another ruined street.

He cut both legs from a Zombie Race soldier before leaving it for one of Aurelia’s people.

A distant roar suddenly shook the northern side of the battlefield.

BOOOOOOM!

Cain turned around.

The area where Northern Tyrant had been fighting was covered in dust.

Broken stones flew across the road.

A massive figure emerged from the cloud.

The Northern Tyrant stood with blood running from his forehead.

His upper clothing was already ruined.

One arm hung slightly lower than the other from the damage he had accumulated during the fight.

In front of him lay the final 3rd Echelon Corridor commander.

Its head had been crushed into the broken ground.

The Northern Tyrant looked down at the corpse.

And finally... A translucent screen appeared before him.

His rough expression gradually changed as another World Announcement arrived after that.

[World Announcement]

[The second player to have successfully advanced to the 3rd Echelon.]

[The name "Northern Tyrant" shall be recorded in the history of this world.]

[Northern Tyrant has received a Cyan Scroll.]

Cain glanced at the notification.

"Good."

Then he continued moving.

He did not need to watch the entire advancement as there were still too many enemies around them.

The faster they finished, the sooner Cain could prepare for whatever was waiting at the Central Base.

The collapse of the Zombie Race command structure became more obvious with every passing minute.

A few minutes later, Cain finally stopped as the battle had ended.

Silence gradually spread through the Northern Anchor Town.