CHAPTER 69: 69 FIRST LIFE-AND-DEATH CRISIS (1/3)

Look at this sphere, so big and round.

Look at this fire, so red and bright.

Look at this... is this thing flying straight at me?

The answer is yes.

Crisis.

Ever since his memory awakened, Herbert felt the most pressing life-and-death crisis he had ever encountered.

The Evil God was dangerous, but never controlled him to commit suicide.

The Fire Dragon was temperamental, but never actively attacked him.

The sirens’ songs were enchanting, but never affected him.

And now...

Things others couldn’t do, this massive Molten Rock Ball could.

Scorching flames not only failed to burn Herbert to death but could make him stronger.

But a lava block with a diameter over three meters could directly crush him.

Crush him flat, turning him back into a two-dimensional form.

This is the violence of pure mass.

Indeed, when magic doesn’t work, it’s classic mechanics that come into play.

In a moment, these thoughts flashed through Herbert’s mind, and he realized what he had to do now.

Run.

There was no time to manipulate the Sealing Array, and the Teleportation Gate to the Endless Maze needed time to reopen.

So, there was only one choice in front of him now—run fast!

No matter what, he had to dodge this attack first!

Buzz—

In this life-and-death crisis, the Holy Mark and Demon Pattern engraved on the back of his hand lit up simultaneously, the two streams of power surged into his soul, forcing Herbert’s mind into a state of calmness.

Absolute calmness, extreme coldness.

Entering this state, Herbert opened his mouth and took a deep breath, inhaling the hot air heavily laden with a strong smell of sulfur into his chest.

"Boiling Blood!"

Thump thump thump—

In an instant, his heart began beating violently, blood forced into a frenzy, pupils dilated, and the flow of the world before him seemed to slow down.

Charge!

Leaning forward, Herbert lowered his center of gravity, pushed hard on the ground with his foot, shooting out like an arrow!

The boots on his feet melted in the high temperature, sinking slightly into the semi-solidified lava, but were pulled out before getting completely engulfed.

Herbert’s feet flew across, sprinting desperately on the fiery tongue of death.

One step.

Two steps!

Three steps!!!

Dada dada dada!

Whoosh—

In less than two seconds, Herbert took five steps, covering dozens of meters across the bumpy, scorching lava.

Finally, he leaped forward, diving through the air.

Just as Herbert jumped, a loud boom and a terrifying impact sounded from behind.

Boom!!!

As the Molten Rock Ball hit the ground, a massive spout of magma erupted at the impact site.

Orange-red magma sprayed out like fireworks in all directions, soaring high before falling everywhere.

The ground caved in enormously, surrounding lava rippling outward in waves upon waves.

No.

What Herbert was standing on was not dried land at all, but a Magma Pool with only the surface slightly solidified!

After landing, Herbert rolled on the ground several times awkwardly before finally dissipating his speed, quickly getting to his feet.

"Ha, haha..."

Looking at the Molten Rock Ball slowly sinking behind him, Herbert exhaled deeply, still shaken.

That was close, just a bit more and I would’ve been done for.

Herbert admitted he was a bit complacent.

Valentina was too easy to manage, Fremay had been cooperative after initial probing, and Eliza wasn’t even worth considering.

The only slightly unpredictable one, Svanni, wasn’t combative and chose cooperation over confrontation.

To be fair, Herbert’s conquest of the first three areas went too smoothly.

This effortless progress indeed made Herbert a bit negligent, forming wrong assumptions.

He subconsciously thought all Monster Girl prisoners would be as easy to manipulate as them.

And the current situation told him with brutal facts—the truth wasn’t like that.

They might not be evil, but they are truly dangerous.

Extremely dangerous!!!

This time he barely escaped, and only just avoided certain death; a little closer and the massive impact could have severely injured him.

If not for his Boiling Blood ability, this might have been a grim outcome.

Even if he survived, he’d still be terribly wounded!

These tens of meters seemed not so far, but if Cao Zijian had his power back then, why bother writing poetry?

What a joke.

Run those seven steps and vanish!

After taking a few breaths, Herbert exited his extremely rational state, gradually regaining his emotions.

He was outraged and then became slightly angered!

"Who is so inconsiderate!?"

Herbert shouted towards the direction the Molten Rock Ball came from: "Who threw that!!? If you have the guts, come out and face me!"

Friends, are you trying to kill me?

What kind of hatred could drive this?

Giving me such a big scare right off the bat.

Attacking from the first move, not a moment of defense given.

Do you truly wish to see me dead?

Herbert couldn’t help but curse, but quickly closed his mouth.

"What exactly do you want... huh?"

Because he suddenly realized, somewhat awkwardly, that it seemed like no one noticed him.

Never did!

He was completely just an outsider who had strayed onto this scene.

In the distance, a gigantic lava giant, more than thirty meters tall in just its upper body, emerged from the Magma Pool, furiously lifting a piece of lava and hurling it towards the Bronze Fortress in the distance.

Whoosh—

Its arm swung like a massive catapult, hurling the lava hundreds of meters away, crashing hard into the gigantic Bronze Fortress.

Boom!

The massive lava ball crashed against the wall with a thunderous noise, shaking the entire fortress.

But the effect was limited to that.

The Bronze Fortress stood strong and unyielding.

Amidst the massive impact, the molten lava ball, over ten meters in diameter, immediately shattered into smaller chunks flying in all directions.

And the piece that landed right in front of him seemed to be one of the bigger fragments.

So, that previous one... was just a stray round?

The city gate is on fire, implicating the fish in the pond?

Once again, Herbert realized his current weakness.

Just when he hesitated whether to contact them first or find a place to soak himself...

A curious whisper reached his ear: "Hmm? Someone new has arrived? A new Prison Warden again?"

"Hmm!?"

Then, as if noticing Herbert’s face, that person paused and exclaimed in shock: "No, wait, it’s still the last one!"

Herbert: ?

Just how frequently do you change Prison Wardens here?

Realizing the tone error quickly, that person cleared their throat, and with an enticing flirty air said:

"Oh, isn’t it the Prison Warden~ Come, come, don’t mind that idiot, come to my castle! Come on over!"

Regarding this enthusiastic invitation, Herbert paused for a moment, then decisively turned around, stating firmly: "Do not disturb, not interested."

?

"Huh???"