Chapter 57: Black Rose

As the victorious Dragon Nation,

shall receive an SSS-level Artifact!

"Take this — this is the reward that belongs to your Dragon Nation."

The Mysterious Judge put away the staff in his hand, and the blood eye in the sky vanished without a trace.

He held an exquisite wooden box out before Zhang Cheng,

and all the spectators rose curiously. Inside the box lay an old-fashioned revolver.

The revolver was made of a silver frame and a wooden grip,

with several delicate flowers carved into the grip, and smooth lines running the full length of the silver barrel.

It was a retro-styled revolver,

giving the impression of something ordinary that could be bought anywhere on the market.

The spectators frowned.

Could this revolver really be an SSS-level Artifact?

It didn't look like it had any killing power at all.

"If you look only at its appearance, it may seem unremarkable."

"But…"

The Mysterious Judge said, snatching up the revolver from the box, aiming it at the sky, and pulling the trigger.

In an instant,

air currents gathered at the muzzle.

When they reached a certain critical point, with a boom, a black beam that seemed capable of devouring space shot forth from the barrel!

Pitch black, ancient and powerful,

it traced a trajectory through the air and surged toward the heavens.

The continuously spinning bullet drove the surrounding air currents, forming ring after ring of spiral contrails.

Boom!

It exploded in the sky,

transforming into a patch of black cloud spanning thousands of square meters.

The power of the blast was like a sudden thunderclap in the sky!

"This object is named 'Rose of Darkness' — with a single shot, an SS-grade Summoned Creature is instantly slain!"

The Mysterious Judge blew the white smoke from the muzzle and said casually.

As soon as his words came out,

the spectators who had been questioning him immediately shut their mouths obediently.

Instantly slay an SS Rank?

This little revolver actually possessed such terrifying power?

This was an SSS-level Artifact?

The spectators swallowed hard in envy, unable to stop themselves from imagining that if they could obtain

the Rose of Darkness, even as ordinary people, they would possess the power to stand against Summoned Creatures!

Most crucially,

this artifact was a revolver!

Who wouldn't want to spin a revolver, show off a gun trick, and deliver a flawless headshot to an enemy!

Rose of Darkness…

This time, the spectators were truly green with envy.

However, what the Mysterious Judge announced next nearly made them so jealous they wanted to swarm forward and snatch it.

"Oh right, one more thing — the Rose of Darkness automatically condenses a bullet every time it fires, so there's no need to reload."

"However, if you wish to experience the pleasure of ejecting rounds, you may."

With that, the Mysterious Judge gave a light flick, and the cylinder swung out,

then he gripped the handle and pulled back, and the bullets clinked and clattered onto the ground.

Once the cylinder was fitted back, it could continue firing.

No bullets needed!

Such a wonderful thing!

Zhang Cheng had assumed that given the Rose of Darkness's immense power,

the bullets it required must surely be forged from precious materials — he never expected they weren't needed at all.

This was simply incredible.

"Why wasn't I the one who got the Rose of Darkness!"

"Same two eyes and one nose — why can the Dragon Nation contestant get something this good while I can only watch?"

"Even though I know it belongs to the Dragon Nation contestant, why do I feel like it'll be mine before long?"

"Wait, dreaming again? Don't tell me you're thinking of snatching it?!"

"Hold on — if anyone's thinking of snatching it, remember to look down and check whether there are embroidered shoes beneath your feet."

"This trick again? You're still trying to scare me — how could there possibly be embroidered… what! There really are!"

The surrounding spectators were all so greedy their eyes nearly fell to the ground.

"As an SSS-level Artifact, are there any conditions for using the Rose of Darkness?"

Every powerful artifact had its threshold for use.

The Mysterious Judge explained: 'The Dark Rose requires no conditions.'

A flash of light appeared in Zhang Cheng's eyes.

But before he could feel happy,

The Mysterious Judge said, as if pouring cold water over his head:

'Although the Dark Rose needs no conditions to use, its bullets do.'

'In theory, these bullets are extremely expensive, even surpassing any currency on your Lan Xing.'

'Because what it requires is life.'

'Each bullet consumes one year of your lifespan.'

'Of course, you can also load ordinary bullets, but the effect is weak,'

'at most it can only eliminate a B-Rank Summoned Creature.'

As expected!

Zhang Cheng reacted.

There's no free lunch in this world!

Any good thing requires sufficient compensation to sustain.

'Take it; one year of lifespan isn't much, and it might help you at a critical moment.'

The Mysterious Judge handed the Dark Rose to Zhang Cheng.

Zhang Cheng took it, and the next second the Dark Rose's barrel burst into blinding white light, making it hard to keep eyes open.

After the light faded, the character 'Cheng' appeared on the wooden grip.

Seeing this,

Zhang Cheng recalled something.

The one recognized by the divine artifact is its master.

The master needs no conditions of use.

'Is this… recognizing me?'

Zhang Cheng gazed at the Mysterious Judge with a subtle expression.

The Mysterious Judge looked speechless:

……

'I really don't want to talk to you right now, really.'

The Mysterious Judge wondered in his heart.

Why on earth!

Are these SSS-Rank divine artifacts faulty?

I usually maintain and cherish them.

If they don't recognize me, fine, but they actually recognized this Dragon Nation kid?

Does that mean I'm that inferior in comparison?

You divine artifacts are really……

Seeing the Dragon Nation's Summoned Creatures strong, you all rush to acknowledge a master, right!

They haven't even warmed the gun grip, and you already acknowledge him as master?

Don't you know that things easily obtained aren't cherished?

The Mysterious Judge pondered for a moment, looked at Zhang Cheng, and grunted displeasedly.

Zhang Cheng's face lit up, and he began to perform gun tricks with the Dark Rose.

To be honest, the feel is indeed good.

'Go, go, go play aside, don't delay my announcement.'

The Mysterious Judge waved a hand, directly sending Zhang Cheng to the Dragon Nation spectators' seats, out of sight, out of mind.

Seeing this, the Dragon Nation spectators burst into laughter.

Hahaha, the judge is jealous, starting to act up.

Anxious, anxious, he actually got red-eyed.

At the center of the arena.

The Mysterious Judge, having adjusted his mindset, scanned the crowd, his voice again full of authority,

'Thus, the eighth match has ended!'

'Currently, in the life-and-death confrontation, Dragon Nation leads 9:0!'

'Do you know what this means?'

The judge's words made the entire audience's expressions solemn.

The spectators of Dragon Nation and Mao Xiong Guo were full of anticipation; with the score reaching 10:0, Dragon Nation will rise completely!

The nation's economy will develop fifty years ahead, technology level will rise fifty years, non-renewable resources become renewable,

renewable resources become infinite!

The nation's overall Summoned Creature Level will rise by two ranks! More people will be able to summon Summoned Creatures!

These rewards will also be doubled.

This will mean the economy and technology will develop a hundred years ahead.

During this period, there will be no development bottlenecks, smooth sailing all the way.

Even,

there will be a continuous flow of resources providing power for development.

More importantly, one can learn a truth about the Divine Ghost Killing Arena!

The value of this reward is enough to make all nations eager!

At this moment,

The officials of various countries almost simultaneously began to devise countermeasures in their minds.

With such a generous reward, if Dragon Nation were to seize it, the world order would undergo a great change!

"Officials of other nations, this final battle is also the most crucial battle."

"Up to now, Dragon Nation has relied on its own efforts to successfully reach today,"

"In order to demonstrate our Divine Ghost Killing Arena's respect for the strong, the final battle remains 1V1."

"But I give advance notice, if the side we send out next time is still an SS-grade Summoned Creature,"

"it would be better not to come, to surrender directly, and declare that Dragon Nation passes the Life-or-Death Duel Challenge."

The Mysterious Judge's voice rang like a great bell, and everyone in the arena heard it clearly.

What does this mean?

It is quite obvious,

It is to have other nations send forth SSS-level Summoned Creatures onto the stage!

However, contrary to the audience's expectations, this final battle is still 1V1.

They had thought the Mysterious Judge would surely create obstacles for Dragon Nation in this final battle.

Unexpectedly, he did not do so!

He seems to place great importance on Dragon Nation?

No!

It should be respect for the strong!

"Of course, risk often goes hand in hand with reward!"

A red light flashed in the Mysterious Judge's eyes,

"If one can defeat Dragon Nation in the final battle of the Life-or-Death Duel Challenge, they will receive half of the reward for Dragon Nation's passing the Life-or-Death Duel Challenge."

"Furthermore, they will also obtain an SSS-level Artifact!"

"Of course, if Dragon Nation overwhelms all rivals and directly passes the Life-or-Death Duel Challenge,"

"an additional reward will be added: the nation's territory will expand by one hundred percent!!"

Upon saying this,

the arena immediately erupted with a clamor of boiling voices.

The spectators became so excited that their eyes blazed with fire, and their whole bodies trembled from excitement.

This final battle,

no matter which side emerges victorious, the reward obtained will be unprecedentedly generous!