Chapter 74

The main plot is roughly that the first-ranked Celestial Spirit, Serena, defected and became one of the Twelve Holy Shields protecting the Alvarez Empire of the Western Continent, and the second, third, and fourth-ranked members of the Ten Holy Mages went to intercept him.

In the end, those three were instantly taken down by the Celestial Spirit Serena single-handedly.

This is the plot, and Lin Cheng had always felt that the combat power of the latter three of Ishgar's Four Heavenly Kings was just so-so; the one who truly had a qualitative change was the first-ranked, Celestial Spirit Serena.

However, today's exchange was somewhat beyond Lin Cheng's expectations.

Ace's fight with Ultear actually ended up in an extended stalemate.

Although Ace had not used his Devil Fruit ability, relying only on his physical combat skills, Armament Haki, and Observation Haki to fight Ultear, similarly, Ultear had also not gotten serious.

In other words, even if Ace got serious, he probably wouldn't be able to take Ultear down quickly; Ultear definitely possessed strength close to A-rank two-star.

As for the first-ranked Celestial Spirit Serena, his strength probably exceeded that of A-rank two-star Ace.

Thinking this way, Lin Cheng couldn't help but sigh; although the speed of earning emotion points was getting faster and faster, the emotion points Lin Cheng needed were also getting more and more.

First, Lin Cheng needed to gather enough emotion points to upgrade Aizen Sousuke; upgrading an S-rank puppet from one star to two stars required ten times the emotion points of an A-rank puppet, and upgrading an A-rank puppet from two stars to three stars was also ten times that of one star to two stars.

These two combined consumed twenty million emotion points.

Also, the star level of Xuanwozhang Sect needed to be raised after the other puppets were upgraded; raising Xuanwozhang Sect from A-rank two-star to A-rank three stars would cost another ten million emotion points.

Drawing new A-rank puppets…

Just a rough calculation meant an expenditure of at least forty million emotion points.

Thinking of this, Lin Cheng helplessly sighed; the second stage of the script had not yet involved too much villain content, only the Monu Sect, the Bai Huzi Pirates, and the Akatsuki organization slowly coming to the surface.

Lin Cheng felt that something like the Akatsuki organization stirring up a Holy Mage World War would have to wait until at least the fourth stage of the script; the first three stages were overall still in the stage of foreshadowing.

……….

"The young people nowadays are really something."

"Even this old man has to admit I'm getting old."

Ultear reverted to his human form, coughed twice, and said: "I'm afraid that to restrain you, at least that guy Serena would have to come; as for this old man, I'm simply too old."

Looking at Ace, whose breathing had not changed much from beginning to end, a flash of horror crossed Ultear's eyes.

Although Ultear indeed still had some trump cards he hadn't played, looking at Ace's current state, it was clear that Ace likewise had not used his full power either.

So Ultear was certain that even if he unleashed his strongest power, he probably wouldn't be able to take Ace down.

The most important point was that Ultear's relationship with the Pingyi Society was merely a cooperative one; there was absolutely no need to risk his life for the Pingyi Society's so-called face.

"Old sir's strength is still very formidable."

"If old sir truly used his full power, even I would probably find it very tricky."

Ace looked at the conceding Ultear, chuckled lightly, then slightly turned his head to look at Chairman Crawford and smiled: "Mr. Chairman, can I now understand that the Pingyi Society has not made preparations?"

"Has not made preparations to go to war with our Bai Huzi Pirates?"

"……"

Veins pulsed slowly on Chairman Crawford's forehead.

Everyone could feel the fury burning in Chairman Crawford's heart at this moment.

However, Chairman Crawford ultimately said nothing and fell into silence.

Ultear, ranked third among the Ten Holy Mages, had already conceded defeat; this was the biggest trump card the Pingyi Society could field at present.

Since Ultear had already conceded, Chairman Crawford was also very clear that his side had no more trump cards left.

As for the so-called deterrent weapon, the Magical Spirit Power.

Using the Magical Spirit Power—even if he, Crawford, was the chairman—still required the approval of the majority of the councilors.

Moreover, even if it could be used, he wouldn't dare use it.

The Magical Spirit Power was never a weapon used against a single target.

Once the Pingyi Society used the Magical Spirit Power on its own authority, it would probably face protests from the entire world in an instant; by that time, even the Pingyi Society would be in deep trouble.