Chapter 718: Hurry and Summon the Invincible Fifth Heavenly King

"Boom!"

"Boom!"

The ceiling behind them collapsed section by section, completely blocking the passage they had come through.

The Hero held Merlin in one arm and ran, striding forward.

At the very front was Shadow, at the very rear was Arthur in full heavy armor; Tang Luo was nowhere to be found.

Shadow need not be mentioned — his speed was unmatched among them; Arthur, wearing heavy armor, was not slow either, at least above standard, enough not to be caught and crushed by the continuously falling ceiling behind them.

"It's a dead end ahead!"

The Hero's voice overrode the thunderous crashing of the ceiling behind them; he saw that the end of the passage was a wall.

"I feel a draft, a gap, a way out!"

Shadow's speed instantly increased; he reached the end of the passage and began feeling around everywhere.

"It's open!"

The "ceiling boulders" behind them drew ever closer; just as the Hero prepared to "shatter the mechanism with a single sword strike," Shadow successfully opened a passage.

Everyone immediately entered it.

A thunderous boom sounded from behind, mixed with Arthur's muffled grunt.

"What happened?" The Hero turned and asked.

"My shoulder got grazed, lost feeling in it..." Arthur said.

He was wearing heavy armor, and this opened passage was extremely narrow; he barely managed to squeeze in — if he hadn't reacted in time and dodged aside, it would not have been just a graze.

Even so, the boulder fell heavily; after the numbness, intense pain followed.

Only a tough man like Arthur could endure it, letting out merely a muffled grunt.

"I have wound medicine." The Hero took out medicine from his spatial ring and gave it to Arthur for temporary treatment.

He straightforwardly discarded the already damaged parts of his armor, and Arthur walked slowly behind the Hero and the others.

The medicine was insufficient to completely heal his injuries; his entire right arm was now in a "crippled" state, greatly hindering his movement.

Fortunately, there was no danger to his life.

"If Master were still here, it would be good." As the group walked forward along this narrow passage, the Hero murmured.

It had been over an hour since everyone entered the Demon King's Castle and defeated a certain weakest Four Heavenly King.

During this time, the Heaven-Sent Divine Soldiers Adventure Party had been driven into a miserable state by all sorts of deadly traps.

If not for Shadow being an expert in this regard, plus Master Anubis providing healing support on the side, they would certainly have suffered casualties by now.

And in the previous pitfall trap, Master Anubis unfortunately fell; I'm afraid he has already...

Now Arthur is heavily injured again.

Yet they haven't even seen the remaining Four Heavenly Kings.

"Even if I can't move freely, I can still guard your rear!" Arthur said, his tone resolute and decisive.

"Mm..." The Hero nodded forcefully, "Shadow, where does this passage lead?"

A pile of messy traps and mechanisms, a maze even more complex than ruins.

Rushing all the way down, only Shadow maintained a certain sense of direction.

The rest had completely lost track of where they were and which direction they were heading.

"Don't know, but it should be a safe location." Shadow said, "This is the internal safety passage the craftsmen left for themselves after building the mechanisms."

There were still luminous stones on the ceiling of the passage.

Sure enough, the subsequent time spent walking in the passage was all safe.

The group left the passage and entered another corridor.

Ahead was a wall, to the left a door, to the right leading to an unknown place.

"Let's rest a bit, help Uncle Arthur treat his wounds." The Hero pointed at the room on the left and said.

"I'm afraid there'll be danger, right?" Arthur said.

They had entered more than one or two such dangerous rooms.

"We came out from the internal passage, so this is a rest room, right?" The Hero looked at Shadow.

Shadow nodded: "Right, under normal circumstances that's how it is..."

Before the words were even finished, the Hero actively pushed open the door and walked in: "You see, it's fine."

"... Be careful." Arthur said helplessly.

"I just feel, we've been unlucky for so long, our luck should turn eventually." The Hero laughed unconcernedly, "Uncle, if your arm isn't treated soon, it really will be crippled."

Although unlike Master Anubis, he wasn't proficient in various auxiliary healing methods.

But combined with decent medicine, the Hero who knew a little of everything still had confidence to further treat Arthur.

The room was clearly a place for resting.

A few beds were placed there, along with some daily necessities.

After everyone entered, they actively closed the door; the Hero prepared to treat Arthur, but before he could start, he heard Shadow cry out in alarm: "Not good!"

A gust of wind swept past; Shadow had already reached the door, but sure enough he was a step too slow — the door that had just been shut was now completely locked tight.

Could not be opened.

"What's wrong?" The Hero asked.

Shadow pointed at the hourglass placed to the side; the sand inside was flowing down, clearly timing something.

One could imagine that once the sand ran out, something terrible would happen.

"Don't panic, we still have a little time, find the mechanism to open the door." The Hero's calm voice gave everyone a reassuring pill.

Good thing there's still time.

With the expert Ying here, they would surely find a way out of the room before the hourglass ran out.

"I will find a way out." Ying's tone was firm and confident.

No sooner had the words fallen than Merlin's body went limp, and she collapsed on the ground.

"Merlin, what's wrong?" The Hero couldn't spare a thought for Arthur; in a single swift stride he rushed to his childhood friend's side, scooped her up, and examined her.

He quickly discovered Merlin's abnormality — she seemed to have been poisoned?!

"Poison, when?"

"Ken, no, there seems to be poison gas in the room..." Ying over there was also showing symptoms; his body pitched forward, his head leaning against the door, barely keeping himself from falling.

The Hero and Arthur, relying on their powerful physiques, were temporarily unaffected.

"Damn it! Why is this happening!" The Hero flew into a rage.

Shouldn't the dangerous mechanisms only activate after the hourglass runs out? What about the promised buffer time?

The result is they just released poison directly?

And it's colorless, odorless, silent and invisible poison at that.

Despicable!

Even taking a step back, even if the poison started releasing the moment the door closed, it should at least wait until the hourglass ran out to take effect, right?

Why is the effect this good, this fast? The hourglass still has more than half left!

Why!

Bastard demons, you don't play by the rules!

After cursing, the Hero took antidotes from his spatial ring and frantically stuffed them into his mouth, then set Merlin down.

He stood up, gently pushed aside the half-dazed Ying, gripped the magic sword with both hands aimed at the main door — if he couldn't find an exit, he'd just carve one out himself!

It must be said, the Hero's action was absolutely correct.

Under Tang Luo's guidance, the poison gas trap had no exit mechanism whatsoever.

The door was sealed shut the moment it closed.

The only way out was to open a path themselves.

The Hero didn't think that much; he just felt that at his level he definitely couldn't find the mechanism to open the door, so hacking his way out was simpler.

The sealed main door had some tricks to it, but before the furious Hero it wasn't enough to look at.

After a few consecutive slashes it shattered with a boom.

Hoisting the two unconscious girls, grabbing the somewhat worse-for-wear Arthur, the Hero quickly left the place.

Leave first, save people later.

The Hero's approach was quite correct.

Another hour passed.

The Hero and company appeared in a spacious hall; their numbers had not decreased, but aside from the Hero, everyone's face bore unconcealable fatigue.

After escaping the shameless poison gas trap, the journey ahead was still filled with all sorts of traps that played by no rules and made no sense.

Even the so-called internal personnel safety passages had lethal traps — can you believe it?

What is going on with this Demon King's Castle?

It feels like it wasn't built for people to live in at all, but specially designed to screw people over.

Even inside ruins there aren't this many messy, dangerous traps.

Walking all the way here, if it weren't for having money and being sufficiently prepared, with all kinds of healing medicines and items on hand.

Plus good luck, a total party wipe was entirely possible.

Even so, Arthur and the other two were already considerably fatigued, all somewhat battered.

The inventory in the spatial ring was also mostly used up.

Not to say they were at their wit's end, but they had entered a precarious situation.

A few more injuries and there wouldn't be enough medicine left to treat them; moreover, using so many special medicines in a short time had raised their drug resistance to an astonishing degree.

The medicines' effectiveness had dropped by 80%.

Still that same sentence — if only Master Anubis weren't dead, his healing, used it and it worked!

What is Tang Anubis Luo doing at this moment?

He looked at the remaining two Heavenly Kings, brows furrowed: "Soloing again? Why did I say 'again'? Because this idiot is still lying on the ground half-dead."

Tang Luo pointed at the Assassin Heavenly King, Asasi, lying on the ground half-dead.

This person should stand up and apologize to all assassins worldwide: Sorry, you've disgraced assassins.

An assassin actually actively exposing himself under a light source to assassinate.

Do you think you're that man surnamed Kang?

That by the time others see you, the axe is already on their head?

"Yes, Ira said the Hero is already exhausted..." First Heavenly King Quis and Second Heavenly King Karl nodded simultaneously, "Just right for her to perform."

"Forget it." Tang Luo waved his hand, "You two prepare as well; later go up together. If you can't win, don't force it — just point the Hero in the right direction."

"Lord, we're going up together?"

Quis asked.

"Nonsense. At your level, going up together gives an 80% chance of getting wrecked." Tang Luo said.

"The Hero doesn't seem that strong either, right?" Quis couldn't help retorting, "And even if he defeated Ira, he'd definitely be an exhausted body."

"Don't forget, he still hasn't used the Hero's Sword." Tang Luo said.

"Isn't that for dealing with the Demon King, Lord?" Karl blurted out, instantly felt something was off, and immediately shut his mouth.

He suddenly realized they had become cannon fodder, their role simply to force the Hero to use the Hero's Sword before meeting the Demon King.

It turns out that's what Lord Anubis meant.

"All together, got it?" Tang Luo said.

Quis and Karl nodded at the same time—cannon fodder is cannon fodder, but they've suffered hardship either way.

They forced the hero to reveal his trump card, then fled.

After that, the Demon Lord could easily dispose of the hero, and under Lord Anubis's leadership, restore the demon race's glory.

If the hero's trump card exceeds their expectations.

It doesn't matter; Lord Anubis, the Fifth Heavenly King, is still here.

It's settled—I'll ask you, how did the demons lose this time?

The two Heavenly Kings exchanged a glance, then eagerly went to prepare.

On the other side, the hero and his companions, having entered the hall, had already fallen into Ira's "Magic Dream."

Ira is inept in close combat and not much better at range; she is actually a rare "Illusionist" profession.

Now, all four members of the hero's party have fallen under her illusion.

Ira slowly drew a poisoned dagger from behind her back, step by step approaching the hero and his companions, her face bearing a hunter's cruel smile.

"Being able to kill you—first… no, wrong—under the Fifth Heavenly King, the title of strongest Heavenly King shall be mine!"

Ira laughed with extreme joy, she walked up to the hero, raising the dagger in her hand.

In the moment of descent, a thick, capable arm extended from the side, grabbed Ira's arm, and violently flung her outward.

"What's going on! You actually broke free of my illusion!" Ira exclaimed in shock.

She had considered the possibility of someone breaking free of her illusion, such as the hero relying on firm belief and unyielding will.

What, firm belief and unyielding will can break free of illusion?

That's standard for breaking illusion—don't like it, don't fall for illusion.

She had also considered that the little mage might be pretending to be weak to eat the strong, possibly possessing extremely high mental power, making him hard to entangle.

But she never thought it would be Arthur, this big, burly man—one look and you know his defense against illusion and similar spell abilities is extremely low—who broke free of her illusion.

"This is impossible!"

Ira let out a scream.

"Memories—so painful, so sorrowful, yet also make one nostalgic." Arthur looked at Ira, choked her neck, and spoke.

Tears still streaked her face.

"Damn it, damn it!"

Ira screamed, struggling to break free, but unfortunately her only weapon had already been seized by Arthur.

Compared to Arthur's thick arms, her normal arms were slender—utterly incapable of breaking free.

As Arthur's strength relentlessly tightened, Ira had no choice but to dispel the illusion on the hero and his companions, using all her power to deal with Arthur.

The two instantly entered the illusory world together.

Arthur's hand involuntarily loosened, allowing Ira to breathe freely sweet air.

However, they maintained their original poses; if not for the rise and fall of their chests, one might mistake them for a strange pair of statues.

"Uncle!"

The hero and his companions reacted.

"Don't touch them—they're now fighting in the illusion world; if we recklessly interfere, we'll trigger a huge backlash." Merlin promptly stopped the hero from touching Arthur.

"What should we do?" the hero asked.

We can't just rush out like this!

"Use the ice seal scroll." Merlin thought for a moment and said.

The ice seal scroll is not an attack scroll; its specific effect refers to "Near-Death Freeze," used for protection and defense.

Now, the hero and his companions cannot stop—up ahead, Kailan awaits their rescue!

So, Uncle Arthur, hold the rear!

Using the scroll, watching the ice freeze Arthur and Ira, the hero took a deep look, then walked toward the next destination.

Uncle Arthur's rear guard—he will absolutely not disappoint!

At this moment, the hero felt his blood boiling, his entire body filled with power; he drew his magic sword and gripped it tightly.

A surge of immense power burst from his body, forming a gale that spread outward!

Breakthrough!

Now the hero is stronger than before entering the Demon King's Castle!

"Thud!"

"Boom!"

The tremendous sound echoed within the Demon King's Castle; the sturdy castle seemed to tremble slightly, and some rubble fell from above.

Quis and Karl, the two Heavenly Kings, were severely injured, spewing blood as they were flung backward, crashing heavily to the ground.

In the spacious battle hall, many demon guards still lay fallen.

The hero stood holding his magic twin swords; not far away were the similarly wounded and powerless Merlin and Ying.

On his face was written "steadfast, unyielding, powerful"; his eyes seemed to have flames burning within.

The battle was difficult, but victory belongs to him!

His two magic swords: one is the fusion of ice and fire, the other the interweaving of light and darkness.

Such opposing powers bring immense destructive force.

In the battle against Karl and Quis, the hero's strength increased once more.

The two Heavenly Kings failed to force out the hero's Hero's Sword, and thus fell beneath his magic sword.

The worst-case scenario I imagined has already happened!

"You think you've won?" Quiss shouted, watching the Hero approach.

"I will personally sever the Demon King's head." The Hero spoke coldly.

"Hahaha!" Quiss laughed loudly, "You haven't even defeated the Four Heavenly Kings, how could you possibly see Lord Demon King!"

"That's right!"

Karl chimed in, "You, go summon the invincible Fifth Heavenly King!"

That demon soldier playing dead beside them immediately sprinted flat against the ground, fleeing at extreme speed.

"Hm?"

The Hero's footsteps halted, not pursuing, "Fifth Heavenly King?"

"The Four Heavenly Kings actually have five people, this is basic common knowledge."

"We are merely the weakest four of the Four Heavenly Kings; the Fifth Heavenly King is the invincible one!"

"With the invincible Fifth Heavenly King here, Hero, your advancing steps end here!"

Quiss and Karl, the two of them, sang in harmony like a crosstalk act.

And successfully piqued the Hero's interest.

Invincible Fifth Heavenly King? Interesting!