NOVEL NEXT Chapter 402: Ding! You have entered the Bloodlands
As the group stepped on the other side of the portal, the Bloodlands stretched out before everyone.
The land was bleak and barren. The sky overhead was a dull purple, streaked with jagged forks of black lightning that never reached the ground. Everywhere they turned it was all doom and gloom.
The mountains in the distance jutted like skeletal fingers, their peaks clawing toward the broken sky. The trees, if they could even be called that, were twisted husks of blackened wood with crimson sap dripping down their bark like blood.
It was very different from the Earth Online's light faction continent with its blue skies, flowing rivers and thriving forests. And it was nothing like Earth itself, no birdsong, no green. Only a suffocating stillness, broken by distant howls that rolled over the horizon like thunder. The only familiar thing was the sun.
As everyone stared at their new surroundings, the system chimed again.
[Ding! You have entered the Bloodlands.]
[Warning: This is a forbidden zone. All creatures here are hostile. Survival is not guaranteed.]
Damon's crimson eyes gleamed as he surveyed the desolate beauty before him. Perfect. Anyone else might have found this place creepy and depressing, but for Damon, it was very refreshing.
He turned to look at the others, and by now their looks had changed as well. The initial shock was now replaced with awe and surprise. It looked like everyone else was enjoying the atmosphere too.
This was because they were currently standing on the continent meant for the dark faction. The dark elements were higher in concentration here when compared to the light elements, making it very pleasing for everyone who was dark attuned.
Despite the doom and gloom, it would only feel like a spa retreat.
Erin closed her eyes and inhaled deeply, her lips curving into a smile. "Mmm… intoxicating. The Bloodlands hum with power. This place welcomes us."
Kate shouted from the side in excitement. "Hey! Look! Look! We have actually landed on a freaking beach!"
Sure enough, the cracked soil beneath their feet gave way just a few paces ahead to a shoreline of black sand stretching as far as the eye could see. Waves the color of dark wine lapped against the shore, glowing faintly in the dull purple light of the sky.
Kate laughed, throwing her arms wide. "Wow, you are actually right. I didn't think this place would be so awesome!" She started running to the beach, wanting to see how different the water here was. Everything around them was new and everyone wanted to explore it all.
Only Damon did not look that excited. He smiled bitterly with a warning. "Kate, if I were you, I wouldn't go so close to the beach."
Kate blinked and turned around just in time to hear sharp clacking sounds. Crabs, dozens of them, were crawling out of the black surf as if they had sensed the presence of new prey. Their eyes glowed a hungry crimson, and their mandibles dripped with brine that hissed like acid where it struck the sand.
[Ding! Demonblood Crabas (Level 85).]
[Ding! Demonblood Crabas (Level 90).]
[Ding! Demonblood Crabas (Level 93).]
…
…
…
They might be high-level monsters and crawling towards them in intimidating numbers but they were still faw from being a threat. Damon casually raised his hand and was about to activate his skill to take care of the entire lot in one fell swoop but Kate stopped him.
"You're going to burn yourself out. Sit your ass down and let us handle the small fries for once."
Damon blinked at her, his crimson eyes narrowing slightly. "Small fries? Those things are level ninety."
Kate's staff slammed against the sand with a sharp thud. "Exactly. Perfect practice. You've been hogging all the big fights. It's about time the rest of us had some fun."
Behind her, Mark rolled his shoulders, a grin tugging at his lips as his massive frame loomed over the others. "She's right. I've been itching for a warm-up."
Kaelthorn twirled his blade, the steel humming faintly with dark energy. Even Ellora stepped forward, her expression calm but her eyes alight with anticipation. "My Lord, she is correct. Rest. You've done more than enough."
Damon's hand lingered midair for a heartbeat longer before he finally sighed, dropping it to his side. "Fine. Kill your crabs. Don't come crying to me when one of you gets a claw through the ribs. Didn't you guys all come here straight from a big fight? Why am I the only one being benched?"
Kate jabbed her staff at him like she was scolding a child. "Because you nearly burned yourself out fighting abyss spawn for hours, you lunatic. You're running on fumes even if you won't admit it. So yes, you're benched." She leaned forward to kiss him lightly on his lips and then shifted her attention to the crabs.
Damon scratched his head awkwardly. It looked like there was no more room for argument. So he walked over to the beach and dove straight into it.
The blood-red waves lapped around him as Damon let himself sink into the warmth. The water clung strangely to his skin, thicker than Earth's oceans but it was very refreshing.
He floated on his back, arms spread wide, the egg pulsing faintly against his chest like it, too, was enjoying the bath.
The thing was like a magnet, and Damon did not even bother with it anymore. It was just stuck to him. A cloth strap was no longer needed. Even if he turned upside down, the thing wouldn't just fall off.
Damon was more concerned about the hatching progress. It was 71% the last time he checked.
This meant he still needed a few more hours in that abyssal zone. He would have to go back there if he ever wanted to hatch this thing. He rubbed his temples as the image of that woman flashed in front of him again.
Fuck. Why did he have to run into such a strong enemy in the fucking outskirts?
He had definitely gained a lot in the abyssal zone, but he had also failed to accomplish many things. His spit bottles were still out there. With any luck, most of them would have already been used and wasted in the abyssal zone but he could never be sure of it.
He also had no idea what had happened to Aiden. Did that damned bastard get eaten by that woman? One could only hope so. But Damon just knew that the slippery bastard would have somehow escaped her.
Damon's mind continued wandering for a while before he decided to stop messing around. There was no point in thinking about things he had no control over. He wanted to push the super guilds down a peg so that he would get some breathing space and now that was successfully accomplished.
It was time to focus on his own development. They have finally arrived in the Bloodlands. This was the land of the dark faction and unlike light faction, there were lot of opportunities waiting for dark faction players here. It was time to get down and get some work done.
It was time for some real power up!