BXBX NOVEL Chapter 159: An Enemy of the Empire??
His heart raced with excitement. Even without thinking too hard, he knew that countless powerful figures from the Divine Mountain Empire would gather here.
And as long as Sterl helped the relatively weaker faction, the Fourth Prince, who had been forced to defend his position within the Prince\'s Mansion, the elite soldiers opposing him would likely be of second-class level, providing him with a steady stream of Star Crystals!
According to his plan, Sterl could rapidly advance his second-class ritual progress!
Of course, there was another reason to help the Fourth Prince.
The rewards for hidden and mainline quests were too tempting for Sterl to give up.
Without hesitation, he decided to get involved in this murky situation!
At this moment, new prompts appeared before Sterl\'s eyes.
[You have completed the intelligence reconnaissance.]
[You can choose from the following options:]
[① Restore order and assist the Emperor of the Divine Mountain Empire in capturing the rebellious princes and princesses. (This route is less dangerous, offers lower rewards, and due to faction reasons, all previously accepted tasks related to the Divine Mountain Empire will become invalid.)]
[② Join the rebels, side with the princes. Depending on the outcome you achieve—such as the prince being captured, successfully escaping, or other scenarios—you will receive rewards based on your contribution to the storyline. (This route is extremely dangerous, offers extremely high rewards, and guarantees legendary points.
Due to faction reasons, all previously accepted tasks related to the Divine Mountain Empire will be merged into this route.)]
[Hint: The second route requires at least one prince to survive. Rewards will be based on your performance and influence in the mission.]
Two messages popped up in front of Sterl.
He didn\'t hesitate for a moment and decisively chose the second option. The first option not only offered lower rewards but also diminished the rewards for his hidden and mainline quests. That was unacceptable! He resolutely refused it!
As for the second route, the guaranteed legendary points alone was enough to thrill Sterl!
He currently had 47 points of legendary points, a result of his previous frenzy of slaughtering legendary souls. Although this was enough to max out the legendary points for three golden skills and advance to legendary points, he still needed more.
Sterl had functional golden skills that required upgrading, especially the golden-quality [Stardust] he would gain after advancing to second class, as well as some powerful golden skills he might acquire in the future. To fully utilize them, he would need to max out their legendary points.
Clearly, he needed to stockpile some legendary points points. Furthermore, his second-class ritual required legendary points, indicating that this special value would be useful in many places!
Additionally, by choosing the second route, the rewards for his existing hidden and mainline quests would be distributed upon completing this path.
Absolutely a win-win!
With this thought in mind, Sterl didn\'t hesitate to reveal himself. Before the officials and generals present could react, he had already gathered his Star Power, transforming it into a liquid state. Using the Flowing Water Law, he reinforced it, and to his surprise, he discovered that the Star Power shaped by Flowing Water could be coated with a layer of Star Blade.
Although the weapon forged by Law Power, the Star Blade, could no longer enhance its material or sharpness, at least the attribute bonuses from the original skill effects remained.
After a brief test, Sterl sensed that the weapons forged by the Flowing Water Law, despite lacking additional attributes, possessed a sharpness and quality equivalent to epic-level weapons!
Moreover, the sword formed from the liquid Star Power via the Flowing Water Law had a special ability: [Star Shine: Striking an enemy will cause them to enter a blinded state. This state can stack and be detonated, causing massive damage.]
Sterl hadn\'t tested the exact power of this ability yet, but he could faintly sense that the \'massive damage\' was indeed substantial!
As for the blinded state, it would reduce the opponent\'s vision and sensory capabilities. After multiple stacks, even those with high mental attributes who could perceive the world without relying on their eyes would fall into a chaotic state, significantly diminishing their combat effectiveness.
"Law Power truly is formidable!" Sterl marveled as he tested his new abilities, his eyes gleaming with excitement.
However, he also felt a slight tremor in his divinity, mainly due to the substantial energy consumption.
Forging weapons was one of the more energy-efficient uses of Law Power, yet it still depleted two-thirds of Sterl\'s energy reservoir.
Meanwhile, as he gauged the strength of the Flowing Water Law, he didn\'t remain idle.
The long sword, now coated with the Star Blade, was already poised against the general\'s throat, exuding a terrifying aura imbued with Law Power.
Instantly, the general halted his retaliatory movement, sensing that any attempt to resist would result in his death!
As for the official, he was similarly subdued, but by one of Sterl\'s avatars. Armed with a standard Star Blade, the avatar easily overpowered him.
"Who are you!?"
"What do you want!?"
"This is a provocation against the Empire! Are you seeking to become an enemy of our Divine Mountain Empire?"
The faces of the two Divine Mountain Empire NPCs changed drastically, their hearts filled with terror.
How could someone breach the heavily guarded military camp so effortlessly?!
Both the general and the official were extremely uneasy and frightened, suddenly realizing that the person who had appeared and threatened them was very likely a powerful enemy from a rival nation.
"Clearly, the city has been sealed off."
"Anyone entering the imperial capital can only get in, not out."
"Yet somehow, the news got out this quickly??"
"Fourth Prince… why can\'t you just accept your fate peacefully? You truly are a traitor to the nation!"
The two NPCs were deep in thought, their minds filled with bitterness.
The general gave the official a meaningful look.
The official shook his head and blinked, showing a resolute expression.
"I\'ll do it!" he said briefly.
This was a moment of national crisis. Whatever the intentions of this enemy nation\'s powerhouse, letting him succeed would bring great harm to the country. They had to stop him, even at the cost of their own lives!
However, Sterl\'s next words left them both stunned: "Take me to the Prince\'s Mansion."
The official, who had been ready to self-destruct to create a diversion for the general, froze.
The energy the general had been accumulating also dissipated instantly.
What?
To the Prince\'s Mansion?
They were confused. If he really were a powerhouse from a rival nation, wouldn\'t he know the location of the Prince\'s Mansion? Why would he need us to take him there?
Nonetheless, this request made the two from the Divine Mountain Empire breathe a sigh of relief.
It seemed they wouldn\'t have to die!
The Prince\'s Mansion was currently swarming with the nation\'s elite guards, all of whom were second-class or higher!
Moreover, the Emperor himself was there!
In response to this sudden upheaval, two legendary figures had been stationed temporarily in the border town of Oster to prevent other nations from taking advantage of the Divine Mountain Empire\'s turmoil and launching an attack.
The Prince\'s Mansion was the strongest bastion of power in the empire!
The sudden intruder before them, though evidently formidable, seemed to be marching to his death by heading there.
The two NPCs surreptitiously evaluated "Sterl" and activated their detection skills, only to discover that this "Felix" was merely a third-tier player!
Against the might of the Prince\'s Mansion, he was nothing more than an ant!
Instantly, their expressions turned calm and composed. "We\'ll take you there, just don\'t make any sudden moves."
Sterl, of course, had deliberately disguised himself as a third-tier player.
If he appeared too weak, these two might still harbor thoughts of resistance, wasting his time. On the other hand, if he appeared too strong, like a legendary-tier player, their patriotic fervor might flare up, causing them to choose death over submission, making things more complicated.
The third-tier disguise was just right.
Thus, while the NPCs planned to lead Sterl to the Prince\'s Mansion for reinforcements, Sterl intended to go there for a massacre to complete his second-class quest. Their goals aligned perfectly.
With great efficiency, they set off from the military camp...
...
At that moment, in the southwestern corner of the Divine Mountain Empire\'s capital, a grand palace was surrounded by a dense, black mass of soldiers.
Each soldier wore a proud expression, their morale high!
Around them were not only soldiers but also countless civilians from the capital. Among them were nobles in luxurious attire and commoners in simple clothes, all waving their hands and cheering.
"For the Emperor!"
"Long live His Majesty!"
"Kill those rebellious princes!!"
Everyone\'s eyes were red with excitement, and some civilians were even hurling rotten food at the Prince\'s Mansion, filled with contempt and rage!
In the center of the soldiers stood a middle-aged man in a purple-gold robe, exuding a powerful aura. His face was stern, and every gesture he made was full of authority.
This was Octavius Stone, the current Emperor of the Divine Mountain Empire. If any players from the Divine Mountain Empire were present, they would be shocked. Wasn\'t it said that the Emperor was gravely ill and about to abdicate? Yet here he stood, looking full of energy and vigor, showing no signs of illness.
The Emperor was loudly urging surrender, "How long do you plan to resist?"
"Why can\'t you sacrifice your lives for the Empire?"
As he spoke, several soldiers in black armor dragged a richly dressed, delicate-looking girl forward. Her face was fair and soft, clearly someone who had been pampered all her life.
But now, she was desperately clawing at the ground, her nails breaking and leaving ten bloody marks.
"Father, please, no! Spare me!"
The girl cried out in terror. She was one of the princesses of the Divine Mountain Empire!