Heat distorted the air, rippling with a fiery haze as the echoes of licking flames resonated around the battlefield. Fi-Fi’s gelatinous form bubbled uncontrollably, expanding at an alarming rate. With each pulse, waves of blistering heat radiated outward, distorting the very atmosphere. Within seconds, her form swelled into a massive, amorphous entity, thousands—no, tens of thousands—of sprawling tentacles writhing chaotically from her core.

The summoned dragons roared furiously, their qi-charged gazes fixed on her shifting, blackened form. Without hesitation, they unleashed another devastating qi blast, the energy-fueled attack streaking toward Fi-Fi in an instant.

It struck her with the force of a thunderclap, but instead of causing harm, the blast dissolved into her gelatinous body, creating rippling echoes like a pebble tossed into a pond. As if feeding on the attack, her form expanded even further, birthing new tentacles that flailed outward with unchecked ferocity.

Behind the now-transparent barrier, the cultivators and dragons stared, their expressions frozen in stunned disbelief.

The tentacles coiled and converged into a singular mass, launching a powerful counterattack against the summons circling the barrier. Roaring defiantly, the summoned dragons retaliated with consecutive qi blasts, their attacks colliding with the tentacles only to be absorbed and converted into raw growth. The tentacles surged forward, relentless in their advance.

With a thunderous roar, the summoned dragons merged into a colossal monstrosity. Its ominous eyes glowed with primordial fury as it unleashed an immense draconic breath of lilac qi. The discharge obliterated dozens of massive tentacles in a single, devastating strike, tearing through the gelatinous limbs in waves as it closed in on Fi-Fi’s core.

The breath slammed into her, and for a moment, her enormous form seemed on the verge of bursting. The translucent surface of her body illuminated briefly, revealing a swirling matrix of vibrant, colorful fluids suspended within thick mucus.

The massive summon roared again, channeling even more energy from the dragons within the barrier. It unleashed another cataclysmic blast, the lilac qi colliding with Fi-Fi in a deafening explosion. Gelatinous shards and viscous fluids rained down, and the cultivators erupted into cheers.

But their celebration was short-lived.

The dragons remained silent, their eyes locked on the remains of Fi-Fi’s form. Then it came—a baleful aura, descending like a suffocating weight. Cultivators, dragons, and even the massive summon instinctively raised their heads, but the swirling mist overhead revealed nothing. The oppressive presence lingered, heavy and inescapable.

As the cultivators exchanged uneasy glances, the dragons’ gazes shifted back to the wreckage—and their features twisted in alarm.

From the scattered fluids, a singular, pulsating pillar emerged. The colorful remnants coalesced, merging rapidly into a grotesque structure.

“We must leave. Now!” the blue dragon bellowed, panic bleeding into its commanding tone.

But it was too late.

Tentacles erupted from the pillar in a blinding blur, latching onto the massive summon and dragging it down. The summon thrashed violently, unleashing a mournful wail as its colossal form withered under the constriction of the tendrils. The tentacles pulsed rhythmically, their size swelling as they siphoned the summon’s essence.

Other tendrils shot toward the barrier, wrapping around it like an ever-tightening cocoon. The transparent surface blackened under their grasp, and muffled roars, screams, and explosions echoed from within.

The tentacles pulsed again, the rhythmic motion traveling back to the grotesque pillar. With each pulse, the barrier shrank, drawn closer to Fi-Fi’s nightmarish core.

Scott watched in grim silence, his frown deepening. She wasn’t kidding when she said she was going to eat them. His eyes lingered on the barrier, now nearly consumed by Fi-Fi’s relentless appendages.

“I really wish you’d taken my wager earlier,” Orion chuckled, though his lighthearted tone was tinged with regret.

Scott glanced at the mage; his expression unreadable. “Do you have any idea what kind of creature she’s become?”

“I will soon,” Orion replied, his grin faint but confident. “I’ve gathered enough samples to analyze her. Though I don’t have all the data yet, I’m certain of one thing: there won’t be another slime like her across the myriad timelines. The probability of it ever happening again is infinitesimal.”

Scott gave a slow nod but said nothing. His attention returned to Fi-Fi, where the shrinking barrier was now perilously close to the pulsating pillar. The cacophony of muffled screams and explosions grew louder, more desperate—but it didn’t matter. The barrier continued its ominous descent, drawn inexorably into the monstrous entity Fi-Fi had become.

Scott shifted his gaze from the engulfed barrier to the massive breach leading into his territory. It doesn’t look like there will be a third wave, he mused, his eyes narrowing. His attention flicked to the territorial lord, groaning in agony and standing motionless. Could the breach still be open because I haven’t finished him off?

The thought lingered for barely a second before Scott clenched his fist. In an instant, the territorial lord’s head exploded like an overripe watermelon.

You have slain the leader of the invasion! Congratulations! You have successfully defended your territory from invaders! Congratulations! You have slain a Territorial Lord!

By virtue of your victory, you now possess the right to claim The Steel Armor Territory!

Do you wish to add The Steel Armor Territory under the banner of the 18th Order of the Mad Throne? Yes! No!

Congratulations! Your rank has improved! Current Rank: 1990th

Scott watched as the massive breach began to seal itself. He glanced at the system notifications, his frown deepening. I went up eight places at once... That’s unusual. He rubbed his chin, studying the messages. Did I take his ranking directly?

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His gaze returned to the lord’s remains, now lifeless on the ground. Without hesitation, Scott flicked his hand, summoning a nihilistic portal beneath the corpse. The body disappeared into the void in a flash.

Turning his focus back to the notifications, Scott frowned. If I accept it, that will make it my third territory. But now that I think about it, I haven’t really thought about my second territory. The thought was fleeting, but as soon as it manifested, Scott vanished, reappearing on a rocky expanse stretching endlessly under a misty rain. Shattered weapons, some larger than giants, lay strewn across the barren ground.

Your territory will now adapt to your nature! Transformation will now commence!

The ground trembled, and Scott recognized the signs of transformation unfolding once more. But this time, the all-seeing eye did not return. Instead, the chaotic nihilistic zone dominated the terrain, competing with the shifting cosmos that consumed the heavens above.

“Scott, where did you go?” Orion’s voice crackled urgently through a private channel. “Hello? Can you hear me?”

“I’m at my second territory,” Scott replied calmly. “I’ll be back soon.” Without waiting for a response, he closed the channel.

Scott stood at the heart of the transformation, watching as the graveyard of weapons vanished. From the chaotic zone, towering obelisks emerged, their jagged forms expanding the celestial chaos overhead. The land itself seemed to breathe, veiled in fog and nihilistic energy.

Congratulations! Your territory has adapted to your nature!

By virtue of your victory, you now possess the right to claim The Steel Armor Territory!

Do you wish to add The Steel Armor Territory under the banner of the 18th Order of the Mad Throne?

Yes! No!

The notification flashed again, and Scott’s frown deepened further. “Toi, are you there?” he muttered softly. “I need to speak with you.”

A tear in space appeared several paces away, rapidly expanding until it was large enough for a figure to step through.

Toi’s form emerged, his single eye scanning the transformed territory with a mixture of awe and apprehension. An eerie smile played across his face as his gaze settled on Scott. “You called?”

Scott crossed his arms. “Aren’t you going to step out from there?”

Toi chuckled, shaking his head. “I’d rather not,” he said, his singular eye roving over the nihilistic zone. “I’m far more comfortable here.” He turned his focus back to Scott. “Congratulations on defending your territory, by the way. I wasn’t expecting us to meet again so soon.”

“There’s something I’ve been curious about for a while,” Scott began, his tone steady. “The last battle confirmed it: there’s a vast disparity in strength—or perhaps battle prowess—among territorial lords, isn’t there?”

Toi tilted his head thoughtfully. “Indeed. And your point?”

“How else can one become a lord?” Scott asked without hesitation.

Toi sighed, shaking his head. “Unfortunately, you don’t have the authority to know—”

“What do I need to do to gain that authority?” Scott interrupted.

A wicked grin spread across Toi’s face, his ominous features brightening with joy. “Make it to the top 100 in the rankings, and we’ll talk.” He leaned closer, his tone laced with mischief. “Here’s a piece of free advice: there are genuine monsters above you. If you measure them by the opponents you’ve faced so far, you won’t even know how you died.”

Scott’s brows furrowed as he nodded, processing the words in silence.

“Is that all?” Toi asked, breaking the pause.

“Not at all,” Scott said, his stance shifting slightly. “Across the different floors of the tower, there’s always been a way to gain experience points—except here. Why is that?” He had lost count of the champions who had fallen to his hand or his summons, yet not once had a system notification declared any experience points gained.

Toi’s response was immediate—a soft chuckle that quickly escalated. His laughter crescendoed as he tilted his head back, erupting into a full-blown fit.

Scott stood unmoved, his expression as unyielding as stone, observing the examiner without the faintest flicker of amusement.

It took Toi nearly a full minute to regain his composure. Several failed attempts later, he finally managed to stifle his laughter with a cough. “My apologies,” he said, a glint of mirth still lingering in his single eye. “You see, most territorial lords are more concerned with expanding their domains than worrying about experience points. But you—you’re utterly uninterested in this place or the authority it offers.”

Toi’s tone shifted, growing solemn as his gaze narrowed. “It’s not that you haven’t been rewarded,” he said. “You simply can’t access the rewards while on the Endless Bridge. As I mentioned earlier, time doesn’t exist here in a conventional sense. If you want to check how much experience you’ve accumulated, you must venture into one of the timelines you oversee.”

Scott’s brows furrowed slightly as Toi continued. “However, be warned: if a territorial lord vacates the Endless Bridge, they are stripped of all authority until their return. During that time, others can take their place on the territorial rankings, invade their territories, or even rise to power in their absence. If the timing is poor—or another lord grows strong enough to enter the territorial ranking—they’ll lose everything.” Toi let the weight of his words linger. “To regain entry, you would need to start from the beginning, reentering through one of the bridge’s links.”

Scott nodded slowly, the gravity of Toi’s explanation settling over him. As understanding dawned, he prepared to pose another question.

Before he could speak, a voice crackled over the party communication channel, echoing in his mind like an alarm.

“Scott!” Zara’s voice teaming with urgency, competed with a series of deafening explosions. “We need your help!”

Scott’s features hardened instantly. Without a word, he descended into the nihilistic zone, vanishing from the transformed territory before the stunned examiner could react.

Toi stood in silence, his gaze lingering on the chaotic expanse. “Judging by his expression earlier, something significant must have happened,” he murmured.

The crack in space began to close; Toi raised his head to the swirling cosmos, and he retrieved a small sack from his breast pocket. Without ceremony, he emptied the sack’s contents—grains of colored sand—into the ominous darkness below. As the sand scattered across the transformed land, Toi disappeared, vanishing into the void as the crack sealed behind him.