Free Web NovelChapter 830: Chapter 757: Examination Announcement (2)
Previously, after the Demon God’s phantom was summoned, although it obeyed commands, its combat style was completely dictated by the will of the Demon God itself.
Sometimes, summoning a cooperative Demon God made the battle go smoothly.
Other times, summoning one that didn’t follow orders required extra effort.
Now, things are different.
He can feel that he can use his Spiritual Power to convey more specific battle intentions to the Demon God’s phantom.
The Demon God will understand these intentions and choose the most suitable way to execute them based on its own combat instincts.
Although it’s not yet fully controlled, compared to the previous state of letting it loose, things have improved greatly.
...
Half a month before the end-of-year assessment, the news of the assessment was finally officially announced.
Duke was practicing with the Giant Divine Soldier in the Light God Court when the badge suddenly vibrated slightly.
He exited the Divine Court, his Spiritual Power probing in, as lines of golden text appeared on the light screen:
Central Islands Annual Joint Assessment Notification
Assessment Time: Begins in half a month, lasts three months.
Assessment Location: Broken Land, a special venue transformed by the Wizard Council from fragments of a High Plane.
Assessment Format:
"1. The venue is divided into multiple areas inhabited by different Plane life groups. At the start of the assessment, everyone will be randomly teleported to an area where they must explore, fight, and acquire resources.
2. Resource points are scattered throughout the venue, storing various precious resources (Magic Potions, materials, Witchcraft Artifacts, etc.). Each resource point is guarded by a group; the stronger the resource point, the stronger the guarding group.
3. Any resource obtained from a resource point will be automatically recorded and converted into resource points. Points are updated in real-time and displayed on the leaderboard.
4. Every half month, there will be an elimination: the bottom 10% of the candidates will be directly eliminated. Those eliminated for the first two rounds will be sent back to their original faction.
5. At the end of the assessment, the top thirty candidates will receive additional rewards, with double rewards for the top ten.
6. Teaming up is allowed during the assessment, but the ownership of resource points is determined by the first contact. Resource distribution among team members is self-negotiated, and the venue does not interfere.
8. There are teleportation points throughout the venue during the assessment, allowing for exit at any time. Exiting signifies the end of the assessment, and the ranking at the time of exit will be the final ranking.
9. During the assessment, if subjected to fatal harm, the Six-Ring Tower’s badge protection mechanism will be triggered, directly teleporting one out of the Broken Land, which also means elimination."
On the light screen, there’s also a line of small text indicating the total number of participants in this assessment:
Number of Participants: 247
Three months, six rounds of elimination.
The first two elimination rounds will directly eliminate candidates. For these 247 people, the qualifying standard is at least surviving the first month.
The first two elimination rounds will filter out about 50 people.
Only the remaining ones have the qualifications to talk about ranking, rewards, and final results.
If they can’t even last the first month, then this year’s cultivation in the Central Islands is over.
Duke repeatedly reviewed the assessment rules, pondering silently.
Teaming up is allowed, but resource ownership is determined by the first contact.
This clearly encourages competition, first come, first served, whoever has the bigger fist takes the most.
He stood up and walked to the window.
The distant snow-capped mountains shine brilliantly white under the sunlight.
With half a month remaining before the assessment begins, he needs to do more preparation.
The badge vibrates once again.
A message from Vera:
"Tonight at seven, the usual place, to discuss the assessment."
...
At seven in the evening, still in that small banquet hall.
Vera waited for everyone to settle down before she slowly began to speak.
"You’ve all seen the message about the assessment."
The crowd nodded.
"247 people participating, six rounds of elimination, leaving only around fifty people in the end." Vera’s voice was calm, yet each word carried weight, "Eliminating once every half month, the pressure will increase continuously."
Leon set down his wine glass and said seriously, "The key is teaming. Acting alone is too dangerous; the resource points will definitely be occupied first by people from major forces."
"Exactly." Vera nodded, "From the Golden Continent, the Blood Rose and Star Tower combined have at least a hundred people. The Seville Empire from the East Coast also has fifty or sixty people. We, from the West Coast, have less than thirty in total."
Leon added, "The problem is, the rules say everyone will be randomly transported to different areas of the venue, so we can’t gather together right at the start."
"Indeed." Vera nodded, "So, for the first half month, or even the first month, we’re likely to fight separately."
She paused, her gaze sweeping over everyone.
"But this doesn’t mean we don’t need to form teams. On the contrary, precisely because we’re scattered, we need a clear plan for regrouping and an action strategy."
"I’ve carefully studied the rules," Vera raised a finger, "Resource ownership is determined by the first contact. This means whoever arrives first has the right to the resources. Teaming can’t help you snatch others’ resources, but it can help you defend your own."
"Therefore, for the first half month, our primary goal is to survive and not get eliminated."
"Don’t rush to grab those high-value resource points. Those places will definitely be targeted by the major forces from the Golden Continent and East Coast. We are few and scattered; fighting hard in the early stages is not worthwhile."
"First, familiarize yourself with the terrain in your landing area, the distribution of groups, and resource point locations. Find a safe foothold to ensure you don’t get eliminated. After half a month, when the first round of elimination is over, the remaining members from the West Coast will find ways to regroup, then formulate the next plan."
Leon nodded in agreement, "Makes sense. We can’t outcompete them early on, but we can gather intelligence. Once they’ve exhausted each other sufficiently, we can look for opportunities."
Ely asked softly, "Then... how do we regroup? The venue is so large, and everyone has different landing spots."
Vera paused for a moment, then looked at Duke.
"Duke, what do you think?"
Duke, who had been quietly listening, then spoke, "The venue is remodeled from High Plane fragments, so there should be distinctive terrain. We can agree on a rendezvous point, such as a high-value area in the center of the venue or an easily recognizable landmark."
"But for the first half month, I wouldn’t recommend moving toward the rendezvous point," he added, "Everyone’s landing spot is different, with varying distances from the rendezvous point. Forcibly rushing might lead to encountering other faction’s teams or stumbling into dangerous zones. First, establish a foothold in your landing area, wait for the first round of elimination, and then decide how to regroup based on each person’s location."
Vera nodded slightly, "That’s settled then, for the first half month, fight independently to ensure not getting eliminated. After half a month, contact through the badge and determine the rendezvous point."
"But this relies on the badge being usable inside. If communication with the badge is unavailable after entering, then it’s up to one’s own discretion."
She glanced at everyone, "One more thing, if you’re unlucky enough to land together with people from the Golden Continent, don’t confront them head-on. Avoid if possible, only fight if unavoidable."
Leon snorted coldly, "If that group dares to cause trouble, I won’t be polite."
He has been harboring grievances over losing to Audric and now, as his control over inherited power grows, he increasingly wants to vindicate himself.
After all, Leon represents the former Holy Silver Knight Order, which embodies the honor of the Silver Hand and cannot be tarnished by anyone.
He can lose personally, but he cannot disgrace his ancestors’ reputation.
Just then, the door was gently pushed open.
Everyone’s gaze turned toward it.
A slender figure walked in from outside, wearing a dusty gray robe and an ashen face, with hollow eyes scanning everyone present before finally settling on Vera. freeωebnovēl.c૦m
Vera was slightly surprised and then nodded slightly, "You’ve come."
She indeed invited him, but honestly, she didn’t expect him to come.
Morris rarely attends these gatherings and seldom appears in social occasions.
His presence is so low that sometimes people forget there’s such a person on the West Coast.
Morris did not sit down, he only stood at the door, his voice hoarse as if it drifted from a grave:
"I won’t initiate any action against the people of the West Coast."
"But you all should not come near me," Morris said in a flat tone as if stating a fact, "If you see me, keep a distance. Otherwise, there might be accidental harm."
Having said that, he turned and pushed the door to leave.
The atmosphere lightened slightly only after Morris left.
