Starting from primitive world, building the strongest divine kingdom

"A gathering place?" Enzo replied, a hint of confusion in his tone.

Dandil elaborated, "It is the most efficient way to obtain Magic Crystals. However, achieving this is beyond the capability of ordinary individuals."

Enzo glanced at Melissa, who nodded in affirmation.

Subsequently, he produced a Magic Crystal from a colossal magical beast and declared, "Then lead the way!"

Joy illuminated the faces of the group.

Before long, under Dandil's guidance, Enzo ascended a small peak. Beneath them lay a sunken basin, teeming with an array of peculiar magical beasts, markedly different from the usual magical beasts. They bore intricate patterns upon their forms and seemed capable of communication, exhibiting various states of behavior.

Could these be the colossal magical creatures?

Enzo felt an unsettling dissonance; the previous beasts displayed no intelligence, merely bloodthirsty instincts. Yet, these creatures appeared to possess some level of awareness.

Seemingly aware of Enzo's perplexity, Dandil explained, "Indeed, these are colossal magical beasts. We previously hunted a solitary one and reaped a substantial bounty of Magic Crystals, along with a map of Dragons Land."

Intrigued, Enzo inquired, "A map?"

Dandil revealed a mysterious smile, stating, "Indeed, it is a map of the entirety of Dragons Land, not merely that of the Black Dragon Trial."

These words unveiled a wealth of information.

The Black Dragon Trial... Could it be referring to the trial conducted by the Black Dragon, Nicolet?

At that moment, Dandil reiterated, "This map meticulously records the various trial regions, encompassing a total of five distinct areas, each corresponding to different trial tasks. Regrettably, the map does not delineate specific task details. We surmise that this information is likely inscribed upon the formidable magical beasts themselves."

Upon hearing this, Enzo nodded in agreement.

It aligned perfectly with his own conjectures.

Just then, several other teams appeared, with one in particular commanding attention. As it approached, the other teams hastily parted ways, demonstrating their respect.

Enzo, intrigued by the identity of this team, soon realized they were making a beeline for him.

More accurately, for Melissa.

"It's been a while, Melissa."

The strongest member of the team , a golden-haired man said that.

Melissa maintained her composure and replied with a smile, "It hasn't been too long, really. Yet you, Cromwell, seem to have grown significantly stronger. It appears the reward for achieving first in the Dragons Land trial was quite lucrative."

Cromwell chuckled and affirmed, "Indeed, the reward was quite satisfactory."

He then extended a direct invitation, "Melissa, my team is one member short. Would you be interested in joining us?"

"I already have a team."

Melissa replied, firmly rejecting Cromwell's offer. This response caused Cromwell's expression to darken slightly, before he turned to Enzo, who stood beside Melissa, and remarked with a grin, "Melissa, showing mercy to the weak in the supernatural trials is hardly advisable; you could easily expel this fellow from your team, allowing him to fend for himself."

"Moreover, who permitted this lad to partake in the event?"

Cromwell inquired, glancing toward the others.

Upon hearing these words, Dandil steeled himself and stepped forward, explaining, "My lord Cromwell, we encountered these two during our journey. They possess formidable strength and meet the criteria for this occasion's invitation."

"Meet the criteria? Who sanctioned that?"

Cromwell surveyed the crowd, and one by one, they averted their gazes, hesitant to respond.

They were acutely aware of Cromwell's formidable presence and power.

To offend him at this moment would be an exceedingly unwise decision. Moreover, as Cromwell had pointed out, although the young man radiated an aura of Level 8, he was not particularly imposing, and given his youth, it was likely he had mastered only a limited repertoire of spells.

Thus, they collectively chose to side with Cromwell.

A smile crept across Cromwell's face as he turned to Melissa, inquiring, "Melissa, what say you?"

Melissa grew increasingly impatient.

She reiterated, "Cromwell, I shall state this once more: I already have a team! Furthermore, I am not the captain. Enzo is the true leader!"

"He is the captain?" Cromwell exclaimed in disbelief, pointing at Enzo and laughing heartily, "Melissa, are you truly asserting that this fellow is the captain?"

Cromwell's laughter incited a chorus of mirth from the others.

They found it difficult to accept Melissa's assertion.

Cromwell continued to chuckle before adding, "Melissa, even if you refuse to join my team, there is no need to concoct such a feeble excuse. Moreover, should he genuinely be your captain, I must assert that he does not meet the required standards. He cannot participate in this magical beasts hunt."

Melissa, incensed, retorted, "Cromwell, what do you mean by that?"

Just as the tension between the two escalated, Enzo interjected, urging Melissa, "Melissa, we should leave."

Melissa, perplexed, refrained from voicing her confusion directly.

Upon hearing these words, Cromwell once again mocked, "Boy, are you quaking in fear? And do you think it will be so easy to leave? Surrender all the Magic Crystals you possess first!"

Enzo halted his steps, turning to cast a cold gaze back at him, evoking an instinctive tremor in Cromwell's heart, though it also ignited his ire, prompting him to bellow once more, "Boy, leave your Magic Crystals behind!"

"You desire the Magic Crystals in my possession?" Enzo inquired with a disdainful smirk.

Cromwell remained silent.

At that moment, Enzo summoned a Thunder Spear, launching it directly at Cromwell while scoffing, "Do you possess the strength to withstand this?"

With that, Enzo pivoted to leave, accompanied by Melissa.

But Cromwell, now bereft of thought for anything else, sensed the formidable threat emanating from the Thunder Spear, compelling him to respond with utmost seriousness. He was utterly unprepared for the sheer power of the Thunder Spear unleashed by Enzo. Despite his full effort to resist, he was unable to shield himself entirely, resulting in an unsteady retreat, staggering back several paces.

"Lord Cromwell…"

The onlookers were struck with astonishment, instantly grasping the situation.

The young man's casual display had proved too much for Cromwell to counter. What then could be the true extent of his formidable prowess?

Many began to waver in their convictions.

Yet, Enzo had already distanced himself.

…

"Enzo, why did you stop me just now?"

In the depths of the forest, Melissa abruptly halted, turning to Enzo with confusion, seeking to understand why he intervened in her dispute with Cromwell.

Enzo replied gravely, "That location is an aberration in the gathering place of magical beasts."

"An aberration?" Melissa's expression shifted, her curiosity piqued. "What do you mean by that?"

"Those creatures in the Gathering Place seem to possess intelligence. They are likely not mere magical beasts." Enzo expressed his thoughts.

This feeling did not arise from thin air.

It stemmed from the gentle pulsation of the Mithril Crystal Key, which he felt upon arriving at the peak and witnessing the peculiar magical beasts in the low-lying basin. Though the key resided in a miniature world, its presence was still perceptible to Enzo.

"Is it related to the Emerald Tower?"

He pondered, yet found himself grasping for more clues.

Melissa, however, viewed Enzo's conjecture differently. "Perhaps there exists a place to validate your theory." She suggested.

"What place?" Enzo inquired with curiosity.

"A mysterious location." Melissa replied.

Enzo's intrigue deepened.

The entire Dragons Land had undergone significant geological transformation due to the trials, resulting in a landscape that starkly contrasted with the previous crimson soil terrain.

Moreover, it bore no resemblance to the topography from earlier trials.

Despite this being Melissa's second participation in the Dragons Land trials, she too was unfamiliar with the specifics of the altered landscape.

Now, she was audacious enough to mention a mysterious site.

"In the last dragon trial, I acquired a unique item." Melissa explained.

As she spoke, Melissa retrieved a special Magic Crystal from her spatial ring. This Magic Crystal, displaying a gray-black hue and a diamond-like structure, contained swirling, luminescent dust within, giving it an extraordinary appearance.

"This is the Shimmering Magic Crystal. With the infusion of elemental energy, it can activate certain special markings in Dragons Land.

After speaking, Melissa infused the radiant Magic Crystal with elemental energy and handed it to Enzo, gesturing for him to do the same. Upon receiving the radiant Magic Crystal, Enzo likewise channeled elemental power into it.

As he did so, he sensed an addition to his field of vision.

Floating in midair were shimmering runes, seemingly guiding the way. Melissa remarked, "Follow these runes, and you shall surely find the mysterious location."

With the runes as their guide, navigating became remarkably effortless.

Enzo and Melissa swiftly arrived at the final destination indicated by the runes: the crumbling ruins on the outskirts of Dragons Land.

Within the ruins lay toppled statues, remnants of a bygone era.

Enzo cast his gaze over the fallen figures and turned to Melissa, asking, "Is this what you saw before?"

Melissa replied, "During my last trial, when I activated the radiant Magic Crystal, I too beheld statues, though there were fewer than there are now. Strangely, these statues bear clear signs of weathering, as if they have endured the passage of a great deal of time."

Enzo noted this as well.

Most unsettling to him was that, despite their blurred features, he could discern shapes reminiscent of Ford and Clyde among the statues.

Wait!

A memory flashed through Enzo's mind.

Upon his departure from the small world, the bodies of Clyde and his subordinates had vanished!

Could it be that the corpses of those who perished were transformed into these statues?

Enzo couldn't help but gasp.