Chapter 517 – Hundred City Battle

“Black Flame? You’re saying that man’s the Asura Sword Emperor? The God List’s former number one?”

The female Guardian Knight’s eyes shone with an unprecedented brilliance when she heard Sound Reaver’s answer.

The Asura Sword Emperor’s achievements had already become legendary in the Miniature Ancient World. Not only did he establish Zero Wing, but he was also behind the establishment of the Asura Mercenary Alliance. In addition, he had also defeated famous geniuses and paragons one after another amidst the Miniature Ancient World’s chaotic era.

Only, because Black Flame would usually keep his appearance and information concealed, not many people actually knew what he looked like.

Moreover, it had already been four months since Black Flame disappeared. In the ever-changing Miniature Ancient World, everyone had long regarded the Asura Sword Emperor’s name as a legend of the past. Many people even believed that Black Flame had been forever eliminated from God’s Domain during the battle in the World Passage, hence his disappearance.

However, if Sound Reaver’s deduction was correct, and the Asura Sword Emperor had returned alive, it would become a huge encouragement for the entire Asura Mercenary Alliance. It was especially true now that a large number of foreign powers had invaded the Miniature Ancient World, and the Asura Mercenary Alliance’s influence was continuously shrinking. Nowadays, Asura could only barely maintain the safety of the surrounding naval zones of Abyssal Star City’s newly transferred location.

…

When Zhuo Yalin informed the executives of Zero Wing and the Asura Mercenary Alliance about Shi Feng’s return, everyone was pleasantly surprised. Then, without hesitation, they dropped what they were doing and rushed over to Asura’s headquarters.

Unfortunately, due to the drastic changes in the Miniature Ancient World’s environment rendering teleportation useless, everyone had to travel back by foot. Otherwise, they would have immediately teleported back to Abyssal Star City using the Guild Transfer Scroll.

Meanwhile, as Asura’s executives arrived at the mercenary alliance’s headquarters one after another, the alliance members present in the first-floor hall couldn’t help but feel that something big was taking place.

“What’s happening today? Why are so many executives coming back?”

“It is indeed strange. Even Chief Administrator Hidden Soul has dropped her guard duty over at the Boundary Sea’s fortress to come back.”

“It’s not just the Chief Administrator. Even Grand Elders such as Liu Wusheng, Echoing Judgment, Crimson Heart, Su Qianliu, and Galaxy Past have returned. Every one of them has to safeguard a specific region, yet all of them have gathered here today.”

“Seeing as so many of our alliance’s bigwigs have gathered here today, could it be that the foreign powers are planning something big?”

When the mercenary alliance’s members saw how many executive members had gathered in the alliance’s headquarters today, they couldn’t help but start a discussion among themselves.

The Asura Mercenary Alliance was no longer a minor power in the Miniature Ancient World. Currently, it held control over more than ten settlements and fortresses. When it came to this regard, the Asura Mercenary Alliance was number one among the Miniature Ancient World’s native powers.

Although there were other alliances that held control over more than ten settlements and fortresses previously, that all changed once the foreign powers’ invasion began. None of the native alliances had the strength to defend so many territories at the same time. As a result, they had to abandon most of their territories and concentrate their strength on protecting three settlements and fortresses.

…

In the corridor leading to the Asura Mercenary Alliance’s top-floor conference room…

An old man and a middle-aged man walked slowly toward the conference room that only executives of the Asura Mercenary Alliance could enter.

“Old Liu, what do you think our chances of winning are now that Guild Leader Black Flame has returned?” Galaxy Past asked in a low voice, a hint of anticipation in his eyes.

“Our chances of winning?” Liu Wusheng stopped and looked at Galaxy Past with a bitter smile. “We’d be lucky if we even have a 10% chance of defending our territories.”

“Only 10%?” Galaxy Past was surprised.

“Do you think that’s low?” Liu Wusheng asked when he saw Galaxy Past’s surprise. “Do you remember the God List’s former top five? How do you think you compare to them now?”

“I should be an even match for them,” Galaxy Past said confidently.

“Exactly!” Liu Wusheng nodded. Then, he sighed and continued, “We improved a lot compared to four months ago, but Guild Leader Black Flame has missed out on the opportunities we had during these past four months. Now that we have to face a simultaneous assault from multiple upper-ranking hegemonic powers… I’m afraid there is very little that one person can do, even if this person is Guild Leader Black Flame…”

Galaxy Past also couldn’t help but sigh upon hearing this.

The Asura Mercenary Alliance had indeed improved significantly compared to a couple of months ago, but whether it was in terms of quantity or quality, Asura’s Tier 5 experts still lagged behind the Greater God’s Domain’s upper-ranking hegemonic powers by a lot.

According to the intelligence they gathered, the various upper-ranking hegemonic powers had already gathered many Tier 5 experts and were preparing to take over all of the native powers’ settlements and fortresses. And since Asura held control over the greatest number of settlements and fortresses out of all native powers, it naturally attracted the most attention from the various upper-ranking hegemonic powers.

Hence, the gathering of Asura’s executives this time was not only because of Shi Feng’s return but also because, as guessed by the alliance’s members, the various foreign powers were planning something big.

…

Inside the top-floor conference room…

Currently, over a dozen executive members were gathered in the conference room that could accommodate hundreds. Of these people, apart from Shi Feng who was still at Level 153, everyone else had already reached Level 159 or above.

In Shi Feng’s eyes, everyone present had undergone significant changes during the time he was absent. It was especially so for Hidden Soul. Not only did her presence become sharper and more dangerous, but she had also reached Level 160, which was the minimum requirement to ascend to Tier 6. Now, so long as she developed her Concentration to the Tier 6 standard and gathered 100,000 units of Seven Luminaries Crystal, she could attempt to break through to Tier 6.

“You’re finally back, Guild Leader,” Su Qianliu said. When she saw that Shi Feng had also reached Tier 5, she couldn’t help but breathe a sigh of relief. Then, she smiled and continued, “Had you returned any later, our alliance would have probably ceased to exist already.”

Su Qianliu might have spoken in a joking manner, but everyone present couldn’t help but feel a little embarrassed.

The reason everyone present could gather and work together as a group in the past was all because of Shi Feng. However, because Shi Feng had disappeared for four months, the alliance’s affiliated powers stopped being as cohesive as before. Even with Su Qianliu, Hidden Soul, and Blackie acting as mediators, none of the alliance’s affiliated powers were willing to submit to each other. As a result, it became very difficult to accomplish large operations.

Having to face the foreign powers’ invasion with the mercenary alliance in such a state was simply a nightmare.

“You all have already done a good job developing the alliance to such a state in the time I was away,” Shi Feng said, understanding the meaning Su Qianliu was trying to imply with her words. “I have a general understanding of the situation, but I do not plan to stay long in the Miniature Ancient World.”

“Are you giving up on the Miniature Ancient World, Guild Leader Black Flame?”

Everyone present immediately grew anxious.

“No.” Shi Feng shook his head. Then, in a firm tone, he said, “The Miniature Ancient World is our foundation. I came back this time to strengthen the Asura Mercenary Alliance and Zero Wing and also to enable everyone to have a better development.”

“Strengthen the Asura Mercenary Alliance and enable us to have better development?”

Liu Wusheng and the others couldn’t help but look at Shi Feng curiously. They wondered how exactly Shi Feng was going to achieve his claims. After all, whether it was the current Asura Mercenary Alliance or Zero Wing, neither had a particularly optimistic future.

Seeing the looks of skepticism on everyone’s faces, Shi Feng smiled and said, “Instead of staying bound to the Miniature Ancient World, I plan to bring some people outside to develop!”