The Grand Duelist

Bang!

An explosion rang out but it didn't come from guns nor anything dangerous. The explosion occurred due to the collective sounds of everyone kneeling onto the ground at the same time. At this moment, apart from the Absolute Monarch. There was no one standing in the area.

Even the Great Wandering Bard was on his knees.

"H-H-How broken..." Vladimir uttered under his breath.

Despite the fact that he was unwilling to just let go of the BOSS like that. He had no other choice but to agree that Kristian really was a powerful figure. But this wasn't the end of the three guilds shock. It was because they saw that under the suppression of the Legendary player...

The Great Wandering Bard struggled and he managed to stand up once again in the end.

"Oh? Interesting... To think that you can actually resist under my order..."

Kristian gave a languid smile.

He looked relaxed as if he was in his backyard instead of a battlefield.

The Legendary Class, the Absolute Monarch gave him control over the domain of obedience. Everyone who heard his orders would be compelled to obey them. In fact, for as long as that person's Dignity Stat was low enough. He could even order them to disgrace themselves in public.

His control over the domain of obedience was the reason why his class was considered as a Legendary Class.

The Great Wandering Bard gnashed his teeth and stared at Kristian with bloodshot eyes. He knew how dangerous Kristian was but it was impossible for him to retreat after giving his promise that he would definitely protect the Palace Halls with his life until everything was over.

The battlefield turned silent. No one dared to speak.

But this silence was soon broken with a scream from the Great Wandering Bard.

Everyone's attention turned to the Great Wandering Bard and their pupils constricted when they saw his transformation.

From a hunch-back elderly man. The Great Wandering Bard turned into a young man who looked to be in his early twenties. His hair, dyed in white and his blue, sapphire-like eyes radiated an ancient light that thoroughly astounded those who dared to stare at his eyes.

The Great Wandering Bard floating above his name changed and became question marks.

His level that was at Level 150, also became question marks.

These changes thoroughly astonished everyone to the point that it looked like their jaws were about to fall onto the floor.

"A transformation, eh? It seems like I was right. You really are not what you seem. But that is still not enough, no matter how much your level is, to fight against a Legend whose class bestowed upon me by the heavens is the same as fighting against heavens itself..."

"Can you do that?"

"Nevermind, you're a mere mortal."

Kristian flew into the air.

The arrogant look on his face displeased everyone, but none of them dared to express that displeasure out loud.

They hung their heads low, afraid of being noticed by Kristian as they silently thought about some plans on how they could steal the BOSS from the hands of the Guild Strongest Under Heaven.

A fierce battle soon ensued but the guild leaders of the three guilds were busy discussing this topic.

"Are we just going to let them steal the BOSS like that? We spent several days gathering information regarding that BOSS and now that we are about to succeed, are we just going to let them steal that BOSS from us? I'm not willing!" It was Vladimir, he was the first one that expressed his dissatisfaction.

William and Nie Yan glanced at each other and sighed.

Afterwards, Nie Yan said, "Then what do you want to do? Do you want to steal the BOSS from them? I don't think that a single Special BOSS is enough to pay for everything that would happen to us if we acquired the anger of the Strongest Under Heaven Guild!"

William nodded his head, "I agree, Strongest Under Heaven Guild, what a really arrogant guild. Do they really think that just because they have a Legendary Player that they now own the entire world?"

"What bunch of ignorant bastards. If not for the fact that we're incredibly weakened from the battle right now then we would've contested this BOSS from them!"

Vladimir pointed at him, "See! Even you can understand what I'm talking about then what are we waiting for?"

Vladimir looked like he was about to rush to the battlefield but Nie Yan quickly stopped him by saying.

"Have you gone senile, Vladimir? If we steal that BOSS from that Monarch of bastards right there then it is impossible for us to escape their retaliation!"

Vladimir paused. He fell into deep contemplation for a while before a smile spread on his lips as he replied, "What if the player that we sent to steal that BOSS isn't affiliated to us?"

William frowned, "Are you stupid? If we do that then we won't be able to gain any loot from the BOSS!"

Vladimir lightly chuckled, "Yes, that is true. But that's fine! What? Would you rather let that arrogant bastard take the loots from this BOSS? Since that bastard wants us to suffer then we'll drag him down with us!"

The two guild leaders were speechless.

They didn't know what to say.

But after a few moments of silence, they finally spoke up and it was Nie Yan who first expressed his opinion about Vladimir's plan.

"That is indeed a good plan, but do we have that kind of a player?"

"A player that is not affiliated with any of the three guilds?"

William furrowed his eyebrows.

Indeed, they don't have that kind of a player.

All of the members of their guild here were elite members whom they could trust with their life. It was impossible for them to sacrifice such a valuable player just for the sake of dragging the Strongest Under Heaven guild with them in this matter.

But...

"I have a player like that!"

... Vladimir solved this conundrum for them.

He whispered some information to them and the two guild leaders were finally convinced.

Now, they decided on laying low but once the time was ripe. They would commence their plan and have that unaffiliated player steal the BOSS from the hands of the arrogant Monarch!

"Boss, I don't think that the three guilds are planning on doing something suspicious." Kristian, the Absolute Monarch received a private message from his spies within the three guilds.

A frown appeared on his face when he saw the message.

It was impossible for Kristian to believe that the three guilds weren't planning on doing anything.

After all, despite the fact that these three guilds were weaker than his guild. He believed that the pride of these three guilds weren't weaker than the pride of his own guild! It was more likely for the three guilds to bring him down with them instead of just directly surrendering the BOSS to him!

But since he received no information from his trusted spies within the elite members of the three guilds. Kristian relatively calmed down. If the three guilds wanted to do something drastic then they definitely required the help of their elite members.

Once that happened then his spies would also know about their plans, and Kristian would be able to do some preparations beforehand. But since even the elite members knew nothing about the plan of the three guilds. It was likely that they really don't have anything in mind.

A light smile spread on Kristian's face as he thought that it was a really good decision for him to wait until the Health of the Special BOSS was low enough before they intervened in the battle.

Now, it was easier for them to defeat this ridiculously powerful BOSS.

Yes, ridiculously powerful.

When the BOSS transformed into a handsome man.

Kristian discovered that the BOSS underwent a qualitative change.

But that qualitative change still wasn't enough in the face of the thirty or so elite members of the Strongest Under Heaven Guild.

After some thoughts, Kristian decided that he would end the battle as soon as possible to prevent any unexpected changes in the battlefield.

He flew into the air and started giving out orders himself.

"Knights shields up!"

"Mages, chant!"

"Mercenaries, distract, don't OT!"

"Grapplers, restrict movements."

"Tempests, surround!"

"Gunners, open fire!"

"Others, no holds barred!"

Kristian started giving orders after orders.

The cooperation of their members was far seamless and smooth than the cooperation of the members of the three guilds.

They were entranced by the performance that the Strongest Under Heaven Guild was doing to the extent that they temporarily forgot their anger and started to admire this beautiful scene.

The Special BOSS whose name was now unknown staggered backward and repeatedly coughed a mouthful of blood.

A greenish-light surrounded his body but it gradually became dim as his Health steadily dropped down like a waterfall.

The Gunners took advantage of this and they fired everything that they had towards the BOSS.

The others who weren't given any limitations by Kristian went crazy and hurled all sorts of colorful skills, along with punches and dozens of kicks towards the Special BOSS.

The battlefield instantly turned chaotic and the players who were admiring the scene finally awakened from their reverie since they couldn't even see through the battlefield anymore.

The guild leaders of the three guilds, especially Vladimir were at a loss.

Vladimir gave that particular person and order to attack once the Health of the Special BOSS reached a certain point, but could she really accurately attack the BOSS when the battlefield was this messy?

Everything may be chaotic for others, but the attacks of the Strongest Under Heaven Guild still continued...

In other words, they kept on dealing damage against the Special BOSS.

Kristian floated higher up in the air until he could finally see the Health Bar of the Special BOSS.

"Stop!"

He gave an order and the chaotic battlefield instantly turned silent.

Kristian scanned the battlefield and found that he lost at least six players. It seemed like the Great Wandering Bard who had undergone a change really was incredibly powerful. Despite the best efforts of the players, some of them still died.

"You... How dare you..."

"How dare you take the lives of comrades!"

Kristian's eyes went bloodshot.

He cried out in indignance and the majesty of the Absolute Monarch bore down on everything.

"Fly..."

He pointed at the Great Wandering Bard and his voice transformed into an imperial decree that could never be disobeyed.

"Kuh..."

"Oh, you're still struggling?" Kristian asked.

He formed a gesture with his right hand as if he was choking someone on their neck.

"Kuh... Guh..." 

The Great Wandering Bard held his neck and struggled.

There were barely visible marks on around his neck, an indication that there were invisible hands holding him into the air and squeezing his neck.

The Great Wandering Bard's health gradually declined. But when his Health reached two percent. An explosion suddenly occurred from behind. The explosion happened so sudden and the bullet traveled so fast that Kristian was unable to react.

The Great Wandering Bard summoned a small shield to protect himself but he was still struck by the bullet. The power contained within the bullet was so strong that he flew towards the doors of the Palace Halls.

Bang!

His back struck the doors of the Palace Halls before he collapsed down onto the ground.

"Fuck!"

Vladimir audibly cursed. The bullet came from the person whom he tasked to steal the BOSS from the hands of the Strongest Under Heaven Guild, but her ambush actually failed? That bitch! I'll definitely make her pay for screwing up like this.

Kristian made a sidelong glance from the direction where the bullet originated. His eyes narrowed into slits before he turned to look at the Great Wandering Bard and took a step forwards...

But just as he raised his foot.

Several system notifications suddenly appeared in front of him...

No...

In front of every player within the world of Victory.

[The Sun That Overlooks Everything... has emerged!]

[The 72 Demons of Hell are trembling!]

[The Seven Gods and Goddesses are alarmed!]

[The Laws of Causality is overwhelmed!]

[The world has lost one of its pillars!]

[The First Mythical Player has finally ascended!]

"The Sun that... Overlooks Everything?" Kristian's pupils constricted.

His eyes then widened before staring at the doors of the Palace Halls. As a Legend, he could feel that behind the thick doors of the Palace Halls was the figure of absolute authority that he could never defy, even with his control over the domain of obedience.

The other players were also thoroughly shocked.

They froze, their eyes staring at the system notifications floating in front of them.

But then, they were pulled out of their reverie by a creaking sound that sounded incredibly loud amidst the silence.

Each and every one of them turned to the source of the creaking sound and they found that it came from the doors of the Palace Halls!

When the doors opened...

They saw the figure of a man holding a sword whose blade was as thin as a cicada's wings.

The expression of that figure couldn't be seen but from his trembling body alone.

It was clear that he was currently trembling in anger. 

Yes...

Trembling in anger.

Then, the man opened his mouth and spoke.

"You bastards... How dare you..."

"How dare you hurt my friend?!" 

He roared, and an indescribable might bored down on everything.