am-books Chapter 144: Chapter144-The Sting of Betrayal
Chapter 144: Chapter144-The Sting of Betrayal
The assassin exclaimed in shock and anger, "We've already paid you, you said you would let us go, are you going to break your promise?!"
The others looked at John with eyes full of wariness and fury.
If John truly reneged on his word, their losses would be substantial.
To their relief, however, John shook his head.
He said, somewhat helplessly, "What are you thinking? If I said I'd let you go after taking the money, I definitely will. The reason I told you not to be in such a rush to leave is because I want to propose a deal to you."
Upon hearing John's words, everyone paused in unison, taken aback.
Benedict, watching from above, suddenly had a bad premonition.
"This kid isn't planning another cunning move, is he?"
At the bridgehead, while the group sighed in relief, curiosity also piqued.
The shirtless assassin asked, puzzled, "What deal?"
John held up two fingers, a sly smile on his face.
"For 20 million, I will guide you to earn points and secure a spot in the top one hundred of the assessment. You can pay me after you've secured your spot. As you've seen my capabilities, trust me, this won't be difficult for me. Would you consider it?"
As soon as John finished, everyone gasped in shock.
They stared at John, disbelieving what they had just heard.
20 million for a spot in the top one hundred of the assessment?!
Including Hannah, the gaze of those present shifted dramatically towards John, filled with fervent interest.
Even if they couldn't succeed, they wouldn't incur any loss.
But if they could make it, not to mention 20 million, even 200 million would be considered worthwhile!
At the bridgehead, hearing John's proposal, the group collectively caught their breath.
The prospect of 20 million federal coins for a guaranteed position among the top hundred contenders of the assessment left them incredulous.
Their eyes widened in sheer disbelief at John's audacity.
The value of such an offer, including for Hannah among them, turned their gazes towards John burning with intense eagerness.
Failure bore no loss to them, yet success, transcending the cost of 20 million, even 200 million, they deemed a fortune well spent!
...
The outside world was in an uproar, with everyone looking at John as though he were a lunatic.
Some were baffled, saying, "Is this guy crazy? He actually wants to take these people through the assessment together? How is that possible?!"
Others sneered, "I heard he's from some backwater place; he must be desperate for money."
Some shook their heads, "Securing a spot is not so easy, let alone leading others to pass too. This guy is literally daydreaming."
A few pondered, "Actually, it might not be impossible. With his strength, if he really wants to boost these people's points into the top one hundred, it could be feasible."
Yet another commented, "The question is, what kind of genius with such capability would stoop to do such demeaning tasks!"
The crowd was momentarily lost for words.
Indeed, what kind of prodigy with such talent would need to resort to such actions for money?
Eyeing the rough terrain before the bridge, he sneered internally, "To think, a genius indeed. But offending our Immortality Organization is the gravest mistake of your life. I hope you live a bit longer; otherwise, it'd be quite dull."
After casting a disdainful glance at Benedict high above the Enchanted Forest, the dwarf crossed the bridge, heading into the core area of the Enchanted Forest as well.
Meanwhile, in the spectator stands outside Star Cluster Academy, a man donning a baseball cap watched John's image in the silver mirror, his eyes flashing a sinister crimson.
Smirking, he whispered so faintly that no one could hear, "I told you, you can't escape.
Even if you join Star Cluster Academy, that divine artifact is mine!"
Thinking of the divine artifact of the Crimson Demon, Robert's eyes gleamed with fervor.
Securing that artifact could elevate him not just to the patriarch of House Carter but perhaps even to a demigod!
He was determined to obtain it at any cost.
Unaware of the dangerous attention he's attracted, John was deep within the Enchanted Forest, unleashing his frustration and heartache in what could only be described as a spell turret mode.
Waving his staff, a kaleidoscope of lights swirled around him as he released spell after spell.
"Storm Blade!"
"Thunderous Roar!"
"Thorned Rock Serpent!"
...
As a series of formidable spells erupted from John's hands, rows of giant trees toppled, creating a straight path through the forest.
This path was littered with broken branches, fallen trees, and craters, all leading straight to where John stood, showcasing his turmoil and might.
John, leveraging his arsenal of spells, bulldozed his way through the Enchanted Forest, leaving behind a trail of enormous craters created by his relentless assault, his onslaught more devastating than that of a bomber plane.
Noticing the dense population of monsters in the core area of the Enchanted Forest, John decided against the meticulous use of mental perception for targeting and opted for widespread bombardment instead.
The monsters' thoughts on this tactic were unknown, but it certainly thrilled John.
Within city limits, he had to exercise restraint with his spellcasting to avoid collateral damage.
Had it not been for the need to conserve his power during the encounter with Sebastian, he wouldn't have had to resort to using the Godslayer Blade; his spells alone would have sufficed to wear him down.
In the dungeon, free from such constraints, John unleashed his full power.
With life-draining and blood demon conversion skills at his disposal, energy depletion was the least of his concerns.
Thus, he transformed into a veritable spell cannon, wreaking havoc upon the flora and fauna of the Enchanted Forest with wild abandon.
[You have slain lv38 "Redwolf (Normal)" and gained 133000 Exp!]
[You have slain lv40 "Icefox (Normal)" and gained 187000 Exp!]
[You have slain lv40 "Earthcroc (Elite)" and gained 352000 Exp!]
...
As John's spells ravaged the land, a deluge of experience points flooded into him.
His experience points surged at a visibly terrifying rate, with his score skyrocketing just as rapidly.
Within mere hours, his level ascended to lv28, and his score reached an astonishing 15000 points, securing him the top spot on the leaderboard.
Isabella and Amelia, his closest competitors, trailed behind him, their scores not even close to a third of his.