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C1867

Emery couldn't help but sigh. He found himself caught in a familiar and recurring situation, facing off against a group of angry dark elves. However, this time, the odds seemed even less favorable for his group. There were only a handful of humans with him, and the absence of an enforcer to back them up. He knew that the outcome of this confrontation could go either way, and it wasn't a situation he wanted to take lightly.

Turning to Jinkan, Emery sought her decision. "So, should we fight them?"

Jinkan, as always, remained composed and unflappable. She confidently responded to the Khan's threatening words, her tone unwavering. "Are you sure you have the numbers to fight us?" Her words hung in the air, carrying an underlying challenge.

Hearing Jinkan's response, both sides began to assess the situation carefully, taking stock of the elves who had already ventured into the sixth layer and those who had chosen to stay behind. It was a silent standoff, as they all realized that the odds had shifted dramatically. Within a matter of minutes, the chamber had significantly emptied out, with only a few dozen elves lingering nearby.

On the human side, significant changes had occurred. The Nephilim, along with Jinkan's step-brother Linhao, had chosen to depart, leaving behind only Olivier with their Arkalad faction and Shatter with his Cross faction. These two leaders had brought an additional 20 members to bolster their group. A few dozen other human magus from grade 3 and 4 factions remained in the vicinity, observing the unfolding situation with keen interest.

Meanwhile, on the dark elf side, the Nephilim bracelets worn by Emery's group had identified the dark elf Khan as Ba Taaar, the leader of an exemplary warrior clan with over 3000 dark elves under his command. Among the hundred dark elves who now stood alongside him, only half belonged to his actual clan. Emery surmised that the rest were likely from smaller clans, hoping for some form of recognition or rewards. D'Mal, the top-ranking dark elf, stood by Ba Taaar's side.

However, the Khan appeared visibly annoyed, as it became evident that the number of dark elves had chosen to stay was less than he expected. As Jikan pointed out the discrepancy in the numbers, she added with a touch of taunt, "None of your Monarchs are willing to help... Why do you think that is?"

Emery couldn't help but speculate that the competitive nature of the expedition might have made even the other elves secretly pleased with the prospect of a conflict, as it would thin out the competition for the coveted gold medals. However, Jinkan's unwavering confidence in the face of the dark elves made Emery suspect that the Nephilim princess had other hidden plan.

Jinkan continued, her words oozing confidence, her tone carrying a hint of intimidation: ,"If you really want to fight, let's deal with it. I like our odds."

The situation was clear: 70 human magus were now standing in opposition to 100 dark elves. The numerical advantage was not in favor of the humans, but it was evident that the human magus were unafraid and even eager for a confrontation. Their anticipation for battle was palpable, and Emery could see it in their expressions.

The Khan, clearly irritated by this display of confidence from the humans, decided to back off and lead his dark elf group into the sixth layer vaults, avoiding a direct conflict for the time being. The tension in the chamber eased as the dark elves retreated.

The human magus, amused by the dark elves' hasty departure, began to chuckle and laugh. They seemed ready to follow the dark elves into the gates, but before they could do so, Jinkan stopped them in their tracks.

Jinkan addressed the gathered magus, her tone carrying an air of authority, "Fellow magus, if I may have a minute of your time."

She proceeded to express her gratitude for their willingness to stay and assist, despite there being no prior agreement or promised rewards. Then, she began to share her tactical plan with the group. As Jinkan explained her strategy, Emery began to realize that she had indeed carefully considered her actions and had a well-thought-out plan in mind. It took only three minutes for her to convince all the magus, and they willingly agreed to follow her lead.

"Let's not waste any more time," Jinkan declared, her gaze shifting to Emery.

With his heightened understanding of the law of light and his increased soul force, Emery could sense that his spirit reading had expanded even further throughout the fifth layer. After a few moments of concentration, he opened a portal gate, allowing all 70 magus to enter. He then created two more portal gates, and within minutes, they had arrived at their intended destination.

The group emerged in the gate chamber leading to the plant vault. As they stepped into this verdant domain, the sounds of battle met their ears. The chamber was filled with the scent of earth and the frenetic energy of combat.

Before them stood a scene of turmoil. Five hundred celestial constructs, led by the imposing [Mage Lord], clashed with a coalition of seven hundred human and elven magus. The celestial army, seeking to protect their guardian and prevent the invaders from advancing deeper into the vault.

Upon their arrival, Jai Strider, along with the combined metal and plant group led by Talio Greenbloom, greeted them. "You came just in time!"

The plan they'd devised was deceptively simple. With only nine thousand golden medals available in total, the light vault had managed to attract a considerable number of twelve hundred magus. This meant that other vaults, like the plant vault, had to contend with fewer participants, which made their battles more challenging. Over the past two hours, they have sustained losses of more than a hundred magus in their struggle against the guardian.

By joining the fray in this vault, the newcomers would not only secure extra points for themselves but also provide much-needed reinforcements. The timing of their arrival couldn't have been better.

Jinkan wasted no time and rallied the group "Let's go and earn some extra points!"

To be continued