The Master-Servant Contract

Just when Vicky was about to fall into despair, a dazzling golden light suddenly flashed before her eyes. It was emanating from Irving.

[The passive skill of the "Sky Necklace" equipment has been successfully activated.]

[Player receives damage reduction of 90%, duration lasts for 1 second.]

"Even if it's only for a second, it's enough!" Irving's deep eyes sparkled with a cold light. He was wagering his life, bearing this lethal blow to buy time for his next move.

The Rockman's biggest weakness, besides its slow speed, was its eyes, the most vulnerable part of its body, and also where spiritual energy gathers.

Bang! Even with a 90% damage reduction, Irving felt his blood flowing backward against the colossal punch of the Rockman, resembling a crushing mountain. Then, a mouthful of blood spurted out.

"Irving!" Vicky seemed to understand Irving's intention at this moment. All she could do was to silently pray in her heart while fully casting [Healing Art].

However, her talent level was too low. Plus, she had expended a lot of physical strength in the previous battle. The few specks of light that drifted toward Irving were not enough to make any significant difference.

"Today, it's either you die, or I die!"

Irving's eyes were filled with resolve. He steadied his body just as the golden light around him was about to fade away. He firmly grasped the Rockman's fist with both hands. Using all his remaining strength, he jumped up again, and cast the Fireball spell.

Irving's body, with the upward push, briefly stayed in the air before falling rapidly. However, he could already see the Rockman's gem-like dazzling eyes.

This was his only chance!

Boom!

The next moment, a huge fireball, like a volcanic eruption, smashed into the Rockman's face. When the fireball hit the rocks covering its body, it instantly exploded into countless sparks.

Roar! The Rockman's body stiffened in place.

At first, it was puzzled, unsure of what this weak human was trying to do. When it saw the fireball explode, its eyes showed deep horror!

It would never have imagined, that this seemingly "insignificant ant" would dare to fight back, and even exhibit such a powerful skill!

Everything was over...

The Rockman's massive body fell heavily to the ground, stirring up layers of dust. The fireball that had exploded in the air also scattered like fireworks, leaving countless tiny sparks.

"Irving!" At this moment, Vicky's emotions completely broke down. Tears flowed down her cheeks like beads from a broken string. She rushed into the dust like a madwoman, "Irving, where are you? Are you... are you still alive?"

Outside the shelter at this moment, it had become a field of ruins.

The sea of fire in the swamp trap was gradually dying out, leaving behind countless grotesque corpses of monsters. The air was filled with a suffocating smell of scorching. In addition to this, the moment the massive stone man fell, the spiritual energy within its body was destroyed, crumbling into chunks of rubble.

As the dust settled, Vicky was seen kneeling on the ground, cradling a shattered body in her arms. It was Irving.

"No!" Tears slid down Vicky's cheeks, dropping onto Irving's pale face one by one. Occasionally, streaks of light were seen diving into Irving's body from her.

The desolate sound echoed through the ruins and spread far in the deserted forest.

More than just here, countless players in the Other world were suffering this catastrophe.

Many didn't even have the power to resist the onslaught of beasts. Their fragile bodies were mercilessly trampled by monstrous creatures, even the hard-won shelters were instantly destroyed.

Of course, quite a few had managed to survive through this disaster by forming factions or guilds at the last minute, but they had all paid a heavy price.

Countless cries and sobs echoed in every corner of the Other world. Those lucky players who survived finally tasted the cruelty of the apocalypse.

However, it's only just the beginning...

[The first round of disaster has ended!]

[All players within the remaining shelters have passed the first stage of the Bluestar consciousness test.]

[Entering the second stage...]

[All players' shelters will automatically be moved to the ground and will appear on other players' maps! (Note: If the shelter is destroyed by monsters or other players, the game will end automatically and the noumenon will suffer severe backlash.)]

[Second round of disaster countdown: 72:00:00...]

[Kind reminder: This round of disaster will recreate the environmental changes caused by the Dark Overlord devouring other planets. Players, apart from facing more ferocious monster assaults, will also endure extremely harsh weather - Extremely cold climate and endless darkness, lasting for 24 hours.]

At the same time, all players received the system prompt. Complaints were heard from all corners of the world.

Cough, cough!

A slight cough startled Vicky. When she looked down at Irving in her arms, he slowly opened his eyes.

"Why are you crying?" Irving wiped the tears off his face and forced a smile, "As long as the shelter is still there, even if we die, we can revive tomorrow."

Vicky was stunned for a moment before she understood. Her sadness gradually faded as she explained, "I... I couldn't help it."

Upon hearing this, something seemed to melt in Irving's heart. However, in just a moment, his eyes suddenly turned cold again, "Did you just hear it?"

"Hear what?" Vicky gently helped him up while continuing to use her [healing skill]. The streaks of light emanating from her were constantly repairing the wounds on Irving's body.

"All shelters will now appear above ground, and they will be visible to other players." Irving repeated the system's message, noticing Vicky's confused expression. He sighed, "If you want to survive in the Other world Game, whether it's materials, equipment, or mining resources, everyone will be vying for them. Do you know the quickest way to acquire them?"

"You mean..." Vicky immediately guessed, her thoughts drifting to William, who had been killed last time at the mine.

If killed by monsters, as long as the shelter remains, players can revive the next day. But if killed by another player, there would be no resurrection, and the real-life noumenon would die in the same way!

Just like William, who was burned alive in the game by the purple flames on a creature named Little Black, and when found in real life, he was nothing but a charred corpse!

This case remains unsolved to this day. Despite extensive forensic techniques, the police have been unable to determine how William died, let alone track down his killer.

Once a player is killed, all their equipment will drop.

This, precisely, was the quickest way to obtain resources, as Irving had mentioned.

"Once shelters become visible, we'll have to worry not just about potential monster attacks but also about other players ambushing us." Vicky said, her face showing concern.

"Rather than worry, we should focus on getting stronger." Irving said as he slowly stood up. In just a few minutes, his injuries had significantly healed, which made him reassess Vicky. Her remarkable healing speed would be very useful in future battles.

The next moment, his gaze then shifted to the charred remains of the monsters, his mood lifting somewhat.

"We've struck gold this time!" Irving exclaimed excitedly.

Thousands of monsters had perished in the swamp trap he had set, all burned alive. There were countless pieces of equipment and materials to be gathered, more than they could possibly carry.

Especially the recently slain "disaster-level" monster—the Stone Man!

Just as Irving was about to collect the spoils scattered around, a shadow darted nearby.

"Little Black!" Irving watched as Little Black limped towards him, feeling both relieved and pained. The creature had been seriously injured by a punch from the Stone Man in the sea of fire, but it seemed not too worse for wear now. He affectionately stroked Little Black's head, "You were a big help just now."

Little Black whimpered softly, rubbing against Irving incessantly, appearing exceptionally docile. The battle seemed to have deepened their bond.

Vicky looked on enviously at the scene.

[Ding!]

[Notification: Player's affinity with Hellhound has increased to 30 points!]

[Hellhound has issued a "Master-Servant Contract" request. The player may choose to "Accept" or "Reject". If accepted, the player will establish a bond with the Hellhound.]

[Please choose…]

Irving was stunned, looking incredulously at Little Black who continued wagging its tail, then without hesitation, he chose "Accept."

The next moment, something unexpected happened!