“Spatial door! Open!!!”

The Golden Roc watched the black shadow surge through the air and into the clouds as golden flames erupted over the roc’s body, and he followed suit as he exclaimed.

An enormous black hole appeared in the sky after the Golden Roc’s call. It tore through the space around it, and countless electrical sparks and streaks crackled and flickered.

Ding! Announcement: Your companion has been successful born. The Golden Roc King has used part of his final strength to bestow protection to your companion, which is now active. This protection is also effective on you through your contract.

Ding! Announcement: The Golden Roc King will sacrifice its final strength and vitality for an offering of dazzling fire and smoke for his new king. The Golden Roc King will launch a destructive assault on one of the Demon race’s formidable fortresses. Do you wish to watch with your companion?

Two announcements followed one after another as they rang out in Blue Maple’s ears.

I don’t really want to… Blue Maple thought to himself exasperatedly, but he still chose to accept…

Blue Maple’s body floated into the air and flew rapidly into the sky. He arrived next to the black shadow and stood next to him.

Blue Maple could finally see the black shadow’s true form in this moment.

Blue Maple’s companion is a seemingly plain and unassuming black eagle, but he couldn’t tell what kind of black eagle he was. The black eagle’s wings were closed as he perched himself over empty space, and he did radiate with an unparalleled aura!

Arrogance, sharpness, and unyielding pride flowed from the black eagle’s body.

The black eagle had a look in his eyes like he looked down upon all living creatures in the world, and he was a king who soared between heaven and earth!

The aura of grief from before was nowhere to be seen.

I really shouldn’t have come up here… Blue Maple glanced at the “black eagle” as he thought to himself regretfully.

Are you interested in watching this? The “black eagle” transmitted a voice message to Blue Maple.

“It’s boring down there.” Blue Maple’s response was plain.

“Oh.”

The “black eagle” answered casually, and he shifted his attention to the Golden Roc.

The Golden Roc was burning with golden fire, and his aura continued increasing exponentially. Even Blue Maple could feel that.

The Golden Roc grew stronger as his aura increased. However, his life energy was plummeting at the same time!

That’s like…

Fireworks…

The Golden Roc was using his last moments in life to unleash the most magnificent and brilliant moment of his life!

“Boom, boom, boom!!!”

The enormous black hole suddenly boomed deafeningly as the golden flames burning on the Golden Roc’s body flared vigorously.

“Eeh!!!”

The Golden Roc released a long screech that echoed throughout the skies, and the tremendous black hole above them, which was pitch-black, suddenly became clear!

The Golden Roc charged into the black hole!

What appeared behind the black hole was a gigantic and magnificent fortress!

The fortress’ walls were several hundred meters tall, and sinister defence setups that radiated with thick murderous auras and choking scents of blood peppered these walls. Everything already looked terrifying.

The towering fortress had countless holes and pores, and it looked like a sinister and frightening beast that was prostrate on the dark red ground. Skeletons littered the grounds outside the fortress, and one could clearly see that those skeletons were of many different kinds and shapes!

Blue Maple and his companion could just tilt their heads down from above the black hole to easily watch what was going on at the fortress.

In this moment, the Golden Roc was hovering diagonally above the fortress, and just within Blue Maple and his companion’s field of vision!

The black hole seemed to be completely separated from them, but Blue Maple could sense the Golden Roc’s frightening murderousness from what he could see.

The Golden Roc’s terrifying murderousness that he had accumulated for one hundred years was finally unleashed in full force, and immediately enveloped the entire fortress!

“The Golden Roc King?!”

A voice that sounded utterly surprised could be heard from the fortress. This voice was rough, but sounded like it was full of energy.

“Yes, it’s me! Since when has the Demon race’s Terror Fortress been guarded by grunts like you?”

The Golden Roc mocked his opponent arrogantly. Evidently, the enemy who had spoken couldn’t even be compared on the same level as the Golden Roc.

“You… did you not die one hundred years ago?” That voice continued in shock as a small figure gradually flew out from the fortress and stared at the Golden Roc from afar.

This figure was more than two meters tall, except he appeared particularly small before the Golden Roc.

This figure didn’t seem any different from a human at first sight. However, this figure had a head full of blood-red and messy hair, and his eyes were bloodshot. Otherwise, he didn’t seem much different from a tall human being.

The figure had a very rough look, and his seemed like a middle-aged man as the muscles on his body bulged in a sinister way.

“Dead? Hahaha! Not only have I been alive, our king has also been well. Furthermore, he has been successfully born!” The Golden Roc laughed loudly as he spoke, with pride in his voice.

“Your king? That…” The demon glared with his frightful eyes, and his mouth hung open like he had remembered something.

“You damned bird! So what if your king has been successfully born? We can still find him, and we will crush him like he’s just a little chicken! Furthermore, you’re no your last threads of strength, and you’re just a spirit beast who is about to die. Are you trying to gift me all those natural treasures in your body? Hahaha!”

Dark demonic energy gradually gathered next to this rough-looking demon when a gigantic shadow appeared within all the demonic energy. It was a monster that was several hundred meters tall.

This monster looked like large wild beast, except its upper body was that of a mule, while its lower body was that of a lion!

The first demon felt a chill run down his spine when he saw the other demon appear in its true form.

Barrias, take the most elite demons with you and escape. I’ll buy some time for you! This demon, which had an immense physical appearance, immediately transmitted a voice message hurriedly to the rough-looking demon who had appeared before it.

“Valefor! It’s you. Looks like I am quite lucky today. Hahaha!” The Golden Roc laughed heartily, and he didn’t attempt to hide its excitement at all.

This gigantic demon was part of the Seventy-Two Demon Gods, which were below the Twelve Great Demon Gods, and it was ranked number seven. It was the Bandit Demon God – Valefor!

There’s no time to hesitate. The Golden Roc has successfully allowed their Holy King to be born into this world, and the Golden Roc’s body is dying. He will definitely unleash its hatred and vengeance from over one hundred years. I cannot stop him, and we cannot protect this fortress. Valefor monitored the Golden Roc’s behavior as he continued transmitting messages.

The Golden Roc must have prepared for this for a long time. He must have known that I am the only one guarding the Terror Fortress right now. Furthermore, half of our elite forces have been deployed elsewhere. There is no way we can defend ourselves against it, who is trying to sacrifice its own life! Valefor’s tone was plain but frank, and he knew that he probably didn’t have any chance of surviving today.

“But sir, you…” Barrias’ couldn’t even finish his sentence to express his worry when Valefor interrupted him abruptly.

“There’s no time! Take this chance when he hasn’t changed his mind to leave! The Golden Roc is burning his own life energy to increase his strength exponentially, and I won’t be able to hold him off for long even if I burn my own life energy. Leave, quickly!” Valefor just shouted at Barrias hysterically.

“Yes, sir!” Barrias didn’t hesitate this time. He knelt down on one knee in mid-air and completed his formality as he flew back into the fortress.

“Are you done giving him instructions?” The Golden Roc was just opposite them, but he didn’t stop them even though he could witness everything.

Valefor turned and stared at the Golden Roc when he heard his words.

“The Rocs’ pride and arrogance is truly irritating. When we attacked you back then, we gave you some time so that the other Spirit races, or the other rocs, could leave if they wanted to. You’re returning that favour to us now, so that I can arrange for some demons to leave.” Valefor sounded like he was mocking himself as he didn’t think that he would have had a choice like that.

However, not a single one of the demons who were present would have been able to escape had it not been for the Roc’s pride and arrogance. The Golden Roc control over space wasn’t just average!

The “black eagle” who was watching everything from behind the blackhole didn’t emit a single emotion at all. Clearly, he thought that the Golden Roc’s actions were natural and expected. This was what their pride entailed!

“Hmph. Everything that you say is too late. There’s nothing that you can do with our king. He will undoubtedly grow up quickly and safely, and he will soon become your worst nightmare!” The Golden Roc didn’t hide his hatred at all as he spoke.

“Is that so? Did the proud Rocs hand over their king to humans? Yes, only a contract with humans can allow your king to grow quickly.” Valefor chuckled as he spoke.

Valefor could already sense that his subordinates were starting to take part of the demons away, and he was just chatting idly so that he could buy some more time.

The Golden Roc knew that Valefor was trying to buy time, but he didn’t stop him. He also wanted to continue burning his life energy to accumulate strength and prepare to end this battle directly, and in his strongest possible state!

“So what? Everything is fine as soon as he can grow quickly. Furthermore, I don’t think handing over our king to that human has caused any damage to the Roc’s pride!” The Golden Roc responded with complete disregard.

“Oh? What kind of human is that? A human that can force the proud Rocs to lower their heads?” Valefor clearly wanted to delay even more. But how long could a few sentences buy him?

“Hmph. It’s alright to tell you, since all demons who are here today will die!” The Golden Roc showed no restraint with the murderousness in his voice.

“That person is the strongest human alive, the Sword Hermit, Fang Chen’s disciple!” The Golden Roc uttered proudly. He wanted to look for the Sword Hermit anyway.

“What!!!” Valefor was shaken. He immediately thought about trying to escape when he heard what the Golden Roc had said!

He had to tell the other demons about this news!

“Your king… and that old gangster’s disciple… are together…” Valefor couldn’t imagine what could come after. He didn’t know who Blue Maple was, but…

He was very aware about how powerful the Sword Hermit was!

The Sword Hermit’s heir and the Holy King of bird-type Spirit beasts…

That was unimaginable!

“Haih… Forget it. This outcome has been sealed by fate since that moment when I didn’t kill you. You can only look for the Sword Hermit for help in the end. However, I didn’t think that the Roc’s pride could allow you to delay this for one hundred years so that you could wait for his disciple.” Valefor heaved a sigh as he spoke. Clearly, he had already accepted this reality.

“Hmph. That’s about enough time, and I should make my move. Don’t think about running way. Not even you can escape from the space lock that I have prepared a long time ago!” The Golden Roc was finally going to make his move. The Roc’s pride was the reason why he had dragged their conversation until this point.

The Golden Roc’s aura had become so much stronger than before, and this was also the result of Valefor pushing for more time. The Golden Roc would burn more life energy as more time passed, and he would only get stronger!

“That is quite annoying.” Blue Maple watched everything from behind the black hole as he finally uttered a plain sentence. He was probably referring to the Roc’s pride.

The “black eagle” continued watching quietly, and he didn’t try to dispute Blue Maple’s comment.