Chapter 13: Chapter Thirteen: Amberfiends Uprising

Chapter Thirteen: Amberfiends Uprising

System: [Congratulations! Your Silver Watch has leveled up. Upgrading system model.

Current Level: 1

[Strength Evolution Path Detected.]

[Exclusive Path Reward Granted: 𝕗𝗿𝕖𝐞𝐰𝗲𝕓𝐧𝕠𝕧𝗲𝐥.𝚌𝐨𝚖

<Watch-to-Handgun Mode unlocked on your Silver Watch.

Weapon Model: Grey Eagle (Low-Power Variant). Limited to 2 shots per day.>]

[Endurance Evolution Path Detected.]

[Exclusive Path Reward Granted:

<Watch-to-Grey Shield Mode unlocked on your Silver Watch. Duration: 30 seconds. Cooldown: 1hr.>]

[Speed Evolution Path Detected]

[Exclusive Path Reward Granted:

<Watch-to-Grey Dagger unlocked on your Silver Watch. Limitation: None.]

[Sight Evolution Path Detected.]

[Exclusive Path Reward Granted:

<Laser Beam Ability unlocked on your System Lenses. Limited to 1 beam per day.

Discharge: 1 Beam Available.>]

[Sound Evolution Path Detected.]

[Exclusive Path Reward Granted:

<Sonic Wave Ability unlocked on your System Relay.

Type: Focused Acoustic Shockwave.

Usage: 1 per 24 hrs.>]

[Blood Evolution Path Detected.]

[Exclusive Path Reward Granted:

<Basic Breathing Technique.]

[It has been detected that you possess all exclusive path rewards. Granting additional rewards.

Rewards: (Double Username Privilege) and (Blueprint: Lightweight Mecha Arm Module).]

---

’Finally...’ Valen thought while piercing the heart of another Amberfiend.

His heart raced whenever he remembered the rewards granted to him.

They were simply too lucrative. The mech blueprint especially felt unreal.

In this era of advanced technology and war against the Day Walkers, Power Suits and Mechs had become essential tools that might decide the victor of the war.

Every Mech and Power Suit had undergone immense research and refinement, with designs revised thousands of times before the blueprints were perfected. It was nearly impossible for Evolvers to obtain such designs since they were considered top-secret military assets.

Only Forgers and Mechanics who signed the strictest contracts would ever gain access to those blueprints for practice. Yet Valen was staring at a mech blueprint granted by the system without any apparent restrictions or binding contracts.

A faint chill crept into his chest. Was this really allowed? Would he be hunted down? Those thoughts lingered in Valen’s mind for several seconds before he forced himself to move on.

’Forget it. I’ve already seen it anyway. Now that it’s in my hands, nobody should dream of taking it back. Besides, the system rewarded me for possessing the privileges of every path. This must have been a rule established by Great General Eustace himself when he created the system.’

Valen steadied his breathing, though his pulse continued hammering in excitement.

Although he had focused heavily on the mech blueprint, the other rewards were equally outstanding. With the privilege of owning two usernames, he could also possess two IDs, something that would become incredibly useful in the future.

The reward that astonished him the most, however, was the Basic Breathing Technique.

Every Evolver who used Trophic to temper their body knew there was a limit. Once that threshold was reached, they would feel bloated and would need physical exercise to circulate the clogged-up trophic energy properly.

Trophic energy was released from the abyss during its opening more than a century ago. Since then, traces of it had lingered in the atmosphere, though the concentration remained extremely minuscule. Humans from Greenfield were also born with a faint resistance toward it.

Only abyssal beasts or native humans from the Astral Veil could continuously absorb trophic energy without limitation because they had been born within that environment and naturally adapted to it.

Humanity eventually recognized this issue as a major obstacle.

After countless studies, researchers developed a method capable of releasing clogged-up trophic energy without exercise. This method became known as a Breathing Technique. Unfortunately, only Blood Path Evolvers could fully utilize it for reasons that remained unknown.

Even after decades of improvements, the technique still worked best for Blood Path Evolvers. For Evolvers of other paths, the effects were limited, making ordinary exercise far more efficient.

Even though he had only obtained a basic version, Valen remained ecstatic. He never expected the Level 1 rewards to be this extraordinary.

A burning ambition surged within him. He wanted to raise his Watch to Level 10 as quickly as possible.

"Friend Night Star, something seems off," a low whisper behind him said, snapping Valen out of his thoughts.

He glanced behind him and saw Forgotten Maple and the others gripping their weapons tightly while staring at something horrifying in the distance.

A bad feeling surfaced in Valen’s chest. Slowly, he turned around and focused his enhanced vision ahead.

After battling their way forward for some time, the massive fortified walls leading to the Elite Sector had finally come into view.

Yet the moment Valen saw them, dread replaced any sense of relief.

Atop the enormous walls stood a long line of Amberfiends.

Unlike the Amberfiends from the Normal Sector, these ones wore iron armour. Even from such a distance, Valen could sense their overwhelming presence.

They definitely were not Level 1, 2, or 3.

They were likely beyond that.

’Level 5?’ Valen gasped inwardly.

The city lord certainly wasn’t an idiot. If this place had truly been prepared as a training ground for new Evolvers, then every monster above Level 1 should have already been eliminated.

After all, in front of a Level 2 Amberfiend, anyone below Level 1 was little more than an ant. In front of a Level 3 Amberfiend, everyone below Level 3 would suffer the same fate.

And now, Valen stood before an army of suspected Level 5 Amberfiends.

From this distance, he couldn’t use the Inspect skill effectively since the system required a closer scan.

The system wasn’t omniscient. It merely analyzed targets and compared gathered information against its database to estimate levels and classifications. Sometimes, it could even be wrong.

But Valen understood one thing clearly.

Even if the system labeled those Amberfiends as Level 1, he would still be slaughtered before them.

"Everyone, run! Contact the outside and request reinforcements!" Valen shouted before sprinting toward the entrance of the Normal Sector.

The other parties nearby also turned and fled. Staying here meant certain death.

While running, Valen summoned the blue interface and posted a message on the White Star City Forum.

Night Star: < An uprising has occurred within the Black Ruin Castle. Seeking reinforcements. >

The moment he sent the message, a reply arrived.

Deep Sigh: < The Grey Land checkpoint is under siege by a Level 30 Feral Amberfiend and several hundred minions. We’re trying to suppress it, so assistance is unavailable. Reinforcements from the nearest checkpoint should arrive in 20 minutes. Hold on until then! >

Valen’s face beneath the mask turned pale after reading the report.

Where had so many powerful Amberfiends come from?

Weren’t they supposed to have already been exterminated?

He pushed those thoughts aside after noticing the Amberfiends leap from the fortified walls before charging directly toward them.

Their speed was monstrous.

Valen estimated they crossed nearly five hundred metres every three seconds, leaving afterimages behind them. At that pace, nobody inside the training grounds could possibly escape.

"Everyone, prepare for battle," Valen ordered once he realized the Amberfiends were almost upon them.

He tapped his obsidian armour and muttered, "Activate full form."

With a metallic click, the black armour shifted.

Liquid metal spread from his shoulders down toward his arms before hardening into gauntlets. Blades extended from the backs of his hands.

At the same time, two miniature guns emerged beside his ears from the armour near his shoulders.

The metallic substance also flowed downward, covering his legs and feet before solidifying into a complete Power Suit.

The black armour had been specially customized by the system as a reward for his SSS-grade rating. It would have been disappointing if it merely functioned as ordinary armour without offensive capabilities or aiming assistance.

Furthermore, this wasn’t his first time seeing a Power Suit since his sister owned one as well. He knew such suits were designed with dual forms for convenience.

That was also one of the reasons he hadn’t brought the Silver Box from home.

After questioning Alex, he discovered the Silver Box lacked an armour mode and only possessed the complete suit form.

Without an armour mode, he would need to walk around in a full-body Power Suit constantly, something no right-minded person would willingly do. Carrying the box everywhere was equally impractical. If he somehow lost it, even endless regret wouldn’t make up for the loss.

Because of that, he had hidden the Silver Box in a secret location inside his room that only he could access.

Now, however, he regretted that decision slightly.

Even though he had activated the full form of his current Power Suit, it was merely a Level 5 D-rank model. At best, it could absorb limited damage.

Compared to the Silver King’s Armour, this suit was complete trash.

Valen wasn’t the only one preparing for battle.

Abandoned Protocol removed five red arrows from her quiver while every Speed Path Evolver transformed their Silver Watches into grey daggers.

Night Vanguard and Frost Byte raised their shields.

Void Striker transformed his watch into a Grey Eagle handgun.

Meanwhile, Crimson Pulse—the Blood Path Evolver—retrieved several spherical objects from his pockets.

Everyone stared ahead with tense expressions.

Moments later, the Amberfiends arrived before them.

Surprisingly, the monsters didn’t stop.

Instead, they rushed straight past the gathered Evolvers.

’What’s going on?’ confusion spread through the crowd.

Valen’s expression changed instantly once he understood their intention.

Before anyone could react, the Amberfiends reached the exit of the first courtyard.

Then, they spread around the area, completely surrounding the escape route.

"ROOO!"

One of the Level 5 Amberfiends released a deafening roar.

Immediately afterward, the lower-level Amberfiends throughout the training grounds charged toward nearby Evolvers with savage hunger burning in their eyes.

Ten Level 5 Amberfiends also separated from the group guarding the exit before plunging into battle.

One appeared before an Evolver in a blur and swung its wooden axe downward.

The Evolver stood no chance against that attack.

Just before the axe could crush his skull, the Silver Watch on his wrist exploded into a white barrier above him.

Bang!

The Level 5 Amberfiend was blasted backward.

Everyone in the training grounds froze in shock.

Valen recovered first and shouted, "Everyone, head to the Elite Sector! That’s our only chance of survival!"

Although he knew the lifesaving barrier of the Silver Watch could save him once, owing ten thousand points to the system was something he wanted to avoid unless absolutely necessary.

His decision also wasn’t made recklessly.

So many Amberfiends had abandoned the Elite Sector simultaneously that there couldn’t possibly be many powerful ones left behind.

There was also the siege occurring at the Grey Land Checkpoint.

After considering all those factors together, Valen concluded that their best chance of survival likely lay beyond the Elite and Hero Sectors.

Fighting the Amberfiends directly would only become a final resort.

Their speed alone filled him with despair, and they were also clad in armour.

Valen, his teammates, and the remaining Evolvers sprinted desperately toward the Elite Sector walls.

Perhaps realizing pursuit was unnecessary, the Level 5 Amberfiends stayed behind and allowed the lower-level monsters to continue the chase instead.

Once they reached the massive walls, Valen retrieved a Silver Card and pressed it against the surface.

"System, activate emergency mode," he said anxiously.

---

System: [Criteria for emergency mode have been met. All humans may proceed to the next sector.]

---

A narrow opening appeared within the wall, and everyone rushed through it.

The instant the Amberfiends attempted to follow, a destructive white beam erupted from the wall and obliterated every monster attempting to cross.

The sight made everyone release sighs of relief.

However, the moment they looked around at their surroundings, that relief disappeared.