NOVEL WEB Chapter 205: Chapter 204: SS-Rank Reward, Thunderstorm!
[Ding~ Congratulations on clearing the hidden dungeon [Snow King's Palace]. You have received an exclusive SS-Rank reward: Level +2 (your level has reached the current Otherworld progression cap; excess experience will be accumulated)]
[Gold Coins +500, Energy +60 billion (with a ten-thousand-fold multiplier applied), Acquired skill book [Thunderstorm] (SS-Rank rare skill), [Warlord Set] +1, [Evolution Scroll] (Epic-grade treasure) +1]
[Ding~ Congratulations! Your treasure [Demon Contract] has been upgraded from Rare to Epic grade, unlocking a new contract: War Contract]
As the system notifications came through, Zhang Yue opened his inventory and retrieved the skill book Thunderstorm.
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[Thunderstorm] (SS-Rank, Rare)
[Effect]: Summon a hurricane at a designated location. Within 3 seconds, the hurricane releases 1,000 lightning bolts, dealing indiscriminate attacks to all enemies within a 50-yard radius. Each enemy can be hit a maximum of 3 times, with each strike inflicting 200% magic attack power as damage.
[Cooldown Time]: 22 seconds.
[Mana Cost]: 985 points.
[Class Requirement]: Mage, Beast Tamer.
[Note]: No level requirement for usage.
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Another AoE skill, and it's rare to boot.
Without hesitation, Zhang Yue immediately learned this skill book, which would fetch at least 50 million in the market.
50 million isn't an exaggeration.
After all, an SS-Rank skill with no level requirements is priceless to mid-tier professionals.
In addition, the Level 45, 6-star Warlord Set was from the same manufacturer as the gear on Overlord Blade.
For the Level 45–50 range, a 6-star plain white set easily holds a value of 20 million.
Since Shadow Predator already had a 6-star Predator Set, Zhang Yue opted for the archer variant of the Warlord Set.
He spent over 27 million energy points to refine the Warlord Set into a full gold-tier set and replaced the Level 35, 4-star Dark Set equipped on his Twenty-Four Winged Extinction Black Dragon.
Upgrading from the Level 35, 4-star Dark Set to the Level 45, 6-star Warlord Set brought a massive boost to the stats of his Abyss Black Dragon.
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[Twenty-four Winged Extinction Black Dragon] (Lv 50, Legendary)
[Physical Attack]: 6,540
[Physical Defense]: 3,020
[Magical Defense]: 2,890
[Health Points]: 34,250
[Mana Points]: 12,496
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As for the final treasure, it was equally valuable.
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[Evolution Scroll] (Epic-grade Treasure)
[Effect]: Use on an Epic-grade or lower pet to upgrade its grade by +1.
[Note]: Requires a third-class pet to use.
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Although Zhang Yue's Necromancer profession allowed pet upgrades through fusion, the efficiency was far too low.
In Zhang Yue's eyes, this Evolution Scroll was equivalent to 10 Epic-grade pets.
Through Necromantic Harvest, collecting 10 Epic-grade "fodder" pets would require 10,000 Normal-grade pets, meaning he'd have to hunt 1 million monsters.
He used it on Shadow Predator to upgrade it to Legendary grade.
Combining it with the effects of the Void Stone, this meant that once Zhang Yue reached Level 70 and completed his third-class promotion, he'd have a Mythical-grade pet.
The SS-Rank rewards might not compare to the SSS-Rank ones he previously obtained, but they were still extremely generous.
No wonder so many people linger in the Sixth Realm every year to farm for S- and SS-Rank rewards.
Next, Zhang Yue glanced at his newly upgraded Demon Contract.
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[Demon Contract] (Upgradeable Treasure)
[Type]: Versatile
[Quality]: Epic (Upgradeable)
[Host]: Zero
[Effect 1]: Energy Contract (When the host gains energy, Demon Contract absorbs an additional 25%, which can be transferred)
[Effect 2]: Experience Contract (When the host gains experience points, Demon Contract absorbs an additional 25%, which can be transferred)
[Effect 3]: Gold Contract (When the host gains money, Demon Contract absorbs an additional 25%)
[Effect 4]: War Contract (The host gains 25% increased damage and 25% damage reduction effects)
[Epic → Legendary Upgrade Task]: The host must gain 20 levels from their current base level (Progress: 0/20)
[Description]: Signing a contract with a demon comes at a price. Will you become the demon's slave or its master...
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The first three effects were all supportive, but finally, a combat-focused contract had awakened.
In addition to the dungeon rewards, the 8-star boss Golden Netherworls Commander dropped several items.
Unfortunately, due to Zhang Yue's high level, killing a Level 45 boss at Level 50 drastically reduced the drop rate. Only three Level 45, 6-star equipment pieces and one rare skill book dropped.
Under normal circumstances, an 8-star boss guarantees 7-star gear, with a chance for 8-star gear.
Despite this, the overall gains from this run were still excellent.
Zhang Yue exited the Snow King's Palace.
Outside the dungeon, the battle was still raging.
The Heaven's Hall, allied with the Tian Family, was still locked in fierce combat with the Glory Guild and Chen Army.
Although the Heaven's Hall members were no weaker than the three major guilds—especially with powerhouses like Overlord Blade and Luo Chen among their ranks—their numbers were too small. With only a few dozen members, they couldn't turn the tide.
That was, until Zhang Yue emerged from the dungeon.
He said little and acted decisively.
Using Hell's Judgment, Necrostorm, and Thunderstorm, three S~SS-Rank rare AoE skills, Zhang Yue unleashed devastating attacks on three separate areas of the battlefield.
BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!
An unrelenting barrage of death beams, undead, and lightning consumed the battlefield.
In an instant, hundreds of white flashes illuminated the field.
The three circular zones Zhang Yue targeted were annihilated completely .
Immediately after, the colossal figure of the Legendary Twenty-Four Winged Extinction Black Dragon descended from the skies, landing in the middle of the battlefield.
ROAR!
A thunderous, earth-shaking roar silenced the crowd, forcing over a thousand Glory Guild and Chen Army players to retreat in terror.
"If you don't want to die, leave!"
At Zhang Yue's calm yet commanding voice, the Glory Guild and Chen Army players glanced at one another in shock.
The next moment, the Glory Guild members retreated on the spot.
The Chen Army followed, albeit grudgingly. "Zero! How dare you oppose the Chen Army! You just wait; we won't let you off!"
"RETREAT!"
Once the Glory Guild and Chen Army had left, Tian Xin'er rushed over to Zhang Yue with joy.
"Zhang Yue, how did you know we were being targeted by the Chen Army and Glory Guild? You even came all the way from Zhejiang to Tianjing to help us!"
"Zhang Yue, you're the best!"
Just as Zhang Yue was about to explain, Tian Yu clapped him on the shoulder.
"If it weren't for you, our Tian Family would've been wiped out by now. Zhang Yue, you're our savior."
At that moment, [Hidden Dragon and Crouching Tiger] sent Zhang Yue a message. ["Did you kill Chen Jun? Did the Demon God's Heart drop?"]
["No."] Zhang Yue, increasingly suspicious of Hidden Dragon, asked, ["Who are you?"]
After a long pause, the reply came: ["I'm Chen Long, 19 years old, 1.88 meters tall. I don't smoke or drink, and I swear I'm clean—no gambling or drugs."]
["Big bro, anything else you wanna know?"]
Zhang Yue: ["What's your relationship with Misty Rain Pavilion's Chen Jun?"]
After a while, the reply came: ["I'm his cousin."]
Reading this response, Zhang Yue wasn't surprised at all. Instead, he felt a sense of clarity.
"As expected..."
The answer to the mystery was finally becoming clear.
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