Chapter 1172 - 579: Waiting in Hell_2

The Perception Attribute is the highest among all adventurers present, with Xia Nan standing in the crowd, making the most of this brief moment to observe the situation on the field.

From the simple details he had investigated, he judged that the scene in front of him was most likely indeed a conflict between "Algae Scale" Dodd and the Sha Hua Fishmen, rather than a disguise set up to confuse everyone.

Of course, internal strife is a good thing, but Xia Nan’s focus was not on this aspect.

His dark eyes stared at Dodd ahead, quickly scanning over the opponent’s body.

Then, as if discovering something, his gaze fixed between Dodd’s neck.

There, amidst the blood, a metal chain was seen faintly wrapping around his thick neck and disappearing into the shirt beneath.

If looked at closely, one could further notice that at the end of the necklace, a circular object subtly protruded beneath his shirt.

Like two magnets drawing close, the right ring finger vibrated intensely, the silver-white ring transformed by the [Dream Weaving Corridor] emitted an unusual heat flow.

Although not yet confirmed, it was unclear what shape the necklace on Dodd’s neck was.

However, the abnormal reaction of the [Dream Weaving Corridor] ring proved—the necklace hanging on Dodd’s neck was indeed the [Dream Weaving Corridor] key Xia Nan had traveled far from inland to the seaside, desperately seeking!

His facial expression remained unchanged, but Xia Nan’s heart jumped fiercely, almost rushing into the field immediately.

Fortunately, his determination was excellent, knowing that at such moments, impatience couldn’t prevail, especially when surrounded by adventurous strangers whose stances might shift at any time, and enemies like "Algae Scale" Dodd and the Sha Hua Fishmen still survived.

Nearly forty adventurers suddenly arriving at the shore caused quite a commotion.

Even as seniors were already battle-ready, the various sounds they made were relatively restrained but could not possibly remain unnoticed.

"Tsk."

Breathing heavily, he spat a mouthful of bloody phlegm onto the ground.

The blood on his arm, driven downward by gravity, spread along the length of the sword.

Dodd glanced sideways at Xia Nan and others, his facial expression showing no hint of despair amid death.

Before him were Sha Hua Fishmen who wanted to turn him into a ritual offering, behind him were adventurers who deemed him an enemy, eager to decapitate him.

Having suffered severe wounds since the start of the ritual, aware that in the current situation, survival chances were slim.

Having roamed the Southern Islands for many years, he had contemplated his eventual fate.

Although sudden, as death’s presence grew thicker, feeling the rapid loss of life force inside.

Dodd was prepared in his heart to die.

"Heh... heh hahaha..."

The blood-stained corners of his mouth suddenly lifted, holding the Longsword upside down, stabbing the tip into the sand, almost bearing the entire weight on the sword hilt.

Like a madman, "Algae Scale" Dodd released a grim and twisted laugh unconsciously.

He slowly lifted his head, his gaze passed over the Fishmen Commander who mistakenly believed the adventurers were his reinforcements, ceasing their attack briefly, landing lightly on Priest Uek, whose aged face was covered in flesh folds.

Then twisted his neck, his gaze swept back and forth over the adventurers behind.

Whether the emitted aura was excessively similar or due to some mysterious sense of the dying.

Xia Nan felt Dodd’s gaze swept extra many times over him, seemingly recognizing Xia Nan’s identity from the Secret Realm.

"Hey, over there, how’s it going playing in the Secret Realm I set up, who among you dealt with the Red Dragon and the final Black Wolf?"

"Forget it, that’s not important now."

Leaning on the Longsword, Dodd grinned.

His facial expression was unprecedentedly relaxed.

"Don’t think this ends once I’m dead."

"See that ugly old fish up front, uglier than a hound?"

"Look at the altar behind him, and those corpses piled together."

"You know what the old guy plans to do, if you want to get out alive, better hurry... after my death."

When death’s arrival was inevitable, past pressures from transcendent promotion, enemies, power, and money faded away accordingly.

He accepted his fate calmly, making a final declaration to possibly the last group of people to have seen him alive.

"Dodd, ’Algae Scale’, remember my name."

"I will be waiting in Hell for you, damn bastards."

Buzz—

At the instant "Algae Scale" Dodd’s last word escaped his lips, platinum magic radiance suddenly exploded from his scarred and battered body.

Seemingly igniting even his soul, platinum flames soared from his body’s surface, draining every ounce of life force within.

Like a human-shaped explosive, contracting, releasing.

In a deafening roar, the blinding radiance swept indiscriminately towards its surroundings.

Adventurers, situated at a distance, had adequate reaction time.

Once the radiance exploded, experienced seniors had already executed their defensive tactics, some like Xia Nan shielded defensively, while rugged warriors or barbarians used defensive Battle Skill to protect teammates behind.

By contrast, those Sha Hua Fishmen engaged with Dodd, almost in his line of sight, had much less reaction time.

A trio of Fishmen Commanders faced the platinum energy’s impact at close range.

One had its head blown off, dying instantly; another was devoured by beams, losing its lower body, alive but painfully wailing, unlikely to last long.

The last was severely injured, its molten metal armor fused with scales beneath, smoking, its entire body showing burn marks.

"Buzz... crack."

A shimmering blue, semi-transparent shield vibrated violently, then burst like a bubble.

Revealing beneath its protection, virtually unharmed, only faintly fatigued from excessive casting, Fishman Priest Uek.

Cloudy eyes radiating white light gazed at the distant intruding adventurers.

Its lips moved, uttering Sha Hua Fishman Language indiscernible to Xia Nan and the others.

Subsequently, with seawater waves surging, Sha Hua Fishmen henchmen, previously hidden and held in reserve, leaped out under the guidance of their Elite Guards and Fishmen Commanders, roaring as they advanced towards Xia Nan and others.

Then, exerting gentle force with his arm.

The tip of the Bone White Staff shimmered with blue light.

In the center of the field ahead, Dodd’s remains, charred and smoking, were lifted by a semi-transparent hand from nowhere, dragged toward the corpse pit.

The situation on the field developed rapidly.

In just a few minutes, from arriving at the coast discovering enemy strife, to Dodd’s self-detonation, now barely recovered from the frontal energy shock, the Fishmen had encircled and charged.

Adventurers even had yet to grasp the detailed unfolding of events, still indulging in delight over the enemy’s internal conflict, astonished by Dodd the Great Pirate’s self-detonating act, few paid attention to Uek’s motion with the corpses.

The[Dream Weaving Corridor] key lay upon the body, Xia Nan constantly kept the aged Fishman Priest’s actions under close observation.

Consequently perceiving sharply, that with "Algae Scale" Dodd’s death, the last piece of prime offering had replenished.

Sudden condensation of magic particles above the corpse pit, and faintly distorted air surrounding the towering Coral Altar.

"That damned Fishman Priest intends to hold a Sacrificial Ceremony!"

Beside him, another meticulous adventurer sensed the anomaly slightly later, loudly alerting teammates.

"Stop it!"

"Don’t let it succeed!!!"