Chapter 419: Teldron Island
The reason everyone couldn't sit still was simple—just take the Firearms Genius talent as an example. A 33% attack power increase when using guns after the job change was nothing short of a game-changer.
So, for those aiming to perform well in the professional league, the major esports clubs issued a strict order: every Wandering Gunslinger in the club must complete the transfer this time.
XB later published a detailed dungeon guide on the forum, especially for the most challenging third and fourth bosses. His "mechanical swarm" tactic—each player deploying three turrets—gave countless players, long tormented by the instance, a glimmer of hope. Soon, a new variant called the mechanical decoy strategy spread, using taunting mechanical dummies to absorb the third boss's mind control. As a result, all the mechanical golems Zhou Ning had mass-produced while upgrading his Puppet Alchemy skill sold out instantly.
With a clear strategy and upgraded mechanical gear, the only remaining obstacle for players was their own damage output. Even the overpowered Wolf-Dog Squad had barely beaten the time limit, so everyone else could only keep grinding and retrying. But with the 30% pre–version 2.0 experience buff active, top-tier teams steadily began completing their own transfers as well.
Compared to the players' mix of frustration and excitement, Zhou Ning—besides having a much heavier wallet—had fallen into what could only be described as an Infinite Tsukuyomi cast by Professor Bislok (so to speak).
Professor Bislok could never have imagined dying so many times.
Killed, revived, killed again, revived again—over and over. Zhou Ning cleared the dungeon run in under three minutes each time, grinding nonstop for two whole days. He filled his entire inventory with various magical off-hands and small wands. Even Little Deathwing had leveled all the way up to 60 from leeching experience, finally becoming somewhat combat-ready.
And yet, that elusive weapon—[Arrow God Boudica's Self-Slaying Crossbow]—still refused to drop.
Even though Zhou Ning wasn't in any real hurry, frustration inevitably began to creep in. He couldn't help but wonder if the weapon even existed in the loot pool.
Still, there was one silver lining: after two days of continuous grinding, Little Deathwing had grown to four meters long with a nine-meter wingspan. It was nowhere near the level of a world-ending guardian dragon, but it was perfectly adequate as both a mount and a combat pet.
Its skill list had also expanded to include three new abilities—a Dragon Breath, a Stone Spike attack, and a terrain-altering skill called Earth Fission, which could cause the ground to collapse.
Now Zhou Ning could simply pull the mobs together, open with Silver Light Falling Blade to knock them into the air, then have Little Deathwing follow up with Earth Fission and Dragon Breath. He didn't even need to use Seventh Wing Movement anymore—just finishing off the survivors with Conqueror's Haki was enough.
Finally, on his 352nd "Infinite Tsukuyomi" run, when Professor Bislok once again gasped his last breath, Zhou Ning's eyes caught a faint silver-white glow beside the corpse—a hand crossbow radiating a deep, eerie light.
"At last!"
Zhou Ning let out a long sigh of relief. He never imagined the drop rate would be below 0.3%.
He crouched down and picked up the loot. Just as expected, it was a nerfed version of the original weapon—three properties weakened.
[Arrow God Boudica's Hand Crossbow]
Quality: Epic Equipment
Attack Power: 169–679
Attack Speed: Slow
Required Level: 60
Attributes: Strength +3, Agility +17
Special Effect: When attacking, generates a powerful magic arrow. If this magic arrow kills a target, it extracts and imprisons the target's soul within the weapon. Can imprison up to 1 soul.
To be honest, the weapon was pretty mediocre—low damage, slow attack speed, weak stats—but that final special effect made it more than worth it.
Zhou Ning carefully placed the weapon into his inventory. From this moment on, his hunt for the wicked souls would begin.
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December 26th, Tuesday, 4:32 p.m.
Dressed in a white shirt, Zhou Ning stood by the window, gazing out at the ocean view.
Over the past two days of sailing, the Wings of Freedom had passed the wine island of Christatia and entered the shared territorial waters of the Sepharic Kingdom and the Byron Republic. Naturally, the weather had turned colder, and the sea breeze grew sharper and chillier.
In less than two hours, the ship would dock at the capital of the Motley Archipelago—Teldron Island. This would be the final stop on their journey before setting sail again for their destination: the "City of Law," Nathaniel, capital of the Sepharic Kingdom.
Located at the crossroads of the territorial waters of the Sepharic Kingdom, Byron Republic, and Bryston Kingdom, the Motley Archipelago boasted not only an exceptionally strategic location but also served as the commercial hub of the entire Western Continent.
Merchants from every nation gathered here, flooding Teldron Island with trade and transit goods.
As a result, the island hosted a large number of powerful official Transcendents. Even the Sea God Church maintained a major outpost here, overseen by a resident bishop.
And since Teldron Island wasn't far from the Sea God Church's cathedral on Weymot Island, deep within the Misty Sea, the bishop stationed here was also a demigod.
The one overseeing the entire Motley Archipelago, Angus Motley, wielded authority backed by both the Sea God Church and the Sepharic Kingdom—a demigod of immense prestige and power. That was why the fat noble who had disguised himself as "Pluton" during the Transcendent gathering was delusional to think a mere 50,000-Veckta bounty could buy the assassination of Angus Motley.
Teldron Island also hosted the second-largest market for transcendent materials and occult items in the entire Western Continent, frequented by adventurers and pirates alike.
According to the ship's itinerary, the Wings of Freedom would dock on Teldron Island for twelve hours. Zhou Ning planned to take advantage of that time to explore the marketplace.
Just then, a light knock came from the door.
When Zhou Ning opened it, red-haired Robinson stood smiling in the hallway.
"We're almost at Teldron Island," he said cheerfully. "Once we dock, don't head ashore just yet. I'll take you to the Sea God Church to collect your bounty."
"Alright." Zhou Ning nodded with a smile.
Ever since Zhou Ning had saved the ship, Robinson's attitude had grown incredibly warm. Meals in the ship's dining hall were now free for Zhou Ning, something he still wasn't entirely used to.
Before long, the Wings of Freedom glided smoothly into port, arriving at Teldron Island, capital of the Motley Archipelago.
About one-third of the passengers were disembarking here. Zhou Ning noticed that the fat noble who had ordered the hit on Angus Motley was also among them. His two bodyguards each carried a heavy suitcase as they made their way down the corridor to the deck.
When they saw Zhou Ning, their arrogance from the first encounter was gone—they lowered their heads respectfully.
Zhou Ning wondered whether, after purchasing that sealed scroll containing a level-seven summoned creature at the Transcendent gathering, the fat noble would still dare to make a move.
After watching them disembark, Zhou Ning waited a few minutes on deck before Robinson arrived with several crewmen, escorting Hurricane Spike and Sea Serpent Steinbeck. After two days in custody, both men looked exhausted and beaten—clearly, the interrogations had been rough.
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