Translator: AnubisTL
Each impact sent a second-tier being vomiting blood, their defenses shattered.
With practice, she even melted the metal sand into molten lava using electromagnetic heating.
Then, she manipulated the scorching lava like a living entity, using it for both offense and defense.
It was a completely one-sided battle!
Faced with Augusta's overwhelming assault, the already treacherous enemies quickly crumbled.
But by then, Augusta had no intention of letting them escape.
Against those trying to flee, she condensed metal sand or lava into high-density projectiles, launching them with electromagnetic propulsion at astonishing speeds for long-range sniping.
The dozen or so second-tier beings were utterly crushed by Augusta's supernatural "Electromagnetic Domination," reduced to mere "weaklings."
Almost single-handedly, she had suppressed over a dozen second-tier beings and the entire defensive system of the fortress on the main battlefield!
Finally, after several minutes of relentless slaughter, Augusta annihilated all the enemies.
The interior of the Swamp Fortress had been utterly destroyed by metallic sand and lava, leaving only crumbling ruins.
Finally, the swirling metallic sand and residual lightning converged around her, coalescing into a spiraling lightning pillar that crackled with deafening explosions.
The lightning pillar, infused with super-dense iron sand heated to a crimson glow, pierced through the fallen priest's still-recovering chest with unstoppable force.
"Aaaah!!"
The fallen priest let out a short, desperate scream as his body instantly vaporized under the lightning pillar's impact, leaving behind only a massive energy void and air thick with the stench of burning flesh.
With the Core Divine Official's death, the divine power connection to the Corrupted Swamp Fortress was severed. The fortress rapidly collapsed, and the remaining corrupted creatures, deprived of their divine power, swiftly disintegrated into puddles of foul-smelling pus.
As the battle concluded, a flicker of pain finally crossed Augusta's usually expressionless face. The battle had pushed her to her absolute limits.
The electric arcs around her faded, and the metallic sand that had swirled around her fell lifelessly to the ground.
Her body lurched violently, and she collapsed to one knee, gasping for breath.
Her mental power was nearly exhausted, and her entire body throbbed with pain, as if pierced by countless needles.
She had pushed her mental power far beyond its limits during the battle.
Her teammates stared at her in shock, never imagining Augusta could possess such formidable strength.
At that moment, the ethereal projection of the divine being reappeared in the sky, accompanied by the vision of the planar barrier tearing open—a sign of the second ranking list's release.
Augusta felt a massive influx of information flood her mind, accompanied by an instantaneous surge in her contribution points!
Her name shot up the overall ranking list, breaking through to third place with unstoppable momentum.
Yet she felt no pride in this achievement.
Her gaze pierced straight through her own name, settling on the very top of the list, on that dazzling, almost blinding name: "Jieming"!
Augusta pressed her lips together, then a pale but fiercely determined smile curved her lips.
Clenching her fist unconsciously, she murmured:
"...Jieming, you haven't disappointed me after all. But this is just the beginning. I haven't... lost yet!"
On the other side of the camp, Jieming stood at the edge, casting one last glance back at the brightly lit area.
Though he hated to admit it, bidding farewell to Amy and Victor had brought him an unprecedented sense of freedom.
Teaming up with them had certainly provided significant advantages. For instance, venturing alone into the wilderness would have drained his mental power and focus rapidly due to prolonged tension. With teammates, he could at least take short breaks at night.
Moreover, during his advancement to first-tier wizard, the massive energy fluctuations would have easily attracted enemies from afar, but their vigilance had kept him safe.
Even when facing the blood angel, their seamless coordination had bought Jieming the precious time needed to activate his spell artifact, without which victory would have been impossible.
Yet, to accommodate their feelings, Jieming had also imposed considerable limitations on himself.
Take the leaderboard, for example.
First place on the leaderboard?
It was just a number.
While it did offer tangible benefits, it wasn't something Jieming cared much about.
For a long time, Jieming had been working with his companions to complete missions, prioritizing their emotions and interests over his own. This conflicted with his true desire: to truly experience this plane, not just treat it as a mission objective.
He removed all symbols of the Noren Academy from his person and stowed away his conspicuous spell artifacts, keeping only a few core rune-imbued magical artifacts concealed beneath his clothing.
In their place, he donned a set of plain leather armor, rough and practical, resembling the attire of the wandering warriors common in this plane.
"This disguise should suffice," Jieming murmured to himself, his fingers lightly tracing the hilt of the short sword at his waist.
As a cultivator in the foundation establishment realm, Jieming possessed remarkable control over his physical body.
His every movement exuded superhuman coordination and explosive power. Combined with the physical enhancements granted by meditation, his natural physique rivaled that of elite warriors in the Elosia Plane.
Moreover, the Inner Circulation Method he had mastered was not merely for suppressing a cultivator's power.
When necessary, he could completely seal off the surging mental power of his wizard within, rendering his aura indistinguishable from that of an ordinary mortal.
Recalling the combat techniques of the warriors he had observed, Jieming practiced diligently.
He quickly learned to subtly channel a wisp of mental power into each sword swing, drawing upon the surrounding elemental power to amplify his strikes. Each slash now carried a force beyond mortal comprehension, yet bore no trace of wizardry.
Perfect!
He had now mastered the art of perfectly disguising himself as a powerful warrior of this world.
No longer fixated solely on accumulating contribution points, Jieming chose to venture deep into the heart of Elosia.
His purpose was to immerse himself in the plane's unique culture and vitality, experiencing its customs and landscapes firsthand.
Simultaneously, he intended to seize this opportunity to gather rare materials essential for his artifact forging endeavors.
After several days of traversing forests and wilderness, Jieming finally arrived at Golden Harbor, a bustling metropolis within the Elosia Plane.
According to his research, this port city ranked among the top five most prosperous human settlements.
However, such prosperity also meant stricter regulations. Using his scouting eye, Jieming detected trouble even before reaching the city gates.
Although this world appeared to be at a medieval technological level, its population census was surprisingly strict.
To enter another city, one had to possess an identity certificate and a letter of introduction. Without these, city guards would stop travelers, subjecting them to questioning at best and arrest at worst.
The only individuals who could move relatively freely between cities and regions were adventurers.
However, even adventurers had their own special certificates and identity information registered with the adventurer's guild.
Jieming didn't rush in recklessly.
He waited patiently by several small paths near Golden Harbor for over half a month, his patience as unwavering as a hunter lying in wait.
During this time, the rankings were updated again. It was clear that Jieming's previous climb to the top had spurred the geniuses into action, as he now found himself in fourth place.
However, these rankings held little significance for Jieming. He continued to observe the passersby, searching for the most suitable "target."
Finally, he spotted a weary-looking adventurer.
The man wore worn leather armor, carried a heavy pack, and his face was covered in wind-blown dust. He muttered curses under his breath as he walked.
From his fragmented words, Jieming deduced that the man had just completed a delivery mission in another town and was preparing to head to the next one.
This meant the man was carrying the Adventurer's Identity Certificate and Mission Credentials for the next destination.
In a secluded mountain hollow, Jieming discreetly eliminated the man.
Staring at the corpse at his feet, Jieming fell silent.
He realized how completely he had changed. Even killing someone he had no quarrel with stirred no psychological turmoil within him.
"Ah... it seems one's position truly shapes one's perspective," Jieming sighed.
Without hesitation, he reached out and touched the man's head, using a soul search spell artifact to extract all the memories from the man's mind.
The memories unfolded in his mind like a vast library—the adventurer's name, experiences, behavior patterns, speech habits, familiarity with the environment, and all mission-related information.
With his formidable mental power, Jieming perfectly mastered these memories in an instant.
He retrieved several special plant materials he had collected recently from his storage ring and swiftly refined them into a disguise potion with an eerie, shimmering glow.
This potion was the result of the workshop's specialized research into planar disguise.
He drank it in one gulp. As the potion slid down his throat, a strange power instantly surged through his entire body.
Jieming felt his body being stretched and reshaped. His bones clicked softly as they shifted, and his muscles writhed.
In an instant, his height subtly changed, and the contours of his face adjusted.
When the transformation subsided, Jieming saw a completely unfamiliar reflection in the Five Aggregates Rainbow Transformation Mirror—it was an exact replica of the adventurer he had just encountered.
This disguise was semi-permanent, as it involved actual changes to his bones and flesh. Unless Jieming drank the antidote, the transformation would remain in effect.
Jieming picked up the Adventurer's Identity Certificate and Mission Credentials from the ground, a perfectly replicated weary smile spreading across his face.
He blended into the line of people waiting to enter the city, relying on the newly acquired memories in his mind to navigate the city guard's routine inspection.
"Next! Identity Certificate, Mission Credentials!" the city guard's voice boomed.
"Here." Jieming handed over the two documents.
His voice, tone, and even the subtle impatience in his eyes were identical to the adventurer in his memories.
The guard glanced at the documents, then at Jieming's face, which matched the portrait on the certificate perfectly. Confirming he was just a poor adventurer, the guard waved him through dismissively. "Three copper coins for the entrance fee. Go ahead! Next time, come earlier!"
"Yeah, yeah, enough nagging," Jieming muttered, tossing three copper coins onto the counter before swaggering through the gates of Golden Harbor.
(End of the Chapter)
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