The Emperor Flame Turtle seems to have undergone some kind of mutation, causing a Molten Fire Flower to grow atop its head.

It appears to have just awakened from a slumber, most likely startled by the commotion caused by others around the Molten Fire Flower.

As a Level 2 Demon, the Emperor Flame Turtle's presence is overwhelmingly powerful, instilling a sense of alarming crisis among everyone present.

Duke finally understood that the pulsating beat he sensed earlier was not an illusion, but the heartbeat of the Emperor Flame Turtle deep underground.

Its enormous body, resembling molten gold, rose fully from the shattered earth, each breath inciting a scorching sulfur storm.

Molten lava flowed across the dark-gold shell, the massive head hung low, eyelids covered in thick scale armor lifted slowly to reveal furnace-like vertical pupils.

The Molten Fire Flower was rooted at the center of its head, swaying gently with each breath, emitting an allure that was both attractive and deadly.

Its gaze swept over the tiny ant-like figures, finally fixing on the core area of the recent conflict, where lingering traces of the burly man's presence and ripples of a shattered energy shield remained.

A deeper roar, carrying destructive fury, rolled from its throat, causing the surrounding magma to boil and the ground to shake violently.

At this moment, Duke was already accelerating away on the yellow sand at his feet, having been on the periphery of the area from the start, responding quickly to escape.

However, the power of a Level 2 Life-form is beyond their imagination, and this was Duke's first time facing a direct attack from a Level 2 Life-form.

The Emperor Flame Turtle swung its enormous head, spewing forth a flood of dark-gold molten lava, sticky like liquid fire, sweeping towards all who attempted to flee.

Everywhere the torrent passed, the air was scorched and distorted, and the ground transformed instantly into a boiling lake of lava.

The lava flood nearly brushed past the backs of Duke and Merrick, the terrifying heat and shockwave flinging them violently.

Duke wasn't much affected due to his sand shield, while Merrick relied on his protective Witchcraft Artifact to fend off the raging energy and remained unharmed.

Yet the violent energy still flung them in opposite directions, smoke and dust obscuring each other's positions.

There was no time to consider much, they could only rely on their skills for survival.

The next moment, it was as if a group of volcanoes simultaneously erupted, countless thick pillars of fire mixed with blazing rock fragments surged skyward from the gaps in the turtle's back, covering hundreds of meters of the sky.

Fiery rain descended, striking precisely at each energy wave attempting to escape.

The ground was blasted into charred pits, stones instantly vaporized.

This indiscriminate saturation attack completely segmented and sealed off the chaotic battlefield.

Duke's pupils contracted abruptly, a fire pillar several meters in diameter, carrying deadly debris, was crashing down upon him.

An avalanche of yellow sand instantly gathered above him, layering continuously, forming a solid fortress at the moment of impact to block the descending attack.

The deafening explosion sounded in his ears, debris fell like hail.

Duke, somewhat dizzy, looked up to find itself in smoke and cinders, with the terrifying mountain-like silhouette of the Emperor Flame Turtle in the distance.

He immediately activated the Shadow Cloak, running madly towards safety.

Just before Duke activated the Shadow Cloak, he saw a purple figure dart like a specter out of a nearby burnt-red rock's shadow, not far ahead of him.

The figure moved astonishingly fast, like a purple lightning tearing through space, its target was the Molten Fire Flower atop the Emperor Flame Turtle's head.

"That person still dares to seize the Molten Fire Flower, truly reckless!" Duke thought as he swiftly escaped into the Shadow Space, where silence enveloped him, free from the sulfurous stench.

Using the Shadow Cloak, he quickly distanced himself from the area, arriving at the edge of the Blood-colored Plain.

Here, Duke deactivated the Shadow Cloak, emerging from the Shadow Space.

He stood at the edge of the Blood-colored Plain, feet on yellow sand, flying in mid-air, gazing at the area where the Emperor Flame Turtle appeared.

The flames still raged there, roars resounded, and powerful energy waves continued to spread.

Duke didn't know where Merrick had gone, but escaping shouldn't be too much of a problem, that boy had as many tricks as he did.

As long as Merrick wasn't specifically targeted by the Emperor Flame Turtle, he'd be fine.

The turtle's attention was mostly on the purple-robed elder, who must truly be reckless, since he's still trying to grab the Molten Fire Flower.

Duke figured the purple-robed elder must be at the end of his lifespan, grasping this opportunity to fight for the Molten Fire Flower, likely hoping to exchange it for the resources required to ascend to a Level 2 Wizard.

For these elderly Wizards, faced with dwindling time, it's indeed an extreme choice.

Having chosen to enter the Void Corridor, he'd have to seize this once-in-a-century chance.

Duke sensed the Emperor Flame Turtle wouldn't quiet down anytime soon after awakening, making this fragment area unsafe.

He decided to leave this fragment area, and since Merrick wasn't reachable, just wished him luck.

This fragment area had only one passageway leading back to the fragment area he initially appeared in, to reach other places he'd have to fly directly.

Duke glanced around, pondering his next destination, when nearby space rippled unexpectedly.

He immediately raised his guard, gathering sand around him.

Fully armored, Duke focused on the rippling space beside him, from which a blackened figure stumbled out, clutching a giant fiery flower in hand.

"The Molten Fire Flower!"

Duke instantly recognized it as the Molten Fire Flower, upon closer inspection, the charred figure was actually the purple-robed elder.

However, he was now unrecognizable, severely burned all over, hairless with peeling facial skin, impossible to identify as the elder from before.

Only through the elder's Spiritual Power waves did Duke roughly identify him, relaxing slightly since the elder posed no threat now.

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