"It seems I have a bit of fate with this place," Bai Ye chuckled as he awaited teleportation.
The current situation bore a striking resemblance to his previous life when he entered the Natagumo Mountain restricted zone. In both instances, he had stumbled into the area by chance, and someone had activated the Natagumo Mountain restricted zone, forcefully pulling him in.
However, in his past life, entering Natagumo Mountain, Bai Ye hadn't even possessed a Gachapon machine, and other aspects were also rather lacking. His world had been quite peaceful, and he hadn't acquired any innate combat abilities. Consequently, in the early stages of the World Battlefield, Bai Ye's life could be described as mere "survival." He had been utterly miserable on Natagumo Mountain, pursued by both other chosen ones and the spiders within the mountain. It was a truly pitiable sight.
"But..." Bai Ye casually materialized the Southern Bright Flame Sword, a smile playing on his lips. "This time, it seems things are a little different."
Bai Ye's current strength was incomparable to his previous life, and with the Southern Bright Flame Sword in hand! He suddenly felt a surge of good fortune. Just moments ago, he had been lamenting that the Southern Bright Flame Sword, while in his possession, had no immediate use. And then… this restricted zone appeared!
What were others even playing at? Go home, everyone, go home to your mothers. Mothers have everything, the best sausage, instant noodles, and only Master Kong brand.
Meanwhile…
The three-minute countdown ended, and Bai Ye was teleported into the restricted zone. He glanced around… no difference. The interior of the Natagumo Mountain restricted zone was largely the same as the exterior, still a mountain forest.
However, Bai Ye quickly oriented himself and began to run. He remembered the way! Remembering paths in a mountain forest was incredibly difficult, especially considering that Bai Ye's previous experience on Natagumo Mountain was from the early stages of the World Battlefield. In other words, nearly ten years had passed between his memory of Natagumo Mountain and the present.
Perhaps it was because Bai Ye had been bullied so severely on Natagumo Mountain back then, but his memory of the place remained vivid. While he couldn't recall the entire restricted zone, he could remember about seventy to eighty percent of it.
Three restricted zone missions…
Bai Ye wasn't particularly interested in the first restricted zone mission, but as the first one, it was essentially a prerequisite. Completing the second restricted zone mission would likely require the completion of the first. And to complete the third restricted zone mission, the first would be guaranteed. Therefore, Bai Ye's main objectives were the second and third restricted zone missions.
The Nichirin Blade and breathing techniques were both abilities of the Demon Slayers. Their strength was hard to gauge; there were weak Demon Slayers and strong ones, with the key being the mastery of the breathing techniques. For Bai Ye, breathing techniques were akin to the Five Elements Incantations. They ranged from low to high, serving as offensive skills while also enhancing physical attributes to a certain degree. Of course, Bai Ye considered them less potential-rich than the Five Elements Incantations. However, since he encountered them, Bai Ye didn't mind acquiring them.
As for the third restricted zone mission…
Bai Ye had no interest in the demon blood arts of the spider demons. Based on his previous life's experience, the spider demons' blood arts were extremely powerful. But with Bai Ye's current strength, even if he got a black-quality blood art by luck, it would be decent. However, random blood arts could yield blue-quality ones, which held little value for Bai Ye.
What Bai Ye cared about was… demon blood!
Demon blood was similar to the T-virus, capable of strengthening physical attributes, and its enhancement was about thirty percent higher than the T-virus, reaching about eight times the physical attributes of a normal person. Furthermore, it could grant blood art abilities. In summary, it was a highly valuable commodity.
In fact, according to Bai Ye's memories from his previous life, the demon blood of the Lower Rank Twelve Kizuki was black quality, the Upper Rank's could reach red quality, and the Demon King… was undoubtedly golden quality!
However, demon blood had side effects. Consuming it would turn one into a demon. Unless it was the Demon King's blood, consuming other demons' blood would render one unable to survive in sunlight. Therefore, Bai Ye would certainly not consume demon blood. While the enhancement of physical attributes and blood art abilities were alluring, the cost of the side effects was too great. Being unable to see the sun meant being active for only half the time in most places, wasting too much time.
However, demon blood had great trading value, as it was a method for rapid, explosive enhancement of physical attributes, and the enhancement of physical attributes was the most precious form of self-strengthening. Moreover, the side effects weren't entirely insurmountable. If one obtained the Demon King's blood, they could move in sunlight.
As for the fifteen God Stone fragments, there was nothing more to be said. Who wouldn't want God Stone fragments? Bai Ye was particularly fond of them, as they were essentially his "baby milk money," which he needed to feed his Steel Slime.
While Bai Ye was contemplating this, he suddenly heard fighting sounds from ahead. Bai Ye looked up and saw three chosen ones already engaged in combat. The reason? What reason did chosen ones need for slaughter? Especially as the World Battlefield progressed, with more restricted zones opening, everyone acquired more God Stone fragments, leading to increasingly frequent conflicts. These battles made it easier to obtain God Stone fragments, and even more God Stone fragments, intensifying the competition for restricted zones and their missions. Therefore, Bai Ye was not surprised to hear people fighting as soon as the restricted zone opened. On the contrary… it was only natural!
Then… With a bang! Bai Ye stomped the ground forcefully, creating a small crater, and then accelerated forward.
The three combatants hadn't even realized what was happening when a gust of wind swept past one of them. Then… *Splat!* The sound of tearing flesh echoed. The chosen one's eyes widened in disbelief as he looked at his chest, which had been completely cleaved open, bright red blood splashing onto the ground.
The remaining two chosen ones were greatly alarmed, and then… *Splat!* The sound of tearing flesh rang out again. A crimson line appeared on their throats, and they widened their eyes, slowly collapsing to their knees, then falling to the ground. To their death, they never even knew how they died…