It was a massive iron gate, the edges of its frame carved with bizarre, obscure, and unfathomable runes.
Bai Ye looked up, feeling the immense weight of the gate, and simultaneously a surge of excitement.
Ten years!
A full ten years!
For ten years, Bai Ye had been waiting for this day, and now, he had finally done it, finally stood before this gate.
This would be his…
Final battle on the World Battlefield!
…
It all traced back sixty years.
Perhaps the gods in the heavens were too bored and sought entertainment. The peaceful world quietly underwent a change. On that day, a colossal shadow obscured the sky, and then a large number of humans vanished.
Because, the World Battlefield had opened!
From then on, every ten years, a large number of people would disappear out of thin air. The World Battlefield would randomly summon beings from parallel worlds of various civilizations and send them in.
Zombies roamed the ruins of the apocalypse, dragons soaring in the sky could at any moment unleash their breath, ghosts from the nine hells crawled into the human realm, and in a derelict warehouse, machines whirred, and mechanical maniacs emerged one after another from the conveyor belt.
It was a place filled with endless dangers, where a moment's carelessness could cost one's life.
Only those who survived had the right to leave.
Within the battlefield, it was either life or death!
Only those who emerged alive had the last laugh, while others were destined to be buried within.
The survivors called them—the Chosen!
Bai Ye was one of the Chosen. Ten years ago, Bai Ye was sent into the World Battlefield!
Then, for a full ten years, Bai Ye endured countless battles and finally arrived before this gate. As long as he stepped through this gate and completed the final battle, he could leave!
At the same time, Bai Ye waved his hand to the side. The air beside him suddenly distorted, and a machine suddenly descended from the sky, crashing beside Bai Ye with a clang.
That thing…
Was actually a gachapon machine!
Bai Ye felt a bit awkward, producing such a thing on the eve of a great battle, but in reality, this was Bai Ye's strongest weapon.
Bai Ye could obtain different items and abilities from those gachapons, including some unimaginably powerful ones, which was the reason Bai Ye could finally stand here.
Bai Ye took a deep breath and then turned the gachapon machine. Soon, a golden gachapon dropped out.
Bai Ye's eyes lit up. Golden gachapons could yield the strongest items and abilities.
He wanted to leave the World Battlefield, he was stable!
Bai Ye thought as he picked up the gachapon and twisted it open. Inside was a shining golden card, which read: Try Again!
“?”
Bai Ye was instantly baffled. What was this?
What kind of weapon or ability was "Try Again"?
Did his gachapon machine have something like this?
Suddenly, Bai Ye noticed the surrounding air distorting. A large expanse of white light appeared without warning, enveloping Bai Ye!
…
After an unknown amount of time, as the light gradually receded, the scenery around Bai Ye slowly became clear.
Then…
Bai Ye was stunned!
Towering buildings with mottled outer walls, even with traces of damage everywhere. Rubble littered the streets, abandoned vehicles were parked along the sides, and the pedestrian crossing barriers had long since collapsed. The entire city was desolate, dilapidated, and exuded an unspeakable sense of dead silence.
"The Apocalypse Ruins area?"
Bai Ye looked around in astonishment. This was an area within the World Battlefield. Why had he appeared here?
Just then…
"Welcome to the World Battlefield, all Chosen."
"From now on, you will fight for the acquisition of the God Stones, because only by collecting ten God Stones can you leave the World Battlefield."
"The Gate of the Divine welcomes true warriors."
"Finally…"
"We wish you all good luck!"
…
A voice echoed in Bai Ye's ears, and then a projected light screen appeared before his eyes.
September 10, 2125!
Bai Ye's eyes widened as he looked at the date displayed in the upper right corner of the screen.
Ten years ago?
Bai Ye would never forget this date, because…
This was the day he was chosen and sent into the World Battlefield!
"I'm back?"
Bai Ye's expression was somewhat stiff, completely unable to comprehend what was happening. He had clearly fought on the World Battlefield for ten years, evaded countless dangers, battled countless people from different worlds, and endured unimaginable life-and-death struggles to collect ten God Stones. All he had to do was push open the final Gate of the Divine and complete the final battle to leave the World Battlefield.
Suddenly, a flash of inspiration struck Bai Ye. He remembered the golden card from the gachapon, remembered the "Try Again" on the card, and then looked again at the projected light screen.
Participant: Bai Ye
Combat Power: 22 (Gray)
God Stones: 0/10
God Stone Fragments: 0/99
Held Items: Loki's Gachapon Machine
Indeed, in the Held Items section, he saw the gachapon machine. He then waved his hand, and the air beside him distorted. The giant gachapon machine appeared out of thin air and crashed heavily onto the ground.
As the gachapon machine spun, a large green gachapon dropped out. Bai Ye casually twisted it open, revealing a handgun.
Glock 17, magazine capacity 17 rounds, polymer grip, simple and lightweight, capable of firing 17 rounds in a short time. It was a high-performance pistol, and it came with ten magazines.
"Damn it, is this what 'Try Again' means?"
Bai Ye was almost certain that his return to ten years ago was most likely the gachapon machine's doing, but a sliver of hope remained, wishing it was all a lie, as ten years of effort had gone down the drain.
That feeling was unbearable, like finally getting the goddess you'd pursued for a long time to go to a motel with you, only to find out she got her period.
It was infuriating!
"Speaking of which…" Bai Ye muttered, "I was quite frustrated ten years ago too."
Bai Ye vaguely remembered how miserable he was when he first entered the World Battlefield ten years ago.
Because Bai Ye's world was a peaceful one, without war and with order, Bai Ye had almost no combat ability.
Even more unlucky, Bai Ye remembered being chased by someone from a martial arts world as soon as he entered the World Battlefield. He was utterly humiliated and battered. If he hadn't been resourceful enough to use the complex terrain of the Apocalypse Ruins to hide in the sewers, he might have become a pile of dry bones as soon as he entered the World Battlefield.
Just then…
"It seems you're my first prey?"
A voice suddenly sounded from behind Bai Ye.
…