Howard, unaware of the hidden presence of the Alien, wandered alone through the sinister mountains, his mind pondering his own condition.

Ever since merging with the Oriental Divine Dragon, it had remained in a weakened state. Even when attracted by the energy-rich food earlier, it showed little spirit, unable to even speak.

In the short term, Howard reckoned he couldn’t rely much on the Dragon’s strength.

The gifts he had just received were of limited immediate use. The Death Six-Step Throw was applicable, but wielding the Moonlight sword without the ability to execute its skills would be more of a burden than a boon.

As for the Shattered Timepiece, its immense power consumption made it viable only in crises. Strictly speaking, these items didn’t substantially elevate Howard’s capabilities.

“With my current strength, dealing with average level 50 or level 60 awakeneds is manageable, as long as their equipment isn’t too superior. But facing a level 60 awakened with Epic-grade equipment or Legendary-grade equipment would pose a serious challenge.”

“The grade and level of equipment make too much of a difference!”

Howard was well aware of his limitations. His ability to fuse high-grade talents and equipment didn’t mean other geniuses or those with substantial backing couldn’t do the same.

Compared to ordinary people, this was a huge advantage, but it didn’t guarantee dominance over everyone.

Supreme talent was formidable, but others had the advantage of their ancestors’ centuries, even millennia, of efforts. Why should they lag behind Howard?

Yet, Howard remained confident in himself, believing in his exceptional fortune.

Otherwise, why would he awaken the supreme talent and encounter so many benefactors?

“Wales… the Chan family… and the Holy Abyss Academy… Rick! Including Rick’s old friends! They are all assets to me, not to be overlooked in the future!”

“The mentors at the academy, Tana and Daniel, are also good people, worth getting close to.”

Amidst these thoughts, a sudden flare of firelight erupted before Howard, catching his eye.

Soft growls and the sounds of explosions reached his ears. Howard looked closely and saw a group engaged in combat with skeleton monsters.

To call it a fight was to oversimplify the one-sided nature of the battle. It wasn’t as effortless as Rick made it seem. They had to constantly unleash skills or swing massive weapons to smash the skeleton monsters into bone fragments.

If a giant skeleton commander appeared, they would be drawn into a tough fight.

Behind them seemed to be a camp, but it was too far for Howard to see clearly, apart from a cluster of fireworks.

“Such a large team? Which power do they belong to?”

Howard quickly recalled the forces mentioned by Rick and the others, speeding up his approach towards the group.

As he drew nearer, Howard could see that the awakened warriors fighting on the outskirts with the skeleton monsters didn’t seem to have compatible professions. Their coordination was awkward. If it weren’t for the naturally slow movement speed and sluggish reactions of the skeleton monsters, merely being physically superior, the group of awakened would likely struggle to kill the monsters with ease.

“Their coordination is so unpracticed; they don’t seem like a team!”

Howard wasn’t foolish; seeing this, he immediately made his judgment. 𝑖𝘦.𝑐ℴ𝘮

At the same moment, a squad engaged in a fierce battle with a horde of skeleton monsters noticed the figure of Howard. They waved their arms, shouting, “Hey there, good sir, are you also in pursuit of treasure? The Dark Mausoleum is especially perilous at night. Why not join forces with us?”

Upon hearing the invitation from an awakened, Howard did not refuse. His gaze swept across the area, observing the ghastly white and bluish skeletons emerging from the ground, shakily advancing towards the flame-lit camp, his expression growing somber.

The skeleton monsters were exceptionally sensitive to temperature and light. Thus, even though Howard was near, they did not besiege him. Instead, they howled and staggered forward, rushing out.

Assured of his safety, Howard did not mind making contact with the awakened at the camp. He followed amidst the throng of skeleton monsters, carefully observing the group of fighters.

Their prowess was not to be underestimated. The skills they wielded were mostly of B-level or A-level, emitting dazzling radiance. Except for the occasional appearance of a skeleton commander, the other skeleton creatures were mere ants to them, easily crushed with a flick of their hands.

It was only because these skeleton monsters were transformed from dead bodies, abundant in number, and devoid of consciousness, that they could continuously emerge from the ground, besieging the flame-lit camp in a relentless assault.

In this way, Howard blended into the midst of the skeleton monsters, drawing nearer to the outer edges where the squad was locked in combat with them.

The leader, a burly man wielding a gigantic axe, couldn’t help but click his tongue in amazement upon witnessing the scene. “Brother, your composure is commendable. To blend in with a group of monsters without any hint of emotional fluctuation!”

“Are you also here in search of the Starry River Map?”

“By the looks of it, you’re a magus. That means our chances of finding the Starry River Map just got a bit higher!”

Every awakened in the team scrutinized Howard, their words causing his brows to quirk slightly.

It seemed that a significant number of awakened had converged here.

Only upon reaching the camp did Howard realize the extent of their numbers. There were seven teams responsible for defending against the monsters, each comprising ten awakened. While the class composition wasn’t clear-cut, their strength was undeniably formidable.

The least powerful among them boasted the strength of Level 50!

Beyond these seventy protectors of the camp, there were over a dozen bonfires, nearly each surrounded by a small team.

These smaller teams were of varied sizes – some had around ten members, others just two or three.

With this observation, Howard confirmed that the camp was indeed a temporary assembly of different teams.

A normal power structure might have factions, but never this many and this complex. If it were so, the higher-ups would have intervened long ago!

As Howard surveyed the camp, a trio of awakened approached him, led by a woman with a leaf dangling from her mouth. Despite being female, her attire was quite simplistic – a set of tight clothes revealing muscular arms, legs, and even her abdomen, with a noticeable scar across her left cheek, exuding a fierce demeanor.

Following her were an assassin, constantly fiddling with a dagger, his slender frame belied by the cold gleam in his eyes, and a middle-aged woman with a voluptuous figure, scantily clad, adorned with fiery red tattoos on her hands.

In an instant, Howard’s expression grew serious. These three were not to be underestimated.

“New here? What’s your strength? Your class? Are you here for the Starry River Map?” The lead woman glanced at Howard, her question casual and indifferent.

To them, ordinary awakened held little value, hence their dismissive attitude.

Howard responded with a light chuckle, “What, isn’t everyone entitled to seek the Starry River Map? Treasures are for those destined to find them. Without fate, even the mightiest might just be preparing it for someone else.”

“You’re right about that!” The woman, taken aback, soon spat out the leaf, nodding in agreement. “Anyone brave enough to hunt for the treasure surely isn’t weak.”

She paused before continuing, “Let me introduce myself. I’m Corinna Maya, the initiator of this team. If you are willing to join our camp, we’ll be allies in the upcoming battles. Our priority will be to confront other treasure seekers. But if you double-cross us, we will take you down first.”

“If we manage to secure the Starry River Map, we’ll then decide its rightful owner through a show of strength.”

Hearing Corinna Maya’s words, Howard nearly burst into laughter. These awakened were still dreaming! Once representatives of the Alliance got involved, all plans concocted by these awakened would come to naught. After all, they couldn’t resist the force represented by the Alliance. Defying it would mean facing its wrath, with no explanations needed – even their powerful backers wouldn’t dare seek justice from the Alliance.

The authority of the Alliance had to be upheld publicly. Anyone challenging it would face its thunderous retribution.

“Huh? What are you laughing about?” Corinna Maya’s brow furrowed as she quickly sensed something off in Howard’s demeanor, prompting her to ask.

Howard responded, “I just think you’re being too naive! Before the Starry River Map descends, I believe everyone is willing to cooperate. But once it actually appears, do you really think others will obediently follow your lead?”

“Whoever doesn’t listen, I’ll make them!” Corinna Maya’s voice turned icy. Clenching her fists, a burst of orange-red flames erupted from her hands, exuding a formidable power that even momentarily oppressed Howard. Fortunately, his skin hardened in defense, turning a reddish hue without revealing his dragon scales, effectively resisting the pressure.

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