Sacrifice's Rise: I Became Invincible After Entering Godslayer Temple

With everything prepared, John easily sealed the man in black, with Duke Arsena ready to intervene if anything went awry. 

However, John managed to seal the man in black on his own, finally resolving the crisis Storm City faced due to the Dark Faction.

"I must thank you again," said Duke Arsena, finally relaxing. "I'm aware of the tremendous help you provided at Sunset Mountain. 

Not only did you successfully help us defend the wall, but you also reached the Great Library ahead of me. 

Without you, the man in black from the Dark Faction might have escaped."

Arsena expressed his gratitude to John, fully recognizing the significant assistance John had provided to him and Storm City recently.

John shook his head in response, "The crisis facing Storm City is not entirely averted yet. There's no need to thank me now; we must prepare for the Mystery Faction's impending attack on Storm City."

Duke Arsena sighed upon hearing this. 

He had already learned of this threat from the man in black, but he had no strategy for countering an assault from the Mystery Faction on Storm City. 

The situation demanded immediate attention and a solid plan to defend the city against this new, looming threat.

"I've only encountered a creature like the Mystery Vanguard from the Mystery Faction before. If the attack by the Mystery Vanguard wasn't the full extent of the Mystery Faction's prepared assault on Storm City, then what level of threat can we expect from a fully prepared attack by the Mystery Faction? Even with our combined efforts, it seems we might not easily repel the next attack from the Mystery Faction," Duke Arsena pondered.

John understood the Duke's concerns. 

He too felt that the next attack by the Mystery Faction could pose a significant threat, and he wasn't entirely confident in perfectly countering their next move.

"That's exactly why we need to prepare quickly. Duke Arsena, I suggest you focus on strengthening Storm City's defenses. We can neglect Sunset Mountain for now since the Mystery Faction is unlikely to attack from there. Sunset Mountain is opposite the Dark Realm, and there seems to be some conflict between the Dark Faction and the Mystery Faction."

John offered these suggestions to Duke Arsena, who did not reject them. 

He recognized that John's plan was the most appropriate under the circumstances.

"I won't be idle either. I plan to head to the Naga Faction with my adventurer companions. I don't actually need any information about the Mystery Faction from the man in black because I already have some leads on them. The Naga Faction must be significantly connected to the Mystery Faction, so it's crucial that I visit them immediately."

John's intention was to quickly head to the Naga Faction with Blue Sea and Adam. 

They had already planned this journey, but it had been temporarily delayed due to a series of intervening events.

Now that the threat from the Dark Faction to Storm City was temporarily averted and the immediate threat from the Mystery Faction was not yet manifest, John needed to make the most of this interval. 

He had to gather as much information as possible about the Mystery Faction during this time, to prepare for their impending assault.

Duke Arsena didn't have much to add. 

As a powerful adventurer, John surely had his own companions, and the Duke knew better than to interfere in the affairs of adventurers. 

He understood that adventurers generally did not appreciate external meddling in their plans and strategies.

"Since you have a perfect plan in place, you should act on it immediately. I have great trust in you and believe your actions will surely be successful," Duke Arsena expressed his confidence in John. 

After finalizing their respective courses of action, the two parted ways to attend to their individual tasks. 

Duke Arsena left the Great Library to return to his palace.

Meanwhile, John stayed on the first floor of the Great Library, waiting for Adam and Blue Sea to recover from their frozen state, a result of the scroll he had used during the battle. 

They had been immobilized for quite some time.

John chose not to expedite their recovery from the frozen state, knowing that doing so would result in a level reduction for both Adam and Blue Sea. 

After waiting for half an hour, they finally returned to normal.

"Why didn't you help us out? Don't say you couldn't do it; we both know very well that you have the power to reverse our frozen state," Blue Sea complained to John as soon as he was able. 

In his view, having collaborated with John for a long time, he expected John's assistance in their time of crisis.

John, understanding the implications of intervening, had to handle the situation delicately while explaining his reasons to Blue Sea and Adam, especially considering their long-standing cooperative relationship.

Adam's understanding and defense of John's decision calmed Blue Sea's initial frustration. 

Adam, despite not having worked with John as long as Blue Sea had, understood John's character and intentions better. 

He knew that John always had his allies' best interests in mind and that there must be a good reason if John chose not to act in a certain way.

John nodded in agreement with Adam's assessment and explained his rationale: "I could indeed have helped you quickly recover from the frozen state, but doing so would have caused you to lose a significant amount of experience. I'm sure neither of you would want to drop a level, especially considering the high levels you've achieved. The experience loss at your level would be substantial."

With this explanation, Blue Sea accepted John's reasoning, shifting his focus to what was more critical—their next course of action. 

Both Blue Sea and Adam had overheard John's conversation with Duke Arsena and were aware of the imminent threat posed by the Mystery Faction to Storm City. 

They were keen to understand the plan for their next steps in addressing this looming danger.

"Our next step is crucial since we're facing a threat from the Mystery Faction. We need to gather as much information about them as possible. Remember our earlier plan to visit the Naga Faction? We had to delay that journey due to unforeseen circumstances, but now it's time to prepare for it.

"In the Naga Faction, we are likely to find more information about the Mystery Faction. I came across a book in the Great Library that suggested a definite connection between the Naga Faction and the Mystery Faction. The Queen of the Naga Faction might even have received substantial power from the Mystery Saint. To ensure the success of our mission, we must prepare thoroughly beforehand.

"We'll need to gather information, resources, and possibly recruit more allies if we can. The journey to the Naga Faction won't be easy, and we must be ready for whatever challenges we might face there. Once we're prepared, we'll set out to unravel the ties between the Naga and the Mystery Factions, and hopefully, find a way to counter the impending threat to Storm City."

John's plan was clear and well-thought-out, reflecting his determination and strategic mindset. 

Both Adam and Blue Sea listened intently, understanding the importance of this mission and the need for careful preparation before embarking on their journey to the Naga Faction.

"Our journey to the Naga Faction may very well lead to conflict with the Nagas, whose strength is likely greater than the Dark Faction forces that attacked Storm City," John continued, underscoring the potential challenges ahead.

Blue Sea and Adam weren't surprised by John's plan, having kept an eye on the Naga Faction themselves. 

However, the possibility that the Naga Queen might have received substantial power from the Mystery Saint was a new and alarming revelation. 

They had indirect encounters with the Mystery Saint, and even without a direct confrontation, they could sense the immense and oppressive power. 

Facing a Naga Queen potentially empowered by the Mystery Saint was daunting, as their current strength might be insufficient.

Blue Sea, concerned, asked, "Isn't this extremely dangerous? John, even with your significant strength, you might not be a match for the Naga Queen."

John sighed in response, "Despite the risks, we must go to the Naga Faction. It's the only viable option we have left."