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

Upon John's arrival at Southern Harbor, he sensed a profound sadness among the NPCs there.

He soon encountered Hammer, whose expression was notably somber.

"What's happened? Is the Ocean Sage in a dire situation, or has he already fallen?"

John was deeply concerned about the possibility of the Ocean Sage's demise.

After all, if the Ocean Sage had truly fallen, John would be unable to obtain more information from him.

John was eager to understand how the Mystery Saint could resurrect through the Mystery Eye Gemstone.

Hammer shook his head, "The Sage has not fallen yet. However, his condition remains extremely critical. I fear he may not hold on much longer. The only reason he has persevered until now is in anticipation of your arrival. It seems he has something of great importance to discuss with you."

As Hammer spoke, he led John to the Ocean Sage.

Upon seeing the Ocean Sage, John understood why Hammer had described his condition as dire.

The power of the water element that the Ocean Sage once wielded was now significantly weakened.

At this moment, John could only sense an overwhelming presence of Mystery power emanating from the Ocean Sage.

The resurrection of the Mystery Saint seemed to have exacerbated the erosion of the Ocean Sage by the Mystery power, bringing him closer to the brink of demise.

Upon John's arrival, a faint smile finally graced the Ocean Sage's face.

"I thought you might take longer to arrive. Had you not made it back today, you would have lost the chance to see me again, as my time is nearly up."

The Ocean Sage seemed to bear no great burden when speaking of his impending fall, almost as if he were discussing someone else's plight.

John, of course, was not in good spirits.

After all, the Ocean Sage had provided him with substantial assistance, and he found the Sage to be more reliable than even the Naga Queen or Natasha.

"You must have encountered many unexpected situations to find yourself here now. Didn't you set off to the Dark Realm with other strong members of the Order Faction? Was your mission successful?

If your mission was not a success, could you tell me why? And from the look on your face, I can tell you're deeply troubled. There must be another reason for your concern."

With these words from the Ocean Sage, John finally had the opportunity to steer the conversation towards the matters he was most eager to discuss.

He went on to recount all the events he had experienced in the Dark Realm.

As John spoke about the resurrection of the Mystery Saint, he deliberately slowed down his pace.

After all, he wasn't entirely sure about the current state of the Ocean Sage—whether he was in a condition to fully comprehend and rationally analyze everything being said.

After John had finished recounting all the events, the expression on the Ocean Sage's face grew somber.

He sighed deeply, seemingly filled with emotion over the developments.

"I finally understand why the Mystery power's erosion on me has intensified. So, the Mystery Saint has been resurrected."

The Ocean Sage's tone carried a hint of resignation, not shock, which suggested to John that the Sage might have been somewhat prepared for the Mystery Saint's resurrection.

It seemed as though the Ocean Sage considered the resurrection a relatively normal occurrence.

John decided to probe further along these lines.

"You seem not at all surprised by the resurrection of the Mystery Saint. You must have known beforehand that he would be resurrected. Why is that?

Moreover, the Mystery Eye Gemstone was obtained here, in Southern Harbor, under your watch. I feel there are many things you haven't told me. Now, you must clarify everything."

Ocean Sage glanced at John and then at Hammer by his side.

With a wave of his hand, he signaled Hammer to leave, as the forthcoming revelations were not meant for Hammer's ears.

Hammer hesitated, concerned about the Ocean Sage's frail condition and whether his departure might precipitate the Sage's demise.

Amidst Hammer's hesitation, the Ocean Sage's frustration grew evident.

In his weakened state, he sharply rebuked, "Why waste more time? Did you not hear what I told you?"

With no other choice following the Sage's insistence, Hammer reluctantly departed.

Once Hammer was out of earshot, the Ocean Sage began to divulge all that he knew.

"Before I was sealed by Duke Arsena, I received crucial intelligence from the power of Mystery. The resurrection of the Mystery Saint was inevitable.

The essence of Mystery power represents the force of life itself. While the resurrection of the Mystery Saint poses a significant threat to us, it also presents an opportunity. We could exploit the power of Mystery to exact a heavy toll on the Dark Faction.

The reason the Mystery Eye Gemstone could directly resurrect the Mystery Saint is that it was crafted by the Saint himself. As an adventurer, you might have access to some descriptions of the Mystery Eye Gemstone.

However, I must tell you, all those descriptions are false. The Mystery Saint wields immense power, capable of even interfering with what you adventurers refer to as the game system."

Ocean Sage's revelations left John profoundly shocked.

He had never imagined that deities within the game could interfere with the game system itself.

However, it quickly dawned on him that if the game was more than just a simple game, then it was entirely reasonable for powerful entities within it to affect the game itself.

After all, adventurers could acquire formidable powers from the game, powers that could even be utilized in the real world.

"I don't have much time left. The best I can do now is to entrust you with the most powerful Sacred Relic I possess."

As he spoke, Ocean Sage handed John a map.

The map appeared ordinary, but John could feel an immense Arcane power emanating from it.

"You should be able to sense the strong Arcane power on this map. It was actually crafted by the God of Arcane. This map will guide you to any destination you seek.

However, you must be mindful of your MP while using this map. If your MP is insufficient, the map's backlash could harm you.

Furthermore, you must always pay attention to the color of the map. If it turns red, it means all the information provided by the map is false."

After imparting these words, Ocean Sage fell into a severely weakened state.

John realized that the Sage was on the brink of demise.

John carefully stored the map away and then offered his life-

restoration scrolls to the Ocean Sage.

However, the Ocean Sage chose not to use the scrolls.

Instead, the Ocean Sage summoned all the NPCs of Southern Harbor.

Twilight and Hammer were among those called, and their expressions were filled with sorrow upon seeing the Ocean Sage's condition.

"You need not feel sorrowful, for death is an inevitability for everyone. I have fulfilled my purpose and have helped you find the one who can protect Southern Harbor."

With these words, the Ocean Sage directed his gaze towards John.

The rest followed his lead, turning their eyes to John, making it evident that the Ocean Sage had entrusted the guardianship of Southern Harbor to John.

John nodded in acknowledgment, not declining the responsibility.

In his view, Southern Harbor was of significant assistance to him.

After his final words, the light faded from the Ocean Sage's eyes.

Thus, the Ocean Sage, a Legend Magus who had experienced many events, met his end.

The fall of the Ocean Sage was soon known by other Legend Magi. Shatras, within the Naga tribe, felt a sense of helplessness over the Ocean Sage's demise.

Meanwhile, in a secluded location, the Mystery Protector celebrated the fall of the Ocean Sage.

After all, this meant that John had one less ally to rely on.