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

John adeptly navigated the inquiries from the NPCs of the Order Faction.

Given his considerable strength and willingness to aid in battle, it wasn't long before John was selected to join the Order Faction's guard.

Within this cadre, John encountered other NPCs whose strength wasn't as pronounced, yet there was scant dialogue between them.

The grim expressions on everyone's faces spoke volumes. From these NPCs, John learned that the Mystery faction's plans had been wildly successful, having swept across the entire known world.

This forced the Order Faction to retreat their dwindling forces to locations difficult for the Mystery faction to penetrate.

The Naga tribe's territory was one such stronghold, barely within reach of the Mystery faction.

Other such refuges included the frozen mountain ranges to the north and the fiery realms to the south, both perilous for the NPCs of modest power.

"Therefore, we must now prepare for direct combat with the creatures of the Mystery faction. Only through confrontation can we hope to reclaim the lands that were once ours."

After getting acquainted with other NPCs of the Order Faction, John directly posed his question to them.

The expression on the face of the captain of John's squad revealed a hint of hesitation, as even he was uncertain about the possibility of returning to their homeland.

The power of the Mystery faction was overwhelmingly formidable.

The top warriors of the Mystery faction had nearly defeated all of the elite warriors of the Order Faction.

It was only with the aid of the Sea God that some of the Order Faction's warriors managed to hold their ground.

"Every one of us yearns to return to our homeland. But it seems an impossible task now; our homes have been utterly dominated by the Mystery faction. Though the Sea God is willing to assist us, the deity itself has been reluctant to manifest in person. Without the Sea God's direct intervention, who could possibly stand against the Mystery Saint?"

The captain posed a question that left everyone without an answer.

It was then that John realized the ancient battlefield he had traversed to was a point in time where the Mystery Saint had not yet fallen.

The Mystery Saint, a being on par with deities, was certainly not someone they could easily vanquish.

Moreover, their continued presence in the Naga tribe was merely a struggle for survival.

Should the Mystery Saint decide to eliminate the other strongholds of the Order Faction, the Naga tribe would likely be next in line.

Feeling the atmosphere becoming too oppressive, John attempted to lighten the mood with a semi-jocular remark: "If the Mystery Saint truly launches an attack here, the Naga tribe will surely stand by our side. The tribe would undoubtedly muster all its strength, and it's not guaranteed that the Mystery faction would emerge victorious. After all, the power that the Naga tribe possesses is far superior to ours."

John's remarks stemmed from his increased understanding of the Naga tribe since arriving at the ancient battlefield.

The Naga tribe of this era was vastly different from the one in John's own time.

The location of the tribe, while geographically similar to the Naga tribe near Storm City of his era, had not yet dispersed in this time period.

The congregation of the Naga meant their collective strength was formidable, a fact underscored by their ability to summon an emissary of the Sea God.

John believed that the united front of the Naga could indeed offer a resistance against the Mystery faction's onslaught.

However, his words failed to resonate with the other NPCs of the Order Faction, who harbored suspicions of the Naga's motives.

One NPC from the Order Faction, lowering their voice, confided in John, "You must not have been here long. You're unaware that the Naga tribe has been plotting all along. They want us to engage in battle with the Mystery faction. In the aftermath of a mutually destructive conflict between us and the Mystery faction, they plan to eliminate both sides. The Naga have always coveted the territories we hold. Their ultimate aim is to subjugate the Order Faction!"

Upon hearing these words, John's face registered a trace of surprise.

In his view, it seemed unlikely that the Naga would harbor such grand ambitions.

Even if the Naga tribe aspired to such a scheme, they would lack the requisite strength.

After all, in John's era, the Naga tribe had also received assistance from the Sea God, yet even with divine aid, they were no match for the combined forces of the Order Faction and the Mystery faction.

Could it be that in this era, the Naga tribe possessed significantly greater power?

"Even if they wished to execute such a plan, they would be constrained by their strength, wouldn't they? I haven't seen any formidable warriors within the Naga tribe. Are you suggesting their warriors are vastly more powerful than those of our Order Faction?"

John's question left the other squad members at a loss for words.

Their abilities were comparable to John's, and they were aware that he possessed a Sacred Relic, which likely made him the most formidable among them in terms of overall combat capability.

After a moment of hesitation, the squad captain shared his thoughts, "I believe the Naga tribe is inclined to assist us. Otherwise, they wouldn't have allowed us to retreat to their territory. However, it's probable that they're looking to gain more from this situation. I once heard from a sage that the Naga tribe seems intent on having us hand over all the Sacred Relics to them. They perceive that the Sacred Relics we possess do not offer any advantage in battle. They argue that only by consolidating all Sacred Relics for their use can an advantage be gained in warfare."

Upon hearing this, the rest of the squad members became visibly upset.

Although none of them possessed a Sacred Relic, they all felt that these relics belonged to the Order Faction.

The consensus was that these Sacred Relics, being the property of the Order Faction, should not be casually handed over to the Naga tribe.

All eyes then turned to John, as he would be the one directly affected by this.

The extent of the power held by John's Book of the Astral Realm was unknown to the others.

John had no intention of divulging all the details about his Sacred Relic to others, aware of the high risks involved in doing so.

His primary concern at the moment was identifying the sage mentioned by the squad captain.

Given the numerous Legend Magi who bore the title of sage, including those proficient in oceanic or spatial magics among others, it was crucial to ascertain which one was being referred to.

"Who exactly is this sage you mentioned? Could it be the one proficient in water elemental magic?"

John steered the conversation away from his Sacred Relic to avoid revealing more information about it.

Upon John's inquiry, a look of surprise crossed everyone's faces, as if the identity of the sage should have been common knowledge to all.

This reaction hinted at the importance and renown of the sage within the Order Faction, sparking John's curiosity even further about the sage's identity and potential influence on the current situation.

"Are you joking right now? You're a member of the Order Faction. How could you, as a member, not know who the sage is? The sage in question is the Space Sage. He successfully helped us take refuge in the Naga tribe's territory and even managed to halt further attacks from the Mystery faction on the Naga tribe. No one else could negotiate with the powerful beings of the Naga tribe like he did. The privilege we have to prepare for the upcoming battle here is all thanks to him."

Upon confirming the existence of the Space Sage, John breathed a sigh of relief.

He could now roughly deduce the point in time of the ancient battlefield he was situated in.

It seemed to be a time before the Space Sage was defeated by the Mystery Saint, indicating that he might witness the series of battles leading to the Mystery Saint's downfall.

The legendary warrior Aike, mentioned by the lady in white, was likely a pivotal figure in the Mystery Saint's defeat.

With this information, John's expression eased.

He felt more confident than before, armed with knowledge that could potentially influence the course of the battle.