The combat prowess of a sea beast king, though suppressed in the assessment world, was roughly equivalent to a monster from a silver treasure chest in the same world. Overall, its fighting strength surpassed that of a silver-chest monster. After all, a king's appearance always came with minions—typically no fewer than ten thousand in number. Thus, even if a vehicle could solo-open a silver chest, it did not mean the crew could face a king alone. The key point was that this referred to a single vehicle—a Fifth-Level war vehicle with 101 crew members—not an individual.
Moreover, this monster horde contained more than one king tribe; it also included the wandering monsters that had spawned along the day-and-night journey. Nearly twenty thousand sea beasts had landed, plus one king—yet Wei Huan had flattened them all by himself.
Although most crew members on Wei Huan's vehicle had partnered with the undead army to explore ruins in the Fourth-Level World and knew the undead were exceptionally strong, it was only in this moment that they realized what they had considered "Wei Huan's strength" was merely the ceiling of the Fourth-Level World—not his true limit. Only in the Fifth-Level World, facing higher-tier monsters, could Wei Huan's power be fully displayed.
In terms of positional warfare, Wei Huan alone could rival thousands upon thousands of troops. He deserved the title of humanity's number one!
When the final king fell, Wei Huan in the cockpit remained far calmer than the crew outside. He silently assessed the battle and then spoke. "I did not deploy the full undead army. The battlefield was too small, and there were not enough portals, so I could only transmit the species most useful for the war. The Shura Horses died an average of three times each; the Swift Wolf legions died twice on average. Apart from the initially recruited Zombie Berserk Bears, the later ones barely saw the battlefield. Ghost Crows had minimal impact at this level, and Demon Eye Lords returned twice, but their slow movement prevented the second wave from forming a proper army—poor cost-effectiveness. Even so, I expended eighty percent of my underworld energy. Without using your abilities, this is roughly my limit against monsters of this caliber. As expected of the Fifth-Level World."
Xu Qingqiang was neither shocked by Wei Huan's combat strength nor did he find this self-analysis exaggerated. After thinking seriously, he replied, "Mu Zhong's blessings and Dou Lin's judgments, plus two energy storage tanks, would let you solo a platinum ruin with energy to spare. Add me, and we could attempt a diamond ruin once. However, at the current world level, if Mofidi reappears, you'll be in serious trouble. Another pseudo-divine artifact is unlikely. We are ultimately constrained by our sequences and cannot reach this world's combat ceiling. Be careful—don't let Mofidi target you, or hope it arrives later."
Xu Qingqiang's analysis was spot-on, and Wei Huan nodded. In the Fifth-Level World, he had only two uncertain opponents: Mofidi and the dark beast kings' encirclement.
Yet Mu Zhong shook his head and pointed at the stone statue on Wei Huan's armrest. "Three. The colossus is the Heir's mark and grants entry to Titan City. Lately, its natural energy has grown dense—perhaps the portal will open soon."
Wei Huan frowned at the colossus and asked Mu Zhong, "Any more intel on it?"
"None. Intelligence has been investigating, especially the top thirty combat-ranked challengers. We suspect each carries at least one pseudo-divine artifact, but the colossus cannot be equipped, so we cannot pinpoint targets. Based on item descriptions, the owner may need to enter once it activates."
Wei Huan shook his head. "This could be your opportunity. Natural energy does not belong to me."
Mu Zhong frowned. "Whosever it is, the amplification is area-based—anyone can benefit. Of course, you—with the higher chance—should go."
Wei Huan lowered his gaze in thought. "What if the final collection yields something like a divine imprint? Mofidi's Ring is Dark Dominion."
"That would be even more interesting. Your death energy meeting natural energy might produce changes we cannot imagine."
"…" Wei Huan was speechless. He looked at the colossus beside him. Since they put it that way, he could try when the time came.
After their quick exchange, Xu Qingqiang continued, "To reach the ceiling quickly, Mu Zhong, you must advance."
Mu Zhong nodded. "I have felt changes lately—I am close."
Xu Qingqiang turned to Wei Huan. "But ideally, you advance."
Wei Huan replied, "My dark energy erosion has normalized."
"Then head deeper into the Grand Tomb again."
"That was enlightenment—unpredictable."
"Do what you did last time."
"…"
Wei Huan suddenly smiled. "Brother Qiang, when will you become a Demon Apostle?"
"Uh…" Now it was Xu Qingqiang's turn to fall silent.
Their talents and combat abilities were outstanding, but they all lacked time. Xu Qingqiang was two years ahead; his current advancement pace was normal. By others' experience, Sequence Four to Five required one to three years.
Short-term advancement was unlikely for any of them.
Xu Qingqiang scratched his head. "Doesn't the Challenge World have anything to speed advancement?"
Mu Zhong sighed. "Nothing known—only rare enlightenment rumors. Better to solidify current-stage combat power."
"That's easy," Xu Qingqiang said. "Pull Fang William aboard. His inspiration aura rivals a shaman's—no side effects, and he heals."
Mu Zhong laughed. "Alright, I'll try convincing Captain Fang."
Xu Qingqiang added, "If not, try Aglis. Our main fighters are dark-aligned; she's a dark grand mage with status buffs. Heard she's beautiful too."
The joking stopped when Mu Zhong remembered he had not told Wei Huan about Yake. Though Wei Huan was not fully engaged, he listened while ordering the Housekeeper to resume sailing.
Mu Zhong looked at him; Wei Huan sensed it immediately. "What?"
Mu Zhong said, "Aoshan unilaterally declared Yake a traitor and contacted the Azure Dragon Legion to reclaim the Angel Spear scrolls given as tokens."
Wei Huan's expression chilled, confusion mixing with anger. "Why treat a hero like this? Sequence Five combat power—Aoshan can afford to lose him?"
"A weapon in your hand is a weapon; in another's, a threat. Yake has principles and deep resentment toward Aoshan. Those old men won't allow someone with terrifying power to become an enemy. They probably tried to control him initially, but not everything goes as planned."
Xu Qingqiang rolled his eyes. "Bunch of idiots."
"Yes, a bunch of idiots," Mu Zhong echoed—rare profanity—then continued, "Aoshan is declining. The nation is controlled by old men who never entered the Challenge World. They are being left behind by the era, so they clutch power desperately. The tighter they grip, the less they control."
Wei Huan listened, gazing at the endless ocean ahead. At breakneck speed, faint sorrow drifted through him. He empathized deeply with Yake and could almost picture the hero's pain.
Though different nationalities and never considered before, Wei Huan decided: next meeting, he would invite Jacques aboard—not just for combat power or pity. He wanted Yake' light to keep shining, as in memory, so humanity would not lose a sky-bearing pillar to fools.
The world needed heroes.
Many heroes.
…
For four straight days, Wei Huan followed the same routine: full speed one day, then find a suitable island battlefield and annihilate all pursuing sea beasts.
Perhaps because few human challengers entered and Wei Huan was overwhelmingly strong, a king sea beast descended almost daily—perfect for materials.
King drops were core materials for Fourth-to-Fifth upgrades—vehicle or sequence. Invaluable now, during the global Four-to-Five rush. Daxia still had many Sequence Four experts and vehicles awaiting advancement.
These days, Wei Huan's vehicle welcomed its second Sequence Five vehicle: Mu Zirui's.
Upgrade core: purchased with DKP.
Captain Xue—also top-tier Fourth-Level vehicle, higher DKP—skipped competition. Nearing Warrior King, he saved DKP for advancement cores.
Thus, Mu Zirui's vehicle advanced first.
Wise choice.
As a grand mage, Mu Zirui needed the Fifth-Level "War Platform" to boost output. As Wei Huan's remote damage captain, one vehicle lacked slots. Upgrading his added four—significant boost.
Post-upgrade, Mu Zirui radiated joy, forever grateful for defying family plans. Following them: safe, wealthy, obeyed by youths. But he would miss this grand, passionate vista—the forefront, the world's vastness.
With Wei Huan—even ordinary—he chose right.
He was not sidelined.
Wei Huan granted respect and authority.
In king battles, Mu Zirui parked beside, led remotes to the roof, contributed—pride swelled.
His bone-deep happiness was visible, inspiring others.
No mistake, effort here to realize dreams.
Aboard the strongest vehicle, they matched it in spirit and strength.
"Colonel Mu," someone reported, "training rooms are overloaded. These animals overstay; daily overuse—no maintenance window. The cinema and café next door are unused—maybe…"
"No," Mu Zhong laughed. "Balance is key. Intense training is phased. This vehicle is home—not endless toil. It should feel relaxed and calm. We have space—build more training rooms."
He omitted the upstairs one—Wei Huan's privilege. Commander authority mattered; mixing was inconvenient.
Xu Qingqiang used it lately—allowed as a core leader.
Approachability? Wei Huan neither wanted nor excelled. Mu Zhong handled it.
Mu Zhong oversaw expansion, patiently chatting with inquiring crew.
Upstairs, Wei Huan and Professor Ju sipped tea on the balcony, overlooking Mu Zhong's busy figure.
Professor Ju said, "Mu Dehao raised him well. The Mu family knows boundaries. Your current structure is stable—future expansions won't disrupt much. But you and Mu Zhong must avoid suspicion. Remember."
Wei Huan nodded. "I remember."
Every talk with Professor Ju was invaluable; the elder's wisdom—even fully imparted—might take Wei Huan a lifetime to master.
Professor Ju nodded, about to continue, when the Housekeeper spoke overhead.
"Commander, Master Mu requests instructions. We have entered the dense dark beast territory zone. Dark beasts are actively attacking; combat ahead is unavoidable. Permission to open fire?"
Wei Huan replied, "Full-power shield—ram through. Do not stop."
"Affirmative. Relaying to Master Mu."
Wei Huan looked at Professor Ju. "What do you think, Professor?"
Professor Ju smiled. "This old man only ever fought on paper. I won't embarrass myself with battlefield advice."
"You're too modest." Wei Huan stood. "I'll go. Dark beasts deployed densely as predicted. Real unavoidable combat may come."
"Go, Commander. Visit for tea when free."
Leaving Professor Ju's room, Wei Huan passed professors and experts. External battles never ceased, but after initial tension, they adapted—trusting the vehicle's might. Hearing of many dark beast lords outside, they remained calm, greeted Wei Huan, and resumed work.
Descending, the ground-floor plaza bustled with combat personnel. Day training, night cultivation, strict meals and sleep. Battle drills with undead refined squads—rotating members, growing synergy and strength.
Due to external threats, all combat squads assembled, ready.
Wei Huan strode past the front—earning fervent salutes.
Every warrior craved battle, embraced it.
No cowards here—all hated dark beasts with righteous fury.
Finally, Wei Huan crossed the plaza to the cockpit.
Elevators went straight, but he detoured deliberately—to be seen.
Professor Ju's lesson: a leader was not a frontline grunt or overworked ox—that was a laborer.
A leader was a lighthouse, a compass—constantly showing direction through actions.
Now, he signaled, 'I'm heading to the cockpit. I'm assessing. Be ready—I may call you to battle anytime.'
This seemingly pointless route far outperformed direct entry leaving warriors clueless.
Wei Huan finally crossed the plaza and entered the cockpit.
There were only a few people inside.
With combat preparations underway, Mu Zirui and Captain Xue had already led their teams to their stations, ready to deploy at a moment's notice.
The twins and Ding Qi followed Mu Zirui to the war platform. Xu Qingqiang smoked near the gate.
Liu Chengzhi spent mornings cooking for 100—nearly exhausted despite robotic arms. Lin Xu and Zhou Yong helped; occasionally a truant child laborer.
Now, only Mu Zhong and Cousin Mu remained in the cockpit.
Cousin Mu had a remarkable gift: he could sit glued to the driver's seat for eighteen hours straight without ever developing sores.
Mu Zhong stood at the commander's station, dressed in a mimetic officer's
uniform. When he turned, the movement revealed a trim waist, and his dark, bright eyes shone like a beam of light striking Wei Huan's heart.
Iron-blooded aura softened instantly.
"How is it?" Wei Huan asked first.
Mu Zhong gestured outside. "Dark beasts adjusted strategy as expected."
Since yesterday, they encountered island-based territories sporadically.
Dark beast territory bug: create islands from nothing—size grew with progress.
Wei Huan had assumed islands first—wrong.
Fortunately, rear-half lords never expected human vehicles this soon. Many territories: Level 2–3.
Gaps too wide; Wei Huan's vehicle slipped through centers, passing several—finally alerting lords.
From probing intercepts to multi-city coordinated defenses.
Opposing forces grew.
prose. Below is the fully corrected, full-sentence, smooth-flowing version with perfect grammar and narrative rhythm:
Ahead, a formation of butterfly-winged elven archers hovered in their path.
They came from two different territories—wearing distinct attire but sharing identical faces, whether male or female—and stood roughly 1.2 meters tall.
Numbering three to four hundred from each territory, they floated in the air with wings gently fluttering. In their hands, silver bows were drawn, and magic energy pulsed along the strings.
At the same time, the sea began to churn violently. Dense surges erupted, and the water bubbled as if boiling.
Wei Huan recognized them immediately: water elementals that manipulated explosive bubbles.
Elemental summons tied to environment—ocean abundant, water elements standard.
"Standard magic troops"—a terrifying shift.
Previously, dark beast lords needed rare veins for magic recruits.
Water magic had now become a common troop ability, which marked a significant rise in the world's overall combat ceiling.
As the vehicle drew closer, the sea suddenly erupted. Thirty-meter waves surged upward, condensing into towering, unbreakable walls that blocked their path.
Atop, clinging, swimming: myriad water elementals—humanoid, beastly, or giant droplets. Translucent bodies with floating elemental cores. One commonality: huge "mouths."
Vehicle close: mouths opened, puffed—
'PFFT-PFFT-PFFT!'
Countless bubbles—large and small—hurtled a thousand meters, slamming the vehicle.
At the same moment, the elven archers released their arrows. The wind howled as the projectiles streaked through the air. Their purpose was not merely to inflict damage but to seal off the war vehicle's escape route.
Their tactical coordination was flawless.
Maximum short-term adjustment after constant evasion.
Yet before the fully woven dark beast net, conflict was inevitable.
Wei Huan watched converging fire—intercepted by the Level 6 shield.
Passive counterattack activated: blue-purple currents traced trajectories back—
'CRACKLE!'
Countless archers charred, plummeted.
The conductive seawater made the situation even worse. Purple arcs of electricity raced across the waves, and the water elementals screamed in agony, their mouths gaping wide
The frontline elementals suffered the most: their elemental cores shattered instantly, killing them outright.
The remaining ones were paralyzed, and the towering wave walls collapsed in an instant, revealing a clear path ahead.
Wei Huan's vehicle sailed through calmly.
"Passed."
"Level 6 shield remote counters—highly effective here."
"But passive only. Each attack-defense cycle dissipates and recharges—dangerous."
"This joint effort was not dense enough," Mu Zhong observed. "The next one will be tighter. Once they field enough hero units, we will be forced to stop and face a four-way siege."
"Yes," he continued, "and the trailing monsters must be cleared. What do you think?"
Mu Zhong turned to Wei Huan.
Wei Huan's voice rang with confidence. "I have a plan. Do not worry. We stick to the original strategy and push forward as far as possible."