Online Game: Starting with an SSS-Level Plundering Talent - Chapter 286

Chapter 286: Chapter 286: Midnight Operation, The Eerie Palace
At midnight, John noticed that everyone around him had fallen asleep, yet he still couldn’t sense the presence of the old village chief.

It seemed the man wasn’t around.

John didn’t pay it much mind. Using his Split Void ability, he tore open a spatial rift and stepped through.

Spatial energy pulsed, and the next second, he appeared in a large, chaotic straw hut.

The scent of blood permeated the air, and the straw on the ground was smeared with dried bloodstains.

This was where the Behemoth resided.

John frowned, noticing that the Behemoth was nowhere in sight, and he couldn’t detect his presence either.

The guy wasn’t likely to be playing him—he was probably still completing his daily work quota.

John found a relatively clean spot in a corner, sat cross-legged, and waited in silence.

Near dawn, the sound of chains echoed outside as the Behemoth finally returned.

John sensed him immediately and opened his eyes just as the door creaked open.

The Behemoth didn’t appear surprised to see him. Exhausted, he collapsed onto a pile of straw nearby, apologizing, “Sorry I’m late.”

John noticed that the Behemoth’s back was still raw and bloody. Frowning, he asked, “Didn’t I channel life energy from the laws into you? It hasn’t healed your wounds?”

The Behemoth shook his head. “I did this on purpose. If I don’t appear beaten down, they’ll increase my workload even more.”

John raised an eyebrow. “What’s your daily quota?”

“Ten thousand units of ore.” He adjusted the straw beneath him, leaning back to find a more comfortable position.

“Ten thousand?” John was shocked. He knew the weight of ten thousand cubic units of ore. Even a peak upper-tier god would struggle with that load.

And this Behemoth was only at a mid-tier god level.

Unfazed by John’s surprise, the Behemoth kept a solemn expression as he asked, “Are you truly set on rescuing that golden Behemoth? Just know, you could endanger both him and yourself.”

“I know what I’m doing. Do you know where he’s being held?” John was determined to rescue both Behemoth and Avis.

The Behemoth studied him closely, realizing John wasn’t joking. With a sigh, he finally replied, “The place he’s held is in a Secret Area. You won’t be able to teleport in. It opens twice a day, at dawn and dusk. If you leave now, you should just make it.”

“Coordinates?” John asked, getting to his feet.

The Behemoth shared the location coordinates with him.

“Thanks!” John muttered, then activated his Split Void ability, tearing open a spatial rift and vanishing.

“What a strange human…” The Behemoth stared at the fading rift, his gaze thoughtful, lost in contemplation.

…

The night was pitch-black, and the air was thick with a blood-red mist.

In the midst of a dense forest, spatial energy fluctuated, and John’s figure suddenly appeared.

“This should be the place.” He surveyed his surroundings, frowning as the thick atmosphere of bloodshed made him uneasy.

He tried using his spatial-tearing ability again to see if he could access the Secret Area.

But it didn’t work.

Shadow Star hadn’t fully opened yet, so even with Split Void, he couldn’t force entry into the unopened Secret Area.

It seemed he’d have to wait until dawn.

John glanced around, unsure of the exact time.

Roars…

Suddenly, furious growls and snarls echoed from all directions, and figures began to emerge through the mist.

“Hunters!” He frowned, recalling the Hunter’s hostility mark on him.

Within the Shadow Clan’s territory, it seemed the mark was suppressed.

But here, in the wild, he was now a beacon for countless Hunters.

“Ha, it’s been a while since I’ve had a proper fight!” He stretched, his eyes lighting up with excitement as his battle aura surged.

Whoosh!

The wind howled, the blood mist thickened, and the four fundamental elements of the laws of power swirled around him. He unleashed his magical skills in a barrage of attacks, blasting the incoming Hunters relentlessly.

With his current power, dealing with demigod-level Hunters was a breeze.

Roar…

Roars and screams of agony echoed around him, and any Hunters approaching fell in droves.

The ground was soon littered with corpses, which were quickly devoured by others pushing forward.

The Hunters were endless, pouring in from every direction.

The brood mother he had once slain hadn’t lied; these creatures were capable of killing even the Overseer.

But not John.

With his Wrath of the Gods ability—99% cooldown reduction and 99% skill cost reduction—he could practically fight indefinitely.

And if he ever wanted to flee, these Hunters wouldn’t stand a chance.

As waves of Hunters fell, his experience points crept up.

Soon, he leveled up.

By this time, the blood-red mist around him began to dissipate as dawn approached.

A faint spatial ripple signaled the Secret Area’s opening.

Sensing this, John immediately activated his god-level disguise talent, transforming himself into one of the Hunters, concealing the hostility mark on him.

Roar…

Roars and growls filled the air as the Hunters around him suddenly lost their target, standing around in confusion.

At that moment, a spatial rift opened, and two Shadow Clan elites emerged.

Both were upper-tier god-level at their peak.

“Hmm, there’s an incredibly strong elemental law fluctuation here—what’s going on?” One of them frowned, noticing some Hunters still devouring their kin’s remains.

“Something’s wrong—there’s an intruder!” the other one exclaimed, quickly catching on.

In that split second, John, disguised as a Hunter, slipped into the spatial rift while the two elites were distracted.

“That one’s suspicious—stop him!” the two Shadow Clan elites shouted, trying to prevent John from escaping.

But it was too late. He slipped through the spatial rift, with the two Shadow Clan elites following closely behind, only to find no trace of him on the other side.

John had already activated his Concealment talent, cloaking himself completely and masking his presence as he swiftly made his way toward a palace within the Secret Area.

The Secret Area itself was unremarkable, save for the palace, the only structure in sight.

He figured that this must be where Avis and the Behemoth were being held.

John approached cautiously under Concealment, but as he neared the palace, strange energy waves emanated from it, instantly nullifying his Concealment ability.

“It’s that same ore from the mines!” he thought in surprise, realizing the ore had even more applications than he’d anticipated.

Thankfully, there were no Shadow Clan elites nearby.

“Let’s try the god-level disguise talent,” he thought, transforming again, this time into a Hunter.

The strange energy couldn’t pierce through the god-level disguise.

It allowing him to breathe a sigh of relief. However, since there were no other Hunters in the Secret Area, appearing as one would only draw attention.

He then recalled the two Shadow Clan elites he’d encountered earlier.

However, both were peak upper-tier gods. His god-level disguise talent allowed him to mimic any being but couldn’t emulate a presence stronger than his own level.

If he disguised himself as a peak upper-tier god, he’d be too easily detected.

So, he shifted his appearance once more, taking on the form of a Shadow Clan soldier with demigod-level strength—the one he’d encountered in the mines.

His aura matched the soldier’s perfectly, making him appear as an ordinary figure who could slip past the palace guards without raising suspicion.

Keeping a calm expression, John walked confidently toward the palace entrance.

“Halt!” The two guards at the door stopped him coldly, their expressions stern. Both were upper-tier gods.

It suggested the palace was indeed of great importance.

“Who are you? I’ve never seen you around before,” one guard asked suspiciously, eyeing John closely.

Remaining unfazed, John put on a look of urgency and replied, “I was sent by the lords outside. There’s been some trouble in the Secret Area, and I was instructed to verify that the captives are still here—especially the golden Behemoth.”

“Is it that troublemaker Quagmire again?” The guard’s brow furrowed, not doubting John’s story.

Quagmire was the Behemoth John had encountered.

“Don’t worry, this place blocks all abilities—none of them could ever escape,” the guard said confidently, showing no intention of letting John inside. “You can go back and report to the lords that we have everything under control here.”

John frowned, insisting, “It’s best to double-check so I can give a full report.”

“You’re thorough, aren’t you?” The other guard smirked, clearly impressed. “Alright then, let’s show you what you’re missing out on.”

In the guard’s mind, a weak demigod couldn’t cause much trouble, even if he had ulterior motives.

“Come on, I’ll take you inside,” he said, leading John directly into the hall.

Buzz!

A powerful pressure hit them immediately, filling the air with moans and screams that were hauntingly eerie.

John’s heart pounded—this wasn’t a palace at all but a massive prison.

Inside were cages filled with powerful beings from various races.

Clank!

Chains rattled as a figure lunged forward, shouting furiously from one of the cells, “Damn you, Shadow Clan! You think you can make me submit with these despicable methods? Keep dreaming! If you’ve got the guts, just kill me!”

Lincoln!

John was startled, recognizing him as Lincoln, the strongest of the Angel Race.

Covered in blood, battered and bruised, Lincoln looked a mess, his bloodshot eyes glaring furiously at John and the Shadow Clan guard, curses spilling from his lips.

“No need to worry. These guys are locked up tight; there’s no way they can escape,” the guard assured John as he led him further into the prison.

John kept his cool, biding his time. He needed to confirm Avis and Behemoth’s safety before making any move.

As they continued deeper into the structure, John recognized more familiar faces.

There was Beelzebub from the Demon Race, Michelle, Grey from the Angel Race, and even some godly beings of the Saint Spirit…

It was clear the Shadow Clan was trying to replicate their powerful abilities.

John frowned, keeping his face neutral, and soon they reached the innermost section of the palace.

Here, he saw members of the Beast Clan, weakened, with tubes inserted into their bodies to extract their bloodline power.

How cruel!

John’s gaze hardened, a growing fury simmering within him.

Roars…

Suddenly, a series of furious roars echoed from the depths.

John’s eyes lit up; he recognized that voice—it was Avis!