Marvel: The other side of the double-passing door is Devouring the Stars

Chapter 502 A Different Strategy!

"And the price?" Rowan asked.

“The materials are yours; I'll only charge a labor fee,” Karl said. “The labor fee for a mid-grade B-rank battle armor is five million cosmic crystals, and for a low-grade B-rank weapon, it's three million. That's eight million in total.”

“Okay,” Rowan nodded. “When can it be finished?”

“One month,” Karl said. “Crafting B-grade equipment requires many steps and can’t be rushed. You pay half the deposit first, and the other half upon completion.”

"no problem."

Rowan immediately transferred four million cosmic coins to Karl and then left the workshop.

A month later, Carl informed Rowan that the equipment had been completed.

Rowan arrived at the workshop and saw his new equipment.

It was a set of black armor, with a sleek design and beautiful lines. The surface of the armor was covered with silver patterns, which were arrays inscribed by Karl to enhance the armor's defensive capabilities and energy conductivity.

“Try them on,” Carl said.

Rowan donned the armor. It automatically adjusted to fit his body perfectly. A warm sensation emanated from within the armor; it was the energy flowing from the heart of the Dark Abyss Centipede King.

"How are you feeling?" Carl asked.

“Very good,” Rowan stretched, “It’s lighter than my previous armor, but its defensive capabilities are several times stronger.”

“Of course,” Karl said proudly. “This is the culmination of three hundred years of my craft. I’ve named this armor ‘Dark Abyss Armor.’ What do you think?”

“Very fitting,” Rowan nodded.

“And this,” Carl handed Rowan a long black knife.

The longsword had a narrow, elongated blade that emitted a faint, cold light. The hilt was crafted from the bone spikes of the Dark Abyss Centipede King, making it very comfortable to hold. A blood-red pattern ran along the blade, from the hilt to the tip, resembling a solidified lightning bolt.

“I named this knife ‘Centipede Shadow,’” Karl said. “The blade is forged from the carapace of the Dark Abyss Centipede King, the hilt is made of bone spikes, and the core of a tentacle is embedded in the blade. This knife is not only incredibly sharp, but it can also unleash lightning attacks. Give it a try.”

Rowan gripped the hilt and channeled his genetic energy into the blade.

The crimson patterns on the blade instantly lit up, and arcs of electricity leaped across its surface. Luo Wen swung the blade, sending a bolt of lightning flying out and striking the workshop wall, leaving a deep scorch mark.

"What a fine knife!" Rowan exclaimed.

“Of course,” Karl laughed. “It took me a whole month to forge this knife. You’d better cherish it.”

“I will,” Rowan said. “Thank you, Master Carl.”

He paid the remaining labor costs and left the workshop with his new equipment.

Wearing brand-new Dark Abyss Armor and with the Centipede Shadow Blade at his waist, Rowan strode out of the base.

The new equipment felt fantastic. The Dark Abyss Armor was lightweight and form-fitting, yet provided powerful protection. The Centipede Shadow Blade felt like an extension of his body, each swing incredibly smooth. He could feel a resonance between the equipment and his genetic energy, resulting in a significant boost to his strength.

“I need to find a place to test the effectiveness of this equipment,” Rowan thought. “I’ve already cleared out the Abyss Canyon; the monsters there pose no challenge to me anymore. I need to go to a more dangerous place.”

He opened the armor's information system and brought up a map of Dark Star.

There are several notorious dangerous areas on Dark Star. Besides the Abyss Canyon he had visited, there are the "Lava Sea," the "Frozen Land," and the "Shadow Wasteland." Among them, the Shadow Wasteland is the most dangerous, as it is home to not only a large number of high-level monsters but also some domain lord-level beings.

“Shadow Wasteland…” Rowan mused.

For someone at the seventh rank of the Stellar level, a Domain Lord level being is invincible. However, the Shadow Wasteland is vast, and as long as one acts cautiously and avoids those top-tier powerhouses, it should still be manageable.

“Let’s go to the Shadow Wastes,” Rowan decided.

He summoned the golden spaceship, entered the destination, and flew towards the Shadow Wasteland.

The Shadow Wasteland is located in the northern part of Dark Star, about three thousand kilometers from the base. At Rowan's speed, it would take about an hour.

During the flight, Rowan carefully studied the information about the Shadow Wastes.

The Shadow Wasteland is a vast plain, covering an area of ​​over 100,000 square kilometers. It is shrouded in darkness year-round, with sunlight rarely seen even during the day. This is because a special energy barrier hangs above this region, blocking all light.

On this dark land, a large number of dark-attribute monsters live. These monsters are naturally adapted to the dark environment and possess superhuman senses and stealth abilities. They are natural hunters, silently hunting their prey in the shadows.

"A dark-attribute monster... perfect for testing the lightning attack of the Centipede Shadow Blade," Rowan thought. "Lightning counters darkness, so it should be very effective."

An hour later, the spaceship arrived at the edge of the Shadow Wasteland.

Rowan landed the spaceship in a relatively safe location and then walked into the wasteland.

As soon as Rowan stepped into the Shadow Wasteland, he sensed a significant change. The surrounding light dimmed drastically, quickly plunging him into complete darkness. A chilling aura permeated the air, sending shivers down his spine.

"Armor, activate the night vision system," Rowan ordered.

A faint light flashed on the helmet of the Dark Abyss Armor, activating the night vision system. The surrounding environment immediately appeared in green before Rowan's eyes. He could see that it was a desolate plain, the ground covered with black rocks and withered vegetation, with some rolling hills in the distance.

"Multiple life forms detected," the armor's AI system alerted. "The nearest life form is 500 meters away, and its energy level is determined to be stellar level three."

“Too weak,” Rowan shook his head. “We need to go deeper.”

He quickened his pace, heading deeper into the wasteland. Along the way, he encountered many monsters, but they were all Stellar-level beings, ranging from the first to the fifth rank, posing no threat to him. He didn't even bother to fight back; simply releasing the pressure of a seventh-rank Stellar-level being was enough to terrify the monsters, causing them to scatter and flee.

Two hours later, Rowan had ventured about 100 kilometers into the Shadow Wasteland.

The environment here was even harsher, the darkness more intense, and the chilling aura in the air far stronger. Rowan sensed several powerful auras roaming around him, likely beings at least at the seventh rank of the Stellar level.

“This is about right,” Rowan stopped and looked around.

Just then, the armor's detection system sounded an alarm.

"Strong energy fluctuations detected, 300 meters away, energy level determined to be eighth-order stellar level!"

Rowan's eyes lit up: "Eighth-tier Stellar-level? Perfect for testing the effects of the new equipment."

He followed the direction of the energy fluctuations.

Soon, he spotted his target—a gigantic black wolf-like monster. This monster was five or six meters tall, covered in jet-black fur, with blood-red eyes that stood out starkly in the darkness. It emanated intense dark energy, as if it were the embodiment of darkness itself.

“Shadow Giant Wolf,” Rowan recognized the monster, “a Stellar-level Rank 8, one of the overlords of the Shadow Wasteland. Perfect for testing the Centipede Shadow Blade.”

The Shadow Wolf also spotted Rowan. It let out a low growl, its blood-red eyes fixed on the human who had trespassed into its territory.

"Human?" the Shadow Wolf spoke, its voice hoarse and chilling. "You have quite the nerve, daring to trespass into my territory alone."

Rowan was somewhat surprised. This giant shadow wolf had actually developed intelligence and could speak human language. "You can talk?" Rowan asked.

"I have cultivated for three thousand years and have long since gained sentience," the Shadow Giant Wolf said arrogantly. "Human, considering your young age, I will give you a chance. Hand over your equipment, then get lost, and I may spare your life."

"Hand over the equipment?" Rowan chuckled. "You want to steal my stuff?"

"Rob?!" The Shadow Wolf sneered. "That's called being a wise man when the time is right. Your armor and weapons are clearly B-grade equipment, quite valuable. You, a mere seventh-tier Stellar-level brat, don't deserve such fine things. Why not hand them over to me, and I might spare your life."

Rowan shook his head, a cold glint in his eyes.

“You have a good eye; this is indeed B-grade equipment,” he slowly drew his Centipede Shadow Blade. “However, you’re not qualified to take anything from me.”

"You're asking for death!" the Shadow Wolf roared in fury.

With a swift movement, it transformed into a black afterimage, instantly appearing before Rowan. Its enormous claws, imbued with dense dark attribute energy, lunged towards Rowan's chest.

"So fast!" Rowan's eyes narrowed.

The Shadow Giant Wolf was faster than he had imagined. As expected of a dark-attribute monster, its strength was greatly amplified in this dark land.

But Rowan is no pushover either.

He sidestepped, narrowly avoiding the Shadow Wolf's attack. At the same time, he drew his Centipede Shadow Blade and slashed towards the Shadow Wolf's neck.

The shadow wolf reacted with lightning speed, twisting its body the instant the blade struck, avoiding a fatal blow. However, the blade still managed to leave a deep gash on its shoulder, from which black blood gushed forth.

"Awooo!" The Shadow Giant Wolf roared angrily.

It hadn't expected that this seemingly young human would be so powerful. Moreover, the knife was sharper than it could have imagined; even its prized fur couldn't withstand it.

“Interesting,” Rowan nodded in satisfaction, looking at the bloodstains on the Centipede Shadow Blade. “Indeed a fine blade.”

"You wretched human!" roared the Shadow Giant Wolf. "You have angered me!"

Its body began to swell, its black fur stood on end, and a dense surge of dark energy erupted from within it. In an instant, the surrounding darkness intensified, as if it were about to devour everything.

"Shadow Domain!" roared the Shadow Wolf.

Centered on it, a black field with a radius of 500 meters unfolded. Within this field, all light was swallowed up, and even Rowan's battle armor's night vision system failed.

"Domain?" Rowan frowned slightly.

A domain is an ability that only martial artists and monsters of the eighth rank or higher at the stellar level can master. It can alter the environment and suppress enemies within a certain range. The Shadow Giant Wolf's Shadow Domain is clearly designed to deprive Rowan of his visual advantage.

"Within my domain, you see nothing," the Shadow Wolf's voice echoed from all directions, "but I can clearly sense everything about you. You are doomed!"

No sooner had he finished speaking than a black figure attacked from behind Rowan.

Although Rowan was blind, his mental energy still allowed him to sense the movements around him. He turned and swung his sword to parry.

"Ding!"

The blades and claws clashed, sparks flying.

"How could you..." the Shadow Wolf exclaimed in shock.

"A domain? That's certainly troublesome," Rowan said calmly. "However, you're far from being able to kill me with that."

His mental power was fully unleashed, compensating for his lack of sight. Although he couldn't see, he could still sense the location and movements of the Shadow Giant Wolf.

"Let's see how long you can last!" The Shadow Giant Wolf launched another attack, unwilling to give up.

It transformed into streaks of black afterimages, moving at high speed within the domain, launching attacks on Rowan from all angles. Its speed was so great that ordinary people couldn't react at all.

But Rowan is no ordinary person.

He stood still, his Centipede Shadow Blade flashing up and down, blocking the Shadow Giant Wolf's attacks time and time again. Each block was precise and accurate, as if he could predict the Shadow Giant Wolf's movements.

"Ding ding ding ding!"

The sound of blades and claws clashing echoed in the darkness, sparks flashing continuously.

"Damn it!" The Shadow Giant Wolf grew increasingly alarmed as the fight progressed.

It discovered that although this human was blind, he could perfectly block every attack it made. Moreover, the knife was too sharp; each parry left a wound on its claws. Continuing like this would only lead to its own downfall.

"Let's try a different strategy!" the Shadow Wolf gritted its teeth.

It took a few steps back and opened its blood-red maw. A ball of black energy condensed in its mouth, growing larger and more concentrated.

"Shadow Devour!"

The black energy transformed into a beam of light, hurtling towards Rowan. This was the Shadow Giant Wolf's ultimate technique, capable of devouring all matter; even a seventh-tier stellar-level martial artist would find it impossible to withstand.

Luo Wen sensed this powerful energy, and his expression changed slightly.

“Such a powerful attack,” he murmured. “Perfect, let’s test the lightning ability of the Centipede Shadow Blade.”

He channeled his genetic energy into the Centipede Shadow Blade, and the crimson patterns on the blade instantly lit up. Arcs of electricity crackled and popped across the blade.

"A Thunderous Slash!"

Rowan swung his sword, and a beam of light crackling with lightning shot out, colliding head-on with the Shadow Devourer of the Shadow Giant Wolf.

"boom!"

The two energies collided, producing a deafening explosion. Lightning and darkness tore at each other, devouring one another, and ultimately perished together.

"What?!" the Shadow Giant Wolf exclaimed in shock. "He actually blocked my Shadow Devouring?!"

"Lightning overcomes darkness, don't you know that?" Rowan sneered.

He shot out with explosive speed, and taking advantage of the moment when the Shadow Giant Wolf was stunned, he slashed out with the Centipede Shadow Blade once again.

"Blood Luo Eight Forms, Fifth Form: Blood Thorn!"

This is the most powerful attack among the Eight Forms of Blood Luo. The blade light transformed into a blood-red line, crackling with lightning, piercing straight for the eyes of the Shadow Giant Wolf.

The shadow wolf was terrified and desperately twisted its body to try and dodge. But Rowan's thrust was too fast; it had no time to react.

(End of this chapter)