Douluo: Legend of the Holy Land

Chapter 197 Challenge Game

"Roar roar roar!!!"

Just as Xiao Yu cleaved the giant skeleton in two with his sword, the shadowy figures that had been lining up to jump into the black hole suddenly stopped and bowed down to Xiao Yu, as if welcoming the return of their king.

"System, can you come out and explain yourself?"

Seeing this scene, Xiao Yu immediately asked the system another question.

The system's voice sounded somewhat helpless: "The Underworld is a new plane that I created using the power of Hades. It was abandoned when I merged with the rules of Douluo Star. I just didn't expect that it would resonate with you after your martial soul evolved, causing you to enter this place unexpectedly."

"So what's going on now? Why did that giant skeleton suddenly attack me? And why did these guys suddenly kneel down before me after I defeated it?"

"This underworld is based on the underworld in Saint Seiya, and it is different from the underworld that the host knows. In the original setting, that big skeleton should be the boss guarding the Yomotsu Hirasaka level. After the system merged with the Douluo plane, the underworld has become an independent plane, and he has become the de facto ruler of Yomotsu Hirasaka. Sensing the power of Hades in the host, he naturally regarded the host as the plane master who was trying to regain control of the underworld, which is why he attacked the host."

Xiao Yu immediately understood. After being the boss for so long, they suddenly realized that the real boss had returned, and they were about to become the lackeys who were ordered around again. In order to keep their current status, they turned against Xiao Yu. As for those shadowy figures, they were all lackeys under whoever they were. Since Xiao Yu had killed the giant skeleton, they naturally obediently acknowledged him as their master.

Having figured this out, Xiao Yu asked the system the question that had been interrupted by the appearance of the skeleton: "Since the Underworld is already an independent plane, is it not affected by the rules of Douluo Star?"

"Yes."

The system gave Xiao Yu an affirmative answer.

Wouldn't that be...

Xiao Yu's eyes lit up immediately. If Saga and Shaka were allowed to enter the Underworld and escape the plane suppression of Douluo Star, without the restrictions of rules, wouldn't these two powerhouses who had already reached the peak of Douluo Star be able to immediately break through to level 100? The same principle applies to the other powerhouses of the Nine Star Palace. On Douluo Star, due to the lack of godhood, they had to fight against the rules of heaven and earth for every level they advanced, which resulted in slow progress in their cultivation. After entering the Underworld, without this constraint, wouldn't their cultivation be able to progress rapidly?

"Don't be too happy, host!"

Seemingly sensing Xiao Yu's thoughts, the system immediately poured cold water on him: "Although the Underworld doesn't have the same breakthrough restrictions as Douluo Star, it also has its own rules. The Saint Seiya summoned by the system, such as Saga and Shaka, are essentially the same as the Underworld. Once they enter it, their power will be immediately assimilated by the Underworld."

Xiao Yu was thoroughly disheartened by the system's cold water, and he asked somewhat unwillingly, "Isn't there any other way?"

"have!"

The system's response instantly rekindled Xiao Yu's interest: "Rules can be made, and they can be modified. As long as the host becomes the ruler of the Underworld plane, modifying the rules is just a matter of a word from you."

"Wait a minute!"

Xiao Yu suddenly realized something and said suspiciously, "You're not going to tell me now that to become the Lord of a Plane, I need to defeat the bosses guarding the various fortresses of the Underworld, such as the Eight Great Hells and the Four Circles, right?"

"Yes!"

The system's answer was exactly what Xiao Yu had expected.

"Good grief, you didn't design this as a platformer from the very beginning, did you?!"

Xiao Yu was speechless for a moment, then paused before saying, "Could you tell me about the various levels in the Underworld?"

"Can!"

The system activated immediately, and a map appeared in Xiao Yu's mind. The layout of the Underworld was basically the same as the layout of the Underworld that Xiao Yu had seen when he watched Saint Seiya in his previous life, except that the entrance was slightly different. In the Saint Seiya story, one should enter the Underworld through Hades Castle on the ground, but here it was changed to enter through the entrance of Yomotsu Hirasaka.

The road that followed was exactly the same as Xiao Yu remembered. The Gate of Hell served as the entrance to the underworld. Beyond the Gate of Hell lay the River of Three Paths, the Styx River that distinguishes the world of the living from the world of the dead. After crossing the Styx River lay the Eight Great Hells.

These eight prisons are the first prisons of the court that adjudicates the dead;

Those who commit crimes of greed will be punished in a second prison by heavy, cold rain.

The miser and the spendthrift are forever pushing the boulder into the third prison;

The Fourth Hell, which is filled with dark swamps, is where the dissatisfied and the angry will sink each other.

The fifth hell, where one suffers the torment of being roasted in fire within the grave;

The sixth prison, composed of the three great valleys, and the seventh prison, composed of the ten moats;

The final hell is an infinitely vast final hell, an icy hell that buries those who commit the most heinous crime of rebellion against the gods. In the original story, hundreds of billions of Saints perished here. Mu, Aiolia, and Milo, along with Seiya and Ikki, were all killed by the Specters and are still waiting for their deaths here.

After the eight great prisons comes the four circles. In the original story, apart from the final circle, the Judah Circle, which is the place where Hades' physical body resides, the first three circles are guarded by the three giants of Hades, namely Rhadamanthys, Aiacos, and Milos. However, it is obvious that the system has changed the bosses guarding the circles. Unfortunately, the system did not display the information of the bosses guarding the circles to Xiao Yu, so Xiao Yu has to figure it out himself.

Based on Xiao Yu's experience playing many adventure games in his previous life, the guardians of each level in the Underworld will only get stronger and stronger. The guardian skeleton of the Yellow Springs Hirasaka already has a combat power close to that of a Contra Douluo. It is not difficult to predict that by the time of the Fourth Circle, the boss guarding the level will most likely have the combat power of a Super Douluo.

Therefore, taking control of the Underworld and becoming the master of the plane is by no means something that can be achieved overnight. It will be a very long task. At the same time, fighting against the undead creatures guarding the various checkpoints of the Underworld will also be a rare experience for Xiao Yu.

"System, the summoned beings are currently unable to enter the Underworld. What about the Soul Masters who originally belonged to the Douluo Continent?"

As a qualified "wool party" (someone who takes advantage of promotional offers), Xiao Yu naturally wanted to maximize the value of this experience, and of course, he could also call on others for help if he encountered difficulties.

"Can!"

After giving Xiao Yu an affirmative answer, the system added: "Soul Masters originally from Douluo Star, as long as they are within the host's Underworld Domain, once the domain and the Underworld are connected, the host can choose who will enter the Underworld with them. To return to Douluo Star, they only need to communicate with their own domain using their thoughts. However, please note that this travel is limited to the Yellow Springs Slope. Once the host crosses the Gates of Hell, they will have to open up the entire Underworld to travel between the two realms."

(End of this chapter)