As the ruler of a space sea, Armstrong was naturally a smart man. He instantly knew that something
was wrong when he heard what the white-robed man said.
He narrowed his eyes at him, looking him up and down quizzically.
The white-robed man locked eyes with him, and burst into laughter.
"I don't want to keep you in the dark any longer. My friend, Armstrong.
Do you know why I befriended you and spent so much time traveling around with you?
Here comes the honesty. It's because you told me you knew two members of the reincarnation race
and that you got on well with them.
I lured you here.
I tricked you and persuaded you into contacting your friends of the reincarnation race to ask them to
come to your aid.
They are my true targets, the ones I've had my sights set on for so long!"
the man in white robes revealed with a smug grin stretched across his face.
By now, Austin and his companions had already entered the Heavenly Fire Land and were being
stalked by creatures of darkness, unbeknownst to them.
Once the man in the white robes had received word of their arrival, he dropped his act and revealed all
to Armstrong.
"You... You... You came up to me on purpose! This was all part of your plan?
What's the meaning of all this?
What have they done to you to warrant all this?
Why did you go through all this trouble to get them here? What on earth do you want from them?"
Armstrong snapped, pointing at the white-robed man threateningly.
The man's words had shocked and enraged him.
"Ha-ha! Calm down.
Patience. I will tell you everything, all in good time," the man in white robes answered.
He looked calm and totally unfazed.
"I'm working with the darkness race.
I have their support behind me now.
The mission I've been given is to wander around the Absolute Space Sea and acquaint myself with the
members of the reincarnation race, or any creatures related to them.
Once I earn their trust, I lure them to dangerous places, such as this.
I then inform the creatures of darkness and they hunt down those of the reincarnation race I have lured
into my trap.
I'm sure you understand what I'm saying.
I work for the creatures of darkness.
So really it's not me that's after your friends; it's them,"
the white-robed man explained casually.
"How dare you lie to me like that? You slimy bastard!"
His words had caused Armstrong to shake from the rage building within him.
"Ha-ha! Relax.
Just do as I say and all will be well.
The reincarnation race has declined, clinging to scraps for too long now.
The time of the darkness race has come.
Some of the reincarnation race's survivors want to rebuild the road of reincarnation and let their race
rise once more. That's not going to happen.
Think about it; even when the reincarnation race was at its peak, they were still no match for the
darkness race.
And now, there's only a measly few of them left. Do you honestly think they can defeat the darkness
race?
If you stay in touch with the remaining survivors of the reincarnation race, you may anger the creatures
of darkness, and the consequences for that will be very serious. Possibly even deadly.
I advise you to cut ties with those two survivors you call your friends as soon as possible. They will do
you no good now.
You'd do better to just help the creatures of darkness deal with them.
Do that, and I will recommend you to the superior of the darkness race and he may spare you and
welcome you in.
Then you and I can stay good friends. We could be a good team, go around together looking for
survivors of that pesky race and tell the creatures of darkness of their whereabouts.
We'll have the support of the darkness race.
No one will have the nerve to pick on us when they see that,"
the man in the white robes said, trying to turn Armstrong to his side with his little speech.
"You son of a bitch! You make me sick.
I will never ever turn my back on them.
I don't care who they are or where they're from.
I know that they're my friends; that's all that matters.
When they heard I was in trouble, they didn't hesitate for even a moment to come and save me. They
didn't even think about the danger they might have to face; they just sprung to action.
How could I betray them when they treat me like this?
I may not be a hero, but I'm not the type to turn on those good to me either.
But you... you've been fooling me all this time. Prepare to die, you bastard,"
Armstrong roared.
In a fit of rage,
he swung a vicious punch out at the man in white robes.
A massive fist shadow appeared,
crashing towards the white-robed man.
The man was taken aback for a second. He had not expected this. But then, he burst into mad
laughter.
"You want to take me on using all your might? I'm sorry, but I don't want to risk my life fighting an idiot
like you,"
he said with a sly smile.
He used his bodily movement skill
and swiftly retreated back a few steps.
Armstrong was about to chase him down
when more than ten figures shrouded in a thick black fog appeared out of thin air.
They darted at him without a word or cry.
"It's the darkness race!"
Armstrong narrowed his eyes warily at the sight of these mysterious men.
He had been exploring the Absolute Space Sea for a long time and had heard a lot about the darkness
race on his travels.
He knew they were difficult to deal with; that was clear.
Each creature of darkness coming at him released a tremendous dark energy, and he could tell by this
that they were governing gods.
'I stand no chance against them,'
Armstrong thought to himself after weighing their strength against his.
He didn't take a second longer to consider his options and turned around, ready to flee.
"Ha-ha! Where are you running to, my old friend?
Didn't you hear what I just said?
All you have to do is pledge your loyalty to them and they will not harm you,"
the man in white robes teased, watching Armstrong fleeing with his tail tucked between his legs.
'This is all part of his trap for Austin.
I must tell him so they can come prepared,'
Armstrong thought.
He immediately took out his Contact Jade Slip and informed Austin of the white-robed man's plot.
Not long after, Austin received the message.
"Hmm. So this is all a trap and I'm the one they want?"
Austin's eyes burned ferociously.
"So it's the creatures of darkness behind all this,"
Austin murmured to himself, his anger brewing along with a plan.
He filled the chaotic sky-devouring beast and the leader of the Reincarnation Palace in on what was
going on.
"This is all the darkness race's work.
They used Armstrong to get to us,"
the chaotic sky-devouring beast said angrily, clenching his jaw tight.
"Let's go.
Now that we're all here,
let's go free Armstrong first,"
Austin said after a moment's consideration.
"I agree. Let's save him!"
the chaotic sky-devouring beast yelled back in response, his determination and rage bursting through.
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