C22 Yellow Springs Set

With Bamote's arrival, nearly all humans began to gravitate towards Beginner Village. Bamote was drawn to the village because he had sensed an aura there that could manipulate the rules of power.

He paid no mind to the insignificant humans he encountered along the way.

"Hmm? What's happening? Who's there? Why is such a tremendous force drawing near?" Lin Tian was the first to detect Bamote's presence, and the aura filled him with trepidation. However, Lin Tian was no longer just an ordinary man; his strength had grown considerably closer to Bamote's. With Bai Li by his side, he managed to suppress his fear.

"Uh-oh, looks like Bamote is here to stir up trouble for you, Master," Bai Li remarked, her head cocked to one side, her expression one of curiosity. She, too, was puzzled by Bamote's sudden appearance.

"Let's hold off and see what happens. He might not be here for us. If he's come to slaughter the ordinary humans around us, I'll need to find a way to drive him off," Lin Tian said, feeling somewhat helpless. If Bamote kept up his rampage, even those who resurrected at the Beginner Village's Resurrection Point would be doomed. The local humans might lose hope and abandon the game entirely.

No game had ever allowed such uncontrolled carnage by monsters, depriving players of a proper gaming experience. Without that, players would naturally leave.

"Roar! Come forth!" Bamote bellowed as he hovered above Beginner Village. With a sweeping gesture, he sent a barrage of fiery meteors crashing down, instantly annihilating half of the humans below.

Lin Tian, amidst the crowd, narrowly evaded Bamote's assault. Yet, witnessing Bamote's overwhelming power left him at a loss for words.

"Tell me, Bai Li, didn't you say that Bamote's level would be equivalent to a Level 15 player in the current game? Can a Level 15 player really be this powerful? You're not pulling my leg, are you?" Lin Tian questioned. Considering the current power scaling for players, even reaching Level 15 would not be enough to stand a chance against Bamote—a swift defeat would be certain. It seemed more likely that a player would need to be around Level 20 to compete.

"Master, I haven't deceived you. You're simply not fully aware of the situation. Bamote, as the chief of the Lava Clan, has merged with the Lava Heart, the core of the Lava World, and has harnessed the power of lava. Beyond that, he possesses many other complex powers bestowed upon him by the Lava World. So, while his level is indeed equivalent to Level 15, his actual strength far surpasses that of Level 15."

Upon hearing Bai Li's explanation, Lin Tian finally grasped the truth. Bamote was only equivalent to Level 15 by rank, but his real power was much greater than Level 15, which explained the vast gap in strength Lin Tian felt when facing him.

"Master, just a heads-up, Bamote seems to be searching for you. When I was creating for you, I utilized the power of rules, which might have tipped off Bamote."

Bai Li offered this friendly warning, and Lin Tian then realized that Bamote was clearly on the hunt for someone. And in this world, who else but Lin Tian could be the reason for Bamote to make a special trip?

"Uh... So, what do we do now? I'm certainly no match for Bamote. We can't just let him run rampant here."

"Why worry, Master? You're not going to die here, after all. Go out and spar with him a bit. Once you've cleared up his suspicions, he won't keep causing trouble. He's a king, after all, and wouldn't stoop to bullying defenseless ants. Besides, wouldn't it be dull to keep squashing ants? You'd never develop that kind of temperament."

Lin Tian pondered this and realized it made sense. Continually battling ants would indeed be dull. It seemed all he needed to do was find a way to send Bamote packing.

"Fine, fine, I'll confront Bamote. But the guy can fly; how am I supposed to lead him away from here on foot? And you know, it's been quite a while, and you've yet to grant me any perks. These players are armed to the teeth with weapons and gear. Surely, I can't be expected to fight off invaders with my bare hands forever, right?"

Lin Tian was feeling a bit down. Aside from causing him trouble, Bai Li hadn't provided any real benefits so far.

"Sigh, Master, you've got me all wrong. I have plenty of treasures, but with your current strength, you can't use any of them. Today is an exception, so here's what I'll do: I'll temporarily lend you a few items, and I'll also lend you some of my energy so you can wield them. With your current power, you should be able to spar with Bamote and drive him off."

Bai Li looked reluctant, but seeing the hopeful look on Lin Tian's face, she couldn't bring herself to let him down. With a flick of her delicate hand, a heap of scrap metal materialized out of nowhere onto Lin Tian.

"Whoa, damn it!"

Lin Tian hit the ground with a thud, a look of agony on his face. He was completely baffled. The junk he was now wearing was incredibly heavy, and even his Rank 1 strength couldn't bear it; he was completely overwhelmed.

"Little guy, are you messing with me? Help me up, quick!"

"Hmph, silly Master, hold on. I'm about to lend you my strength so these long-forgotten pieces of equipment can shine once again in their former glory."

In a flash, Bai Li transformed into a brilliant white light and dove into Lin Tian's mind. The next instant, Lin Tian let out a fierce roar, feeling an unstoppable surge of power coursing through him, as if he'd been supercharged.

With a thunderous boom, Lin Tian shot up into the sky. To the amazement of the onlookers in Beginner Village, he flew straight to Bamote in an instant.

"Hahaha, this is epic, absolutely epic!"

Basking in his newfound strength and admiring his gear, Lin Tian felt ecstatic. He was now clad in a set of white armor adorned with menacing ghost faces and sharp fangs, both intimidating and eerie.

What's more, he now sported a pair of wings crafted from white bones on his back, shining with a brilliant light, incredibly eye-catching.

Though Lin Tian's looks were average at best, the armor lent him a commanding presence, making him appear both imposing and formidable.