National Championship (3)

Lance wielded his spear, [Endless], and jumped into the chasm below the cave. Tightly protected by his light overall gear, he used the rope he tied on his waist earlier and killed monsters who dared to approach him. He made use of his flexible body to use the walls as cushions to deliver strong attacks against the monsters.

As expected, Lance's decent was progressing slowly. Many monster aliens appeared in the chasm. The monster alien base was also actively trying to get rid of him. A wave of liquid bullets as dense as torrential rain flew towards Lance. Combined with the rapidly rising number of monster aliens crowding around him, Lance is completely surrounded.

The black liquid excreted by the monster alien base has strong erosive properties. Even with the armor and protective suit Lance is wearing, it did not stop the black liquid from penetrating deep into his skin.

His descent became even more difficult. His suit was tattered and exposed his pale white skin underneath, where unsightly burns and oozing black bubbling liquid emerged just a second later.

Lance did not stop. He had already placed the monster cores inside the nullifier. This big piece of equipment was attached to his back. Lance's persistence did not waver. He already split his weapon [Endless] into two. A pair of sharp scimitar blades could be seen in his hands.

The nucleus can already be seen not far away from Lance. Knowing the enemy was close at hand, the monster alien's base let out an earsplitting shriek. At once, all the monster aliens borne in the base went berserk. Small and big, with wings or claws, all types of unsightly monsters rushed towards Lance.

Lance blocked the attacks using his two scimitars. With the help of his agile body, he leapt through walls and smoothly split the monsters into halves, as though he were just cutting up vegetables.

At each monster he took down, their cores were stuffed inside the nullifier in Lance's back. Lance was showered with blood. His 'Regeneration Skill' begins its work. His body was not totally cleansed, but he was out of danger of being corrupted at this moment.

Around him, Lance noticed the dead monsters' corpses were absorbed by the ground. In those spots, new monsters emerge. They are twice as big than the monsters he defeated. And all of them ceaselessly jumped at him.

To protect the nucleus, an army of monster aliens lines up, advancing towards Lance to eliminate the threat.

Lance gritted his teeth. He was already close. There's no way he will back down.

His 'Regeneration Skill' is almost up. Lance set his "Assassination Skill' to maximum. His high skill point made it possible for him to deliver a strong attack. He changed his weapon [Endless] back to a long, bladed spear. And using his both strong arms, he pushed his way through and eliminated the monster aliens.

The corrosion of his armor doubled. Because he used his 'Assassination Skill' to the maximum, he could not raise his 'Regeneration Skill'. Causing the black liquid and the monster alien's blood to hasten the corruption.

It took a lot of tenacity for Lance to resist the corruption.

When Lucien finally reached the nucleus, the monster aliens had almost been killed by him. But this gives the monster alien's base new profound strength to attack Lance and eliminate him once and for all.

Lance remove his 'Assassin Skill' and set his 'Regeneration Skill' to the minimum. The monster alien's base has its black liquid twisting around Lance's body, quickly swallowing him up. His hand just pressed the nullifier to activation and forcibly separated the thing from his body.

It was already too late for him.

The pitch black fluid covered Lance's whole body. His fate is already determined. The rogue player was meant to be swallowed. Everyone could not believe it.

Lance's teammates have their fate on him. That he would be able to survive and escape. But looking at the state of things…

No! They dare not consider… They don't want to give up yet.

The audience held their breath in unison.

Finally, a loud 'beep' pierced the air. Along with the buzzing sound of the machine waking up, the cave rumbled loudly. Everyone got the answer.

Hearing it, Lance let out a victorious smile. He deactivated the 'Regeneration Skill' entirely and did not resist. In a blink, the monster alien base swallowed him up, never to be seen in the light of day again.

A loud explosion originating from the inside of the cave shook the whole land. Because of Lance's feat and the cleansing of the monster alien's cave, the Golden Raven team's score skyrocketed.

The other teams had also killed many monsters, but their scores could not be compared with the Golden Raven's. Even if the host never announced anything, the audience could tell that Golden Raven would win.

Because they paid the price of sacrificing their own unique rogue newbie.

"This is crazy! Lance has only started his career for six months. His character possessed the most unique and rare abilities out of all the in game characters…." The host did not dare to continue his words, but everyone understood them by heart.

That unique 'Regeneration Skill' can never be retrieved. Because Lance has to start over again by choosing a new in game character and leveling it up.

When the victory of Golden Raven was made official, the audience ruptured into frantic cheers. Many reporters were waiting outside the VR cabins of the players. When Lance appeared, he would be swallowed by this crowd for sure. Since he was the highlight of today's game.

But Lance wasn't worried about that at the moment.

He was still sinking to the bottom of the monster alien's base.

The monster alien's base, its black fluid component, is the most hazardous substance in [The World Invasion Online]. Monsters are borne out of this substance. And it could corrupt any living being that comes into contact with it.

Hence, based on the game's settings, Lance is already dead. He should be disconnected from the game and return to reality right now. However, Lance did not see the familiar lights of his own cabin, and he continued to sink further.