"Ancient Morning Star Killer Move — Ocean's Roar!"
A monstrous creature several kilometers long, with a bull's head atop a humanoid torso and a colossal octopus body from the waist down, roared as terrifying waves of energy radiated ceaselessly from its form.
Behind it, four enormous halos flickered and merged together, the power of the mass point amplified enormously within them before combining into a terrifying piece of wizardry.
As if the sea god had flown into a rage, vast quantities of seawater transformed into seahorses, sea demons, sea dragons, and other ancient beasts, engulfing the massive wizard formation on the opposite side.
Before the Morning Star killer move, although the enormous wizard formation also unleashed formidable defensive power, it was ultimately torn to shreds, and the colossal volume of seawater poured directly through under terrifying pressure.
"This appears to be some kind of cultivation base!"
Saber's aura wavered momentarily as he reverted to his human form, which consumed less energy, and began charging into the wizard formation to pillage freely.
Though the aftershocks of the killer move had left the base in complete disarray — like ruins after the end of the world — intact items still lay in the dust here and there, radiating light and catching Saber's eye.
"Thousand-Eye Insect eggs! A single one this large could almost be traded for an equal mass of Astral Stone..."
"And high-concentration mithril — so much of it..." Saber's eyes lit up, two spots of color even rising to his cheeks.
Numerous rare materials, both known and unknown, lay scattered across the ground like refuse. Though many were damaged, they still held immense value.
Such a vast fortune, laid out right before him for the taking — even across his entire prior life, this kind of experience had been exceedingly rare.
"Ha ha... I should have done this from the very start! Sure, it might damage some treasures, but it would save time and let me conquer a few more locations..."
Saber's eyes reddened slightly as he swept his gaze rapidly across the ground, collecting everything of value, then immediately left the area and arrived at the next location.
"Master Nook's Alchemy Laboratory! Unauthorized personnel keep out! Enter at your own risk!"
The enormous laboratory gleamed with a crystalline luster, standing before Saber like a fortress wall, and at its entrance was a threatening wooden plaque.
"A fellow who's been dead for tens of thousands of years — who's he trying to fool?"
The blood-red lettering on the plaque had initially sent a chill down Saber's spine, but the previous haul still made his eyes redden with greed.
"Once I conquer this place, I can reach the core area directly — the treasures there must be even more abundant..."
Saber's expression shifted several times before he finally made his decision, and the halos of his various innate wizardries lit up around him once more.
Of course, he also layered several additional defensive barriers on himself, even summoning the radiance of a few shell-like magical artifacts to envelop his entire body.
"Be destroyed! Morning Star Killer Move — Ocean's Roar!!!"
The vast, endless azure sea and all manner of transformed oceanic predators immediately engulfed the laboratory ahead. Brilliant light flared in every direction, then quickly subsided.
When Saber finally withdrew, the laboratory had been reduced to an enormous ruin. Every wizard formation rune had been annihilated — either shattered beyond recognition or completely vanished.
"Haha… As expected! My guess was right!"
The backlash he had anticipated never arrived, and a look of elation immediately spread across Saber's face. He cautiously sent a few puppets forward first, and once he confirmed there was indeed no danger ahead, he lunged forward with undisguised eagerness, greedily searching through the rubble.
Even for a Dawn Star Wizard, such an opportunity was rare.
However, in places he could not see, intense and perilous reactions were rapidly unfolding.
"Confirmed as a singularity reaction! Suspected Dawn Star-level enemy in Zone dk-34. Counter-wizard formation activated!"
Within a hidden pocket of the void, vast stretches of space were being continuously compressed and twisted, forming the bizarre shape of a crystalline sphere. At its very core was a strange figure clad in a black robe, its eyes glowing with a blood-red light.
Following the command from this control room, wisps of an eerie aura radiated outward. Above the original location of the laboratory, a concealed wizard formation began to activate.
"Extracting the singularity's power! Attribute determined: Water! Initiating counter-wizard formation! Reflection procedure commencing!"
"Huh? What's happening?"
Saber suddenly looked up. In that instant, a wizard's spiritual sense warned him of a terrifying threat. It felt as if a lethal presence had materialized, making his scalp tingle with dread.
"No good! I need to leave here immediately!"
Saber's entire form dissolved into a streak of blue light, shooting forward.
But it was already too late. With a terrifying, piercing roar, a massive, blood-red wizard formation materialized from the void.
Countless Rune Chains wove together into a cage, trapping Saber firmly inside.
"Target confirmed! Annihilation protocol initiated!"