Starting from primitive world, building the strongest divine kingdom

One of the figures in black stepped forward and coldly asked, "Are you Enzo, Matilda, and Kosor?"

Enzo furrowed his brows and responded, "We are. Who are you? What do you want with us?"

The figure in black sneered and replied, "Hmph, who we are is not important. What matters is what you have. Hand over the Soul-Protecting Bead, and the silver metal with a blue glow that you found on Gamma. Give it to us.Perhaps we can spare your lives."

Matilda became angry as soon as she heard this and cursed, "You guys are so imaginative. You want our things, there's no way."

Saying this, Matilda was about to use her Ice Divine Arts to teach the figures in black a lesson.

Enzo hurriedly stopped Matilda, saying, "Don't act hastily. Let's see what they intend to do."

Kosor also whispered from the side, "These people might not be simple. We need to be cautious."

The figure in black saw that the three of them were unwilling to submit and snorted coldly, saying, "Since you refuse the offer, don't blame us for being rude!"

With that, the figures in black began casting spells and rushed toward the three of them.

Enzo's eyes narrowed, and he shouted, "Everyone, be careful! They're about to make a move!" After speaking, he flashed forward and charged toward the group of figures in black. Energy from the elements surged from his hands, and he collided with the figures in black, immediately sending the ones at the front flying.

Matilda was not to be outdone. She cast her Ice Divine Arts, and beams of freezing light shot toward the figures in black. Wherever the beams struck, the air around the figures in black instantly froze, slowing their movements. However, among the figures in black, there were also powerful individuals. They summoned strange, glowing magical tools, and with a gentle wave, they dispersed the cold aura around them.

Kosor swung his great sword and charged into the group of figures in black. With every swing of the sword, a fierce gust of wind was created, forcing the nearby figures in black to retreat. While fighting, he shouted, "These guys aren't easy to deal with. Everyone, don't scatter!"

The figures in black seemed to be well-organized and had a plan. They divided into smaller squads and surrounded Enzo and his group from different directions. One squad focused their strength on Matilda, launching waves of black energy from the magical tools in their hands. Matilda couldn't dodge in time, and one of the energy waves struck her, sending her flying backward.

"Matilda!" Enzo cried out in panic upon seeing this. He wanted to rush to her aid, but several figures in black quickly surrounded him. Enzo roared in anger, unleashing a surge of energy that sent the figures in black flying, then he charged toward Matilda.

Kosor saw Enzo going to help Matilda, and he alone blocked the remaining figures in black. His great sword moved in a relentless storm of strikes, and he called out, "Enzo, take care of Matilda first! I've got this!"

Enzo reached Matilda's side, helping her up. "Are you okay? Are you hurt?"Matilda wiped the blood from the corner of her mouth and replied, "I'm fine. These guys are really tough."

At that moment, a figure who appeared to be the leader of the group of figures in black slowly stepped forward. He held a black magic staff, the top of which was adorned with a massive black gemstone that emitted a strange, eerie glow. The leader waved his staff, and a huge column of black energy shot toward Enzo and Matilda.

Enzo quickly pulled Matilda out of the way. The black energy column struck the ground, instantly creating a massive crater, and the surrounding trees were knocked over. Enzo glared at the black-robed leader, his eyes filled with rage, and asked, "Who are you? Why are you attacking us?"

The black-robed leader sneered and replied, "We are from the Sloth Temple. The items you carry are very useful to us. If you're wise, hand them over now. Otherwise, today will be your last day."

Enzo furrowed his brows, deep in thought. "Sloth Temple? Why would they be targeting us? Looks like these guys will stop at nothing for treasure." He looked toward Matilda and Kosor, saying, "Be careful. They are from the Sloth Temple, and they won't let us go easily."

Matilda and Kosor tightened their grips on their weapons, ready for a more intense battle. Enzo took a deep breath, then charged back toward the group of figures in black. He decided that taking down the black-robed leader first was the best way to disrupt their formation.

Enzo moved like lightning, instantly appearing in front of the black-robed leader and throwing a punch. The black-robed leader didn't expect Enzo to be so fast and quickly raised his magic staff to block the attack. With a resounding "Boom!" Enzo's fist collided with the staff, sending a powerful shockwave of energy that caused the surrounding figures in black to stagger back a few steps.

The black-robed leader's arm went numb from the impact, and he was startled. *"This guy has incredible strength!"* He swung his staff, and several black chains shot out from it, aiming to bind Enzo. Enzo's figure flickered as he effortlessly dodged the chains and immediately launched a more ferocious assault on the black-robed leader.

Meanwhile, Matilda and Kosor were locked in intense combat with the figures in black. Matilda noticed that the magical tools the figures in black wielded seemed to counter her Ice Divine Arts to some extent. Realizing this, she decided to change her strategy. She began casting smaller, more nimble spells, using the environment around her to attack the figures in black.

Kosor, on the other hand, was engaged in close-quarters combat with several of the figures in black. Every time he swung his great sword, it struck and wounded one of them, but the figures in black seemed unfazed by the injuries and continued to attack him furiously.

Just as the battle was reaching its peak, a loud rumbling sound suddenly came from the sky. A massive airship was flying toward the cabin. The airship bore the emblem of the Rage Temple , and it was clear that people from the Rage Temple had arrived.

When the figures in black saw the Rage Temple airship, their expressions changed. The leader shouted, "Retreat!" With that, the figures in black quickly cast their spells and fled the scene.

Enzo watched as the figures in black retreated but didn't pursue them. He knew that the most important thing now was to find out the whereabouts of the reclusive old man and understand why the Sloth Temple had targeted them.

The Rage Temple airship landed in front of the cabin, and several temple envoys stepped out. One of them looked at Enzo and his group and asked, "Are you all alright? We received reports of unusual energy fluctuations here and came as quickly as we could."

Enzo briefly explained what had happened, including their search for the reclusive old man, the reinforcement of the cave's seal, and the attack by the Sloth Temple. After hearing the story, the envoy furrowed his brow and said, "The Sloth Temple has become increasingly reckless lately, even openly seizing adventurers' possessions. Did you happen to see the reclusive old man?"

Enzo shook his head and replied, "When we returned, he was already gone. We don't know if he was captured by people from the Sloth Temple."

The envoy thought for a moment and said, "We will investigate this matter thoroughly. For now, you should come back with us to the Rage Temple . This place is not safe. The Sloth Temple may come back."

Enzo, Matilda, and Kosor nodded and followed the Rage Temple envoys aboard the airship, which then flew toward the Rage Temple . On the airship, Matilda said, "I wonder just how much the old man knew about the location of the Ancestor Meat. I hope he's alright."

Enzo gazed out the window and replied, "No matter what, we can't just give up now. We must find the source of the Ancestor Meat and unravel this mystery."

Kosor nodded in agreement and said, "Exactly. We've come this far, we can't quit halfway. But first, we need to figure out how to deal with the Sloth Temple's threat."

The airship landed at the Rage Temple , and after disembarking, Enzo and his group followed the envoys into the temple.

What they didn't know was that, in a corner of the Rage Temple , a pair of eyes was watching them…

As they walked down the corridors of the Rage Temple , Enzo, Matilda, and Kosor took in the surroundings: the walls were covered in mysterious symbols and ancient writings, exuding an air of mystery.

But at that moment, they had no time to appreciate the beauty. Their minds were consumed with thoughts of the missing reclusive old man and the Sloth Temple's attack.

"You wait here. We'll report the situation and be back shortly." The envoy said, then walked deeper into the temple.

Enzo furrowed his brow and whispered to Matilda and Kosor, "I have a feeling something's off here. It's like someone's watching us."

Matilda nodded, glancing warily around. "I feel the same way. We need to be cautious."

Kosor tightened his fist. "Hmph, if anyone dares to cause trouble, I won't hold back."

Just then, a servant dressed in Rage Temple attire emerged from a nearby room, holding a tray with three cups of steaming beverages. He lowered his head and softly said, "You've all worked hard. Please have some drinks."

Enzo looked at him and asked, "Who are you? We didn't ask for any drinks."

The servant lifted his head and revealed a seemingly innocent smile. "I'm a servant here. These drinks are prepared by the temple for you. They'll help relieve your fatigue."

Matilda was about to reach for a cup, but Enzo stopped her, his gaze sharp as he stared at the servant. "We're not thirsty. We don't need them."

A brief flicker of panic flashed in the servant's eyes, but it was quickly replaced with his usual calm expression. "Alright then. If you need anything, feel free to call for me." He said, before quickly leaving the room.

Kosor watched the servant's retreating figure and muttered, "That guy's hiding something. Those drinks might have been drugged."

Enzo nodded, his expression serious. "Yeah, it seems like Rage Temple isn't as peaceful as it looks. We need to stay cautious of everything around us."

After a while, the envoy returned and spoke to Enzo and his group. "The temple is aware of your situation. They will send people to investigate the whereabouts of the reclusive old man and the Sloth Temple's activities. You can rest here in the temple for now, but try not to leave the temple grounds during this time."

Enzo asked, "What about the things we brought back from Gamma? And the clues we found in the ruins?"