Chapter 607.5: The Lord's Combat Style!
Arcs of lightning flickered as they were channeled into the softly glowing Thunder Armor.
A faint blue sheen shimmered across the dark gray plating.
Outer components latched onto the undersuit, auto-adjusting their size for a perfect body fit.
To achieve this effect, large amounts of Thorium and Magisteel were needed, along with a special enchantment called "Perfect Fit."
Once charged, the armor assembled from the ground up: boots, greaves, chestplate, pauldrons, bracers, gauntlets, gloves, and a fully enclosed helmet.
Despite the surging magic energy, none leaked outward once the pieces locked together.
They merged into a cohesive whole, forming a seamless mana channel and internal circulation.
This enabled the armor to generate a sturdy external magic barrier.
It could also absorb ambient lightning energy to replenish field generation costs.
Wearing battle armor again, Matthew felt the comfort of "Perfect Fit," and couldn't help but smile slightly.
As expected, early-stage battle armor wasn't overly complex to craft.
Perhaps it was time to stockpile techniques.
After the first Mana Tide, rare magical materials—especially metals—would surge in output, enabling mass production.
He retuned the armor and ran final checks.
Confirming everything was optimal, Matthew equipped external weapons.
A half-meter serrated dagger hung from his thigh.
A mini dragon-hunting crossbow mounted on his right arm.
A high-heat magma lance for assault and cutting affixed to his left forearm.
A reinforced, sharpened 2-meter demon blade—perfectly scaled to Matthew's 2.5-meter armored frame.
His utility belt carried backup weapons: warhammers, spears, and more.
A full set of spare armor components.
Ensuring rapid recovery if his gear was damaged.
Ammunition, potions, scrolls, and enchanted food were also stocked.
The Thunder Armor was thick but not bulky, its dark hue radiating a mysterious aura.
The lightning energy inside stayed dormant unless activated.
Just standing there, Matthew exuded terrifying pressure.
He radiated the aura of gold—from inside to out!
This was Thunder Armor!
A weapon born from players combining two worlds' military tech, pouring in vast funds and resources.
It wasn't cutting-edge. Any master of Extraordinary-grade magic gear could make it with time and effort.
It wasn't elitist. Later versions could even be operated by the physically weak.
It had almost no flaws!
Just one painful drawback:
Cost!
Ignoring the immense R\&D investment, just the raw materials and crafting totaled 10 million gold!
Ten times more than standard magic armor!
Twenty times the cost of Thunder Battle Armor!
Fifty times the net worth of most Extraordinary adventurers!
This was Matthew's chosen combat method—the lord's full-force strategy!
Upright!
Crush them with a tidal wave of gold!
Thud! Thud! Thud!
Heavy, rhythmic stomps emphasized Matthew's weight.
1.35 tons!
Curious, Yaya examined the Thunder Armor with amazement.
Huge bulk, solid build, powerful defense, and shocking speed.
She got it now—a mini version of herself!
Chuckling, Yaya used her gravity control talent to perform the final step:
Gravity Blessing!
The teleportation signal stabilized.
Matthew's towering frame reappeared.
He didn't remove the hidden location—instead, he left the signal beacon behind.
Then, activating stealth mode, masked in bull-ant scent, he sped through the rocky terrain.
Nearby bull-ants were too focused on chewing stone, their massive bodies driven by relentless hunger.
Matthew observed their vitality, and studied other swarm predators besides the Giant Predator Spider.
Wolf-pack-like primitive hounds, similar in size to bull-ants.
Burrowing ambush bugs, hiding underground to pierce prey with deadly spikes.
Creepy wyverns flying overhead, shaped like mutated dragons.
With insect-like chitin, small size, and extreme speed.
Matthew noted their grotesque deformities and twisted modifications.
These underground swarm creatures were likely the Church's original base for insect monster research and bioengineering.
Why "original base"?
Because Matthew saw no signs of humans or humanoids.
Even those fools from the Church who mutated themselves—
Their minds remained humanoid, and left traces.
But these freakish monsters forming an ecosystem differed greatly from the Church's swarm weapons.
One evolved naturally to survive.
The other was controlled, purpose-built modification.
Matthew logged many swarm species—but found few matching known data.
Either they were wiped out by war's aftermath—
Or eliminated by the Church post-project to cover their tracks.
In this vast world, countless foes and abilities existed.
Matthew never believed he alone had "data displays" and "ability analysis."
Many Legendary mages could use time-trace spells to uncover secrets.
Cautious as always, the Church wouldn't leave evidence.
Matthew leaned toward the latter theory.
If he had time to go deeper, he might uncover more powerful and twisted giant insects.
But he didn't—he had to hurry to the third level.
There, the goblin ruins' true secrets awaited.
Along with his real enemy—the Church of Eternal Life!
The passage between Ruin Levels 2 and 3 was a hidden underground river.
Matthew remembered clearly from past excavations at Bloodmoon City.
He'd crossed it many times, risking everything to salvage goblin relics.
The river wasn't safe.
Scarce water meant survival—and food.
Predatory fish swarmed below, tearing apart anything alive that fell in.
But they ignored lifeless chunks of metal.
Thunder Armor's sealed system let Matthew cross easily and descend over 100 meters deep.
Splash!
Climbing onto the shore, Matthew beheld a vast, strange ruin.
A colossal metal structure lay tilted in rubble.
Just its exposed part stood over 300 meters tall.
Far more awe-inspiring than the surface junk heaps.
Having gained much here before, Matthew murmured with nostalgia:
"The Giant Orbital Ring Station... Did goblins really build this? Hard to believe."
Once, this was just environmental background art for players.
Just a place to explore and loot.
But now, understanding reality better, Matthew had a bold, frightening theory.
The long-lost Goblin Empire was once immensely powerful.
They likely left the material plane, mining and altering the moon.
Comparing with his old world's space programs—
Such power would need:
A massive empire with liberated productivity and endless resources.
Millions of skilled workers, tens of thousands of industries, and unmatched military might.
Adding this up, Matthew concluded: the Goblin Empire once ruled the Northern Continent, perhaps even the Hero Continent too.
After all, many goblin ruins were found there.
As for their fall, the station's destruction, or the Crimson Moon's birth—he had few clues.
But one thing was clear: goblins educated and reformed by Bay Territory—
Showed remarkable learning and ambition. They were worth nurturing!
ROAR...!
A distant howl snapped Matthew from his thoughts.
He'd found his target!
He checked the Thunder Armor.
All systems stable—no drain from long operation.
He reactivated stealth and sprinted toward the noise.
Leaving the orbital station behind, he entered a rocky ravine.
There, he saw the battlefield.
30–40 howling hounds, led by a mutated giant wolf-spider, surrounded a battered golem.
The 8-meter golem limped, its joints rusty and cracked.
One arm gone, sparks flew from its socket, its insides full of wires.
Yet its remaining arm wielded a chainsaw, cleaving charging hounds in half.
Some hounds still howled after being bisected!
But the golem showed combat instinct, ignoring downed foes and charging the biggest threat.
Even limping, it radiated menace.
Behind it lay the corpse of another giant spider, hacked to pieces.
Matthew licked his lips, sighed, and muttered:
"Too late. This Reaper 2000 is too damaged—can't get full data."
The dreaded Reaper 3000 battle puppet was a shoddy replica made from Reaper 2000 parts.
Even so, its Level 16 strength gave players hell.
At peak, Reaper 2000 clearly had near-Extraordinary pinnacle power.
Otherwise, it wouldn't have lasted millennia and still fought this well.
The hounds were CR 13.
The giant spider was CR 17.
Reaper 2000 killed half of them despite being outnumbered—enough said.
But Matthew knew it would weaken over time.
It couldn't self-repair.
The swarm had endless reinforcements, giving them the edge.
Watching calmly, Matthew waited.
When the Reaper killed more hounds and chased the spider, he finally spotted the Church members.
They hid cautiously 400–500 meters away, guarded by 100+ hounds.
These immortality-obsessed fools were also cowards.
They kept launching swarm assaults at Reaper 2000.
Killing it would bring huge rewards.
Its core and parts would fetch legendary prices.
But Matthew knew their real goal: seize this patrol route.
It led to the Goblin Ruin's Seal Zone.
And Bloodmoon City's costly third underground Mage Tower!
Matthew could dash through while they were distracted.
But he wasn't short-sighted.
Instead, he approached their position.
Once 50 guard hounds moved away, he struck from hiding.
A direct, frontal assault on the Church members!
The lord's combat style:
Open and crushing!