The Glorious Evolution Chapter 423: I am Here Now.

"Both Faction Captains have been chosen simultaneously! I know what’s running through everyone’s thoughts, but I swear I had no involvement with the selected Rifters!"

The instant Levi’s and Nyr’Kalloth’s names lit up on the display, Gamemaster Envy rushed to deny any accusations before they could even be voiced.

Whether the Gamemaster meddled or stayed out of it meant nothing to the spectators. They bellowed cheers with wild fervor while eyeing Levi and Nyr’Kalloth stride toward the whirling rope... their faces mirrored the same frosty glares.

Not a glance was spared for the other two picked Rifters, despite one being Evangeline—a captain herself—and the other a notorious Shadow mercenary.

"Thank God... It’s Levi."

Dominic let out a heavy breath of relief... a sentiment echoed by the High Chancellor and all their fellow backers. Having seen Fang’s terrifying, overwhelming power firsthand, he realized Levi alone stood a real shot at bringing him down.

"As long as Levi can hold down Orry’Xel, the others can handle the rest of the nightcrawlers,"

Jojo stated gravely, her fingers fidgeting endlessly... impatience gnawed at her as she watched her comrades fight for their lives and nearly perish, powerless to help.

In the meantime, Levi and Evangeline scaled the rope with ease and speed. Propelled by Levi’s spiritual might, they shot up to the surface in under two seconds.

Upon landing on the rope’s top, Levi found his teammates crowding around him... every face bore a grim look.

"Sorry, big bro... he made a fool of me."

Arthur clenched his fists until his knuckles popped. He’d stepped into the game brimming with faith in his power after activating Vaelith’s Gemheart. Four Gemhearts made him think he’d hit the Warden rank’s pinnacle. Yet now... he grasped that his view of power didn’t hold true everywhere.

There was always a bigger fish.

"All of us." Nurah shook her head, "I don’t like making excuses, but his strength... It’s just too much."

"I can’t believe he is a Tier 4..." Tyrese gnashed his teeth in fury, "I threw everything at him, and I scarcely scratched him."

Spotting their low spirits, Evangeline jumped in fast to boost their resolve... she recognized how Fang had shattered their morale by slaying three teammates, even outnumbered eight-to-one.

As she poured effort into rallying them, Levi stayed quiet... the Harmonic Spine laid bare their turbulent emotions. Still, he held no grudges against them.

He felt relieved that most survived the clash with Fang... particularly since he now knew Fang was truly a Tier 5 nightcrawler or beyond. But what gnawed at Levi most was his teammate, still climbing the rope.

’If these two match the strength or skill of the beasts I battled in the Joker game, soloing them won’t be simple... not without revealing some secrets.’ Levi’s brow furrowed sharply.

Levi had barely triumphed in the Joker game by unleashing full force... and here he faced two elite clones akin to the Hound, limited to Nine Senses’ abilities alone. Not forgetting the other nightcrawlers, no pushovers themselves.

Tough... way too tough.

Levi shifted his gaze to Gamemaster Envy, pondering silently, ’Could I rat them out to the Gamemaster?’

Levi didn’t give a damn if snitching seemed cowardly... lives hung in the balance, and he couldn’t predict survivors if these two unleashed everything. From watching Fang, he knew the guy hadn’t gone full throttle yet.

Not one ultimate ability deployed!

In reality, he’d hesitate not and deploy any means to end them... Void and Sun powers included.

But not in this place... exposing himself now would be fatal, with the Celestial hunted by servants of both Oblivar and Radian.

’You need proof... sadly, Gamemasters can’t just rifle through Rifters’ memories at will.’ Ash’Kral dismissed the notion.

Levi accepted it with a nod, unsatisfied though he was... he understood solid evidence was unattainable, tied only to those two’s memories.

’So be it... I was set to depart Earth post-game anyway.’

Levi’s face hardened as he stared down Fang, now merged with Xorr’Vaedryn, his squad, and the undead horde.

Regarding the Conquerors’ leader, Nyr’Kalloth? Stepping into the Toxic Kingdom tripled its growth rate!

Though dubbed Abyssal Basilisk, his core Aspect revolved around Poison like his kin... actually, the scheme to poison the entire rope’s surface originated from him.

"Things look grim for the Raiders... They’ve lost three teammates, most of their horns, and even worse, the Conquerors are deploying the undead army to steadily advance the territorial boundary while they relentlessly harvest spawned horns."

Gamemaster Envy announced as she conjured a dimensional model of the rope, revealing how the Conquerors had captured over 30% of the surface rope via their Toxic Kingdom... while the undead army had claimed an additional 30%.

That meant roughly 40% of the rope’s territory remained somewhat open for the Raiders to gather horns.

Tactically speaking, the Conquerors held the advantage. To compound it, after Fang took out Blake and snatched half his hoard, the Raiders had scarcely any collected horns to their name.

A glance at the factions’ scores on the display led everyone to the same conclusion.

Panic flickered deep in the eyes of most Daywalkers... they were getting crushed across the board, with no escape in sight.

Especially not with Fang still active in the mix.

Detecting the creeping doubts among his comrades, Levi refused to remain quiet... he turned to them with his typical calm smile and declared, "Relax, I am here now."

Anyone else uttering those words would’ve faced immediate backlash for arrogance... particularly after a lone Nightcrawler had thrashed them.

But this was Levi.

His gentle, assured voice eased the tension from their rigid shoulders, like a skilled masseuse’s touch... it melted away much of their worry and reignited their waning faith.

Noticing the shift in their faces, Evangeline’s eyelids flickered momentarily... she’d labored to soothe them and rebuild their morale, only for Levi to achieve it with just four words.

Yet moments later, a smile curved her lips as she eyed his broad back once he called forth the Judgement Chainstaff.

’It’s not the words... It’s his unyielding power that they believe in.’

Levi quickly proved to her—and to all—why his allies placed total trust in him.

Showing no hesitation whatsoever, Levi struck the staff against the rope’s surface... its crown tip glowed faintly green for an instant before transforming into a spectral, enigmatic lantern.

No longer concerned with hiding his aetheric abilities, Levi raised the Lantern of the Lost Keeper skyward, drawing every eye... including narrowed stares from the two Bishops toward the lantern’s hazy glass, where pale green wisps swirled ethereally.

Abruptly, Levi’s icy order snapped everyone back to focus.

"Reclaim these lost souls."

The lantern flared brilliantly and swung open its pane... the mist inside began to whirl gently like a tiny vortex, powered by Levi’s spiritual energy.

Arthur, Nurah, and the Nightcrawlers sensed no shift... it resembled a botched magic trick.

Yet the true objectives had never been them to begin with... the undead army was the mark!

The initial corpse jerked as its green eyes blinked erratically... followed by the next, and the next, and more. Soon, slender green wisps poured from their sockets, bone fissures, and gaping mouths... defying their controllers’ wishes!

Resembling wispy smoke but airier... delicate glowing aether trails escaped their forms and surged toward the Lantern!

"Huh? What’s going on with them?!"

Xorr’Vaedryn exclaimed in stunned disbelief as hundreds of undead faltered briefly, as though something vital was being torn from within.

"What the hell! I can’t control them... they aren’t listening to my commands!" Sael’Drakk’s face twisted in frustration.

Deprived of the aetheric lost souls binding them, the undead crumbled... skeletons disintegrated, corpses slumped like hollow husks.

Within under five seconds, the fearsome undead horde lay defeated... the airborne undead met the identical end.

Nothing but strewn remains lingered, sockets empty and forms stripped of any spiritual essence... their souls? Transformed into a flowing green stream of wisps, pouring endlessly into the Lantern until the final trace vanished inside.

Levi remained motionless, gripping his staff... silence hung behind him. Ahead, only shocked stares confronted his vacant gaze.

The undead legion that had struck fear into spectators and Daywalkers alike was dismantled in seconds by Levi’s lone decree.

With a casual flick of his hand, the Lantern dissolved into green vapor, as though it had never appeared.

A similar doom struck the undead army, devoured by the void and erased from being, leaving Fang, Xorr’Vaedryn, and the remaining summoners facing Levi with empty space between.

"I dare you to summon more," Levi stated coolly, emotionless, like he was goading them into an error he’d gladly correct once more.