"Wait a bit longer, once I have enough super Source stones, I’ll advance to a third-level challenger! For now, I’ll focus on upgrading my special abilities! I already have four max-level abilities. First, I’ll raise the level of my abilities! With my abilities enhanced, my strength will undergo a drastic change!"

Waldo had a feeling that once all nine of his special abilities, excluding [Stop the World], reached max level, his power would surge dramatically, even undergoing a certain qualitative change.

With this thought, Waldo didn’t hesitate and started using evolution points to upgrade his abilities. A hundred thousand evolution points could raise a fifth-level ability to max level. "Upgrade!" He instantly used several hundred thousand evolution points.

With a thunderous roar, Waldo trembled as terrifying mysterious energy descended into his body. The abilities he hadn’t yet raised to max level were flight, invisibility, transformation, and petrification. Using three hundred thousand evolution points, mysterious power surged within him like a torrential flood, forming mystical runes in his soul and body. These were the sources of his abilities. His soul was filled with competing colors, dazzling and multicolored.

In the land of darkness, there was no distinction between day and night. Without a clock, it was difficult for most people to perceive the passage of time. Five hours had passed since Waldo entered the cave. The confined space was filled with condensed energy, giving anyone entering the sensation of stepping into a vast ocean. 𝒇𝙧𝙚𝓮𝙬𝙚𝓫𝒏𝓸𝓿𝓮𝒍.𝓬𝙤𝓶

Waldo floated in mid-air, surrounded by surging energy. After using up all three hundred thousand evolution points, he opened his eyes, revealing a look of pleasant surprise. Three major abilities had successfully reached max level, faster and smoother than he had anticipated.

Then, Waldo picked up another super Source stone. "Come on! Let’s continue!" He planned to raise all his abilities to max level in one go.

Elsewhere, a shocking incident had just occurred in the land of darkness. The second-level challenger Tate and his five subordinates were all killed! Not long ago, Waldo had killed another second-level challenger. A few hours later, another second-level challenger was slain, causing a huge stir.

You should know that each second-level challenger is among the top powerhouses! There are only ten of them in total. Yet, within a matter of hours, two have died in succession. Are they mere cabbages to be chopped down so easily? Who killed Tate and his team? Could it be Waldo? He’s a madman, incredibly strong and audacious. He seems the most likely suspect!

Someone on the upper floor exclaimed, "Are you crazy? It’s not Waldo! What are you thinking? There’s over a thousand kilometers between them. Even if Waldo could fly, he couldn’t have reached Tate’s location in such a short time!"

"Who killed Tate, then?"

"It’s unclear. Before his death, Tate didn’t call for help or send any messages. The same goes for his subordinates. This is the biggest mystery so far. The most likely scenario is that they were instantly killed. But who has the power to instantly kill a second-level challenger? Not to mention, Tate had several subordinates under him. His team was one of the top forces in the land of darkness."

There was a lot of speculation about the death of the second-level challenger Tate, but no one knew the truth. A panic began to spread among the challengers, often stemming from the unknown.

Soon, someone suggested that the main culprit might be a powerful demon or perhaps a native of this world. This theory matched many people’s speculations. Whoever silently and swiftly killed Tate and his group was definitely not a challenger. Therefore, it must be either a demon or a native.

The biggest danger in the land of darkness is the demons. Most of them are trapped in the cities of the dark land, but some roam the wilderness. If one’s luck is bad, they might encounter a powerful demon.

Apart from that, there are the natives. From birth, they have been ruled by the supreme rulers. They are incredibly gifted, starting at a level many times higher than the challengers. These natives are generally powerful and very hostile towards challengers, not friendly to them at all.

It’s also very possible that Tate was killed by a native. In any case, either scenario is bad news for challengers. It means that the dangers of the land of darkness are far worse than they imagined. Even second-level challengers can be instantly killed.

One can imagine just how vulnerable their strength is. For a time, from the ordinary first-level challengers to the top-tier second-level challengers, everyone felt at risk! Super Source stones!

Only by obtaining more super Source stones and becoming a higher-level challenger could one ensure their safety and persist until the end of the hundred days to complete the assessment task! A sense of urgency arose in the hearts of countless challengers, along with an unprecedented desire for super Source stones and power enhancement.

"Tate is dead? Who killed him?"

A challenger, realizing that he wasn’t too far from Tate’s location, pondered for a moment before deciding to head to the scene to investigate the truth. However, he hesitated, knowing that leaving the safe house would be fraught with danger.

"Brother, don’t worry, you’re the closest to where Tate and the others died. Please go and check it out, you’ll be fine!"

"Yeah, go for it, bro! We’ll provide you with resources!"

"That’s right, even if it was a native or a demon, they would have left by now. You won’t be in danger!"

Many urged him on.

"Alright, I’ll start a live stream. You can join the stream by contributing some resources!"

With the encouragement of others, the challenger took the risk and set off. Soon, based on the information provided by others, he found the area where Tate had met his tragic end. Through the live stream, he broadcasted the scene.

"Guys, I’ve found Tate’s body."

The challenger searched in the darkness. The bodies on the ground were torn apart, unrecognizable.

"I found Tate’s body. His expression is calm, without any signs of panic or fear. He must have been ambushed and instantly killed."

The challenger’s voice trembled with the realization.

"What kind of power did the murderer possess? Even a second-level challenger didn’t have time to react, let alone perceive the attack, before dying."

He searched the entire area, but found nothing else of note. Just then, as he glanced around, he suddenly noticed some movement in the distance...