With a powerful body that radiated immense aura, Tudiyun looked like a masterpiece carved by a skilled artist.
As a divine beast, Tudiyun had no trouble annihilating Ging's clone with a single punch.
Ging's nine clones had been completely wiped out, their destruction as effortless as an anti-aircraft gun swatting a mosquito.
Meanwhile, the original Ging had already teleported far away, appearing deep within a distant underground passage.
As soon as he arrived, his first instinct was to glance back at the cave entrance, anxious about any potential pursuers.
He scanned the area several times, and once he was sure no one was following, he finally let out a relieved sigh.
It wasn't that he didn't want to teleport all the way to the surface right away, but his teleportation range was limited.
Before, he could only teleport about halfway across the cave, which was usually enough in a fight.
But now, after a major breakthrough, he could teleport from the cave directly into the passage, almost halfway through the entire underground tunnel system.
If he managed another teleport, he could finally escape to the surface.
Leaning forward and resting his hands on his knees, Ging panted heavily, his face showing genuine fear.
He understood perfectly well that this was a close call with death, he'd been just moments away from dying.
Taking two deep breaths, he forced himself to calm down, regaining a neutral expression before cursing quietly under his breath.
"Damn it! How could such a powerful enemy just appear out of nowhere?"
Ging always kept a close watch on his surroundings, often sending scouts or observing himself, worried that strong creatures from other regions might suddenly show up.
On the dangerous Dark Continent, being cautious was key to survival, and it was one of the reasons he'd stayed alive this long.
'This enemy didn't just win easily; even when I used my trump card, it was useless,' he thought bitterly.
'I've never seen creatures like this around here before. They must have come from somewhere deeper underground.'
Judging by the strength of this foe, Ging suspected it had emerged from a more remote part of the Dark Continent, somewhere far beyond his usual territory.
It's clear that the deeper you go, the more dangerous things become, with all kinds of terrifying monsters constantly appearing.
What Ging didn't realize was that the enemy he was facing didn't actually come from the depths of the Dark Continent.
Instead, they originated from a small lake on the continent's edge, as well as from a few nearby islands.
"These strange monsters seem connected to that creature," Ging said, his expression growing serious.
"They look a lot like the creatures we saw at the beginning, though their sizes are a bit different."
At that moment, Ging couldn't help but remember the day he led his people and turned this place into a strategic stronghold.
The creatures he had encountered back then could manipulate their own bodies, with white, tendril-like extensions growing from them.
Some even had sharp weapons that seemed to be an extension of themselves.
Now, those weapons had become a natural part of their bodies.
These creatures stood alongside mineral-like beings, and even the ore Ging was consuming now appeared to have been created by them.
The battle had been fierce, and many of the tribesmen Ging led lost their lives.
Still, they emerged victorious, one rival tribe was completely wiped out, and the other captured.
But when Ging thought about the diamond elves, a sharp pain crossed his face.
To the stone giants, the diamond elves were priceless, a key source of strength.
Without them, their power wouldn't have grown so quickly or reached such heights.
Now, with the diamond elves gone, there was no way to turn back; he could only blame his bad luck.
As for the surviving tribesmen, Ging didn't want to dwell on their fate, it would only slow him down.
Most were probably dead.
Normally, after such a long fight, reinforcements would have arrived, but no one appeared.
After a while, the silence outside was deafening, no movement, no vibrations.
Without a doubt, they'd been stopped or even wiped out.
Ging felt some regret over losing his tribesmen; having a strong team was important.
But nothing compared to how much he valued the diamond elves.
Luckily, he had a secure space within his body where he kept his most precious items.
Some gems remained, maybe enough to boost his strength, and a few weapons, like the Hundred Slash Knife and the Flame Blade.
'At least I still have the essentials,' he told himself, trying to find some comfort amid the despair.
Feeling the aura inside him shifting, Ging estimated he'd be able to teleport again soon; teleportation took time and a cooldown period.
Suddenly, the darkness around him flickered with strange aura, like a beast about to burst through the stone wall.
Then, a pair of terrifying eyes appeared, glaring at him with hunger as if ready to devour him.
It was the General Skill: Black Eyes!
Ging's body froze instantly, his heart pounding loudly as alarm bells rang in his mind.
He
Ging pressed his lips together, ready to flee immediately.
But it wasn't just hesitation; something heavy seemed to weigh down his feet, stopping him from escaping.
Suddenly, a figure appeared before him, surrounded by a soft glow of bright pink diamond light.
On her head rested a headdress made of pink crystals that shone like a giant diamond, with four smaller crystals on the sides forming a crown.
Anyone who saw her could instantly sense the calm and elegant aura of a princess.
It was the Gem Princess Diancie.
The pink, round diamond on her head sparkled brilliantly, a clear symbol of her aura.
Diancie's crown was made of four octahedral diamonds and two longer ones.
Around her neck was a golden arc ring with an octahedral diamond embedded in it.
She wore a white skirt on the upper half of her body, while the lower half resembled diamond ore, with some crystals peeking out.
This noble and beautiful appearance truly earned her the title of the "Royal Pink Princess."
Even in her normal form, Diancie was stunning, and if she ever mega-evolved, she would become even more breathtaking.
Her head diamond would turn heart-shaped, and her body would grow larger, maturing from a little girl into a majestic figure.
As Diancie blinked, her eyes, clear and ruby-like, reflected the panic on Ging's face.
Despite her small size, she exuded the graceful air of a true princess.
But no matter how cute and beautiful she was, Ging was shocked to see her.
'No!