The two Stone Beetles, one large and one small, rumbled forward.
Zat spread his left hand, and the five Gem Rings sparkled, his mouth full of gold teeth even more dazzling:
"To look down on people like this, you mages from Legitimate Guilds really piss me off!"
Bam! The Ancient Stone Beetle seemed to suffer a heavy blow, staggering back a few steps before splitting into two Stone Beetles.
This time, three Stone Beetles charged forward together.
Carter shook the short stick in his hand: "Shall we start now, Zat bro?"
"Repeating the same thing again, Carter bro!" Zat laughed heartily, "If you want to fight, then go ahead!"
"Alright—" The mohawk Carter spoke slowly, but did not hesitate in action.
The short stick in his hand struck three times in succession, knocking down all three Stone Beetles. One of them bit his armor, but only left a shallow mark.
The three Stone Beetles shattered, splitting into six Mini Stone Beetles, each less than a meter high.
"Oh? The more you hit them, the more they multiply, seems like a rare Summoned Beast." Zat was confident, "But the biggest weakness of the Summoning Element is their master... owner?"
Zat, who was planning a surprise attack on Rhode, looked confused, where was their owner?
"Hiding? Then let's deal with the other one first!" Zat moved a finger, and magic power flashed across the ring.
"Whoa!" Gray, as if struck a heavy blow, cried out in pain as he was sent flying back.
Rhode appeared from behind a tree to catch him: "I told you to hide, but you didn't, stubborn much?"
"Heh heh." Gray wiped his mouth, though a bit injured, he laughed instead, "I see, now I understand that guy's magic, I'll handle him!"
"You..." Rhode felt like cursing, damn it, I even called wild monsters to take hits so you could observe properly.
Do you have to get hit yourself?
Usually so calm, but in a fight, you're as reckless as Natsu, and worse at taking advice!
"Whatever, if you get beaten to death, don't say I didn't try." Rhode held his right arm level, "Receiving·Gorge Swift Crab!"
Despite his words, the overly concerned Rhode used the Receiving Magic to adopt the River Crab form, which had the best view.
Meanwhile, the six Mini Stone Beetles had already burrowed into the ground.
Carter scratched his head: "Zat bro, the stones disappeared."
"I saw, Carter bro. That guy actually knows Receiving Magic, guess it'll take some effort to deal with them."
"Shall we start now, Zat bro?"
"Repeating the same thing again, Carter bro." Zat swaggered forward, "Let's finish them quickly, we have other things to do."
"Okay, Zat bro." Carter took a few large strides, looked at Rhode and then at himself, suddenly said, "His armor is so cool."
"That kind of thing doesn't matter, if you like it, why not beat him and ask him how to change?"
Zat grinned, "I'll take care of that Ice Mage first, then help you."
"Okay, Zat bro." Carter, wielding the short stick, headed straight for Rhode.
That armor looked better than his, he wanted to smash it.
"Ice-Make: Large Hammer!"
Gray slammed his right fist into his left palm, an Ice Eighty larger than a person smashed down from above Zat's head.
Zat raised his right hand, flicked his fingers, and the Ice Hammer shattered instantly. He grinned, showing a mouthful of gold teeth:
"Ice Shaping Magic is useless on me, no matter how fast you shape."
"Is that so?" Gray waved his right hand, his shirt flying off.
He showed a confident smile, both hands ready to cast Shaping Magic again: "Let's see then!"
...
"Smash, smash you!" Carter swung the short stick, each strike whistling through the air.
Rhode moved agilely around him, his speed almost leaving afterimages.
Bam! He kicked Carter on the back, causing him to stagger.
But immediately, the short stick swung over, forcing Rhode to dodge quickly.
This guy had average movement speed, but reacted fast.
Also, this damn armor was quite tough.
Could Gray handle it? Rhode watched Gray and Zat entangle, no longer at a disadvantage.
As for the Stone Beetles? Good, they were busy carrying the Advisory Council's wounded.
Considering they might use poison and accidentally harm allies, Rhode ordered them to move those people.
Swoosh! The short stick swept past, Rhode leaned back, his right foot kicking Carter's ribs, propelling himself away.
Then he pressed his right hand to his chest, roughly where the pendant was: "Responding to the call, Shadow Wolf!"
Who needed a solo when you could gang up, six Shadow Wolves appeared.
Two Two-headed Wolves took a few steps and spun forward: "Double Fang Wolf Fang!"
Four ordinary wolves spread out, ready to pounce on his limbs.
Clang!
The fangs and claws of the Two-headed Wolves clashed fiercely with Carter's armor, making a piercing sound.
"Dogs can't bite people." Carter swung the stick, hitting one Two-headed Wolf before it could bite his neck.
The other Two-headed Wolf planted its four paws on Carter, its fangs sinking into his shoulder armor.
Carter raised his hand, two ordinary wolves rushed up, one he hit on the head, the other bit his wrist.
But dragging the ordinary wolf's body, he continued to swing the stick at the Two-headed Wolf.
The short stick missed, the Two-headed Wolf leaped back, tearing off Carter's left shoulder armor.
"Responding to the call, Deep Red Beaked Bird!"
Rhode wasn't idly standing by, as soon as the Shadow Wolves exposed an opening, he summoned another group of Beaked Birds.
A volley of Feathered Flying Knives rained down, Carter's left arm, without shoulder armor, was bloodied by the strikes.
The Beaked Birds flapped their wings, thrusting forward, Carter continued swinging the ordinary wolf to fend them off.
Three small Beaked Birds were knocked down, the remaining one large and two small pierced Carter's right chest armor, left arm armor, and the Shadow Wolf hanging from his right arm.
Practically in combat, with enemy interference, unexpected situations indeed arise.
But it was of no consequence, the armor was already damaged, Carter was injured and bleeding, making it hard to fend off the wild monsters' siege.
Rhode enjoyed dealing with opponents who didn't understand large-range Attack Magic.
He commanded the wild monsters to completely subdue Carter, stripping him of all his armor plates.
Thinking it still wasn't safe enough, Rhode ordered the Stone Beetles to give his head a few heavy thumps with their pillar-like legs, sending him to sleep.
Initially intending to help Gray immediately, it turned out to be unnecessary.
"Your magic, in the end, uses the rings to create shockwaves to attack.
And to mitigate the shortcomings of a single Magic Tool needing time to recharge Magic Power after casting magic, you prepared ten rings.
After exhausting the ten pre-stored attacks, you have to fire magic in rotation, waiting for the Magic Crystal to naturally absorb Magic Power, as well as manually replenish Magic Power.
Thus creating the illusion of being able to cast magic at will and without interruption."
Gray assumed the starting stance for Shaping Magic, the surging Magic Power blowing his bangs:
"Then what if my shaping speed greatly surpasses the rate at which your Magic Crystals recharge Magic Power, what then?"
Zat, his unique fighting technique exposed, seemed fierce outside, weak inside: "That's impossible! I'm the strongest Holder Mage!"
"Strongest Holder Mage?" Gray laughed, "That's ridiculous! Ice-Make: Crescent Blades! Long Spear! Broadsword! Great Halberd! War Axe..."
One after another, massive Ice Weapons were created by Gray, each flying towards Zat from all angles.
The rings on Zat's hand lit up one by one, shattering each enormous weapon.
Until he couldn't use magic for defense anymore and had to dodge, Gray's forearms sprouted sharp ice blades charging forward:
"Ice Blade·Seven-Step Dance!"
Gray's body spun and danced gracefully like a dance, the two blades swiftly slashing seven marks on Zat.
Zat let out a shriek, blood spraying from his body before ice crystals formed, sending him crashing heavily to the ground.
Gray ended his move half-squatting on the ground, the two ice blades shattering and drifting down like fine snow.
Rhode picked up Gray's shirt, throwing it over his head to ruin the mood.
Damn, this kid really looked damn cool.