Riyao looked down at the group of punks sprawled out in all directions on the ground. His emerald eyes swirled with intense disdain, his tone mocking: "Who gave you the courage? Fish Leong?"
Aris's voice trembled violently, intermittent and filled with grievance, as he stammered an explanation: "It... it was someone who secretly told us that you were hiding lots of treasures and rare magic books... they also said you were just a Healing Mage with absolutely no actual combat ability..."
Groans and wails rose and fell all around, sounding chaotic: "It hurts... but somehow it feels a bit good..."
"Damn it... this intel is such a trap..."
"I think I see my great-grandma coming to pick me up... 〒_〒"
Someone else was delirious, muttering and giggling to themselves: "Hehe... hehe... (ﾉ∇︎〃 )"
Several black lines instantly slid down Riyao's forehead, his mouth twitching violently. He was truly rendered speechless by this bunch of weirdos.
(ー_ー)!!
He had just raised his hand to channel his magic, intending to summon vines to bind everyone tightly, when a sudden change occurred. The bodies of the punks on the ground abruptly lost control; their flesh swelled rapidly, and their forms expanded violently.
"Ah, save me!"
"Aaah, it hurts so much!"
Riyao's pupils suddenly constricted. He instinctively stepped back to dodge, but looking closely, he was already surrounded by the swelling punks from all sides. He cursed inwardly; there was absolutely no room to escape.
Boom! Boom! Boom!!
Deafening explosions erupted one after another. Surging flames and violent airwaves instantly engulfed Riyao completely. Dust billowed and rose into the sky, while the surrounding vegetation was torn apart and scattered by the shockwaves, leaving a total mess.
The'Smoke-Means-No-Damage' Law: Activated! Activation failed!
This was the first time in Riyao's life he had been truly injured. The Hundred Battles Technique inside him continued to operate, but the restorative power that used to heal wounds in an instant was now being tightly shackled by a mysterious force. The healing speed slowed to a near standstill.
Dark purple poisonous gas diffused with the aftermath of the explosion, staining the entire woodland. Any vegetation touched by the gas withered and rotted in an instant.
Riyao lay miserably on the scorched earth, blood seeping continuously from wounds all over his body. His clothes were soaked in blood, making him look wretched and pathetic.
Damn it, these punks actually explode? Do they think they're artists? I was wondering how they dared to provoke me when they were so weak. It seems there's still a final boss who hasn't appeared yet.
A figure lurking in the shadows slowly stepped out, looking down at the battered Riyao with a gaze of cold indifference. His voice was devoid of any warmth: "Didn't expect this, did you, Riyao? This is a gift prepared specially for you. This poisonous gas is designed specifically to suppress the life energy you rely on."
As he finished speaking, he raised his foot and kicked Riyao hard.
Riyao crashed straight into a withered tree trunk, and the magic book tucked into his robes slid out. The figure bent down to pick up the tome, a sinister smile curling at the corners of his eyes: "I didn't expect an extra reward—Enchantment Magic."
Clutching his abdomen where the excruciating pain from the kick radiated, Riyao coughed up a mouthful of blood and forced a mocking tone: "Who are you? Kicking me in the kidney right off the bat... could it be you're jealous of my physical fitness?"
The man carefully put away the magic book, his gaze as cold as frost, as if looking at a lifeless corpse. He barked coldly: "Who am I? You beat my older brother into a state of idiocy, yet you dare ask for my identity?"
Riyao raised an eyebrow: "And which one is your idiot brother?"
"You're the idiot! My brother is Nirdo Longla!"
Riyao curled his lip in realization: "Oh, so it's that mangy bird."
Nibu was instantly enraged. An earthy-yellow magic circle suddenly appeared in his palm. In the next instant, the ground beneath Riyao's feet surged up, and a massive, heavy earthy-yellow hand lunged out, swatting him hard toward Nibu's feet.
He stepped down heavily on Riyao's head, leaning over to whisper with malice in every word: "Riyao, remember this well. The one who takes your life today is Nibu Longra!"
Despite the pressure on his head, Riyao grinned with a mocking smile: "You brothers really have 'taste' with these trashy names."
Before his voice faded, a shimmering emerald magic circle quietly condensed in his palm.
Life Link - Modified
Several ethereal, translucent emerald chains shot through the air, piercing straight into Nibu's body before vanishing instantly.
In the next moment, Nibu suddenly collapsed to his knees, wailing heart-wrenchingly. An excruciating, bone-drilling pain surged through his entire body. Even though he wanted to reach out and touch the painful areas for relief, he couldn't move an inch.
Riyao propped himself up on the scorched ground and struggled to lift his head. Blood still clung to the corner of his mouth, but a clever, mocking glint shone in his eyes. His tone was nonchalant: "Tch, is that it? You're not much stronger than your deaf, mangy older brother."
Veins bulged all over Nibu's body. His bloodshot eyes stared fixedly at Riyao, his pupils shrinking to pinpoints from extreme rage. A low, beast-like growl rolled from his throat, his voice hoarse and violent: "Damn you! You damn insect! I'm going to tear you to pieces!"
Before he finished speaking, Nibu's body began to undergo a frantic mutation. His muscles knotted and swelled at a pace visible to the naked eye, and his black robes were instantly torn to shreds, fragments flying everywhere. His arms suddenly thickened several times over, covered in thick brownish-black hair. His knuckles protruded, his nails became sharp and hard, and veins popped on his forehead. His entire being radiated a wild and primal aura.
Then, a roar that didn't sound human at all—an "Awoo"—exploded, shaking the scorched earth. Half-withered branches hanging from trees and colorful hair scraps left over from the punks' explosions rattled down. Not a single intact tree could be found in the entire woods. Oh, wait—counting the scorched stumps and smoking craters, this place... should still count as a forest, right?
Riyao, who was hissing and gasping while trying to crawl up from the ground, had sharp eyes. He immediately spotted Nibu's massive claw, covered in stiff brownish-black hair and with nails sharp enough to chisel through stone. He blurted out a cheeky exclamation: "Oho, a black hand."
Nibu's bloodshot eyes were pinned directly on him. That gaze was like a hyena that hadn't eaten for three days staring at a fragrant leg of lamb; his mind was filled only with the instinct to swallow him whole. Saliva dripped from his protruding jaw after the mutation, pitter-pattering onto the ground and soaking a small patch in seconds.
He had clearly lost his mind by now. The pain from the Life Link that had him rolling on the ground earlier seemed nonexistent. Even though his expanding muscles were stretching his skin to the point of bleeding, his movements didn't stop for a moment. His knuckles cracked as he clenched his fists; forget this bit of pain, even if the sky fell, it might not stop his momentum as he lunged forward.
Nibu raised both hands and smashed them down toward Riyao.
Meanwhile, in the Royal Capital, people had already begun to notice explosions occurring around the Royal City. Arcadios urgently mobilized the troops to assemble.