The moment the words fell, the two crystallized lizards sensed the threat of intruders. They planted their six clawed limbs firmly into the ground and lowered their bodies sharply. The twin fin-like crests along their jaws flared open with a snap, releasing a shrill, piercing hiss filled with warning.
Such a scene was nothing new to Nolan.
“Little Donnie, the other one is yours. I’ll take the lead, you hold the flank,” he said rapidly, issuing instructions that were both an order and a practical lesson. “Remember, their danger isn’t in their teeth, but under their feet.”
Almost at the very instant Nolan spoke, the purple crystals embedded along the lizards’ backs glowed faintly. With them at the center, the solid ground rippled in an eerie wave before instantly transforming into a thick, viscous swamp.
This was the crystallized lizards’ signature ability: animating the earth element and reshaping the terrain into their home field, where any prey caught within would struggle to move.
But Nolan had anticipated this. The moment the mire formed, he pushed off with the tip of his foot and leapt lightly onto a boulder half the height of a man. Startled though he was, Little Donnie reacted quickly as well, mimicking Nolan’s movement and scrambling onto a patch of dry ground beyond the spell’s reach.
Once within the swamp, the crystallized lizards moved as though in their natural element. The one before Nolan skimmed across the mud’s surface in a rapid charge, like a hunting crocodile, kicking up a cresting wave of sludge. It opened its gaping maw, four pale fangs gleaming coldly in the light.
Faced with jaws capable of biting a man clean in half, Nolan, now a Silver-rank warrior, remained utterly calm, his movements displaying remarkable precision and experience. He neither dodged nor blocked. Instead, he thrust out his left hand and seized one of the upper fangs with uncanny accuracy while his right foot slammed against the creature’s lower jaw.
With the strength of his rank, he brought the crystallized lizard’s full-force charge to a complete halt using only the support of a single leg. The immense impact even lifted the rear half of the creature’s body clear out of the swamp.
Now.
His sword hand became a blur. The blade, Darkpiercer, struck at a viciously precise angle, driving diagonally up through the lizard’s upper jaw. The edge passed cleanly through its skull.
A wet sound followed. The creature’s massive jaws went slack at once, and its huge body crashed to the ground. Its limbs twitched twice before falling completely still. Without the support of its elemental power, the surrounding swamp quickly reverted to solid earth.
The entire exchange was clean and decisive, lasting less than ten seconds.
On the other side, however, Little Donnie’s fight had stalled.
He stood at the edge of the mire, gripping his sword with both hands as he faced the other crystallized lizard from a distance. Neither dared to make the first move.
Then suddenly, the creature moved.
To Little Donnie’s shock, the patch of swamp moved with it. It was as though the beast carried a portable pool, one filled with thigh-deep mud.
“Damn it!”
He failed to dodge in time, and both his legs sank instantly into the mire. Only at Bronze rank and facing such a bizarre creature for the first time, he lost his composure. In his panic, he tried to pull his legs free, but the more he struggled, the deeper he sank, losing track of the lizard’s position in the process.
When he looked up again, his opponent was gone.
“Where did it go? No… where’s the lizard?”
A chill ran through him as an intense sense of danger surged from beneath his feet. Less than five steps behind him, the crystallized lizard burst out of the swamp like a hunting shark, jaws wide as it lunged straight for his back.
In Little Donnie’s eyes, there was nothing left but that rapidly approaching maw and the overwhelming stench rushing toward him. His mind went blank, and he could only turn and raise his sword in a desperate block.
It’s over.
At that critical instant, a figure wrapped in blazing light shot in from the side and slammed violently into the airborne lizard, sending it flying away.
Thud!
The crystallized lizard took the hit head-on and was sent spinning through the air. It smashed through two trees in succession before crashing heavily to the ground. The flesh at the point of impact was scorched black, thin wisps of smoke rising from it, and the creature had already fallen unconscious.
“Huff… huff…” Little Donnie gasped for breath, his back soaked in cold sweat. Still shaken, he stared at the figure who had saved him. It was Nolan.
The moment the lizard vanished earlier, Nolan had already anticipated its signature burrowing ambush. Seeing that Little Donnie couldn’t respond in time, he had decisively activated the active skill of the Glory Guardian—Radiant Sun Charge.
He gave Little Donnie a light pat on the shoulder. “That’s their second trick, a stealth ambush. Remember this lesson. On a battlefield, no one will always be there to save you. Most monsters are like this. They only have a couple of moves. Once you’ve seen them a few times, they’re much easier to deal with.”
Little Donnie swallowed, a hint of embarrassment flashing across his face, but as a soldier who had seen combat, he quickly steadied himself. When he looked at Nolan again, his eyes held more longing for that kind of power than anything else. “I’ll remember it, Brother Nolan… That move just now… it was incredible. Can you teach me?”
Nolan laughed. “We’ll talk about it after we settle in.”
With that, he strode over to the unconscious crystallized lizard and drove his sword cleanly into its vital point, ending its life. The heart could be used for medicine; it would be a waste to leave it behind.
With the battle over, Hank and Leus, who had been guarding the rear, finally stepped out. Hank approached Little Donnie and gave him a long, measuring look, the kind only a veteran could deliver. “Fear is a warrior’s first lesson,” he said in a low voice. “You did well today, kid. At least you remembered to raise your sword.”
Little Donnie’s face flushed bright red, but he straightened his back.
Leus, on the other hand, rushed over to the two monster corpses with shining eyes, rubbing his hands together in amazement. “Mr. Nolan, your technique is impeccable! It’s rare to see such intact crystallized lizard bodies on the market. One strike, perfectly placed, avoiding all the high-value parts. This is true professionalism. It’s practically art!”
“For the sake of your research, of course I’d be precise,” Nolan replied casually, thinking to himself that this was nothing more than butchering skill honed over countless dungeon runs to earn a few extra coins.
“Alright, get ready to enter the cave.” Nolan brushed the dust from his hands. “Mr. Leus, Anna, Kreil, you stay outside and process the materials. The situation inside is unknown, so we need support here. Little Donnie, you’re in charge of perimeter defense. Keep watch.”
Though eager to venture inside, Little Donnie understood that this was the safest arrangement. He muttered, “Guard duty again,” but quickly pulled himself together and began scanning the surroundings vigilantly.
Nolan exchanged a glance with Hank. The latter checked his weapon and gave a slight nod.
The two of them entered the cavern one after the other.
The entrance was narrow, but the deeper they went, the more the space opened up. Along the way, they casually cut down seven or eight crystallized lizards. Hank’s fighting style shifted from cautious probing to increasingly efficient strikes, his veteran adaptability and skill on full display.
As they pressed further in, all natural light disappeared, leaving only the flickering glow of their torch to push back the darkness.
Tap… tap… tap… The sound of their footsteps echoed through the vast cavern.
Then, without warning, Nolan raised a hand, signaling a halt. Hank, walking behind him, stopped almost at the same instant, his hand already resting on the hilt of his sword.
“This is it,” Nolan said quietly.
Beyond the reach of the torchlight lay a vast shadow, likely a massive hollow in the rock wall. Farther still, within the darkness, countless purple points of light moved slowly. They weren’t minerals. They were an entire colony of crystallized lizards, densely packed. A rough count put them at no fewer than twenty.
At the center of the nest lay an especially massive lizard, its body nearly covered in a continuous mass of crystal.
“That’s the queen,” Nolan said, nodding toward the brightest cluster of violet light.
Hank took the cigar from his mouth and exhaled a thick plume of smoke. “The terrain’s against us, and there are too many of them. A direct assault would be unwise.”
A faint, enigmatic smile curved Nolan’s lips. The firelight flickered in his eyes, glinting with confidence. “A direct assault? Of course not.” He lowered his voice. “When dealing with a queen, you need a more… special approach.”
Sign up to join the discussion...
Already have an account? Log in
No comments yet. Be the first to discuss this chapter.