The Evolving Menace

Even though Kuang Ruo felt increasingly uneasy in Ye Xi’s grasp, he dared not utter a single word about being released at that moment.

Ye Xi understood that this was not the time to abandon Kuang Ruo. The paralytic poison coursing through Kuang Ruo’s body had severely hampered his movements. Meanwhile, the monster below had significantly increased its speed, and its capture radius was likely much wider than before, making it too dangerous even for his colleagues to attempt a rescue.

Fortunately, for Ye Xi, carrying Kuang Ruo was no different than holding a Yuzu. He moved effortlessly through the entangled vines.

Just as the two assumed the berserk state’s effects were limited to what they had seen, the monster, resembling a gigantic carnivorous plant, suddenly spewed a large volume of purple smoke from its maw.

“Poison gas?!”

The sudden onset caught them off guard. Ye Xi and Dean immediately held their breaths, attempting to block the gas with their aura shields.

“The aura isn’t working too well.”

Ye Xi observed that even with the aura filtering, a small amount of purple gas still seeped into their shields.

“Try this.”

Dean moved beside Ye Xi and gently tapped near Ye Xi’s nose, causing a small blue magic array to flash into existence.

Ye Xi cautiously inhaled a tiny amount of the purple gas. Finding no discomfort in his body, he finally relaxed.

His certainty stemmed from Kuang Ruo’s reaction. Having inhaled a similar small amount of purple gas without the benefit of the magic filter array, Kuang Ruo had already begun frothing at the mouth, though his consciousness remained relatively clear.

Kuang Ruo had innocently become a test subject, a gamble only possible due to his blessing, ‘Life Force.’

Those blessed with ‘Life Force’ possess naturally high vitality, enabling rapid recovery from injuries and granting significant resistance to negative effects like poison and curses.

However, resistance only minimized the side effects; it did not render them completely immune.

“The poison is quite potent, isn’t it?”

Dean quickly cast the filtering magic array on Kuang Ruo, remarking, “But it seems to have no effect on plants.”

Ye Xi glanced at the lawn, which remained lush and vibrant despite being shrouded in purple gas. The plants showed no signs of being affected by the toxins.

Dean analyzed, “It’s likely because the monster itself is a plant-type. The mechanism of the poison probably targets biological organisms primarily.”

With the immediate threat of the gas mitigated, the two continued to evade the attacking vines while discussing their next steps.

Dean frowned, saying, “I wonder if all this poison gas will spread to the city.”

“I don’t think it will. Look.”

Ye Xi pointed towards the direction of the Lord’s City. Dean noticed that the poison gas seemed to encounter a barrier formed by a gentle breeze. Although the wind might not have been strong, it perfectly blocked the gas’s advance.

Simultaneously, several light pillars illuminated in the distance. Transparent barriers connected these pillars, slowly purifying the poison gas lingering in the air.

“Should we say it’s truly worthy of the Grand Cathedral’s renowned Inquisition? They couldn’t have known this monster would mutate so drastically, yet they still made thorough preparations in advance.”

Dean clicked his tongue in wonder. These arrangements were certainly not improvised. After the Inquisition team had finalized their battle plan, they provided the technical expertise, and the Duke supplied the financial and material resources, culminating in the scene unfolding before them.

The functions of these light pillars extended far beyond merely filtering poison gas and generating a breeze, as the Inquisition team couldn’t possibly foresee the future.

These light pillars were, more accurately, amplifiers. By inputting the necessary magic, they could instantly achieve remarkable effects using magic crystals, with the specific power determined by the efficiency of the magic crystals provided by the user.

Members of the Inquisition team were dispersed around the light pillars, constantly monitoring the battle’s progress.

Most of the team possessed magical talent. To handle diverse and complex situations, their magical training emphasized breadth over depth, sacrificing raw combat power for enhanced adaptability to various emergencies.

Therefore, the power of their magic could be augmented by these amplifying light pillars.

Observing this through a magic telescope, Duke Buzz felt a mix of joy and heartache.

His joy stemmed from the amplifier proving its worth, providing immense assistance. His heartache, however, came from the vast quantity of magic crystals consumed, a cost that made Duke Buzz wince as if a knife had been plunged into him.

Adair, also holding a magic telescope, noticed Duke Buzz’s ample flesh quivering beside him and offered reassurance, “It’s alright, Duke. It’s well worth the cost. Your subjects will undoubtedly be moved by your selfless dedication. They will not only hold you in higher esteem but will also generously spread word of your benevolence. Moreover, this action has contained the poison gas, protecting the Lord’s City and its surrounding areas, thus preserving the commercial hub centered around it. In just a few years, coupled with the verdant grassland’s money-making capabilities, you’ll swiftly recoup your investment. Perhaps your soaring reputation will even attract more merchants and wanderers, and you might just earn a full basin of profit. This small loss will be recovered in a day or two… or rather, a month or two.”

Listening to Adair’s seemingly astute economic insights, Duke Buzz’s reddened eyes improved slightly.

Duke Buzz, seeking further reassurance, asked, “Really?”

After a second of silence, Adair replied earnestly, “Trust me, I never lie.”

Only then did Duke Buzz refocus his attention on the battlefield. Soon after, an even more distressing sight entered his view.

Ye Xi and Dean continuously used the flying vines as footholds, their feet encased in aura to prevent being pierced by thorns. They wielded their weapons to deflect some of the trickier attacks.

With each movement and strike, they minimized the consumption of their aura and magic.

At this rate of consumption, they could easily hold out for a day and a night.

However, this plant-type monster began to change once more. Its crude, subterranean roots started converging from six directions. The dense network of roots ultimately coalesced into six solid, thick giant pillars.

Initially, Ye Xi and Dean were puzzled by this decision to abandon its advantage and reduce the number of root targets, but they soon discovered the reason.

The six giant pillars formed by the roots had become the plant monster’s six legs!

It, which could only move underground before, now directly strode forward, charging madly.

Dean exclaimed in surprise, “It evolved again?! Is this Berserk Potion truly that potent?!”

Kuang Ruo, who had just recovered from the poison, gasped at the sight, “Potent my foot! This isn’t the effect of a Berserk Potion at all! At most, a Berserk Potion changes the appearance, making existing attacks fiercer and the body stronger and harder. This thing is mutating! I felt something was off from the beginning; there’s something wrong with this monster!”

“Its direction of movement?!”

If Ye Xi’s guess was correct and the monster’s current trajectory remained unchanged, it would inevitably collide with Duke Buzz, Adair, and their group, and even the Lord’s City behind them!

Dean exclaimed, “Why did it suddenly change targets? We haven’t even been dealt with yet!”

Meanwhile, the Inquisition team, positioned outside the monster’s attack range, also blanched at the sight. They too noticed the monster’s bizarre behavior; it made no sense for a monster given a Berserk Potion to keep evolving, and its intention to leave the designated battlefield completely caught them off guard.

One of the light pillar amplifiers was set up along the monster’s inevitable path. Left Enforcer and two other Inquisition team members watched this anomaly with grim expressions. They could perceive everything on the battlefield thanks to the long-range magic amplified by the light pillar.

One Inquisition team member asked in confusion, “Why?!”

Another member offered their understanding, “Perception range! The monster’s perception range is likely expanding with its evolution! It probably wants to eliminate us, the fixed targets, since it hasn’t been able to catch its two elusive prey! However, by retracting its roots, its attack range has decreased, so it has to move towards us.”

Left Enforcer said with a dark expression, “It’s not coming for us. There are only three of us in this direction, the same number as Miss Ye Xi and Sir Dean. This monster probably doesn’t have the brains to consider who’s easier to deal with. It must be the numbers. About 1000 meters behind me is where Sir Adair and Duke Buzz are located, along with the Duke’s guard soldiers and the church’s logistical personnel.”

“Wait, according to your theory, the monster’s perception range already exceeds 2 kilometers?!”

“A terrifying perception range. Fortunately, its attack range has also greatly diminished.”

“Now we need to figure out how to stop it,” Left Enforcer said through gritted teeth. “Since it’s a plant-type, notify the others at different points to unleash withering magic with full force. At the same time, use sound transmission magic to inform Miss Ye Xi and Sir Dean of this news, telling them to absolutely sever the monster’s legs before it breaks through!”

“Understood!”

Left Enforcer immediately used sound transmission magic to contact Duke Buzz and his group, explaining the situation and urging them to retreat into the Lord’s City.

Duke Buzz’s face darkened. He hadn’t expected the monster to still target him even after he had hidden so far away.

Adair frowned and said to Duke Buzz, “Duke, perhaps we should first…”

“Absolutely not!” Duke Buzz gritted his teeth. “Before I set out, I swore an oath in the city to all the subjects of my territory, pledging our family’s honor that we would eradicate this monster and defend the territory’s safety to the death. If I return now, what will people think of me?!”

Adair tried to persuade him, “Where there’s life, there’s hope, Duke.”

“Absolutely not! Family honor, noble prestige—these are more important than my life! If I publicly lose credibility before my subjects, disappoint their expectations, and treat my family’s honor and the noble spirit as a joke, then I might as well die here!”

Duke Buzz panted, stating firmly, “I was overconfident this time, but since I’ve made a promise, either I eradicate this monster and return gloriously to the cheers of my subjects, or I, a sinner who disappointed my subjects’ expectations, am killed by it! If you want to go back, you go back!”