NOVPUB
Chapter 78: 018: Crisis
Standing on the deck, Lynch gazed at the sea below, his expression grim.
The once calm surface of the sea was now littered with the drifting carcasses of marine creatures, ranging from ordinary fish, shrimp, and crabs to sharks, squids, dolphins, and even fully grown whales.
Most of these corpses were severely mutilated, as if chunks had been devoured by some enormous creature. The remaining flesh and blood mixed together, blanketing the sea and dyeing the water a bright crimson, the pungent stench of blood hanging heavy in the air.
Lynch raised his right hand and made a grasping motion toward the sea below. A dead dolphin corpse was lifted out of the water, seemingly held by an invisible hand, and flew up toward the deck.
Zero-ring low-level spell Wizard’s Hand—a fascinating magic that combines gravity and spiritual fields, enabling the remote manipulation and retrieval of objects. Lynch had cultivated this spell to the max phase, granting him a casting range of around thirty meters and a maximum retrieval weight of up to 300 kilograms.
A heavy thud sounded as the dolphin’s massive body landed on the deck, prompting startled cries from the sailors who were witnessing magic for the first time.
Kneeling down, Lynch inspected the dolphin’s wounds. What he saw took him aback.
"Ausen Giant Python?"
Just one glance and Lynch immediately identified the culprit responsible for the dolphin’s death. This only deepened his puzzlement. The Ausen Giant Python—an inland titan—should be impossible to encounter near this isolated oceanic island; the environment couldn’t possibly sustain its existence.
"Sir, what should we..." The sailors hesitantly approached, their faces pale with terror, nervously scanning their surroundings as if anticipating some monstrous entity to emerge from the depths at any moment.
After a moment’s thought, Lynch issued a decisive order: "Bring the sailboat ashore."
The Ausen Giant Python was amphibious. While its reasons for appearing here were unclear, avoiding it was paramount. Facing it on solid ground would surely be preferable to this precarious situation on the open sea.
Perhaps it was headed toward the island. Regardless, dealing with it on land would provide better odds than out here in the waters.
"Understood!"
The sailors hurriedly retracted the anchor and extended the oars. After several calls and grunts of effort, the sailboat successfully landed in the shallow waters, and soon the smaller boats were lowered to paddle ashore.
Arriving at the riverbank, Lynch raised his right hand and made a grasping motion in mid-air. A rushing sound filled the air as tiny elemental particles rapidly converged into a cloud of grayish-black fog, enveloping the group and seamlessly blending them into the dark night.
Dark Shadow Mist—a zero-ring low-level spell combining dark, water, and wind elements, creating a cloud imbued with dark attribute traits, offering a degree of concealment.
Lynch addressed the sailors, "Stay in this mist and don’t wander. I’m heading out."
The Ausen Giant Python was a creature comparable to a high-level apprentice-level demon. If it truly came to this island, it would pose a significant threat to Avery and her operations. Delivering this warning quickly was critical.
"I wonder how their operation is going? If all goes well, it should be over by now."
Earlier, the island echoed with shouts and the sounds of fighting, but those noises had ceased some time back. Logically, the battle should have concluded.
With these thoughts in mind, Lynch left the mist and ventured toward the island interior.
After walking some distance, he soon encountered signs of devastation—collapsed houses, bodies sprawled in disarray, and marks of magical bombardment. Clearly, this was the battleground from earlier.
"Damn it! Blood Origin Cult, what are you playing at? We’re all comrades of the Black Tower Alliance, are you really trying to take advantage of the chaos?"
Someone was here?
Lynch’s keen hearing suddenly picked up a voice from afar.
Silently, he cast Light Body Skill on himself, his figure flickering as he darted toward the source of the sound.
A few leaps later, Lynch reached a forest area near the riverbank. In a clearing at the center, seven or eight figures cloaked in black were gathered.
They were distinctly divided into two factions. One side consisted of a low-level apprentice accompanied by two humans, their cloaks bearing a skeletal insignia—the same symbol Lynch had seen earlier on Richard’s cloak. Evidently, these were Shadow Swamp Apprentices.
The opposing group had twice the number, including two low-level apprentices. Although they also wore black cloaks, these had no special emblem. Instead, each bore a crimson hexagram mark on their foreheads.
’Blood Origin Cult?’
Lynch recognized the insignia from books—it belonged to a Black Tower Alliance-affiliated Black Wizard Organization specializing in bloodline spell research.
At their feet lay the corpse of a human, whom Lynch identified as one of their knights. A man from the Blood Origin Cult crouched by the body, using a dagger to peel the knight’s scalp.
Lynch frowned.
’Weren’t we supposed to focus on Shadow Swamp here? Why is Blood Origin Cult involved too?’
’Moreover...’
Lynch observed the clearing. The Blood Origin Cult apprentices had encircled the Shadow Swamp apprentices, their attitude far from friendly—hostility practically radiated from the standoff.
Addressing the Shadow Swamp apprentice’s questioning, a Blood Origin Cult apprentice laughed mockingly: "Comrades? Ha! What a novelty! You think you’ll find that among Black Wizards?"
Infuriated, the Shadow Swamp apprentice growled, "You..."
Uninterested in further argument, the Blood Origin Cult apprentice issued an ultimatum with a wave of his hand, "Enough nonsense. If not for us, you idiots would already be dead. Surrender your magic wands and space pockets, and I promise you’ll leave here alive."
The Shadow Swamp apprentice’s eyes reddened in anger: "Promise? Who talks about promises among Black Wizards!"
He gritted his teeth and pulled out a scroll, activating it: "Bring it on! Kill them!"
The Blood Origin Cult apprentice, prepared for retaliation, smirked savagely and commanded, "Kill them all!"
Battle erupted instantly, escalating into a fierce melee.
The Shadow Swamp apprentices cast dark-element spells—Poison Liquid Splash, Dark Entanglement. Richard had used similar magic, indicative of the limited repertoire within small wizard organizations, whose apprentices were often uniform in skill.
However, this apprentice displayed more finesse than Richard. His spell-casting and combinations were notably skillful, ranking him highly among low-level apprentices. He even activated a Medium Magic Defense Scroll, likely his confidence to take on two opponents single-handedly.
But sheer numbers were against him. His adversaries—from the Blood Origin Cult—were no slouches either. One had integrated the Giant Troll bloodline, focusing on defense, while the other wielded the Evil Eye bloodline specializing in offense. Their teamwork was equally adept.
After exchanging blows for over ten rounds, the Giant Troll apprentice absorbed two direct hits of Dark Corrosion, closing in to deliver a decisive strike. Working in tandem, the Evil Eye apprentice’s Withering Beam shattered the Shadow Swamp apprentice’s defense scroll.
With his protection gone, the Shadow Swamp apprentice was left vulnerable—a lamb before slaughter. A final Withering Beam pierced his heart, and he collapsed lifelessly to the ground.
"Hmph! Damn vermin, tough to kill!"
The Evil Eye apprentice spat on the ground, pulled out a handkerchief to wipe the blood dripping from his corner-eye. The destructive power of a transplanted Evil Eye came at a cost; its usage caused intense bleeding each time.
The Giant Troll apprentice approached the corpse, his lips curling into an eager grin: "Let’s see what treasures this brat has..."
A sharp, whistling sound suddenly cut through the air.
Mid-sentence, the Giant Troll apprentice sensed an intense elemental fluctuation from behind. Instinctively alarmed, he rapidly tensed his muscles, forming a keratinized layer—the Giant Troll’s unique defensive trait: Skin Hardening.
A deafening impact followed as a Wind Blade struck the Giant Troll apprentice, shredding his cloak into tatters. His massive frame was flung back over ten meters, a visible gash running across his hardened skin layer.
A cold gust accompanied the faint hiss of something slicing through the air. Amid the blackened night, a figure bathed in silver light descended—like lightning striking—aiming straight for the Evil Eye apprentice.
"Jason, watch out!"
Alarmed, the Giant Troll apprentice shouted a warning, but it was too late.
Their synergy involved one attacking while the other defended. With the defender incapacitated, the surprise attack landed mercilessly on the Evil Eye apprentice before he could react.
A sickening sound echoed as the Fearless Great Sword cleaved through the Evil Eye apprentice’s left shoulder, effortlessly slicing through unguarded flesh as if it were mere butter—muscles, bones, and organs alike shattered as the blade carved its deadly arc, exiting through the right abdomen.
Without realizing what had happened, the Evil Eye apprentice was already severed in two. Blood and viscera spilled like a macabre waterfall, pooling around the mangled remains.
"My lord!"
The remaining followers rushed forward, ordinary humans who had undergone rudimentary modifications and bloodline fusion—strength roughly akin to Apprentice Knights.
Facing their charge, Lynch remained composed. Raising his left hand skyward, he pointed a finger.
Dark clouds gathered quickly overhead, violent purple lightning surging within.
Lynch’s outstretched hand fell, slicing downward toward the advancing enemies.
A thundering roar ensued as lightning struck from the clouds, instantly engulfing the attackers.
The disparity between supernatural power and mortal bodies was evident. The thunderbolt left the human followers charred and lifeless, their bodies collapsing as silence reclaimed the clearing.
The only survivor, the now-terrified Giant Troll apprentice, stared at Lynch in horror: "M-Mid-level Apprentice!"
Instinctively, he attempted to flee, but before he could, a black chain shot forth from Lynch’s back, binding him securely in place.
Holding his blood-drenched great sword, Lynch approached: "I have some questions for you."
The Giant Troll apprentice paled: "Will... will you spare me?"
Glancing at the scalped knight, Lynch replied honestly, "No."
"But I can make your death quicker."
