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Chapter 269: Pre-Battle Arrangements
🕑 Added 2024-09-30 08:12:29 +0000 UTCFather and son moved one after the other, traversing a dense forest, their steps creating a wide trail in the soft earth. Gradually, the ground beneath their feet grew firmer as they ascended a rocky slope.
A few minutes later, they reached a point ten kilometers away, where the slope ended, and the terrain opened up, revealing uneven rocky ground.
Rhett's gaze followed his senses, and he pointed to a crevice between some rocks, where a small snake covered in black scales was nestled. "Taylors, this is your next opponent," Rhett said. "Defeat it, and you’ll have proven your combat abilities to me. Then your test will be over."
"Really, Father?" Taylors asked, excitement lighting up his face. He looked at the black-scaled snake with anticipation, a spark of determination in his eyes. However, he didn’t let his excitement get the best of him; he knew that since his father had chosen this opponent, it would be more challenging than the Earth Fury Bear he had faced earlier. This battle wouldn’t be as easy.
"I keep my word. Go ahead; I’ll be watching," Rhett nodded and quietly stepped back, concealing his presence.
"Alright!" Taylors’ eyes glinted with resolve as he cast the Tier 2 dark spell—Shadow Cloak. His entire body became enveloped in dark elements, vanishing from sight.
He moved cautiously toward the Tier 2 magical beast—the Black-Scaled Serpent—lying in the crevice. When he was about a hundred meters away, he stopped, preparing to cast a Shadow Arrow, the only attack spell he currently had as a Tier 2 mage.
The air darkened as the Shadow Arrow swiftly formed, its surface covered in a thin layer of black mist. The arrow shot through the air, silent and almost invisible, heading straight for the magical beast lying among the rocks.
Taylors slowed his pace, maintaining a safe distance from the Black-Scaled Serpent, his expression vigilant.
Hiss, hiss...
The Black-Scaled Serpent, previously asleep, suddenly awoke. As the dark elements approached, its scales vibrated like the sensitive leaves of a mimosa plant. Its tongue flickered rapidly, and its cold eyes locked onto Taylors. Without warning, it shot forward like a black lightning bolt, accompanied by a chilling gust of wind, striking at Taylors.
"So fast!"
Taylors instinctively exclaimed, realizing that his normally reliable Shadow Cloak had failed. The Black-Scaled Serpent effortlessly evaded the Shadow Arrow and charged straight at him, as if the stealth effect of his spell didn’t exist at all.
In that tense moment, Taylors knew he couldn’t dodge. Cold sweat beaded on his forehead as his mind raced.
"This is bad! My only option is to attack head-on. The best defense is a good offense," Taylors recalled something Tuck had once said. At the time, he thought it was reckless, but now it seemed like the most sensible approach.
Dark elements swirled in the air, and a black arrow quickly formed, charged with dark energy, and flew silently toward the Black-Scaled Serpent.
The serpent’s eyes gleamed coldly, its sharp teeth glinting with a toxic green hue. As the arrow approached, the serpent twisted its body in mid-air at an unnatural angle, effortlessly dodging the attack. It continued its deadly trajectory toward Taylors without losing momentum.
The air was thick with a pungent stench of acid and rot, the natural odor of the Black-Scaled Serpent. A single whiff would make any ordinary person feel ill for days.
At that moment, Taylors felt utterly helpless, unsure of how to counterattack. The thought of fleeing crossed his mind, but compared to the serpent’s speed, he was like a snail. Running away was not an option.
The Black-Scaled Serpent flicked its tongue, sensing its overwhelming advantage. A violent intent surged within it, and its small head suddenly transformed into a gaping maw, ready to devour Taylors whole.
Panicking, Taylors resorted to his last option—he shouted, "Father, help me!"
The Black-Scaled Serpent, unable to understand human speech, mistook Taylors’ cry for the fearful wail of prey facing imminent death. It became even more excited, whipping its tail in the air, its mouth opening wider as if it intended to swallow a mountain.
But suddenly, without warning, a tiny spike formed in the air directly in front of the serpent, emitting a low hum. It shot forward, piercing the creature’s mouth before it could react.
The serpent froze, confused by the sudden appearance of the earth-colored needle and its swift entry into its mouth. The speed had been so fast that neither the serpent nor Taylors had time to comprehend what had just happened.
Then—
Bang!
A muffled explosion echoed, accompanied by the sound of shattering flesh and spraying blood. Black scales scattered like falling leaves, painting a gruesome, terrifying scene.
Taylors blinked, staring at the aftermath. If he hadn’t seen it with his own eyes, he might have believed the Black-Scaled Serpent had self-destructed.
Had Father intervened?
How did Father do that?
Questions piled up in his mind, all converging into a single conclusion—Father is invincible!
Taylors patted his chest, breathing a sigh of relief. The threat of death he had felt just moments ago was real.
"Taylors, how do you feel about the battle just now?"
Rhett’s voice drifted over as he walked up to Taylors, stepping over rocks. He patted his son’s shoulder, brushing off a few black scales that had landed on him. Satisfied that Taylors hadn’t been harmed by the shockwave, Rhett relaxed. He had used the Vibration Profundity, attaching it to a small earthen spike, to deal with the Tier 2 magical beast—a task that required minimal effort.
Hearing the question, Taylors’ face fell, and he dejectedly said, "Father, I was terrible, wasn’t I? I had no chance against the Black-Scaled Serpent, a creature of the same rank. I couldn’t even put up a fight.
I’m sorry I didn’t meet your expectations."
"Do you know what my expectations for you are?" Rhett asked with a smile.
Taylors shook his head. "I don’t know. Please tell me, Father. I’ll work hard to meet them!"
"My expectation is simply for you to survive," Rhett replied. "But achieving that isn’t easy. In the future, you’ll face various dangers, and I want you to have the ability to handle them on your own, even if I’m not there." Rhett smiled gently. "So, this standard can be seen as almost nothing—or as having no limit."
Taylors was a bit puzzled. He looked at his father and asked, "So, I just need to keep improving? But how do I improve? Take the fight just now, for example—the Black-Scaled Serpent was too fast for me to evade, and its reactions were beyond my expectations. I couldn’t hide effectively, and my Shadow Arrows were almost useless."
"Think more, experience more, and reflect more," Rhett offered as advice. "Take the previous fight with the Earth Fury Bear. You managed to defeat it by playing to your strengths and exploiting its weaknesses, using the stealth advantage of dark magic.
But the Black-Scaled Serpent, with its mid-tier bloodline potential, is a dark-type magical beast with a keen sense of dark elements. Your Shadow Cloak was almost useless against it, exposing your position right away and nullifying your advantage.
At your current level as a Tier 2 mage, your abilities, while more mystical than those of a knight, are still limited in combat. If your strengths are countered, you’ll need to compensate with battle experience, technique, and spellcasting skill."
Taylors pondered this, nodding slowly. "I see… As a dark-type mage, it seems I’m better suited for reconnaissance, stealth, and ambushes at lower levels. My direct combat ability is weak. Was this fight meant to show me that in the face of an overwhelming opponent, I should retreat strategically?"
"…" Rhett rubbed his forehead and took a deep breath. "Yes, that’s right. When facing a much stronger opponent, and if you’re the only one being pursued, preserving your life is crucial. But life is long, and there will be situations where you can’t avoid or escape. In those times, you must find a way to win."
Taylors frowned. "So, could I have defeated the Black-Scaled Serpent?"
"Of course!" Rhett said firmly, giving Taylors’ shoulder a hearty pat. "You have to believe in your own intelligence and strength. In battle, it’s essential to recognize when to advance or retreat. Your initial approach to the Black-Scaled Serpent was too reckless. Remember, the Black-Scaled Serpent, as a low-tier magical beast, lacks human intelligence. You need to exploit that weakness."
"How do I do that? Please guide me, Father!" Taylors asked, puzzled.
"Even though the Black-Scaled Serpent has a keen sense of dark elements, it can’t precisely detect every individual element. That’s where you can make your move," Rhett said, giving his son a deep look before stopping, leaving Taylors some room to think.
Taylors stood there, deep in thought, his brows furrowed. He lowered his head, silently contemplating.
After a while, seeing Taylors still deep in thought, Rhett shook his head and offered a hint: "Think about the tactic you used against the Earth Fury Bear. Why not try applying it to the Black-Scaled Serpent?"
"The tactic I used against the Earth Fury Bear…" Taylors murmured, his eyes slowly lighting up as realization dawned on him. "Father, I think I understand now! When I fought the Earth Fury Bear, I used the dark mist to confuse it, preventing it from tracking my Shadow Arrows. Are you suggesting I use a similar tactic to disrupt the Black-Scaled Serpent’s senses?"
"Exactly." Rhett smiled and nodded. "Though it’s much harder to confuse the Black-Scaled Serpent than the Earth Fury Bear, you won’t know if it’ll work unless you try. Even a moment of confusion can give you a significant advantage in battle."
"That makes perfect sense!"
Looking at the corpse of the Black-Scaled Serpent, Taylors’ eyes grew brighter. Clenching his fists, he said with determination, "When I return, I’ll start practicing. My next goal is to defeat a Black-Scaled Serpent of the same rank!"
"Taylors, take it one step at a time. I have faith in you!" Rhett encouraged.
After finishing their training in the Dark Eagle Mountain Range, Rhett took Taylors to the extraordinary training ground, as Taylors insisted he wouldn’t leave until he had fully mastered the technique.
As the lord arrived at the training ground, the practicing superhumans couldn’t help but cause a stir, their gazes filled with reverence and envy.
Rhett randomly picked two people to offer some spellcasting guidance before leaving the training ground.
"What? Father, you want to hunt 200 Tier 3 magical beasts? And you only want the bodies?"
In the administrative office of Dark Eagle City, Riley exclaimed in surprise. He stood up from his chair, finding his father’s request rather odd.
At that moment, Rhett was standing by the window, looking out at the bustling streets and buildings. He said, "That’s right. As a newly emerging city, Dark Eagle City needs to hold some events to boost morale and increase satisfaction. Why not?"
Riley leaned against the desk, supporting himself with one hand, and said, "Alright, Father, you make a good point. Dark Eagle City hasn’t hosted any events before. What do you have in mind?"
"It’s simple: announce that we’ll purchase Tier 3 beast corpses at double the price, but limit it to three days only," Rhett replied.
"No problem. I’ll have someone draft a notice and post it on the bulletin board in the central square." Although Riley found his father’s request a bit sudden, it was a small matter for the wealthy Dark Eagle City, so he nodded in agreement.
Seeing his father holding an empty cup, Riley asked, "Would you like another cup of tea, Father?"
"Yes, do you have any Blue Mountain Fruit Tea?"
"Of course. Carlton sends me some every month; I’ll brew you a cup right away!"
As the sound of boiling water filled the room, Rhett looked up at the clear blue sky and suddenly asked, "Riley, how is your spiritual power progressing? How long until you reach the peak?"
"Last winter, Nina’s awakening helped me reach the later stages. With another year of training and Nina’s winter awakening, I might push through to the peak," Riley replied after some thought.
Rhett’s brow furrowed slightly. "Do you have enough Moonlight Elixir? Don’t skimp on resources. Aim to reach the peak of Tier 3 by this winter!"
"I’ll do my best, Father!"
After leaving Dark Eagle City, Rhett headed straight to the Alchemy Tower.
In one of the alchemy rooms on the third floor...
"Philos, you need to keep the temperature of the flames steady. You still have room for improvement in this area, so put in more effort!" Maruna said as he focused on the ancient bronze furnace, watching the intense flames dancing within.
On the other side of the furnace, Philos was sweating profusely as he continually concentrated his spiritual power to control the flames. Unlike a blacksmith, whose flames are controlled externally with less emphasis on precise temperature control and more on forging techniques, Philos, under the guidance of Maruna, a mid-tier alchemical equipment master, was manipulating the flames in various ways. Sometimes the flames spread out like tendrils; other times, they spiraled like a drill, constantly changing but always following a specific pattern, aimed at inscribing intricate patterns onto a magic wand.
Hearing his mentor’s evaluation, Philos focused even more, steadying the flames until they no longer wavered. Maruna’s face gradually broke into a smile, pleased with the progress. With a bit more improvement, Philos would be on the verge of becoming an official alchemical equipment master!
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