Chapter 108: Xiang Leina Si's Surprise: An Abnormality! The Agitation of the Curse Power

"Roar!"

The Swamp Behemoth shook the mud and water from its body, its two fist-sized, massive beast eyes filled with cruelty as it stared at Tang Zheng and his companion, let out a roar, and charged forward with its blood-filled maw wide open.

Bang!

The Flame Archangel that hadn't been knocked away rushed forward, waving its flame sword with force, and hacked heavily at the Swamp Behemoth's head.

However.

The Swamp Behemoth, covered in layers of thick mud and moss, did not suffer any injuries under the attack of the flame sword imbued with fire and holy energy.

The only effect was that the force of the flame sword's strike caused the Swamp Behemoth's advancing body to pause for a moment.

"Roar!"

The Swamp Behemoth twisted its head, brushing aside the flame sword that had struck its crown, while simultaneously lifting its thick, sturdy forelimb to strike forcefully at the Flame Archangel.

Flap!

The Flame Archangel beat its wings, taking to the air to dodge the Swamp Behemoth's strike.

At the same time.

The other Flame Archangel that had been knocked away flew back at this moment, joining the attack.

Under the assault of the two Flame Archangels.

The Swamp Behemoth was forced to stop its advance, letting out loud roars and lashing out with its forelimbs and tail to counterattack, but against the flying Flame Archangels, its attacks mostly missed.

For a time, because neither could do anything to the other, they reached a stalemate.

Seeing this scene.

A look of surprise appeared in Xiang Leina Si's eyes; these two Flame Archangels were incredibly strong.

The Swamp Behemoth was one of the top-tier monsters in this swamp, requiring at least a "Mithril-grade" adventurer party to have the capability to contend with it.

And yet, right before her eyes!

Just two Flame Archangels had actually forced the Swamp Behemoth into a defensive position; if not for the Swamp Behemoth's thick skin and the layers of swamp mud acting as armor.

It was likely that these two Flame Archangels alone would have been enough to kill this swamp behemoth.

"Attack its eyes," Tang Zheng's voice sounded from behind.

The two Flame Archangels paused their somewhat chaotic attack patterns, turned their wings in unison, and struck at the Swamp Behemoth's eyes.

In just a moment.

The Swamp Behemoth let out a painful roar, its body twisting frantically as it made a retreating motion.

But how could Tang Zheng let this experience points delivery run away? A monster reaching around level 20 was a rare sight indeed.

Under Tang Zheng's deliberate control, the two Flame Archangels took advantage of the opening revealed as the blinded Swamp Behemoth retreated.

Two flame swords plunged simultaneously through its eyes and into the Swamp Behemoth's head!

"Awoo!!"

The Swamp Behemoth shuddered violently, its wailing cry cut short, and it collapsed with a crash.

【Experience Gained: 3103】

【Experience Bar: 7405/10000】

Seeing the surge in experience on his panel, Tang Zheng's mood improved instantly.

Looking at the Swamp Behemoth's corpse, he couldn't help but feel a bit of regret.

If Xiang Leina Si weren't right beside him, he would have collected the Swamp Behemoth's corpse.

A monster reaching level 20, while lacking special abilities, had a thick-skinned, sturdy nature that was far superior to the ogre corpses stored in his item box.

As material for "Undead Manipulation," it was quite good.

Xiang Leina Si took a deep breath, turned to the side, and looked at Tang Zheng, a complex expression appearing in her blue pupils: "Who exactly are you?"

It wasn't that the Flame Archangels were strong!

It was that the summoner's own strength was high, which allowed for the summoning of powerful entities.

With his strength, combined with the alchemy methods he had displayed earlier, it stood to reason that he shouldn't be obscure.

Tang Zheng, who was lamenting the loss of the Swamp Behemoth's corpse, didn't react immediately upon hearing Xiang Leina Si's question, but after noticing her surprised gaze.

He realized something.

"Genius Alchemist, Faith-type Magic Caster, or perhaps..."

Tang Zheng shrugged, reached out to flick the copper nameplate hanging at his waist, and said half-jokingly,

"Copper-grade adventurer."

Xiang Leina Si didn't find any issue with the first two titles, but upon hearing the last one.

The corners of her delicate mouth twitched violently.

"If I were the Guild Master of the Adventurer's Guild, I would definitely change the rule that requires adventurers to complete quests to increase their rank."

Xiang Leina Si gritted her teeth and spoke forcefully.

"Ancient rules have their reasons for being passed down to this day."

Tang Zheng chuckled, "I, on the other hand, think this rule of the Adventurer's Guild is quite good."

It might seem inhumane, as even powerful individuals must start from low-level adventurer quests.

But from the perspective of those in power, this seemingly inhumane rule is itself a screening process.

The half-joking tone caused the sense of estrangement that had just risen in Xiang Leina Si's heart to dissipate once more.

"Let's go."

Tang Zheng raised his hand in a beckoning gesture.

The two Flame Archangels flew over, and the two of them continued to fly toward the depths of the swamp in the same manner.

As they ventured deeper.

The swamp terrain began to gradually disappear, the shrubs grew from low to tall, and the jungle zone in the depths came into view. "Coo—coo—"

"Roar—doo—"

"…………"

Accompanying this were the various cries of beasts or monsters coming from deep within the jungle.

A faint white mist appeared in mid-air.

"It's getting foggy," Xiang Leina Si said with a solemn expression, offering a warning.

"Then we descend."

Tang Zheng also noticed a massive bank of fog in the distance.

Swish! Swish!

The two Flame Archangels carried Tang Zheng and Xiang Leina Si down from mid-air, landing in an area overgrown with weeds.

"Hmph!"

=9+Shu_Ba

As soon as Xiang Leina Si landed, she suddenly let out a soft grunt, pressed her right hand against the cheek hidden by her blonde hair, and let out a groan of pain.

A piece of rotting flesh that wasn't completely covered was exposed to the air, and one could clearly see it slightly wriggling.

Tang Zheng felt the abnormality as well.

To be precise, he sensed that his own curse power seemed to have developed a sense of agitation.

There was something wrong with this place!

Tang Zheng's gaze sharpened as he looked at Xiang Leina Si: "Are you alright?"

"This place... the feeling it gives me is the same as that monster that attacked me back then,"

Xiang Leina Si lowered the hand pressing against her right cheek, endured the ant-like gnawing pain on her face, raised her head, and spoke with a cold look in her eyes.

"Heh-roar!"

"Heh-roar!"

"Heh-roar!"

The low growls of wild beasts came from the shrubs not far away.

Immediately after!

Three monsters, similar in size to adult Evil Dogs but looking like monstrosities, walked out from the shrubs.

Seeing the appearance of these monsters.

Tang Zheng subconsciously frowned; these three monsters were truly too ugly and too bizarre.

They had the heads of humanoid creatures, yet the teeth in their mouths were extremely sharp; their bodies were similar to lions, and their humanoid heads were covered in sideburns.

Most strangely, the monsters' tails were covered in spikes like a scorpion's, and they even had a pair of bat-like wings on their backs.

At first glance.

It was practically a combination of several different monsters.

"The strange monster you mentioned wouldn't be this, would it?" Tang Zheng looked at these three monsters that were essentially monstrosities.

"No."

Xiang Leina Si raised her black spear and shook her head, "It isn't. These three monsters are Manticores."

"Watch out for their tails; they can fire spikes. I'll take one, the remaining two are yours!"

As soon as Xiang Leina Si finished speaking, she had already raised her spear and charged toward the Manticore on the far right.

Ever since entering the swamp, she hadn't been able to help much, and these three monsters were the perfect opportunity to take one down.

"Growing into such a bizarre shape, and it's still not the one?" Tang Zheng waved his arm.

The two Flame Archangels immediately rushed toward the other Manticores.

The process of the battle was severely inconsistent with the manticore's monstrous appearance; in just a few moments, the three manticores were slain one after another.

"Experience gained: 286"

"Experience gained: 301"

【Experience bar: 7992/10000】

Tang Zheng glanced at the experience points gained; the intensity was about the same as an ogre.

Huh?

Tang Zheng was suddenly taken aback; he clearly felt a trace of curse power dissipate from the bodies of those two manticores after they died.

And this strand of curse power was actually absorbed by him.

Tang Zheng hurriedly checked his attribute panel, only to find that neither the experience points nor any other data had changed at all.

Yet he clearly felt that the curse power within his body had indeed increased slightly.

"Ah!"

Xiang Leina Si, holding a blood-stained spear, suddenly let out a miserable scream.

Tang Zheng's expression changed, and he rushed over quickly; when he saw the look on Xiang Leina Si's face, his gaze sharpened.

As it turned out, the curse that had originally only covered half of her face was actually starting to spread toward the right side of her face.

Seeing this change.

Tang Zheng realized that this curse power wasn't just absorbed by him; Xiang Leina Si had absorbed it as well!

Or rather.

Only those who possess the 【Cursed Knight】 class can sense this curse power.

(End of chapter)