Chapter 142: Re-encountering Bahadur

After passing through the broken stone gate.

They followed the green bloodstains on the ground, moving forward.

Not long after.

They discovered another identical stone gate ahead.

At this moment, the stone gate was half-open, with bloodstains still on it.

Rod could sense that the demon beast was not far behind the gate.

Too lazy to deal with potential magical traps, he swung his sword directly, cleaving the stone gate apart on the spot.

The heavy stone gate crashed to the ground with a boom.

After the dust settled, the figure of the demon beast appeared.

Only what was surprising was.

Beside it stood a black-robed figure whose face could not be seen clearly.

At this moment, the black-robed figure was gently stroking the demon beast's lowered head.

"Could it be that someone is actually teaching the demon beast?"

Prula said, hardly able to believe it.

The Winged Crystal boy, Xiti, voiced another question:

"Humans deep within the Demon Nest? How did he get in?"

And the black-robed figure turned to look at them.

Even politely nodded slightly.

"My lord, what are you doing here?" Farshad asked first.

"Experiment."

The black-robed figure softly uttered a single word; her voice was gentle, revealing she was a woman.

"What experiment? Teaching the demon beast magic?"

Prula lost his temper and sneered.

The black-robed figure was not angered, simply shaking her head gently.

She bowed gracefully, very proper.

"My name is Selena Cobbs, a first-year student at Bahadur Magic Academy. My research topic is 'Research and Discussion on the Assimilation of Cosmic Beings by the Continent'."

Bahadur

Rod silently placed his hand on his sword hilt.

Most students from such academies are sick; one must be cautious.

As for the others.

One does not strike a smiling face; this lady was quite proper, so they did not show overt hostility.

"Bahadur, is it?"

Farshad's expression softened slightly.

He had naturally heard of this famous human magic academy, but the elves' upbringing taught him that no race's education could compare to nature itself, so he hadn't paid much attention.

But since the other party was an educated mage, at least she was someone he could converse with.

So he introduced himself, stating the commission they received from the Pristine Crystal Land to come here and clear the Demon Nest.

"Is that so."

Selena paused, "Could you conveniently tell me the current year?"

"Abelon, year 865."

"Year 865? Twenty years have already passed..."

She sighed.

"Could you be the mage who went missing here twenty years ago?" Xiti exclaimed.

Facing his companions' puzzled looks.

He added: "Twenty years ago, the Pristine Crystal Land was once one of the field-trip destinations for magic academies across the continent, but then one day a student from Bahadur got lost in the Demon Nest. Later, the academy's instructors deemed her dead. Furthermore, the unstable state of the Crystal Land became more frequent, so they closed the destination and even paid a huge sum in compensation."

Why does this continent turn everything into a tourist spot?

Rod thought helplessly.

Selena nodded.

"That was me."

"So, what is your relationship with this thing now? Living together? Hmm... may I ask how it feels?"

Tally asked curiously.

Succubi's line of thinking is like this; they can twist anything into that direction.

Selena ignored her.

Gently stroking the demon beast's head, regardless of the slime already covering her hands.

"Do you know? Cosmic beings are assimilated by the continent's spiritual nature, eventually becoming new species found everywhere locally."

"I have heard a little, but it seems limited to creatures within the Demon Nest; beings like the Horror Beast do not." Farshad said.

"Correct... Does it feel like an Aethelron city residence permit? Cosmic beings in the Demon Nest are legitimate new residents through official channels, while creatures like the Horror Beast are despicable illegal immigrants."

"I don't quite think so," Prula said. "By the way, can you move aside? We need to deal with this demon beast."

No sooner had the words left his mouth.

Selena raised her finger and pointed at him.

A thread of magical energy shot into his body with lightning speed.

Looking again at Plula, they saw his lips vanish, his entire mouth turning into fused skin.

"Mmph! Mmph!"

He panicked.

Farsade steadied him in time.

"Lady Selena!"

"Don't worry, it's a temporary 【Mouthless Technique】; it will unravel in half an hour. I just didn't want anyone interrupting me."

"I insist."

Selena froze, seeing Rod draw his sword and step forward.

"Chattering nonsense, blabbering on; I'm too lazy to idle with you Bahadur people."

Rod was a decent man.

Seeing her polite and gentle demeanor, he had originally thought to avoid another dispute and hadn't planned to strike first.

But her habit of casting spells at every turn was too arrogant, so he grew tired of enduring it.

The atmosphere instantly grew tense.

Selena repeated her old trick, lifting a finger.

Buzz!

Rod vanished from the spot in an instant.

The gradient-golden long sword had already slashed onto the opponent's body.

Yet there was no sensation of cutting flesh.

The black robe was instantly torn in half.

And Selena was already floating in the air.

"The sky is a mage's right."

Her finger aimed at Rod on the ground, powerful mana gathering rapidly.

Boom!

A cyan-black mana torrent released like a comet.

Powerful magical pressure instantly enveloped the surroundings.

"【Comet Torrent】? Seventh Tier?!"

Farsade exclaimed.

"So?"

Rod suddenly raised his head.

His throat was already like a red-hot iron block.

【Dragon Breath (Beginner)】!!

He opened his mouth, spewing an orange-red pillar of light condensed from raging flames.

With a deafening roar.

Orange-red and cyan-black collided in the air!

In an instant, blinding light erupted, like the collision of two stars, releasing world-destroying energy that even made space tremble.

Massive heat and pressure kicked up huge amounts of dust, instantly enveloping them.

Within the light, the two forces clashed and intertwined fiercely.

Ultimately, the cyan-black 【Comet Torrent】 proved superior, completely suppressing the fiery Dragon Breath.

"Mr. Rod!"

Cecile cried out shrilly.

And when all energy dissipated into nothingness, they found nothing on the ground except a deep pit.

Selena did not relax her vigilance, but suddenly paused for a moment.

As if by ghostly guidance, she turned her head to look behind, as if seeing something.

"Mother? No... it's an illusion."

She cast a dispelling spell over her whole body, driving away the 【Mirage Web】 status from herself.

But where in a battle is there room for even a moment of distraction?

Selena suddenly looked down.

She saw that centered on that man, five meters out, a 【Gravity Well】 composed of purple gravity spirituality had already formed.

"Come down."

The immense pull instantly snapped the mana of the 【Levitation Technique】.

Her whole body was dragged down from the sky like a magnet.

Clang!

The outer layer of the spell shield shattered with a boom.

"Six Flashes."

Sword speed invisible to the naked eye caused huge cracks to appear in the second layer of the shield.

"Then... Seven Flashes."

Sword speed faster and stronger than before struck again, instantly destroying the shield.

"Resentful Fire."

Pink-purple resentful fire burst onto the golden sword; the noble all-attribute special attack melted a huge hole in the third layer of the spell shield in less than a second.

The man before showed no pause at all, casting various highly draining spiritual arts as easily as eating and drinking.

Only then did Selina's movements show obvious panic.

(End of this chapter)