Chapter 326: Shadows and Struggle

"Tally, is there something in the shadows?"

"Nope, the attack didn't come from the shadows."

Tally replied.

With her current mastery of shadows and darkness, even if the opponent were stronger, she could still clearly discern this distinction.

"Another trap?"

Oana cast 【Eye Demon Observation】 again, but still found nothing.

Crack!

Another sound of tearing air.

Hali's spell shield was struck, cracking open a large gash.

Whether from the impact or something else, she once again tumbled into Luo De's arms.

Luo De instinctively wrapped his arms around her waist—her flesh was soft, not taut or lean like Tally's.

This time her collar was even more open.

Two pale blue, translucent mounds pressed against his chest, their massive northern hemisphere clearly visible.

"."

So she really is a exhibitionist.

Luo De lifted his gaze and met her cold stare.

"Pretty?"

Her lips, slightly darker in hue, formed the three words without sound.

They were inches apart.

Luo De could clearly smell her scent—a herbal fragrance with a hint of mint.

Offered right to me—why not take it?

His hand tightened around her waist, slowly sliding downward.

It was about to brush against her hips.

Hali frowned.

She shoved him away.

But he immediately pulled her back, slamming her into his chest again.

"What are you doing?!"

The star elf mage's face flushed with anger.

You, a mere servant of mine in the future, dare to touch me so boldly?! Don't you know your place?!

He was about to rebuke her.

When an invisible shockwave slammed into the spot where she had just been retreating, shattering the rock beneath into flying shards.

"Watch out."

Luo De smiled.

"Hmph!" The star elf in his arms shoved him away again, her expression genuinely annoyed.

"."

I just helped you, and now you're mad?

Weren't you the one who came on to me just now? Why are you angry when I respond?

He didn't quite understand star elf women.

Hum—

The sound of magical resonance echoed.

Oana had finished casting; in her hand appeared a silver mirror, its surface now threaded with lines of magical energy.

Then, sudden light blazed forth.

【Revelation Domain】.

It revealed all living beings and objects within a certain range.

More advanced than simple invisibility detection, and the silver mirror itself glowed with an extraordinary radiance.

As the light swept across the vast space.

On a distant raised platform, a four-legged, two-meter-tall dark-yellow creature appeared.

Its legs were as thick as elephant trunks; its torso bore a toothed mouth as wide as its shoulders; on either side grew clusters of brown, tumor-like growths, while three or four pink, slender tentacles writhed wildly in midair.

Its skin resembled plant matter, covered in fine hairs and slime, with the moist tumors densely packed with caps and mycelia.

When the light faded.

The terrifying creature vanished again into invisibility.

"Ugh, that's disgusting."

Luo De frowned.

"What is that? Looks like a fungal creature."

Hali looked at Noa.

The dumb mushroom man shook his head blankly, indicating he didn't know.

Oana thought for a moment, then said:

"Shadow Fungus. It's a cosmic organism naturally capable of advanced invisibility—ordinary detection spells can't pierce it. And when it lingers in one place, it releases spores that disrupt perception."

"Cosmic organism? Why would one be here?"

"Maybe it crawled up from somewhere, or someone summoned it—or perhaps there's a rift to another dimension inside this cave."

This wasn't good news.

Luo De suddenly spun, reaching out into empty air and grabbing hard.

His hand felt unmistakably sticky.

Everyone was startled by his sudden move, but knew he'd caught something.

"I didn't even sense it..."

Hali's gaze on Luo De grew brighter.

"Mages rely on perception; warriors rely more on instinct. We can't match that—especially not when it's Luo De."

Oana smiled.

Luo De commanded Shi Laimu to solidify into a pure-black slime sword.

He swung it toward the direction of the attack.

Slime ooze from the blade splattered across the nearby rock wall.

A two-meter-tall massive figure was drenched in the black slime.

Sizzle—

Shi Laimu's corrosive slime took effect.

Both the rock wall and the invisible form beneath the slime emitted white smoke from burning.

"The attack has mid-seventh-tier power, but the defense is weak."

"They invest most of their abilities into stealth."

Hali unleashed a spell, detonating a wave of magic that shattered the Shadow Fungus into fragments.

Everyone inspected the area.

After confirming no other enemies remained, they continued forward.

The appearance of a cosmic organism made them more alert.

As they went deeper.

The light spells on the cave ceiling seemed entangled by darkness, their brightness halved at least.

White mist seeped upward from cracks between the rocks.

The strange white mist, faintly smelling of sulfur, further compressed their senses.

"We're close."

Noa spoke up.

He pointed to the right fork ahead, "If I'm right, that's where the spores originate."

As he spoke,

A three-meter-tall humanoid figure stepped out from the opposite fork.

It was a powerful mushroom man wrapped in ancient bark.

He glared fiercely at them.

"Prohibited! Passage!"

He slammed his massive fist into the rocky ground, denting it.

"Enough already!"

Hali was growing angry.

She raised her staff, preparing to unleash a powerful spell to end this thing.

"Wait."

Oana stopped her, "That's the Fungus Clan's Mushroom King. I've seen him before."

"What? He's acting insane."

Perhaps you've gotten too high, Mr. Noah—how do your mushroom folk regain clarity after inhaling hallucinogenic spores?

She cast several clearing spells, but the spores were peculiar—they had no effect.

Noah paused, intending to ask, "Why regain clarity?"

But the atmosphere seemed tense, so he spoke plainly: "Male combat mushroom folk enjoy wrestling; losing makes them more rational."

Luo De smiled.

"Then I'll do it."

Everyone had confidence in his strength and was not worried.

But the Mushroom King was not; seeing Luo De assume a wrestling stance, he sneered loudly.

"Weak human, dare you challenge me?!"

"Enough talk—are you too afraid?"

Luo De touched 【Shivering Soul Blade】 and activated its taunt ability.

As expected.

The Mushroom King roared, assuming the same wrestling stance.

The next moment, two figures—large and small—crashed together.

They shuddered violently, shaking loose spores and dust from their bodies!

(End of Chapter)