Chapter 327: Scarlet and Support

Luo De's arms bulged with veins.

The effects of 【Dragon Heart】, 【Dragon Strength Art】, and 【Tidal Power Boost】 were pushed to their limit.

This Fungus King's strength was at the mid-seventh tier; his race was naturally adept at boxing, and within the same body size, few could match their power.

Added to that, he had clearly absorbed a great deal of spores.

These spores might be harmful to ordinary humans, but for fungi, they were a potent boost.

Thus, Luo De had never before encountered someone so close in rank yet able to match him in raw strength.

In fact, he was even beginning to overpower him.

"Hahahaha—weak humans!"

The Fungus King still had the breath to mock.

"Master, shall I pull him down?"

Tally muttered beside her master's ear, displeased.

"Hmph!"

Luo De let out a cold snort.

He activated the shared skill 【Power Liberation】 to 500%.

The Fungus King's mocking expression instantly changed.

His legs trembled, nearly buckling under the pressure.

If you're going to win, win completely!

Luo De steeled his resolve and gradually increased the level of Power Liberation.

The Fungus King felt an unstoppable force crushing him backward; no matter how hard he dug his heels in, it was useless—even leaving two deep grooves in the ground.

His expression was as if he'd seen a ghost.

He wanted to speak, but feared losing his breath and being humiliatedly shoved down, so he clenched his mushroom face and fought desperately.

Yet he gained not a single inch of advantage until he was pinned against the wall.

Luo De, seeing it was enough, twisted his bear-like waist.

He slammed the towering Fungus King onto the ground with a thunderous crash, sending a wave of spores flying.

"You lost."

"I… lost to a human?"

The Fungus King said in disbelief.

He lay on the ground without rising, staring blankly at the cave ceiling.

Then he inhaled another breath of hallucinogenic spores.

Seeing he had no intention of rising, Luo De ignored him and stepped over him, walking straight toward the right fork.

He secretly shook his aching, swollen arms.

The percentage increase from 【Power Liberation】 was based on his base strength, not the total after the boosts from 【Dragon Heart】, 【Dragon Strength Art】, and 【Tidal Power Boost】.

In simple terms:

Base strength is the white value; the amplified strength is the green value.

Power Liberation affects only the white base value.

"Are you alright, Luo De?"

Oana ran up, concerned.

"Don't worry."

The Fungus Noah said: "You defeated the Fungus King in arm-wrestling—you're now the new Fungus King of the Mycelium Clan!"

"What nonsense are you spouting? He's not a fungus—how can he be Fungus King?"

Haili said, exasperated.

"Huh? Isn't Brother Luo De a fungus?"

"."

Luo De paid no attention to the conversation behind him.

He walked straight ahead down the passage.

After walking two hundred meters past the fork, he encountered a half-open stone door.

His spider sense probed inside, confirmed no hostile presence, then shoved it open.

What met his eyes:

A high-backed chair made of stone.

On the chair, a small Fungus girl wearing a golden crown lay unconscious.

"Scarlet!"

Oana gasped.

The figure on the seat was unmistakably the daughter of her old friend.

Luo De nodded, but his focus was on the golden crown atop Scarlet's head.

It was identical to the crown they had recovered not long ago.

The previous one had been partially melted by Luo De; this one was intact.

Oana noticed too and quickly checked the one she had stored away.

"The other crown hasn't vanished—it's not a teleporting artifact. That means there are at least two crowns."

"A miserable piece of news."

Luo De smiled bitterly in agreement.

Then he noticed the mycelial tumors on the crown growing more active, while Scarlet beneath shrank slightly, as if withering.

Scarlet's fungal traits were not obvious—she looked more like a human.

Her body was covered in soft, faintly blue-glowing mycelium, woven into a tight-fitting mycelial suit.

It clung closely, accentuating every curve—bulging where it should, slender where it should.

Her head best matched fungal features: a soft, spongy red-spotted mushroom cap, like long hair draped behind her.

"Not…"

Luo De widened his eyes, staring at Scarlet's chest.

Do fungi really have bodies like this?

Oana stepped forward, raising her hands to block his view, face flushed: "Luo De, your lust is practically spilling out—and besides, that's her spore sac, not a mammalian breast."

"But her spore sac looks nothing like other fungi's—it's nearly identical to a humanoid's!"

"I refuse to answer that."

Luo De dropped the idle talk—saving her was urgent.

Everyone approached the stone chair.

When worn, the golden crown's mental confusion effect temporarily vanishes—they had learned this from their encounter with the Illusion in the sea.

Luo De summoned a wisp of Yuan fire, planning to use the same method as before.

It worked well.

The tumors and mycelium on the crown recoiled and twisted—but at the same time, Scarlet let out a pained groan.

He immediately extinguished the Yuan fire.

"Are they fused?"

Oana shook her head, then said after a moment's thought:

"The crown is absorbing her soul. During this process, Scarlet's soul is caught between her body and the crown, torn apart—so any damage to either affects the soul. Worse still, this is a summoning ritual: once her soul is fully absorbed, it will become a rift connecting to an alien dimension."

"Is there any way to stop it?"

The rabbit girl frowned, indicating specialization—she was a rabbit mage skilled in spirit magic, not ritual arrays like an Arcane Mage.

Luo De nodded:

"Fortunately, I have a… friend who excels in soul rituals."

Sharon, the dog-woman, inherited the memories and magical knowledge of the Plague Mage Amel, and has deep expertise in soul arts.

Of course, the elf Kallist should also be capable.

But she isn't my servant—overusing her might exhaust her.

Oana's face lit up with delight.

"Then please, Luo De—I'll pay you well!"

"Sounds like you're close to this 'friend.'"

Haili said flatly.

Luo De shrugged and sent Sharon a 【Far-Link】.

The dog-girl's sleepy voice came through, clearly still half-asleep.

But she didn't refuse—after a few complaints, she activated the teleport.

Half an hour later, the group met her at the cave entrance.

Unexpectedly, she wasn't alone—Demia the witch came with her.

The two women were stunning: the former in high-waisted pants and a short vest, legs longer than her life, waist-to-hip ratio naturally alluring; the latter in a fitted mage robe, her ample chest complementing her baby-faced cuteness—just standing together, they drew every eye.

"So fast?"

"Rosalia had a teleport array built between Shi Ying Town and Zhua Valley."

Diami explained, bowing gracefully to those present.

"Are you alright? Don't you need more rest?"

"Thanks to Luo De's help, I've fully recovered. I've lain around long enough."

(End of Chapter)