Chapter 11: Black-robed Man (Please Collect)

In the fierce battle against the modified giant python, Robin's nerves had been stretched to the limit.

Suddenly, the system's sharp warning tone sounded again in his mind.

He instinctively turned his head and saw not far away that the wild boar knight's corpse lay at the center of an evil magic array emitting a strange light.

A black-robed man stood beside the magic array, continuously scattering some unknown materials onto the wild boar knight's corpse; those materials emitted strange colors and quickly dissolved upon contact with the corpse.

The black-robed man muttered, his voice low and obscure, like a curse from hell.

Seeing that eerie scene, Robin couldn't help but blurt out a vulgarity: "Fuck!"

As someone with years of web novel reading experience, he immediately realized the seriousness of the situation.

If he allowed the opponent to continue casting this evil magic, an extremely terrifying opponent would inevitably appear.

At this moment, the situation on the battlefield was already precarious, with everyone fighting the modified giant python to the death.

If another powerful enemy appeared, everyone would likely suffer more losses than gains.

Robin was anxious, wanting to warn the others, but at that moment the giant python forced him to have no time to divert his attention.

The giant python's massive body was like a constantly moving wall, launching fierce attacks repeatedly; Eric, Lily, and Tomson were also fully engaged, unable to divert their attention.

Robin gritted his teeth, secretly pondering a countermeasure.

At this point, someone must stop the black-robed man, otherwise the consequences would be unimaginable.

But the giant python before them was like a bone‑eating parasite, tightly entwining them, making it difficult for him to break free.

At that moment of extreme anxiety, the giant python launched another attack, raising its head high and then lunging at Robin like a cannonball, its bloody maw gaping wide as if to swallow him whole.

"Robin, dodge quickly!" Eric shouted anxiously, seeing the giant python's fierce assault.

The giant python came with overwhelming force, its bloody maw seeming to devour Robin instantly; the situation was extremely perilous.

Robin, however, showed no intention to retreat; his eyes instantly sharpened, as if he could discern every intention of the giant python.

Next, he took a deep breath, with only one thought in mind: "Give it my all."

In the blink of an eye, Robin did not retreat but advanced, rushing toward the giant python.

Just as the giant python's ferocious jaws lunged to bite him, Robin seized the moment, leapt up, and planted his feet precisely on the python's brow. Then he pushed off hard, using the python's tremendous forward momentum to launch himself like an arrow toward the black‑robed man.

Only then did Eric and the others, following Robin's movement, see the black‑robed man in the act of casting the evil magic.

"Stop him!" the Malizi knight also spotted the threat posed by the black‑robed man and shouted urgently, his voice full of urgency.

"You only noticed now—too late." The black‑robed man slowly lifted his head, a confident smile appearing on his face as if everything were under his control. However, his smile had not fully blossomed before it froze on his face.

Because he suddenly saw Robin's long sword thrusting at him like lightning, the sharp tip within reach, flashing with icy cold light, as if it would pierce his body in the next second.

In desperation, the black‑robed man pulled a black whistle from his magic pouch and blew it hard.

The piercing whistle rang out, and instantly a huge bat demon pet darted out from the distant forest.

The bat demon pet spread its massive wings, positioning itself like a dark cloud between the black‑robed man and Robin.

Robin's long sword thrust at the bat demon pet, which nimbly dodged and countered with its sharp claws and teeth.

Taking advantage of the moment while Robin was entangled with the bat demon pet, the black‑robed man quickly gathered his belongings, chanted an incantation, left a magic mark on the ground, and vanished in a puff of black smoke.

As soon as Robin landed, he knew the experimental material left by the black‑robed man would cause endless trouble, allowing no hesitation.

Even as the bat demon pet's claws lunged at him ferociously, he disregarded the risk of injury, swinging his long sword like a storm, and in an instant hacked the wild boar knight's corpse into eight pieces.

Flesh fragments and spurting blood soaked him head to toe, yet his eyes held only resolve.

"Kid, you're asking for death!" the black‑robed man, who had thought he had escaped successfully, never imagined Robin would dare destroy the experimental material he had painstakingly obtained.

At that moment, he emerged from another corner, his eyes nearly blazing with fire, roaring in anger.

The black‑robed man's left hand shot up, and a green energy ball emitting a strange light instantly appeared in his palm.

Green threads continually flowed across its surface; the black‑robed man gritted his teeth and hurled the green energy ball forcefully at Robin.

The energy ball streaked like a meteor, tearing through the air with a sharp whistling, heading straight for Robin.

Robin felt the powerful energy rushing toward him, and his heart tightened.

He knew this strike's power was far beyond what he could withstand head‑on, so he dared not slacken in the slightest.

He quickly shifted his body sideways, trying to dodge the deadly blow.

The energy ball was extremely fast and seemed to possess some tracking ability, slightly adjusting its course in mid‑air and still shooting toward Robin at high speed.

At that critical moment, Robin spotted a huge rock not far away.

He planted his feet and sprinted with all his might toward the rock.

As the energy ball was about to strike him, he sidestepped behind the rock.

With a booming crash, the energy ball slammed into the rock, erupting in intense light and a shockwave.

The rock instantly shattered into fragments, countless shards flying outward like shrapnel.

Robin endured the searing pain of his wounds, quickly rose from the ground, his eyes flashing with determination and anger as he stared fixedly at the black‑robed man.

At this moment he realized that facing such a powerful and evil foe, he must quickly devise a counter‑strategy, otherwise the consequences would be unimaginable.

His gaze swiftly swept the surroundings, seeking any usable weapon or item. Suddenly he noticed scattered fragments of the wild boar knight's broken armor on the ground, one piece sharp‑shaped with edges as keen as a blade.

Robin had no time to think; he lunged forward, snatched up that armor fragment, and gripped it tightly.

Though it could not match his longsword, in this emergency it could serve as a weapon for retaliation.

At the same time, Robin quickly recalled the recent battle: the black‑robed man lacked even the courage to meet his knight‑apprentice attack head‑on, indicating he was not skilled in melee combat—perhaps this was his only chance.

Seeing Robin dodge his lethal strike, the black‑robed man flashed a hint of surprise, then quickly returned to his ferocious demeanor.

He muttered incantations, his hands swiftly forming seals, seemingly preparing a stronger magical assault.

(End of chapter)