Chapter 177 - 105: Su Chen, the Fungi’s Harshest Father

Yan Ruoruo’s arcing Echo Arrow was the perfect opening, giving Su Chen a decisive early advantage.

Duels between Rune Mages were just that unpretentious.

Their glass-cannon nature doomed them to intense duels ending in mutual, instantaneous destruction.

"Su Chen, be careful! More enemies are approaching quickly," Yan Ruoruo warned from the rear via Mind Transmission.

WHOOSH!

Just then, a fierce gale erupted. The Storm Priest’s professional Authority was undoubtedly building.

A storm of unrivaled violence erupted from the dense forest to the left. It tore through the woods like a super-hurricane, shearing off every branch in its path as it blasted straight for Su Chen.

Su Chen didn’t even frown. A ripple of shimmering, watery light spread out from his body, forming a barrier as thin as a cicada’s wing. When the devastating storm crashed against this water mirror, it merely created several deep dents before being swiftly and precisely refracted.

Countless sharp Wind Blades were flung back in the opposite direction.

But that wasn’t all.

The spherical mirror was now woven with two Elements. A wisp of Sun Flame coiled around its surface, while a touch of Holy Radiance seeped into its ripples.

As a result, the reflected storm was no longer just Wind.

It now carried a searing white Sun Flame, sweeping across the entire battlefield.

The Wind fanned the Fire’s fury, and the Fire rode the Wind’s might. In an instant, it transformed into a Sun Flame hurricane that threatened to scorch the very heavens.

BOOM!

The entire forest floor ignited. Carried by the wind, the flames spread wildly to the surrounding ancient trees. Any enemies who had planned to use the chaos for a surprise attack were forced to retreat.

A Thunder Giant Bear was too slow to dodge. Arcs of electricity crackled around its body as it prepared to use the wind for cover to lunge at its opponent. Instead, the tidal wave of fire and wind rolled over it, completely swallowing it whole.

Wind Blades carved bloody gashes across its body, but the truly fatal blow came from the enveloping Sun Flame.

"ARGH!!"

The giant bear’s agonized howls shook the heavens. No matter how it thrashed and rolled on the ground, it could not extinguish the fire.

The flames clung to it like gangrene on bone. Even the pulses of Light Healing flickering across its body couldn’t immediately mend its injuries.

The thick-skinned Thunder Giant Bear was one thing, but a Wind Eagle had even worse luck. Its downward dive sent it crashing headlong into the firestorm, and its wings instantly burst into flame.

After a few shrill cries, it managed to flap its wings a few times before plummeting from the sky and crashing into the scorched earth below.

Without a doubt, the Summoner’s two contracted pets had been taken off the field.

According to the official information, a major feature of this Profession is the ability to tame and contract wild monsters. They start with two contract slots, and with at least three of their own Summoning Runes, they can instantly form a small squadron.

The Summoner doesn’t need to engage in direct combat, making the Profession’s convenience and safety incredibly popular.

Of course.

The modified humans Su Chen faced varied in strength. In the distance, just beyond the blaze, a figure was teleporting in flashes of brilliant light. It clearly wielded the Authorities of both a Storm Priest and a Summoner.

A brief glance was all it took for him to notice the bulging skull on the left and right sides of its head, which revealed two twisted, withered human faces. It was another one of those disgusting, three-in-one creations.

During the earlier chaos, the Thorn Giant bound by Dark Shackles had performed a "golden cicada shedding its shell" escape. All that remained on the ground was a large, ultra-hard wooden husk. Its true form had used Wood Escape to flee before transforming into a giant bird and taking to the skies.

Transformation Skill!

’This is the professional Authority of an Apostle of Nature.’

’Su Chen had read up on this Profession this morning. It was known for its abundant Life Force. Besides hunting and tracking abilities, it also had transformation powers similar to a Druid. They could turn into a bear, an eagle, or even a fish—they had land, sea, and air covered.’

’To a certain extent, it allows a Spellcaster to overcome the frailty of their own body. With such a complete and versatile set of functions, it’s bound to be a popular choice.’

However, just as the giant bird began to beat its wings and climb, before it could even clear the forest canopy, Xiaolin shot in from the flank. Wreathed in Frost Flower, she looked like a streak of silver-white light.

SWISH!

A Rapid Freeze Beam streaked through the air with incredible speed, striking the bird’s left wing. Frost Ice Crystals instantly spread across the limb.

The giant bird shrieked and plummeted straight down before it even had a chance to transform again.

THWIP!

A Tracking Arrow, fired from afar and humming with the terrifying power of Wind Split, instantly pierced its head. It went in through the right ear and out through the left eye, sending the creature crashing to the ground with a muffled grunt of pain.

Before the creature could display its second, Thunder Element Authority and escape in a flash of lightning, the sound of chains echoed once more.

CLANG!

Su Chen cast the spell from a distance, unleashing Dark Shackles once more. Several Dark Flame Chains burst from the void. With a harsh, searing hiss, five Fire Chains coiled like living pythons, strangling the creature’s neck and limbs.

Without the barrier of its thorny, wooden armor, the Sun Flame seared its exposed skin directly.

Once the thin layer of skin was eaten away, the fungal hyphae hidden within began to writhe frantically, as if desperate to burrow into the bone marrow to hide. But under the combined effects of True Flame and Divine Energy, they were swiftly incinerated.

"ARGH!!"

The figure let out a series of piercing, agonized screams.

Its flesh was disintegrating, but its soul felt like it had been tossed into a furnace.

The Soul Burning effect had activated, but Su Chen felt no satisfaction. The agonized screams were distinctly human.

The three twisted human faces were all roaring and wailing at once.

"Kill me."

"Save... save me."

"It hurts..."

Hearing this, Su Chen’s expression turned cold, and a dense killing intent flared in his eyes. He finally understood what the enemy meant when it said it wanted to devour him alive and make him a part of its body.

The reason this Bloodthirsty Fungus stole the brains of Rune Professionals was simply to seize the professional Authorities gestating inside. It seemed that as long as the brain remained intact, the victim’s original consciousness didn’t completely vanish.