Chapter 389 - 330: Witch! Demon

Chapter 389: Chapter 330: Witch! Demon

Flanking them were many magnificent, domed palaces, but they had long since collapsed. Their walls were peeling, leaving behind nothing but gaping, dark windows.

"This way," Marcus said, leading the way according to the map he had memorized.

The party entered a long corridor.

The corridor was supported by several massive stone pillars and was incredibly wide.

As they walked, the sound of their footsteps was infinitely amplified by the empty structure, creating a series of clear echoes.

Looking up, the corridor’s ceiling should have been a magnificent dome made of stained glass.

But now, all the glass was shattered, leaving only the twisted, blackened skeletons of the windowpanes.

Sunlight streamed down through the shattered voids, casting fragmented patches of light on the ground.

The scene had a certain melancholy, like the fading glory of a sunset.

As his fingers brushed across a stone pillar covered in wind-worn marks, Zelir couldn’t help but recall what Marcus had said before.

The Eastern Continent was nothing but lost civilizations.

He couldn’t help but imagine.

’I wonder what this place looked like thousands of years ago, when these civilizations were at the height of their power and glory.’

’Back then, did richly dressed nobles once stroll through this very corridor, chatting idly?’

’The sunlight filtering through the stained glass must have cast a brilliant, rainbow-like glow across the floor.’

’Just like the future of the Empire.’

’You could imagine how magnificent the past was just by looking at these remaining structures.’

’So... how exactly were they destroyed?’

"I say, those guys who got here first did a bit too good a job cleaning up the Decayed, don’t you think?"

Gray’s lazy voice echoed repeatedly through the empty corridor.

"Can’t even see one. Did we come all this way for nothing?"

"Let’s keep going and see," Marcus said, shaking his head slightly.

At the end of the corridor was another double stone door, this one with no door panels, leaving only an empty frame.

Passing through the doorway, their view, which had been constrained by the pillars and ceiling, suddenly opened up.

A huge, circular building with a rugged style came into view, looking as if it were filled with a sense of power.

Its outer walls were built from countless massive stones, rising dozens of meters high and tapering slightly inward to form a gentle slope.

At regular intervals along the walls were arched, open window holes.

For some reason, Zelir felt this place resembled the Martial Arts Arena at the Mage’s Guild.

Pushing open the stone doors, they found a circular, open-air sand pit with a diameter of over a hundred meters.

The sand pit was surrounded by tiered spectator stands, high enough to hold several thousand people.

The group strolled to the center and looked up at their surroundings.

"I didn’t expect to find an arena this big..." Valles remarked with awe.

"Of course it’s big."

Gray chuckled, a strange look on his face.

"See those iron cages on the side? Those were used to hold beasts."

Numerous iron cages were embedded in the walls of the circular arena, with gates leading into the fighting pit.

The bars of the cages still bore dark red scratches and impact marks.

"Beasts?"

Valles frowned slightly upon hearing this. "What a low-class hobby."

"Just looking for thrills... got tired of socializing in little gardens all day, so they came up with other games to play. If you ask me..."

Just as Gray was speaking.

Suddenly.

KLANK... KLANK...

The abrupt sound of chains being pulled by a winch echoed out.

The five members of the party immediately whipped their heads around to look.

At the far end of the circular arena, the massive iron gate—one that looked like it was used to contain some sort of giant beast—was now moving on its own!

The winch on the gate turned slowly, and one by one, the rust-spotted chains tightened.

The huge iron gate was subsequently pulled upward.

A foul, putrid stench mixed with killing intent washed over them!

Within the pitch-black space behind the gate, a dozen or so points of eerie blue light instantly flared to life.

Without a doubt... they were all Decayed!

"ROAR...!"

Before the gate was even fully raised, a roar filled with bone-deep hatred erupted from within!

The incredibly fast Decayed charged like rabid dogs, rushing brazenly toward the party in the center of the arena!

Compared to the scattered stragglers they had encountered before, this group was clearly more elite.

Their decrepit Zha Armor had been replaced with relatively intact Chain Armor and Chest Plates.

The weapons they held were no longer rusted scraps of metal, but standard-issue Longswords and War Axes that had retained their basic sharpness.

But beneath their helmets were the same horrifying faces, looking as if they had been melted by hot wax and then solidified again, a truly nauseating sight.

"Prepare for battle!" Marcus roared, raising his Shield.

"Speak of the devil..." Gray muttered, drawing his Longsword.

The dense clatter of footsteps came from ahead. A quick scan revealed a total of seven Decayed charging toward them.

However, behind those seven Decayed, there were other enemies!

Two figures slowly emerged from the darkness behind the gate.

The one in front was a much larger figure.

It was clad in a full suit of heavy Plate Armor!

Although the Plate Armor had lost its former luster, its sturdy construction and fine craftsmanship still provided considerable Defense Power.

In its left hand, it held a massive Kite Shield large enough to cover most of its body, and in its right, it gripped a broad Two-Handed Giant Sword.

This was no ordinary Decayed, but a higher-level Decaying Knight!

When Zelir’s gaze passed over the Decaying Knight to the enemy behind it, his pupils suddenly constricted.

It looked like a Mummy, draped in a tattered purple robe.

In its hand, it held a ghastly white Magic Staff that appeared to be made of dried bone.

A black Crystal Ball was embedded at the top of the Magic Staff, an ominous light twisting within it.

Furthermore, the Soul Flames burning in its eye sockets were far more intense than those of the other Decayed.

A Decaying Lich!

"Take out that Witch Demon first!"

The moment he identified the enemy’s class, Zelir didn’t hesitate to issue the command to focus fire.

Like Mages, Witch Demons rely on Magic to fight.

But the Magic they cast is far more bizarre and terrifying.

Zelir had only read about the existence of Witch Demons in books; this was his first time encountering one in actual combat.

"Understood!"

At the rear, the party’s two main damage dealers began to gather their power.

After a brief delay, the attack erupted, both targeting the same enemy!

The Thunder Arrow and the Aurora Energy Beam tore across the battlefield, sweeping toward the Decaying Lich!

However...

The towering Decaying Knight blurred, crossing several steps in an instant to resolutely block the way in front of the Decaying Lich.

It raised its heavy Kite Shield.

BANG! BANG!

Two dull thuds rang out simultaneously.

Zelir’s and Valles’s attacks both slammed into the Kite Shield!

Rampant lightning and Arcane Energy instantly exploded, releasing a blinding light.

The Decaying Knight was blasted back, its body staggering, and the metal plating on its Kite Shield was mostly destroyed.

Yet it remained, guarding the Witch Demon, its feet not having moved an inch!

Moreover, the eerie blue light in the Decaying Knight’s eyes was locked firmly on Zelir and Valles, its intention perfectly clear.

As long as it stood there, no one would be able to threaten the master behind it!

A loyal Knight and a mysterious Witch Demon.

They didn’t Charge with the other Decayed, instead remaining safely at the rear.

By now, the seven Decayed had closed the distance.

"Alright then!"

Seeing the ranged decapitation strike fail, Gray charged forward with his sword. "Since you two aren’t joining the fight, I’ll take care of these grunts first!"

His Longsword shot out in a Thrust, like a viper striking from its den!

The tip of the blade plunged directly into the gap between the Decayed’s helmet and Chest Armor, piercing straight through its neck in a single blow!

’Too easy...’

Seeing how easily he had slain the Decayed, a flicker of disdain passed through Gray’s mind.

’These stiff-moving grunts that only know how to Charge are even less of a threat than the Monster Strength Silver Ape.’

’With the enhancement of my Fighting Qi, I can handle them easily!’

’If the Decaying Knight and Decaying Lich don’t attack, the Charge of these seven Decayed is just a suicide run!’

But just as that thought crossed his mind, Zelir, who was at the rear, immediately sensed that something was wrong.

He clearly saw that at the very instant Gray succeeded, the Bone Staff in the Decaying Lich’s hand lit up.

A heart-stopping flash of purple light pulsed for a moment.

’It cast Magic!’

’But no attack-type beam shot out...’

’Then what is it doing?’

The next second, a wave of negative Magic Power instantly spread out.

But the epicenter of the Magic Power wave wasn’t the Witch Demon—it was the Decayed that Gray had just stabbed through the neck!

Its whole body suddenly began to tremble erratically as it opened its mouth wide.

"Gray! Run!" Zelir shouted sharply.

Sure enough, deep purple Magic Power began to spread from the Decayed’s body, beams of light escaping from the gaps in its Armor!

Its body suddenly swelled, like a balloon about to burst from over-inflation.

Corpse Explosion Skill!