Chapter 196: Wizard-level mosquito

Right in the heart of the forest, I finally found the ruins of the ancient Mage Tower.

At first glance, it barely looked like a tower.

The majestic structure, which had once stood ten stories tall, was now nothing more than a gigantic mountain of broken stones, shattered bricks, and debris covered by time. Only the three lower floors remained partially intact, while everything else had collapsed in on itself, completely burying the old entrances.

Thick, wild vines snaked between the stones. Flower-laden bushes covered the destroyed walls. Roots had pushed through cracks in the ground and penetrated deep into the ruins, while dense green vegetation concealed almost every trace of the ancient civilization that had once existed there.

Even so...

The tower was not completely dead yet.

Wisps of light-green smoke slowly escaped from the rubble.

They silently rose into the sky, disappearing among the branches of the trees.

As we advanced, the vines covering the old streets and the rooftops of the destroyed houses began to retract.

They slowly moved away from our path.

Traces of ancient human activity began to appear.

Destroyed houses, stone roads covered by vegetation...

Then, the sound of collapsing structures echoed once again.

CRAAASH!

From the middle of the debris, my Black Rock Basilisk slid out.

However, its body was covered in marks.

Green acid marks had corroded parts of its scales, and burns caused by lightning ran across its body.

Just five damn miles through that forest, and it was exhausting.

If my Biochip had not acquired the elemental knowledge necessary for the creation of Golems before that expedition, I probably would never have managed to make it this far.

More importantly...

It had improved the Earth elemental core of my Golem.

Using a tempering magic matrix, the Biochip had managed to increase the density of the Earth element particles until they became compact enough to form solid and resilient rocks.

Behind us, the roars of the demons continued to echo.

But strangely...

None of them dared to enter the innermost area of the ruins.

They remained outside.

My gaze slowly swept across the ruins covered by Shadow Plants.

A heavy feeling formed in my chest.

I slowly turned my head.

I stared at the darkness between the destroyed buildings.

If those demons were not entering...

Perhaps it wasn’t simply because they were afraid of me.

It was only speculation.

But the more I thought about the situation, the more it made sense. Maybe some monster was here?

I took a deep breath and issued another command.

— Go.

My gaze fixed on the rubble.

— Dig that place up for me.

The Black Rock Basilisk let out a deep sound.

It charged directly into the ruins.

But in the next instant...

Zoshh

My eyes widened.

A black arrow cut through the air.

Its speed was so absurd that I could barely follow its trajectory.

It struck the Basilisk directly in the forehead.

BOOM!

An explosion of dark energy occurred at the point of impact.

The corrosive energy immediately began consuming the rock.

A fist-sized hole appeared in its head.

The Basilisk let out an angry hiss.

Then it retreated.

Its enormous body quickly coiled around itself.

I followed the trail left by the arrow in the air.

Even though it was disappearing rapidly, my eyes managed to find its point of origin.

It was a monster.

But without a doubt...

It was a female creature.

It possessed the grotesque appearance of a gigantic humanoid mosquito.

Its body was tall and extremely thin, covered in dark, segmented carapace. Six thin, jointed limbs protruded from different parts of its torso, moving in an unsettling manner.

Two ragged membranous wings beat behind its back.

The sound was irritating.

In its hands... It held a bow.

Black and green runes ran across its entire structure.

An absurd amount of dark elemental energy flooded my Vision.

— Biochip, can you identify the species and calculate its overall strength level?

["Beep."]

["Data analysis complete."]

["Demonic-origin species: Mutant Mosquito — 90%."]

["Tree Spirit — 7%."]

["Magic Lamp Genie — 1%."]

["Overall strength level: Official Mage."]

["Elemental Spectrum: Shadow Element."]

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.

.

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["Magic item scan results."]

["Green Magic Bow."]

["Ability: fires Elemental Arrows capable of inflicting between 30 and 40 points of damage."]

["Attack method: single target."]

["Secondary ability: Storm Elemental Arrows."]

["Attack method: Area of Effect."]

["Effective range: 30 to 50 meters."]

["Estimated damage: high."]

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["Soft black cloth armor."]

["Seven branches of mysterious black flowers were detected growing across the surface of the armor."]

["Each branch possesses the ability to absorb or defend against a specific amount of elemental damage."]

["When a branch’s defensive limit is exceeded, it will be destroyed."]

["The creature will only suffer direct damage after all branches have been destroyed."]

["Regeneration: a new branch grows approximately every five minutes."]

["Note: Light Energy and Positive Energy possess greater efficiency against the creature."]

["Estimate: doubled damage."]

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I had come this far expecting to encounter powerful demons.

But that creature... She had reached the level of an Official Mage.

And judging by the density of her aura...

She was probably one of the most powerful creatures in that entire region.

— Hehehe...

Her enormous red eye fixed on me.

— What a surprise...

She tilted her head.

The buzzing of her wings grew louder.

— After so much time, there is still a little Acolyte willing to seek his own death here.

— Little boy... did your master forget to teach you that there are places where you simply shouldn’t set foot?

— But now it is too late to regret it.

— Be obedient.

— Give me your flesh... and your soul.

— It’s been so long since I’ve tasted human flesh...

Before I could respond...

She pulled the bowstring.

Shadow elemental energy began to gather.

And then... The creature released the string.

SHIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII!

Thousands of black arrows appeared in the sky.

The color drained from my face.

The attack descended upon us like a storm.

Not even three seconds had passed.

The Light Shield I had created around my body was destroyed.

The clay armor covering the Shark also began to shatter.

If the Black Rock Basilisk hadn’t immediately returned to my position...

I would have been dead.

Its enormous body placed itself in front of me.

The arrows struck its scales and unfortunately, one arrow pierced through and hit me.

PUFT!

My body was thrown backward.

— ARGH!

Pain exploded through me as it had pierced my shoulder.

I looked at the wound.

A finger-sized hole pierced straight through my flesh.

But that wasn’t the worst part.

Black energy still remained inside the wound.

It was corroding my flesh.

A sound similar to something burning emerged.

My forehead immediately became covered in sweat.

An intense Light Energy appeared at the tip of my finger.

Then, I pressed my own finger against the wound.

— ARGH!

I clenched my teeth because of the pain.

The hot, scorching energy invaded the flesh and began neutralizing the black energy.

The corrosion diminished.

With my free hand, I pulled out several bottles of Magic Potions and even Medicinal Pastes.

I poured everything directly onto the wound.

My head began to spin, and an urge to vomit arose, but I managed to hold it back.

But I had no more time.

So, I extended my hand.

And threw the other two Golem Spiritual Cores onto the ground.

BOOOM!

The earth exploded.

Two new Black Rock Basilisks emerged.

Now...

I had three.

My King Shark Golem carried my injured body as it began to retreat.

At the same time... The three Basilisks advanced.

My mana was dangerously low.

I could barely sustain all of them.

But there was no choice.

— Kill that thing!

The three Basilisks roared and charged forward.

As always... my Basilisks fought brutally.

They destroyed everything in their path.

The ruins deteriorated more and more.

Unfortunately, it still wasn’t enough.

The Mosquito was simply too fast.

Her Elemental Arrows attacked constantly.

Each impact left new holes in the bodies of my Basilisks.

And she... She simply flew.

Her wings beat with absurd speed.

Her body disappeared and reappeared.

She flew between the three giants like a shadow.

The only attack capable of threatening her was the Sand Vomit.

When one of the Basilisks opened its mouth and launched a storm of Earth particles...

The Mosquito was finally hit.

Then... Flowers began to bloom across her body. A green light appeared around her and blocked the attacks.

The creature also possessed an absurd amount of physical strength.

One of the Basilisks managed to get close.

Its enormous head lunged forward to bite her.

Then...

She simply raised her hand.

BOOOOOOM!

Her small fist struck the side of the Basilisk’s head.

The rock cracked.

My Golem was sent flying to the side.

That tiny hand had easily shattered an entire layer of rock armor.

....

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