Destroyer of Ice and Fire

Chapter 246: Stingham's Inventiveness, The Call of Death

"This one's face won't also transform will it?" Ayrin blankly said as he looked at the huge creature which had just appeared before him.

The monstrous beast chasing after Stingham was literally a giant ostrich, only with a crown of colourful feathers atop its head.

"Poisonous Nighthawk Lord!"

Rinloran once again felt killing intent towards Stingham surge within his heart as he shouted, "Stingham, you idiot, are you a special monster bait or something?! How did you manage to attract another giant beast?!"

"Is there a bait as handsome as me in this world?!" Stingham quickly replied. It seemed like he wanted to say more but stopped as the two beasts completely encircled them.

Powerful arcane energy fluctuations rippled all around them as abnormal rings of light formed.

"Don't make any rash moves!" In this tense moment where even breathing had become difficult, Rui's quiet voice entered their ears.

Ayrin helplessly asked, "Teacher Rui, just what are they waiting for?"

"For beasts of a certain level, they are called Lords. There are two reasons for this. First, it is because these beasts are as strong as those arcane masters which have been conferred lordships atop the Doraster Continent. The second reason is because they have managed to carve out their own territories within the savage Southam Demon Forest. Each territory belongs to either a single, or a group, of giant beasts. It seems like we have entered the territory of the Poisonous Nighthawk Lord. If my guess is correct, the Fire Caracal Lord's cub mistakenly entered this territory where it encountered us. In a search for its cub, the Fire Caracal Lord followed. However, when it entered the territory, the Poisonous Nighthawk Lord sensed its aura and thus began moving over, where it encountered Stingham."

"You're saying that since this Fire Caracal Lord has entered the Poisonous Nighthawk Lord's territory, these two beasts might end up fighting each other?"

"Yes."

At this moment, Ayrin, Rinloran, and Stingham understood the current predicament.

"But the situation is still for from good…"

Ayrin didn't even dare to breathe loudly.

In this kind of situation, it would be best for them to quietly disappear. However, as they were sandwiched between the two beasts, they were afraid that any movement would immediately cause both beasts to attack them.

"Oh great boss Poisonous Nighthawk Lord!"

Right at this tense moment, Stingham's voice abruptly rang out as he fell to his knees and kowtowed to the Poisonous Nighthawk Lord.

"What is this fellow trying now?!"

"This fellow is really an idiot!"

"Is his head filled with water or something? Why does he want to die so badly?!"

Ayrin and Rinloran's faces abruptly became unsightly as they barely resisted the urge to turn around and yell at Stingham.

"You, over there! I was sent by boss Poisonous Nighthawk Lord to teach you a lesson! Next time, don't you dare just barge into my territory!"

"Alright. Boss Poisonous Nighthawk Lord, I've already help you teach him a lesson. What you do now is all up to you!"

Ayrin and Rinloran only felt more speechless as they watched Stingham suddenly stand up and turn to face the Fire Caracal Lord as he loudly spoke several sentences with his hands on his waist.

Afterwards, Stingham quickly ran out of the encirclement.

"Hurry up and run! What are you guys still waiting for?! Do you all really wish to die?!"

Seeing Rui, Ayrin, and Rinloran still frozen in place, Stingham immediately shouted at them in a quiet voice.

"Can this really work?"

Seeing how the Fire Caracal Lord and Poisonous Nighthawk Lord both didn't move, Rui, Ayrin, and Rinloran's tense bodies followed after Stingham.

"Let's go!"

Only after running for tens of meters did they pause around a giant tree. They exchanged glances of disbelief and then continued to silently run for their lives.

……

Only when the four of them were safely hidden within a tree's crown ten or so minutes later did they allow themselves to catch their breath.

"We should no longer be in the territories of those two beasts," Rui said as he wiped some sweat off his forehead. Even he seemed to feel lucky to still be alive.

Stingham rubbed his chest as he desperately gasped for air and said proudly, "Luckily, my wise handsome divine self was there."

"But it would have all been averted if you had listened to Teacher Rui and not shot a fireball at the cub in the first place!" Rinloran angrily retorted as he glared at Stingham.

"Teacher Rui, those two beasts should have demon crystals within their body right? If so, can those crystals also be used to create amplification devices?" Ayrin couldn't resist asking.

Rui nodded, "Once a beast reaches that level and it can produce such terrifying arcane energy fluctuations atop its body, it is almost guaranteed that there is a demon crystal within its body. However, even if you can hunt and obtain demon crystals, it is not necessarily worth it. This is because there are many different kinds of demon crystals which have different characteristics. Only those arcane masters who truly understand how to awaken the arcane energy within a demon crystal can turn them into true amplification artifacts. Otherwise, these demon crystals are just high-grade gems. Currently, the most widely used demon crystals atop the Doraster Continent are dragon crystals, followed by the flame jewels of Fire Lords and tidal crystals of Tidal Lords. The everfrost crystals of Giant Snowy Ice Wolves are also very common. It's because there are many people who know how to use these crystals, and because many people use skills compatible with these crystals. As for other demon crystals, many can only be utilized by specific arcane masters."

"So it's like this. Then teacher's arcane skills are compatible with Black Ripper's mask? And that's why teacher planned to steal Black Ripper's mask… amplification artifacts are not universally compatible with everyone," Ayrin mumbled to himself as he came to a realization.

"Thus, arcane masters who can master more arcane skills hold an advantage over others during battles like this. This is why your innate talent makes you truly terrifying," Rui silently thought to himself as he looked at Ayrin nodded in response to Ayrin's words."

"Let's rest here for a while," Rui said to Ayrin, Rinloran, and Stingham as he looked up at the darkening sky.

"Monsters on the same level as the Fire Caracal Lord and Poisonous Nighthawk Lord are quite rare, even in the Southam Demon Forest. Considering the familiarity Evil Dragon Followers should have of the forest, I assume they generally avoid this area at the boundary of the Fire Caracal Lord and Poisonous Nighthawk Lord's territories. With night as our cover, we should be okay to rest here as long as we keep quiet and don't use any skills which cause bright flashes of light. Take this time tonight to rest and replenish your arcane particles. From tomorrow onwards, we will be traveling without interruptions. Otherwise, we will not be able to reach the assigned Path of Evil within the allotted time."

"Okay." As Rinloran looked around for a comfortable place to rest, he coldly said out loud, "As long as a certain idiot doesn't run around and cause a ruckus, we will be fine."

"Indeed. Ayrin, you better not run around or make any loud noises!" Stingham said as he looked at Ayrin with scorn.

"……" Ayrin's face was full of annoyance as he responded, "He was clearly talking to you."

……

The cloak of night finally descended over the Southam Demon Forest.

Because of the various vegetation which covered the forest, countless strange shadows were casted on the ground as moonlight descended, making darkness within the forest even thicker.

By this point, Rinloran had already fallen asleep as a light and rhythmic breathing emanated out from the simple hammock which he had woven together from some vines.

Meanwhile, Ayrin and Rui were diligently refining arcane particles. The group of four had decided to split into groups of two and take turns sleeping and refining arcane particles in case of any sudden circumstances.

"Ah!"

A shrill cry of misery suddenly broke the tranquil silence.

"What happened?!"

"Stingham?! He's gone again! Is this fellow here only to keep dragging us down?"

Even the sound asleep Rinloran was shocked awake by the scream.

He immediately became enraged as he looked around and saw that Stingham, who had been sleeping on a bed which he had fashioned from some dead branches and leaves, was nowhere to be found.

"Teacher Rui, Ayrin, this time you must not stop me. If this guy hasn't died yet, he soon will be!"

As he moved in the direction of Stingham's cry alongside Rui and Ayrin, Rinloran felt like he couldn't contain his rage any longer.

"Stingham…"

After several hundred meters, Ayrin finally saw Stingham. He was standing under a tree which had completely withered tree which had become completely covered by moss and white, cotton-like plants.

"Guys, hurry up and come look at this!"

Upon seeing Ayrin and the other two, Stingham immediately waved them over.

"If you are fine, why are you screaming?"

"I can't believe you still ran this far after I especially told you not to!"

Rinloran's patience towards Stingham had indeed reached the limit as he immediately accelerated upon seeing Stingham and lifted a foot streaming with arcane particles.

Whoosh!

Rui abruptly appeared beside Rinloran.

"That's?"

At this moment, Rinloran suddenly stopped in place, not due to Rui, but due to what he saw as he neared Stingham and the tree Stingham stood beside. A person had been firmly embedded within the great withered tree.

"A person growing within a tree? What kind of strange tree is this?!"

Ayrin felt his breath catch in his throat.

"No, there is the smell of blood!"

Upon smelling blood, Ayrin immediately realized that this person had been forcefully smashed into the tree.

As Ayrin approached the tree, he began to see traces of battle around it. There were countless scratches and gashes on the ground as well as many pieces of moss and dead wood scattered around where Stingham stood.

"This?!"

Upon arriving beside Stingham, Ayrin immediately let out an exclamation of shock.

The person who had been embedded so deeply within the tree that he seemed to be a part of it had already died.

It was a young male arcane master whose heart had been pierced through by an arcane skill. But what drew Ayrin's eyes was the silver white skin shaped in a crescent atop the boy's head which contrasted with his dark brown skin.

Ayrin subconsciously took two steps forward.

"Teacher Rui, I have met this person before. He is a member of House Eclipsed Moon's arcane team! He once looked for me alongside several other House Eclisped Moon arcane masters in Eichemalar," Ayrin said in shock as he turned his head and looked at Rui after thoroughly examining the face of this deceased young arcane master.