Read Novel Full Chapter 557: Encounter [2]
Chapter 557: Encounter [2]
For a moment it worked—until the Rock-Steel Scorpion plowed through the spikes as though they were sand, tail stabbing toward the mage’s chest.
The Knight leader intercepted, spear glowing as he diverted the strike. His arm quivered at the sheer weight behind it. "These aren’t ordinary summons!" he hissed, sweat pouring down his face.
High above, the Water Shaman among the undead finally moved. She lifted her staff, and ribbons of liquid coalesced from thin air. A wave surged forward, engulfing the Fire Mage’s flames and dousing them in a hiss of steam. His eyes widened. "Elemental suppression?!"
The Archer, recovering her stance, shouted, "Focus on the caster!" She fired three shots in rapid succession, arrows screaming toward the shaman. But one of the Goliaths stepped into the line of fire, chest puffed. The arrows embedded uselessly into its flesh.
The Hunter rejoined, blades flashing. He circled behind the scorpion, carving along its leg joints. Sparks flew, chitin cracking. A hiss of triumph escaped him—then the tail swept down. Too fast. He crossed his blades just in time, but the impact flung him into a tree trunk with a crunch.
The Wind Mage staggered upright, blood dripping from his temple. "Retreat—!" he tried to shout.
The circle had already closed. Three undead—another Goliath and two orcs—moved like sentinels, hemming them in. No escape routes remained.
"Damn it!" the spear-bearer Knight growled. He raised his spear high, aura burning brighter than before. "We break through!"
He charged. The second Knight mirrored him, both crashing against the wall of undead with all their might. Shields slammed, blades thrust, mana exploded. The collision sent tremors rolling out. But the Goliaths were immovable, their bulk and unnatural strength like mountains.
The orc shaman stepped forward again. With a flick of her wrist, the ribbons of water hardened into lances. They shot through the gaps of the melee, precise and merciless. The Archer twisted to avoid one, but another clipped her arm, spinning her sideways.
The Fire Mage, teeth clenched, burned everything he had. A column of fire roared upward, wrapping one of the scorpions. The flames seared black streaks across its armor—but it marched through, unimpressed. One claw closed around the mage’s shoulder and hurled him aside like kindling.
The Earth Mage threw up a wall of stone to cover him. But the second scorpion barreled through it instantly, the wall exploding into shards.
The fight spiraled into chaos.
Every strike the seven landed drew ichor, yet the undead did not falter. Every time the Awakeners gained ground, another claw, tail, or fist battered them back.
From his distant vantage, Michael watched through the tether, his eyes cold but attentive. He wasn’t aiming for slaughter—yet. This was assessment. Could his undead, acting under his light command, suppress a balanced team of living Awakeners?
The answer was obvious.
The Hunter’s movements grew sluggish. The Archer’s quiver had only a handful of arrows left, each one less steady than the last. The Wind Mage’s gusts were losing sharpness. The Fire Mage wheezed, his robes singed. The Earth Mage’s defenses cracked faster than he could raise them. Even the two Knights, the bulwark of the squad, staggered under each exchange.
The undead pressed forward like a tide, unrelenting.
The spear-bearer finally realized the truth. His eyes darted to the edges where the three undead blocked escape. His jaw tightened, despair flickering. "We can’t..."
He didn’t finish. One of the scorpions lunged, tail striking with blinding speed. The Earth Mage raised his arms in reflex—but too late. The stinger pierced his shoulder. His scream tore across the clearing.
The system intervened instantly. His form flickered, then vanished in a pillar of light—teleported out before more severe injuries could claim him.
The remaining six froze for half a heartbeat.
That was all the undead needed.
The Goliaths slammed forward, orcs crashing in behind them. The Archer was disarmed, her bow splintered. The Hunter was pinned by an axe through his crossed blades. The Wind Mage was drowned under a surge of conjured water. One by one, the candidates were battered into critical injury and forcibly removed, their bodies whisked out by the exam’s safety measures.
Minutes later, silence returned. Only Michael’s undead remained, standing in a loose circle, their bodies slick with black ichor and dust but otherwise unscathed.
Michael exhaled slowly.
He leaned back against the cold stone and let his eyes drift shut for a heartbeat.
A faint smile tugged at his mouth. "Damn, my talent is cool."
He smoothed the grin away, refusing to get drunk on a small win, and shifted his focus. The seven had come slicing in from a particular bearing. That line pointed somewhere—and likely to their home base.
He hesitated only a moment before deciding. He should pay them a visit as well.
Michael rose in one fluid motion. The next second, his form blurred and vanished.
Behind him, only five undead remained to garrison the keep pillar—the lone signal to the island that Castle 37 still stood.
A few minutes earlier, the teacher who had marked Castle 37 with his personal seal leaned forward in the void. His eyes narrowed when he saw movement flicker across the projection.
People were approaching Michael’s base.
At first, he expected Michael to simply wait, perhaps tighten his defenses. But then something strange happened—Michael reacted before the figures were anywhere close to visible range on the scrying feed.
The teacher’s brows furrowed. "What’s this...?"
The distance was easily ten kilometers, maybe more. Yet Michael shifted, commanding his undead to intercept as though he already knew they were coming. That wasn’t ordinary perception. That wasn’t even ordinary for specialized sensory classes.
No. This was abnormal. Too abnormal.
The teacher’s fingers tapped lightly against his armrest. Is it a special talent? Or the use of an item? The fact he could even command from that far is absurd to explain by normal means, The teacher considered.
Even among First-Rank academies, it was rare to see such extended perception at Michael’s current level.
*****
A/N: It’s finally my turn in the queue guys (pic of convo under this paragraph!). We should see the first works of the project in a few days. As for the discord link, I’ll paste it in the comment section. Thanks for reading!
Update: Happy New Month in advance everyone!
Some of you don’t have access to discord and seem to have not yet seen Lucky’s Art that has been out days ago. It’s in the comment section now.
Please continue to support the novel! It’s the last day of the month and we’re ending it with a bang thanks to you all.
Also for the next art, what evolution form do you want to see next?