Naomi, still unaware that her collaboration with the undead had already been discovered by her tribe, walked closely behind Amberxiu, fearful of being left behind.
Until today, Naomi's life had been like a blank canvas. Though she had heard that the world was perilous, she had never truly witnessed its dangers. It wasn't until the appearance of the witch that she came to understand the true nature of the world. Meeting Amberxiu marked the second turning point in her life.
The legendary tier, she had only heard of it.
It was said that Druids who reached the legendary tier could turn an entire city into a forest in a short time, and their natural magic was akin to a calamity.
But that was just hearsay—she had never seen it for herself.
Now, Amberxiu was personally showing her what true legend looked like.
Under Amberxiu's control, dozens of small, monstrous skeletons moved as a well-coordinated army, relentlessly advancing, tearing apart everything in their path, whether it was hidden slimes, Koto fishmen, or mutated crocodiles.
No matter the creature, they were reduced to nothing in mere moments by the skeletal horde.
The creatures' souls were then used by Amberxiu as spell components, empowering his army with formidable buffs, such as "Bear's Strength" and "Cat's Agility," which made the skeletons' fighting power multiply exponentially. The bones left behind from the defeated monsters were transformed into new monstrous skeletons, further strengthening Amberxiu's army.
The combat prowess of these small skeletons was so terrifying that Naomi believed even the army of Alchemy City would be effortlessly wiped out by this skeletal army.
Amberxiu's magic seemed inexhaustible. If the Lich wanted to wipe out her tribe, she could probably slaughter the entire Golden Vine Tribe in mere hours.
Was this the power of a legendary Lich?
Amberxiu calmly commanded the small skeletons, sweeping through the entire sewer.
Faced with the sewer monsters, most of which lacked magical abilities, Amberxiu slaughtered them with ease. How could melee fighters hope to stop a sea of skeletons, especially when those skeletons had been enhanced by Amberxiu's modifications, making them much stronger in close combat?
These skeletons resembled Karthik One in form: three-legged, with a pair of crude claws. They could not perform complicated movements, but their strength and speed far surpassed that of skeletons of the same level.
Combat was simple—just charge in and tear apart the enemy. After all, no one expected skeletons to perform martial arts like monks, so there was no need for unnecessary joints.
After real-world combat testing by Raul, Amberxiu optimized the design once more, now likely classifying them as Karthik II.
With full power, Amberxiu moved swiftly through the sewer, his army of skeletons continuously growing. When Naomi could no longer see the end of the army, Amberxiu suddenly stopped.
"What's wrong?" Naomi asked, puzzled.
"Hm, I think we've found it," Amberxiu replied, pointing ahead, but all Naomi could see was pitch blackness.
Amberxiu didn't explain further, simply commanding the skeletons to crush forward.
Soon, Naomi heard the sounds of frantic squeaking, as if the skeletons had encountered a rat swarm and were now engaged in fierce combat.
In less than half a minute, the sounds of squealing ceased, replaced by the eerie sound of bones clattering as the skeletons walked across the ground.
Clearly, the rat swarm had been thoroughly crushed.
Amberxiu's skeletal face remained unchanged as he coolly directed his army forward. After a short while, a loud roar echoed from the depths of the sewer.
Naomi also heard the eerie sound—a shriek that resembled the call of a night owl or the agonizing cry of a dying crow.
"Is that the witch?" Naomi asked.
Amberxiu nodded. "Yes, her rat swarm is almost completely wiped out."
"Why doesn't she just trap your skeleton army in her illusion? Wouldn't her rats have a better chance of winning then?" Naomi asked curiously.
Logically, it seemed that the skeletons should have been affected by the illusion. Why would the witch forgo such an advantageous position and instead release the rats to fight the skeletons?
Amberxiu turned to Naomi and asked, "How is it that you don't understand something so basic? Oh, right, I forgot—Druids don't increase Intelligence; you rely on perception and draw on the power of nature to cast spells."
Though both Druids and Mages could use magic, their methods were entirely different.
"Well, let me teach you a little common sense," Amberxiu continued. "Any spellcaster who relies on their own power must consider the issue of consumption. Take large-scale illusions, for example—if you want to trap someone in it, you must constantly affect their senses."
Naomi nodded, though she only half-understood.
"Ultimately, illusions are a clash of souls. Creating an illusion consumes one's spirit. Right now, the witch has already used up a lot of energy trapping a group of Druids in her illusion. If my skeleton army entered, how could a single witch manage to confuse hundreds of skeletons at once? Are their souls not souls? Her head would explode instantly, and the illusion would collapse."
At Amberxiu's explanation, Naomi finally understood.
The witch couldn't simultaneously control so many individuals, which is why she released the rats. However, Naomi hadn't anticipated that the rats would be so easily crushed by the skeletons, leading to their swift defeat.
Naomi's face flushed with excitement. With a smile, she shouted, "Old man Jones, I'm here to save you!"
Amberxiu glanced at Naomi but didn't have the heart to tell her that the illusion hadn't been broken yet and that the voice wouldn't reach them.
However, it was nearly over—there was no need to waste more time.
Amberxiu had boasted earlier about how powerful the witch was, claiming that only someone at the legendary level could defeat her. In reality, he had been deceiving the rookie Druid. The witch was a minor character, and to a legendary being, she was nothing—just a snap of the fingers, and she would be gone.
Amberxiu's will had already pierced the crude illusion barrier, locking onto the witch. Now, with a flick of his wand, a blast of icy rays would send her to her grave.
Just as Amberxiu raised his wand, he heard the witch's voice loudly call out, "Enough! We can talk. If I've offended your domain, I'll leave right now! We are all evil beings—there's no need for us to fight each other. Can't we just negotiate?"
The witch's voice was high-pitched and shrill, making Naomi's ears ache. But she ignored the pain, turning to look at Amberxiu.
Naomi was worried—what if Amberxiu took her offer seriously and turned on her? Even with the protection of the Sivanas statue, Naomi was no match for this legendary Lich.
What should she do? Would this Lich keep his word?
Naomi had tried to comfort herself along the way. Amberxiu had always acted rationally and appropriately; he didn't seem like the kind of person to break agreements. Surely, he wouldn't fall for the witch's trick?
However, Amberxiu didn't hesitate for a moment before replying, "How much gold can you offer?"
Naomi: (°ー°〃)
Maybe I should run now?
**End of Chapter**