Chapter 44: Water, Moon, and Stone

Medusa’s most feared petrifying gaze was a spell talent of her kind, equivalent to an advanced petrification spell—instantaneous in effect but with a casting cooldown. Moreover, those petrified did not instantly turn to stone the moment the light flashed in their eyes; there was a progression period of about 2 seconds. To an ordinary person, 2 seconds seemed brief, but for a well-trained professional, it was enough time to do much.

Eirwen took advantage of these 2 seconds to successfully save the life of a demon servant. Yet Medusa’s sudden attack still caused losses among the Dark Claws. Another demonized creature, before Eirwen could lift the curse, was shattered by a heavy strike from a Blade Thruster.

Eirwen was furious—not only because one of his subordinates had died in such a despicable manner but also because his protective arrows failed to stop Medusa’s deadly arrows.

“Damn it!” Eirwen, flung backward by the arrow’s momentum, got back on his feet. Glaring at the thorny arrow piercing his heart, he clenched the shaft, muttered spells, and shouted fiercely. His skeletal staff slammed into the ground, and the arrow shaft transformed into a poisonous snake made of bones.

Meanwhile, Medusa was using her petrifying gaze on William, the strongest among the Dark Claws. She felt a slight tremor in her body. Looking at her quiver at her waist, she saw that all the arrows had turned into poisonous bone snakes, coiling around her body. With their mouths filled with fluorescent green necrotic venom, they bit her fiercely. Even her scales, as tough as fine armor plates, could not withstand the piercing fangs of these tiny snakes.

“Argh!” Medusa screamed in pain. She usually had high immunity to toxins, but Eirwen, being an alchemist who had developed many strange spells, created this necrotic poison—a synthetic neurotoxin unlike any natural toxin. It caused unbearable pain, sometimes leading to death from agony.

Seizing the opportunity, Eirwen pointed his skeletal staff from afar. William’s petrification effect vanished instantly, like ice melting away. Three arrows from a lecherous Stone-Blind barbarian ranger hit him, but after being demonized, William wasn’t afraid of anything but fatal injuries. He charged headlong, swinging his massive claws and tearing the ranger to pieces.

Nearby, a demonized creature was fighting fiercely with a Blade Thruster. The Blade Thruster’s triangular venomous spines and extra limbs gave it a clear advantage, leaving the demonized creature covered in blood. William stepped forward, grabbed the Blade Thruster by the back of its neck, and used it as a shield to block two incoming arrows. Then he swung it as a weapon, knocking away a Stone-Blind barbarian who was charging at him. He grabbed the barbarian’s legs as well, roared loudly, and used his strength to split the Blade Thruster in two, using it as a projectile against the barbarian.

While William and the other Dark Claws fought fiercely ahead, Eirwen manipulated the bone snakes in his hands. With his commands, the snakes around Medusa twisted together like ropes. A poisonous green light flashed, and they merged into a massive bone python. This time, it not only bit but also wrapped around her. Cracks appeared on Medusa’s scales as blood seeped out.

“Baby!” Medusa let out a shrill scream when she saw the situation turning bad. Almost at the same moment, Eirwen’s stench cloud spell and the siren’s howl were used again. Although the shrill sound of the siren’s howl covered up Medusa’s call in time, monsters on the nest side still reacted. It was a large thorny bush resembling ironwood in front of the platform; the ground shook as the thorns rose and, with a shake, transformed into the mane on top of a Battlethorn. This Battlethorn was not only huge but also had colorful thorns. It leaped out of the ground, shook its thorny mane, let out a long howl, and then rushed toward the entrance of the dome like a war chariot.

Nio, hiding behind a section of stone wall, broke into a cold sweat. If he had acted 3 seconds earlier, he would likely be fighting this “flamboyant dog” right now. This creature clearly had more ferocity than a level 5 professional, yet Nio hadn’t noticed its presence at all while it was buried underground—without even a hint of a dangerous intuition. That was the main reason he was sweating profusely.

With little time left and his shock subsiding, Nio rushed straight toward the platform’s cage. “Thorn, I’m Nio, Thorn’s friend. We should leave!” Nio said as he tried to cut through the thorny cage. “Don’t touch the Stone Thorns!” At Thorn’s warning, Nio’s sword stopped less than 1 centimeter away from the Stone Thorns. “These are Stone Thorns, not Petrified Thorns. Two intruders were detected by the Snake Woman precisely because they tried to slash these Stone Thorns.” “So these thorny cages that look like rocks are actually alive?” “Yes. The Snake Woman summoned a Stone Spirit with her magic wooden flute and enslaved it. These Stone Thorns were created by that enslaved Stone Spirit.” “Do you know where that Stone Spirit is trapped? Maybe I can rescue it.” Thorn, who appeared as a thorny tree man, shook his head. “He’s completely conquered. He obeys the Snake Woman without any sense of self.” After further inquiry, Nio learned that Medusa’s magic wooden flute was her most magical treasure. With it, Medusa could inflict torture on spirits to force them to obey and give up their abilities. She could use these abilities once certain conditions were met—raising Thornblade was a typical example.

Thorn was originally a Poisonthornthorn. This dome was his nest. A Soul Devourer led a group of subordinates to kill him, but the Soul Devourer was driven away by Medusa. Medusa took over this place and created the Moon Goddess Well. During the construction of the dam, the water accidentally washed Thorn’s main thorn into the Moon Goddess Well. As a result, Thorn was revived and transformed. Medusa imprisoned him and tortured him until he was on the verge of death, using forced acceleration to turn him into a tool for creating Thornblades. The Thornblade larvae scurrying around in the thorny pond were separated from him. Yet these Thornblades didn’t recognize him at all; instead, they regarded Medusa as their parent. “Would killing those traitorous Thornblades help you?” Thorn replied, “Only the main thorn is of any use.”

Without hesitation,Neo began hunting down the larval forms of the Thornblades in the thorny pond. Though these pet-like creatures appeared cute,Neo regarded them as pests. They could run as fast as rabbits, darting through the thorny waters. It would be difficult for ordinary people to catch them, butNeo, with his innate talent for the wilderness, moved effortlessly in such an environment. Moreover, the Thornblade larvae could not survive outside the thorny pond, resulting in a massacre. The larvae fled in panic, crying out in terror, with the cruel and mercilessNeo in hot pursuit. Every time he caught one, he would “strain” himself to work. In just over ten minutes, all the Thornblade larvae were killed, andNeo ended up with a large handful of faintly glowing Main Thorns.

Then,Neo came up with a clever idea: he broke these Main Thorns into sections and wrapped them around a probe made of three thorny spears. By inserting it through the gaps in the layered thorns, he could reach the core of the Thornblade and transmit life force to help it recover.

With Nancy’s help, as soon as the Seeds of Divine Power took root,Neo established a flow of divine energy—the first circulation. He chose to use the most frequent type of life force. This gave him a distinction between life forces influenced by the Sacred Tree and those not influenced. The former provided a significant extra recovery boost for living beings, especially plants, allowing him to accumulate enough life force almost daily to cast a Wave of Life.

The Thornblade was severely injured, and the little life forceNeo injected was far from enough for it to fully recover. But at least it now had the ability to function. With the guidance of Thorn, it stored its primal power inNeo’s body through the Main Thorns, just as Thorn had done before, and quickly generated a special section of Main Thorn as a carrier for its spirit. Thus,Neo’s collar changed from a single strand to two strands—one deep red and one dark green—twisted into a spiral, which looked quite beautiful.

After rescuing the Thornblade,Neo followed the path along the waterways back to the Stone Pillar Forest and summoned the Stone Spirit to ask for its help.

Softening stone materials was a trivial task for the Stone Spirit. So, under Nancy’s guidance,Neo quickly assembled the first Water Moon Stone. Compared to the Moon Goddess Well, its structure was much simpler—five stones combined to activate a small formation. This formation could create an area with the effects of a water element realm’s water abyss. For water elements, a water abyss was like a paradise in human eyes—a serene and nourishing place that naturally attracted them. Thus, light was generated, and its effect was even better than that of the Moon Goddess Well.

Unfortunately, water had not yet reached the Stone Pillar Forest.Neo carried the Water Moon Stones one by one to the passage behind the dam. He chose a puddle and assembled the stones. Soon, water elements began to gather, with glowing light swirling around—very beautiful. BeforeNeo could summon her, Water Girl arrived, overjoyed.

“Giggle, is this for me? A pretty new house! And so many little friends.” The Water Spirit already had a close connection to water elements, and this water abyss was not only beautiful but also very beneficial to her.

It was also the first time for Neo to complete and activate a magical item. Finding it pleasing to the eye, he felt a sense of accomplishment and smiled, saying, “Well, do you believe me now?”
Shuiling nodded repeatedly. “Can you help me build a new home? I’ll repay you.”
“Okay, how about exchanging it for that toy of yours in the Earth Lake?”
“Hmm…” Shuiling hesitated.
“Two, I’ll build you two new homes.”
“I want that many!” Shuiling said, stretching out her hand, which had three fingers.
“Alright,” Neo agreed immediately.
So, Neo returned to the Earth Lake and disassembled the Moon Goddess Well. Once disassembled, its magical effects vanished. Without those effects, it was just pieces of stone that could be carried by bubbles.
As the bubbles connected in sequence, carrying the components of the Moon Goddess Well deeper into the waterways, the battle at the entrance to the Dome Battle was coming to an end.
Both sides had suffered heavy losses. On Medusa’s side, all the ordinary Stone-Blind Barbarians were dead, leaving only 6 Forest Wardens, each injured. On Eirith’s side, all the Demons were dead, with only 2 Corpse Guards remaining, along with 3 Demon Servants, 3 Magic Transformed beings including William, and the Ghost Armor Dathai.
When Eirith raised his Skeleton Staff again to cast a spell, Medusa finally couldn’t hold on. With a scream, she fled along with her subordinates on their Blades.
Eirith then dropped his hands and gasped for breath. In fact, he was also at his limit, his magic exhausted, unable to cast any more spells.
“Lord, what should we do now?” William, who had many wounds, asked. The other surviving Dark Claws also stared at Eirith.
Eirith could sense the atmosphere of despair and sneered, “Why panic? Do you know why necromancers are the toughest opponents? Hehe! As long as I’m here, victory will ultimately be ours!”
Although the Arrow Through the Heart hadn’t killed Eirith, it had affected his health. He coughed from time to time, but no blood seeped from the wound. He took out a fluorescent crystal tube from the snake-skin pouch hanging on his belt, unscrewed the cap, and poured some potion into the 2 Demon Servants and 2 Magic Transformed beings who were unharmed and had intact heads.
“Hah…” With a deep breath, the Demon Servants and Magic Transformed beings woke up, looking terrified as if they had had some extremely horrible dream.
“Cough cough!” Eirith put the remaining half of the potion back into the pouch and took out another small porcelain bottle, pouring out 10 pills. He said to William, “Distribute them, one per person. Take them with half an energy pill. Don’t get it wrong.”
Being able to revive from death, Eirith’s actions had established absolute authority. Naturally, William and the others obeyed without question. After taking the potion as instructed, they felt fire burning in their chests and abdomens, spreading throughout their bodies, bringing immense relief. Then, all their wounds, no matter how severe, healed at a visible speed.
“This… this is amazing!” Several Dark Claws praised in delight.

Eirith’s facial muscles twitched a few times, as if he were smiling, but without any trace of joy. It was amazing, but at a great cost—though it didn’t matter. These things were just tools; it wasn’t worth grieving over if they got damaged.
“Set up a temporary camp over there. We still have a lot to do.”
“Yes!” The Dark Claws replied with great enthusiasm.
Opposite Medusa’s stone fortifications in the dome was a vast expanse of Qin forest. With dozens of types of cave plants, mountains, streams, and mounds, the Dark Claws established their camp on one of the mounds. With Eirith around, many things became simpler. A campfire was lit, stone platforms were set up, and the Dark Claws began eating grilled meat from the Stone-Blind Barbarians’ legs, arms, and organs—heart and liver. Soon, laughter could be heard among them.
After regaining some magic through meditation, Eirith summoned two monsters: the Devouring Beast and the Dark Devouring Beast. These beasts, resembling fierce wild boars, had super-large appetites. One was tasked with devouring the corpses of the Stone-Blind Barbarians, while the other consumed those Dark Claws who couldn’t be saved. Three hours later, the two monsters had grown into massive, human-sized pig-like beasts. Using rough stone pillars thicker than buckets as weapons, it was clear they were not easy to deal with.
Eirith also ordered the Dark Claws to gather all the dead blades, then used dark magic to summon two Dark Thorns from the pile of corpses. These creatures were nearly as large as Medusa’s Poison Thorn Thorn and, from the start, devoured the remaining thorns on the ground. Using a special sucking method, they drained all the blood from the battlefield. They didn’t spare the stone axes, knives, or bows either—soon after consuming them, they turned into sharp thorns on their bodies.
Stunned by these supernatural feats, the Dark Claws fawned over Eirith, praising him endlessly.
Eirith stretched out his hand to catch the returningwispy fire fire, which sputtered out in his palm, its light flickering in his eyes. “Hmph! Trying to weaken us through foreign forces will only make us stronger. Don’t worry—everything is under my control. We will conquer Medusa, and Neo won’t be able to escape!”
On Medusa’s side, things were dire. Her Blade Pupils were dead, her Blade had escaped, and the Moon Goddess Well had been stolen. Medusa roared in fury, “Thieves! Despicable thieves!”
After venting her anger, Medusa also had her own ways to restore her strength.
For her, the Moon Goddess Well was indeed a treasure, but she couldn’t use it right now. Instead, the short, thick Magic Symbol Stone Pillars in the Thorn Pond were more useful. The Stone-Blind Barbarian forest guards skillfully clung to the Magic Symbol Stone Pillars, and Medusa wrapped herself around one of them. She blew her magic whistle, summoning the enslaved Stone Spirits and another Water Spirit. These two spirits could provide healing power, and combined with the Magic Symbol Stone Pillars, their effect was even greater.

Medusa and her followers were covered in a shimmering water glow, after which stone shells sealed them. More than an hour later, the shells cracked open, and Medusa as well as the Stone-Blind Barbarians not only had their wounds healed but also regained all their strength and energy. The Blade Creatures could also be healed in the Thorn Jungle, recovering even faster, and they had served as guardians during that time.

After recovering, Medusa stood on the platform and saw the campfires across the dome from afar. By using her spirit servants, she employed another scouting skill—Eye of Water. Waves rose in the winding stream, remaining intact as an eye within them blinked, observing the situation of her dark minions.

At that moment, Eirithus smirked cruelly, clenched his right hand sharply, and with a pop! A green flame erupted from the Eye of Water, shattering it into pieces.

“Ah!” On the side of the stone nest, Medusa’s left eye was also destroyed by the fleeting green flame, blood flowing freely.

“Go, go summon Balmerga! If he helps me defeat my opponent, I’ll give him one—no, two spirit servants!”

While the secret battle between Medusa and her dark minions continued, Neo was doing his best as a stonecutter. Under Nancy’s guidance, the Moon Goddess Well had divided the magic array and stone materials in half. The magic array was absorbed by her, while the stone materials became waste and were discarded. After that, she helped the Water Spirit create moonstones.

The Water Spirit, happy due to her frugality, gave the other two moonstones to her good sisters to share. Influenced by their joy, Neo also gave an extra large moonstone, placing it at the bottom of a barrel-shaped water cave. Interestingly, this moonstone was highly powerful, and its location was particularly significant—it unexpectedly opened a door to the Water Element Realm, nearly sucking Neo in.

“Well done, mortal. Take my gift. With this, you will become an ally of the Water Element,” said an elder of the Water Element. Water Flower translated for Neo using the language of the aquatic race.

The elder was very satisfied with this elemental vortex door that connected the main material realm to the Water Element Realm—it was stable and located in an excellent spot. To win Neo over, it gave him a precious item like Miao Crystal. As a result, Neo’s affinity with the Water Element soared, and he gained abundant Water Element power. At the peak of the elemental world in his consciousness, the jelly-like monument representing the Water Element surpassed the Earth Element monument, reaching three layers high and displaying three runes representing wisdom, regeneration, and restoration.

The three Water Spirits, including Water Flower, also received favor. They became large Water Elements and went to the Water Element Realm to meet the King of Deep Waters, one of the more famous rulers there.

Watching the Water Element guards keep entering this world, Neo wasn’t sure whether his unintentional actions were right or wrong.

Since things had already happened, he could only try to think positively. With an abundance of water sources now, he decided to make the most of them. He asked the elder of the Water Element to help expand the waterways leading to the Stone Pillar Forest.

The Water Element Elder said, “There’s no need for any requests. If you can build another Element Vortex Gate, I can send 10 Water Element Guards to serve you forever.”
Neo had no choice but to tell the truth—that the Element Vortex Gate had opened by accident, and all he could do was create Water Moon Stones similar to those found in the Water Abyss region.
The Water Element Elder, at level 17 and existing for over a hundred thousand years, knew Neo wasn’t lying and understood that the opening of the Element Vortex Gate was purely coincidental. Not only in the main material plane but also in the Water Element plane, it was only possible due to an ancient teleportation array, making it extremely difficult to replicate.
“Well, as a compromise, if you help us create and install 10 Water Moon Stones, I’ll order my subordinates to assist you and give you a treasure in return,” said the Water Element Elder, taking out an ancient-looking object that resembled alien shin guards or perhaps a bracelet for a half-giant.
“What is this?”
“It’s an Element Bracelet. Its origin dates back to the time when the Divine Lord first arrived in Aemera. He ordered the dwarf craftsmen who followed him to create these bracelets and used them to train powerful Element Warriors. Those warriors were eventually wiped out over the course of long wars. This is one of those bracelets. It was supposed to be part of a pair; now only one remains. As you can see, the energy in this special crystal has run out, and no one knows how to recharge it. Still, it remains a valuable treasure. With it, lower-level Water Elements can create energy shields, allowing them to survive for long periods even in deserts or on lava. I’ll also let you choose one Water Element soldier. How about that?”
“I’ll accept its conditions. This item is very useful to us, especially that crystal.”
Neo knew that if Nancy approved, it would definitely be good, so he agreed immediately. “The work isn’t a problem, but I need a way to stay warm. The water temperature here is too low; I’d die quickly on my own.”
“Add 5 more Water Moon Stones, and I’ll give you a ‘Water Melting Spellbook.’ As long as you have enough strength, you can learn the corresponding water-based spells right away. How about that?” The Water Element Elder went to great lengths to persuade him. Just with this spellbook, those with weak self-control would be driven to study hard, improving their strength while becoming deeply intertwined with water—put bluntly, corrupting themselves.
“What if I help create and install 20 Water Moon Stones, all of high efficacy?”
The Water Element Elder chuckled, spreading his arms. A fluorescent blue crystal-like water mat appeared before Neo, covering an area of 5×10, filled with various magical items that dazzled his eyes. “The Water Element plane has many wonderful things. And I’m a merchant who values honesty. How about it? Interested in trading? Work in exchange for payment works too. Would you like me to introduce you to these items?”
“No! No need…” Neo hurriedly shook his head. Joking aside, if he got involved, he’d end up as a permanent servant of the Water Elements. Though he couldn’t be indifferent, he knew when to stop.

“20 Great Water Moon Stones. I want the ‘Water Fusion Spellbook’. What else can I exchange for the rest? Please help me choose 1–2 items. I’m a minor shaman—please pick something practical.”
“Alright, since you trust me so much, I’ll take better care of you,” said the Water Element Elder. He picked up a colorful, egg-sized conch. “Water Condensation Conch—it constantly gathers water elements. Once full, it can supply water for 20 people for 10 days.” Then he picked up a silver chain. “Pure Water Chain—it pairs well with the Miao Crystal and can be tied to your Spirit Collar; it’s also beneficial for them. More importantly, it can create a Water Veil Robe, which is far better than your diving suit.”
Indeed, they were all high-value items. Neo was very satisfied. An agreement was reached. Neo first took the Water Fusion Spellbook—a small, translucent, bright blue scroll about the thickness of a wrist and the length of a middle finger. As soon as Neo held it, the scroll emitted a flash of light, and he mastered three water-based spells. Part of the scroll also burned away.
With the spell ‘Aquatic Mimicry’, Neo developed a pair of gills behind his ears, colorful fins on his back and elbows, webbed feet, and even water membranes between his fingers. He quickly learned how to use these temporary organs, transforming into an amphibious aquatic being like an Ice Ocean Merman. Of course, his current abilities still fell short of those of a true merman. At this stage, the spell only allowed him to move freely in waters no deeper than 200 meters.
Under the ‘Tidal Surge’ skill unleashed by over a dozen groups of water elements, the shallow ditch Neo had dug earlier was instantly transformed into a deep channel. The floodwaters surged downward, increasing the flow to the Stone Pillar Forest by 10 times. Neo and the water elements rode a water slide and soon returned to the Stone Pillar Forest.
Water Flower Girl and her sisters arrived. Stone SpiritStone Spirit was very happy and readily agreed to the Water Element Elder’s proposal: to turn this place into a marsh pasture, to be guarded by the water elements.
WithStone Spirit’s help, Neo created Water Moon Stones, one every 15 minutes on average. Since shape and appearance weren’t important—only functionality mattered—as long as the formation was correctly drawn and then combined and activated.
Five hours later, guided by the water elements, Neo arranged and activated the Water Moon Stones one by one. It was then that he realized just how vast the underwater world in this area really was. Even though the Water Element Elder had granted him ‘Sharkfish Speed’ and the Water Moon Stones were delivered and in place in advance, it still took him over two hours to activate all of them, with the activation time for each one adding up to less than 10 minutes in total.
By this point, if Neo still didn’t understand the water elements’ plans, he would be extremely foolish. Each Water Moon Stone was equivalent to a barracks. With the Element Vortex Gate as the core, the water elements quickly expanded a stable territory and dispatched enough guards to defend this stronghold that connected the water element realm with the main material realm.

“We must be careful here. The Bottom-Dwelling Demon Fish and its minions are a major threat, along with those who recklessly destroy waters and create openings that cause massive water leakage…” After finishing work, the Water Element Elder casually chatted with Neo while paying him the final amount. By now, over 3,000 Water Element Guards had arrived and were stationed in various Water Moon Stone areas. With the Element Vortex Gate and Water Moon Stones, the Water Elements could attack or defend as needed, with no issues staying there for long periods. According to the Water Element Elder, this was a gift he gave to the Deep Water King. Although the Element Vortex Gate couldn’t accommodate such a powerful being as the Deep Water King, he could send his avatars here to explore without worries. For elements tired of the water world, this was a tourist destination waiting to be developed.

“I’ve always had one question: why won’t you trade the method for making Water Moon Stones with me?”

The Water Element Elder looked at Neo in surprise and said, “It seems you’re not aware of some of your own secrets. To create and activate Water Moon Stones requires a special bloodline talent—not everyone can do it. Moreover, according to the ancient pact, the aquatic races are not allowed to harm those with such special talents or restrict their freedom.” Half-jokingly, the Water Element Elder added, “If not for that, just because of the skill you possess, we would definitely invite you to join our side.”

Neo broke into cold sweat. The “invitation” mentioned by the Water Element Elder certainly came with conditions, and how to invite him was a matter worth discussing.

“Thank you very much for your explanation. At least now I won’t be blackmailed by those with ulterior motives among the aquatic races.”

“You still need to be careful. Not all aquatic races signed that pact. If you need to seek cooperation, it’s better to find honest and trustworthy ones, like us.” The Water Element Elder took the opportunity to promote himself and added, “If you’re interested in cooperating, you can have your Water Element servant contact us.”

“Okay, I’d be very happy to do business with you and your people.”

By then, Neo had returned to near the Element Vortex Gate. The Water Element Elder pointed to seven Water Elements and said, “Now, you can choose your servants. Do you need guards, servants, or remote spellcasters? I have seven individuals with different abilities to choose from. These are real servants, not summoned by mages. As long as your Element Bracelet isn’t destroyed, they will never truly die. Choose!”

After much consideration, Neo finally chose the Heavy Water Shield Guard. This guard had no remote attack capabilities, couldn’t cast spells, and had average combat strength, but it was tough and durable, with talents such as Heavy Water Armor, Water Camouflage, and Containment. Its skills included Steel Will, Mastery in Charging, Mastery in Shielding, and Dual-Handed Heavy Water Shield. Combined with the Pure Water Chain, Miao Crystal, and Soul Collar to form the Water Thorn Collar, these became Neo’s most valuable possessions. Then there were the Water Condensation Snail, Element Bracelet, and Water Fusion Spellbook—this was a huge success, and Neo was very happy. After saying goodbye to the Water Element Elder, he quietly swam back to the underground lake and found that the Dark Minions were fighting a fierce battle against beings like Medusa using the nest’s barriers as a battlefield.

“Hoo!” The immortal owl, stationed in the air to keep watch, spotted Neo.
“Damn!” Neo drew his bow and fired two arrows in quick succession. One arrow was dodged by the immortal owl, while the other struck its right eye, knocking it out of the air.
Yet Eirwen had already received intelligence and ordered the Ghost Armor to drop out of combat and charge straight for Neo’s location.
Neo turned and ran frantically, plunging into the water with a splash. His aquatic camouflage remained active, allowing him to move as fast as a fish, and he disappeared into the dark waters in just a few moments. The Ghost Armor rushed into the water, sank to the lake bottom, fought foolishly for a while, then turned back. Shortly after, the bone snake created by Eirwen’s dark magic entered the water.
This bone snake was tasked with tracking. Before coming here, it had swallowed the flesh from the palm of Eirwen’s hand that had extinguished thewispy fire fire, thereby gaining the means to track. Though its speed was average, it could keep moving without pause.
Eirwen was skilled in a series of eerie tracking techniques. Once targeted by him, one was like a parasitic worm, impossible to shake off. With such an enemy in pursuit, it was difficult for Neo to end the chase simply by escaping—and to this point, Neo had not fully realized this.