Free Web NovelChapter 27: Chapter 27: Struggle
"GULP!" Andre swallowed hard as he stared at the enormous Forest Water Python before him.
The Forest Water Python before him was at least a hundred meters long and stood over four meters tall.
At his height of just over 1.7 meters, he didn’t even come up to half the python’s height.
But the Forest Water Python merely blinked its massive eyes at Andre before slithering past him.
Andre followed the Forest Water Python’s path with his eyes and turned to see a main river channel to the right of the stream.
Near the main river channel, a large, barbaric-looking bull was drinking water. The Forest Water Python’s target was this very bull.
’An Earth Barbarian Bull. Six meters tall, and also a creature on par with a High Level Wizard Apprentice.’
Andre cast a light wind spell on himself and ran toward a nearby tree.
Right now, the trees were the safest place to be. A battle between two such enormous creatures would surely cover a wide area.
’Run away on the ground? I’d have to run forever to get clear.’
After climbing the tree, Andre made his way onto a thick branch. He then pulled a Witchcraft Scroll from his backpack and tore it open. Instantly, the power of the wind gathered behind his back, forming a pair of wings.
"Wings of the Wind!" Feeling the wings on his back, Andre began to run, leaping across to a branch on another large tree.
As he leaped through the air, the Forest Water Python launched its fatal strike. Its massive body shot out of the water like an arrow loosed from a bow, its giant jaws gaping wide, aiming for the Earth Barbarian Bull’s neck.
A putrid stench accompanied its azure fangs as they were about to sink into the Earth Barbarian Bull.
Sensing the danger, the Earth Barbarian Bull stomped its forelegs, and a volley of earthen spears erupted from the ground, blocking the deadly bite.
But the Forest Water Python’s massive body simply shattered the earthen spears and, after breaking through them, crashed directly into the Earth Barbarian Bull.
Fortunately, the Earth Barbarian Bull commanded the Power of the earth. It only staggered from the blow and did not fall.
On the contrary, the Earth Barbarian Bull launched a counterattack. It lowered its massive head, its hooves beginning to glow with a faint, earthy yellow light. As the light emerged, the bull charged, intending to stomp the Forest Water Python into a pulp.
But with its first strike having failed, the Forest Water Python rapidly retreated, giving the Earth Barbarian Bull no time to press its attack.
Just as Andre landed on a branch of the third tree, the ground shook violently.
Andre glanced back to see that the Earth Barbarian Bull’s charge had left a large crater in the ground.
’Can’t mess with them, definitely can’t mess with them. These two are way too tough. I can’t afford to get involved.’
Andre continued leaping through the trees, putting as much distance as he could between himself and the battle between the two giant Magical Beasts. Once he reached a safe spot, Andre activated his Eye of Truth and looked back toward the fighting.
The two beasts were still locked in combat. Through his special sight, two distinct auras, one blue and one yellow, were clearly visible.
After they had fought for some time, the two Magical Beasts finally broke apart.
’Why is it coming this way?!’ Andre thought as he saw the blue aura drawing closer. He quickly pulled some leaves to hide himself and cast a Witchcraft known as the Erase Technique, temporarily masking his scent and bodily presence.
Only when the blue light vanished from his sight did Andre finally breathe a sigh of relief.
’It’s finally gone,’ Andre thought. ’I just entered the Secret Realm and I’ve already stumbled upon a battle between two Magical Beasts on par with High Level Wizard Apprentices. How many more will I run into if I keep going?’
Andre stood in place for another moment, only moving after confirming that the Forest Water Python had truly left the area. He wiped the cold sweat from his forehead. ƒree𝑤ebnσvel.com
While Andre was dealing with the two battling Magical Beasts, the others weren’t idle; they too had run into their own Magical Beasts.
As the granddaughter of Vice Dean Krell, Selena had encountered a troop of apes.
This troop of apes, known as Silver-White Apes, were Magical Beasts at the level of Elementary Wizard Apprentices. They had no special characteristics and couldn’t use Witchcraft, but they possessed one defining trait: immense, overwhelming Power.
It took Selena a great deal of effort to finally break through their encirclement.
Quint had the worst luck of the six. Upon arriving in the Secret Realm, he had fallen directly into a Gale Giant Eagle’s nest.
This particular eagle had recently hatched its young, and she and her mate were at their most irritable, constantly trying to feed their hungry chicks.
Quint’s sudden fall from the sky made him an immediate target for the eagles.
In order to escape, Quint had to use several of his life-saving items, but his clothes were still shredded to pieces by the Wind Blades unleashed by the two Gale Giant Eagles.
"Damn birds! Sooner or later, I’ll catch you both and roast you!"
Quint climbed out of a river and took a fresh set of clothes from his Storage Ring.
He had just finished changing when two pairs of crimson eyes lit up in the bushes, staring intently at him.
The owners of those crimson eyes were Rapid Fire Tigers. As adults, they were Magical Beasts on par with High Level Wizard Apprentices, but these two were still young, which was the only reason Quint managed to escape.
The remaining three—Jesse and her companions—hadn’t fared any better than Andre, Selena, and Quint.
They had expected to find great rewards after entering the Secret Realm. But once they were truly inside, they found nothing at all—not a single thing. Instead, they ran into one nest of Magical Beasts after another.
Meanwhile, Andre found a hollow in a tree. He used Witchcraft to shrink his body and slip inside. Only after confirming there were no other creatures within did he decide to make it his shelter for the night.
Andre set down his backpack, then pulled out several Witchcraft Scrolls and placed them around the entrance to the hollow. As the power of the scrolls activated, the opening vanished into the surrounding woods.
’I’d better inscribe a few more Witchcraft Scrolls,’ he thought. ’I haven’t been here long and I’ve already used so many.’
Andre took his tools from his Storage Ring and began inscribing Witchcraft Scrolls. After making ten of them, he put his tools away, took out some food and water, and began to eat his dinner.
He had just started eating when he heard a noise outside.
Not daring to be careless, Andre activated his Eye of Truth and scanned the area outside.
Thankfully, it was just a wild boar, scratching its hide against the base of his tree.
’I won’t get a moment’s peace for this entire month, will I?’
Andre quickly wolfed down the rest of his dinner, closed his eyes, and began practicing his Meditation Technique.
As he began to cultivate the Meditation Technique, countless golden particles suddenly emerged from deep within the earth, centering on his tree and gathering toward it.
