Chapter 81: The Outrageous Dark Sorcerer (Part Three)

After dispatching the sneaky little rodent, Yi Shen finally realized that, amidst the accidental crossfire, the swarm of over a hundred monsters had dwindled to just thirty or so. Yet he wasn’t particularly concerned. Facing dozens or even hundreds of monsters alone in the secret realm was commonplace for him; the only difference now was that these monsters were stronger, with thicker hides and more formidable health.

From time to time, the monsters hurled ranged attacks at Yi Shen. He dodged most of them effortlessly with Blink. Area attacks had little effect on these elite monsters, so Yi Shen picked them off one by one, and as he fought, he subconsciously analyzed their attack patterns to sharpen his own reflexes.

Battle was always the best path to greater strength. In a state of heightened focus, Yi Shen vaguely sensed a breakthrough in his mastery over his attributes.

While Yi Shen was dealing with the monsters, Zhao Nanxing’s group, who were preparing to retreat, and An Qing, who was expecting a good show, both received news that left them in a state of bizarre shock.

“What’s going on? The monsters have moved?”

“Someone big has stepped in. Looks like the Black Mage took action. He’s been active lately, and judging by his appearance, it’s probably him.”

“What the hell? He’s casting several Blizzards at once by himself?!”

“Wait, is that Fireball? No, it looks like Explosive Fire! He’s casting six Explosive Fires per second!”

“He’s a mage, right? Doesn’t he need cooldowns? Or does he have some special skill?”

The rangers acting as sentinels at the front lines were at a loss as to how to report what they saw when they first observed Yi Shen’s battle. The scene was simply too strange. Both Yi Shen and the monster horde moved at incredible speed; even with Hawkeye, they could only catch glimpses of the battle.

The news made its way to Zhao Nanxing in the command room.

Only the last group preparing to evacuate remained in the command room now. On the distant computer screens, drone footage—though not crystal clear—showed the monsters being lured away by the Black Mage, and that at least half had already been dealt with.

“The Black Mage? He’s helping us?”

“Seems so. The front lines report that he single-handedly blocked the monster horde.”

“One person?”

The reinforcements from the Dongting Safe Zone were astonished. They had felt firsthand the pressure these elite monsters exerted; facing a single elite required the full force of a twenty-person team for several minutes of relentless assault—not to mention the monsters' abilities to escape and recover.

“He’s holding at least twelve elites at bay on his own, and all the lesser monsters are dealt with. The current reports say he’s casting several spells at once. It’s possible there are other mages supporting him from behind,” Zhao Nanxing relayed, her expression odd. Just a moment ago, she’d been preparing to flee, and now a powerhouse had resolved the crisis in an instant.

The Black Mage’s recent appearances had caught the attention of all the major guilds. A powerful explorer was a coveted asset for any ambitious guild. However, since the Black Mage had been the first to defy official orders and attack Zhao Zhilong, everyone tacitly agreed not to discuss him.

And yet, so soon after, he had caused another sensation. Judging by his current strength, the Black Mage was at least a level 65 rare class, if not higher!

“I’ll stay here and keep watch. The rest of you, withdraw first,” Zhao Nanxing ordered. Although this stronghold wasn’t in the best location, it was certainly the most secure, with valuable supplies and the distinction of being Taohua Dock’s primary base.

“I’ll stay with you,” Lin Grape volunteered, her gaze lingering on the blurry figure in the footage. She had her suspicions. Yi Shen had taken a lot of resources and skill books lately and even established his own trading post, explaining to her that he had a team backing him. The Black Mage had first appeared when he dealt with Zhao Zhilong under An Qing’s command, and his recent movements had all been near the Taohua Dock base.

Lin Grape sensed a connection between the Black Mage and her son, though she wasn’t certain if the Black Mage was Yi Shen himself. If so, it would be truly astonishing. Based on what the Black Mage had demonstrated so far, he was already on par with Yi Qinfly.

With the immediate pressure lifted, Zhao Nanxing found herself reeling with shock.

Meanwhile, An Qing was even closer to the battlefield. When his subordinates reported that the Black Mage was fighting so many monsters alone, An Qing’s first reaction was disbelief. But upon witnessing the scene himself, he was soon utterly dumbfounded.

“What is that monster?!”

When An Qing arrived, Yi Shen was unleashing a relentless barrage upon the monsters, covering most of the horde with his attacks. The scale of his area-of-effect spells was, to the naked eye, far more intense than anything An Qing’s own large team could produce.

“Not good—Fan Xitiao is still in that monster group!” An Qing suddenly realized that Fan Xitiao, sent to guide the monsters, had lost contact. He hurried to message Fan Xitiao, but received no reply. If Fan Xitiao was caught in this onslaught, even friendly fire alone would be too much to bear.

“The Black Mage,” An Qing muttered, brows furrowed. From the moment the Black Mage appeared, he had stood in opposition to An Qing. An Qing had even spent a fortune investigating him, but found nothing. For a while, the Jingmen Safe Zone had been relatively calm, with no sign of the Black Mage, so the matter had faded. Now, however, the Black Mage’s presence radiated an inexplicable pressure.

If such a powerhouse truly stood behind Zhao Nanxing’s group, An Qing would be at a severe disadvantage.

“No, that can’t be,” he reconsidered after a moment. If Zhao Nanxing really had such a formidable backer, Taohua Dock wouldn’t have fallen under his control in the first place. The Black Mage was clearly a top-tier explorer—perhaps even rivaling Battlefish. No wonder that, after dealing with Zhao Zhilong, the Black Mage simply moved on; it had probably been nothing more than a trivial annoyance.

“All I can do is wait for Fan Xitiao to return,” An Qing thought, mind troubled. He felt as though he was overlooking some crucial clue, but the situation was no longer within his grasp. For now, he could only wait and see what the Black Mage would do next.

(End of chapter)