Chapter 125: The Elemental Creature (Part 2)

Deep within the dim cave, the small silver-haired old man squinted, a smirk of satisfaction creeping across his face.

"Impressive. A few of the Dark Spirit Realm's spellcasters are quite talented. That one with five-element spells… truly a rare talent in the Dark Spirit Realm. Such a pity, though—he'll soon be dead at the hands of my precious pets!" he muttered, chuckling darkly.

"But that four-element caster is a bit of a nuisance. His rune-imbued robe isn't weak. Anyone equipped with such a robe might carry other powerful spellcasting tools. I'll need to watch out for him," he added thoughtfully.

Somehow, the silver-haired man could observe the actions of both Merlin and Holmes from afar, showing particular caution toward Holmes. As for Merlin, despite his five-element spells, the old man was confident that Merlin couldn't match the Dark Blood Bats he controlled.

"If all else fails, I'll let my pet take down the five-element caster first and then have both creatures join forces to kill the four-element caster," he said with a relaxed demeanor, his gaze drifting to the large blood pool below the altar, as if plotting some further scheme.

Suddenly, a powerful tremor shook the entire cave, as if it were on the verge of collapse. Though the vibration quickly subsided, the silver-haired man's face twisted with fury.

"Dead… they killed my precious creature! I'll make them pay!" he snarled through clenched teeth, his tone seething with malice.

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In the cave tunnel, Mage Damber lay dead, while Capes and Kathleen huddled against the walls, injured but alive. Even Lorinka was on high alert, her entire body radiating elemental energy.

"Thunder Web!"

Merlin's eyes hardened as he cast Thunder Web. Lightning surged through the narrow tunnel, illuminating the darkness as it crackled, filling the cave with bright, violent flashes.

Thunder Web's power was immense, comparable to Fireball in terms of destructive force, and it also had a paralyzing effect. Outside the cave, Thunder Web had allowed Merlin and Holmes to stun the Dark Blood Bats and drive them back.

However, now he was facing a Dark Blood Bat that was evolving, and the usual lightning bolts only slightly slowed it down. The paralysis effect seemed ineffective.

"No effect?"

As he felt the dark energy around them intensify, Merlin realized the bat was gathering magic again. Determined not to hold back, he focused his mental energy.

*Crackle.*

Thicker, more powerful lightning bolts surged, forming an enhanced version of Thunder Web, several times stronger than before. This was the first time Merlin had used an enhanced version of his spells—a result of his extensive spell training.

This Dark Blood Bat, nearing the power of a Level One spellcaster, could no longer be affected by standard zero-level spells. Only enhanced spells could pose a true threat.

In previous Thunder Web casts, the lightning bolts were hair-thin. Now, they were as thick as a finger, packing far more power.

The bolts struck the Dark Blood Bat repeatedly, and even this nearly transformed creature began to falter. Its movements slowed, and the red glow on its body faded.

Finally, it froze in place, paralyzed five meters away from Merlin.

Merlin smiled, knowing that his enhanced spells, which approached Level One potency, were his true trump card. However, he couldn't afford to let up.

"Greater Freeze!"

A blast of intense cold surged forward, enveloping the bat in an icy storm. Though this creature had almost evolved into an elemental being, it couldn't fully withstand Greater Freeze.

But Merlin wasn't done yet. Summoning a massive fireball, its searing heat was palpable even to Capes and Kathleen, standing further back.

"Greater Fireball—ignite!"

With a shout, Merlin released the enormous fireball, which lit up the tunnel as it barreled toward the bat. Completely frozen from Greater Freeze, the bat was defenseless.

*Boom!*

The fireball exploded, filling the narrow tunnel with overwhelming force, shaking the cave to its core.

The intense heat forced Merlin to retreat, using Gale to quickly distance himself.

After a moment, the cave returned to darkness, the only remnants of light fading into smoke.

Merlin extended his mental energy to check for the Dark Blood Bat. No trace of it remained.

"It's dead?"

Merlin finally relaxed. The bat, frozen and then bombarded with Greater Fireball, had been reduced to ashes. Clearly, it had only recently begun its transformation toward becoming a Blood Bat King. Had it fully evolved, it would have left a body, marking its transition to a true elemental creature.

Merlin's gaze shifted to Capes and Kathleen, who were injured but not fatally.

"If I were you," Merlin said coldly, "I'd leave the cave and wait outside."

Kathleen, pained and unable to respond, was supported by Capes, who looked remorseful. "We were foolish… Mage Merlin, we'll leave the cave and wait for you outside," he replied quietly.

Capes helped Kathleen as they slowly exited the cave.

Merlin shook his head. Their injuries might teach them a valuable lesson. Turning back toward the darkened tunnel, he murmured, "Let's keep going. I have a feeling there's more trouble waiting ahead."

Lorinka's expression grew complex as she watched Merlin's back. Without the aid of any spellcasting tools, he had single-handedly defeated a Dark Blood Bat that could rival a Level One spellcaster.

This was no ordinary feat, and it made her wonder if Merlin might be hiding even more.

"Perhaps he does have a chance of reaching Level One after all…" Lorinka whispered, her eyes shining with intrigue, as she quickly followed Merlin deeper into the cave.