[108] Swamp Jaws
Above the weed-choked, pale purple marsh, Leinas clung tightly to the groove in the Archangel Flame's armor with her left hand, her black spear slung across her back. Her expression was taut as she scanned their surroundings.
No one in the Lockburrs territory knew the dangers of this marsh better than Leinas, especially the depths they were approaching.
This lunatic!
Leinas stole a glance at Adam, seated on the arm of his Archangel Flame, his white priest robe flapping in the wind, his profile calm. She couldn't help but curse inwardly.
If he weren't here to cure her facial curse, she'd never have taken such a risk.
"Kraa! Kraa!"
"Kraa! Kraa!"
Harsh, frog-like cries echoed as gray-feathered carrion birds circled above, their calls grating.
They seemed ready to dive but hesitated, wary of the flaming swords in the Archangel Flames' hands. Not one dared approach.
"Damn these featherless pests." Leinas muttered, her teeth clenched, her face darkening as she glared at the carrion birds.
Their cries weren't a direct threat, but in numbers, they could attract the attention of deeper marsh monsters.
Too far to strike, she could only scowl at the irritating creatures.
Click.
Adam opened the pocket watch at his chest, checked the time, and snapped it shut. "Prepare to land there."
Leinas looked down at a patch of earthy brown ground, realizing the Archangel Flames' summoning duration was likely nearing its end.
Whoosh! Whoosh!
The two Archangel Flames beat their wings, descending swiftly. Just before touching down, they flapped rapidly to slow, settling gently onto the ground.
Leinas vaulted off her archangel's back, landing on solid earth, her nerves steadying.
Thud.
Adam's feet hit the ground, his gaze cautiously sweeping the area.
His scrolls sustained the angels for about fifty minutes. There was time left, but no need to push it.
Concealing some details was one thing.
More importantly, he had over thirty Archangel Flame scrolls. In the past month, he'd crafted one daily, conserving some mana.
The marsh's scenery was monotonous, puddles of varying sizes, withered trees, and low shrubs stretched as far as the eye could see.
With a wave of his sleeve, the two Archangel Flames dissolved into motes of light.
Moments later, two new flashes coalesced, summoning fresh archangels.
"Keep going deeper?" Leinas asked, her eyes vigilant as she scanned their surroundings.
"You're sure the beast you encountered isn't in this marsh?" Adam asked, curiosity in his tone.
"Absolutely." Leinas nodded. "I may not know every marsh creature, but that beast's appearance couldn't have come from this environment."
Adam's curiosity deepened.
A magical beast imbued with curse energy shouldn't be weak, yet Leinas, currently at Orichalcum-rank strength, couldn't have defeated a level 20+ monster back then.
"Something's coming!" Leinas's voice sharpened, her black spear snapping to her chest as she issued a warning.
The soft ground rippled with shallow mounds, rapidly approaching them.
As Leinas prepared to strike, Adam's mind stirred, directing the two Archangel Flames to charge forward.
"Let summons handle this." He said. "Until we know what else is out there, conserve your strength."
Leinas paused mid-motion, then stepped closer to Adam, nodding in agreement.
"Hiss!!"
A piercing screech erupted as one Archangel Flame plunged its flaming sword into a mound. From the earth, a green-brown, centipede-like creature with eight legs and tough skin writhed, impaled on the blade.
Green fluid sprayed from the wound, reeking with a nauseating stench.
After a brief struggle, the creature succumbed to the sword's flames.
"Carrion Worm." Leinas said, identifying it for Adam. "Be careful, Purple Worms are likely nearby."
[Gained Experience: 12]
[Gained Experience: 13]
The Archangel Flames struck relentlessly, slaying scores of the worms.
Adam watched the experience points tick up on his panel, a faint smile in his eyes. This marsh was proving fruitful.
Through recent study, he'd confirmed that monsters killed by his summoned Archangel Flames yielded slightly less experience than those he killed himself.
But compared to the time wasted clearing low-tier monsters alone, the reduction was negligible.
Boom!
The ground beneath Adam and Leinas exploded. A two-meter-long, barrel-shaped Purple Worm with rough, dark purple skin burst forth.
Its maw, as wide as its body, lunged to swallow Adam, the closest target.
Leinas reacted instantly, thrusting her spear into the worm's lower jaw, forcing its mouth shut with a piercing strike.
Thud!
"Fuck off!" Leinas growled, swinging her spear to slam the worm into the ground.
A Archangel Flame swooped in, its flaming sword cleaving the worm's head clean off.
[Gained Experience: 101]
[Experience Bar: 4302/10000]
However, perhaps the Archangel Flames were too conspicuous in this environment, or the battle's noise and the incessant cries of the carrion birds above drew unwanted attention.
Whoosh!!
A heavy whooshing sound erupted behind one Archangel Flame.
A massive, thick tail whipped from the mud, slamming into the archangel's back with a thunderous crash.
Boom!
The archangel's armor crumpled, the sheer force hurling it dozens of meters away.
The long, sturdy tail retracted into the mire.
The mud churned, bubbles rising as something stirred.
Thump! Thump!
Two massive, heavy feet emerged from the mire.
A crocodile-like creature with a colossal jaw and razor-sharp teeth crawled out. Spikes lined its bony back, its skin caked in mud and moss.
As its full form emerged, the air grew still.
The beast was six meters long and a meter tall, a towering monster.
"Swamp Jaws!" Leinas's face paled. "Rated difficulty 60 by the Adventurers' Guild, a terrifying magical beast."
***
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