Chapter 397

Chapter 397: Terrorclaw Scorpion

"Hurry, speed up! Don’t let it catch us!"

The leading Asura shouted.

Even amidst continuous explosion sounds, the dark elf Asura kept issuing orders calmly.

Flames gathered around his longsword again. A single slash released a devastating Exploding Flame Orb that smashed into the Terrorclaw Scorpion, cracking its armored shell and shattering the edges.

Just by seeing the scorched rocks and feeling the hot wind’s temperature, Midi realized this explosion surpassed even his own Explosive Flame Wave Sword.

The dark elf had used advanced techniques with his skill.

Not rapid strikes or volleys – this was a charged attack.

Through power accumulation, his Explosive Flame Wave Sword unleashed unexpected destructive force.

So the Shaded Realm has skilled Demon Swordmen too, Midi thought.

Yet even this couldn’t stop the Terrorclaw Scorpion from Dark Mushroom Forest.

The beast’s recovery was terrifying – unless killed instantly, it regenerated rapidly while maintaining relentless attack power.

The dark elf Asura’s charged attacks drained him visibly. After multiple strikes, fatigue showed.

Still the scorpion pursued the team fiercely.

CRACK!

The metallic tail smashed through mushroom trees thick enough for two men to embrace.

Large beasts of the Shaded Realm truly were fearsome.

Midi stared. These mushroom trees had Skyship-grade armor thickness, yet shattered instantly. Such power made Lizardmen and half-giants seem weak.

Even Midi’s full strength couldn’t withstand direct confrontation – he’d be crushed.

"Cuide! Watch out!"

A dark elf Demon Swordman yelled to the rear-guard Asura.

The enraged Terrorclaw Scorpion charged straight at Cuide, the one with charged attacks.

"Cuide? That name’s familiar." Zaknavan muttered before nodding. "Blue Serpent Tribe members. Explorers. Cuide leads their warriors."

Warrior?

Midi considered the term.

Level 62 with unique techniques – a dark elf tribe’s "Warrior" standard.

Facing this Level 63 beast with monstrous strength and venom, Cuide remained calm and fearless. No panic.

To earn Black Dragon Conference qualification, one must defeat such opponents.

As Midi assessed the situation in his heart, chaos already engulfed the battlefield.

The dark elf Warrior named Cuide clearly held vital importance. When he fell into peril, his comrades didn’t run away but stopped to wait for him while launching repeated attacks.

Yet their attacks proved useless against the Terrorclaw Scorpion. Their magic and skills could only distract it briefly, diverting the beast’s attention.

The scorpion’s defensive power far exceeded ordinary magical beasts, rivaling even the armor of aerial warships. Its magic resistance stood even higher.

Only Melee Fighters could deal real damage by thrusting blades into shell gaps or crushing weak points with hammers.

But evolution over ten thousand years had granted the scorpion poisonous mist shielding its vulnerabilities, making close combat impossible.

The Level 61 peak Demon Swordman – second only to Asura – could only pace helplessly, unable to approach.

"How’s the Blue Serpent’s relationship with Wolf Spider?" Midi abruptly asked.

"Neutral allies," Zaknavan answered curtly.

"Meaning?"

"They share territory with limited cooperation. Before the Black Dragon Conference, tribes conduct elite selections." Zaknavan shrugged. "Allies for the Conference’s height, but constant friction otherwise."

"Perfect," Midi’s ink-black eyes flashed with cold glow.

"You mean to…" Zaknavan trailed off.

"Exactly," Midi confirmed.

Though formidable, the Terrorclaw Scorpion’s value surpassed all Prey they’d hunted combined. Killing it could double their contribution points, shortening their path to freedom by one week.

Risks existed – the Blue Serpent Tribe’s dark elf warriors wouldn’t stay idle. Yet Midi wouldn’t retreat. In the Shaded Realm, power ruled. Without seizing resources, they’d gain nothing. Having chosen violence for the Black Dragon Conference path, they’d see it through.

Midi’s commander thinking activated instantly. Two men meant tactical possibilities. After brief discussion, Zaknavan signaled understanding and melted into the shadows.

Midi advanced until his skills enveloped the battlefield. Arriving as battle peaked, he saw Cuide’s flaming longsword unleash an Exploding Flame Orb.

"Explosive Flame Wave Sword!"

The compressed magic projectile struck the scorpion’s head, unleashing scalding blast of wind. Even the beast’s extraordinary recovery faltered – cracked armor and charred limbs mended slower with each attack.

At the same time, the poisonous mist surrounding the area grew increasingly thin.

Through combined environmental awareness and telepathy, Midi sensed the magical beast wasn’t truly weakened. Instead, it was waiting for the perfect chance to unleash its full power.

The moment had arrived.

Cuide kept draining his magic to cast supercharged Exploding Flame Orbs, the heavy drain slowing his reaction speed.

The higher-level Terrorclaw Scorpion had noticed this weakness.

After enduring another attack, the creature didn’t retreat defensively. Ignoring its injuries, it launched an all-out offensive.

Its massive claws smashed through the Blue Serpent Tribe’s ranks. The scorpion then spun completely around, its steel-whip tail whipping through the air in a deadly arc that struck Cuide.

The Asura flew like a pebble from a sling, crashing through a giant mushroom before hitting the ground.

He staggered upright, blood spilling from his mouth, too unsteady to rejoin the fight.

The Terrorclaw Scorpion didn’t pause. With an ear-splitting roar, it charged the wounded dark elf.

"Cuide!" Other dark elves attacked simultaneously, but their strikes couldn’t deter the beast.

An intelligent magical beast wouldn’t be distracted by such feeble efforts.

As the scorpion’s claws descended toward the Blue Serpent warrior, a crimson-gold sword light pierced the air.

The blade’s radiance sliced through multiple mushrooms and struck true between the scorpion’s armored plates.

Dark green blood sprayed instantly from the wound.

The Terrorclaw Scorpion’s shriek shook the battlefield, raw magic energy rippling outward for kilometers.

When the roar faded, two of the beast’s eight compound eyes hung destroyed.

Even formidable defenses have vulnerabilities.

Cuide’s Explosive Flame Wave Sword couldn’t breach its magic-resistant eyes, but Midi’s strike had succeeded.

Head wounded, the scorpion’s movements slowed enough for Cuide to escape.

But true injury only drove the beast to greater savagery. It abandoned cautious tactics, attacking wildly without restraint.

The eight-meter monstrosity leaped skyward like a falling mountain.

Most Blue Serpent elves dodged, but one central fighter got crushed into pulp beneath the crashing bulk.

Such terrifying force!

The sight chilled even Midi, watching from nearby.

Normally, heavily-armored beasts on Arad moved slowly. But here in the Shaded Realm, this shelled horror wielded claws and tail with lethal grace, even jumping dozens of meters – true overlord of these lands.

Midi had planned to save a dark elf while securing the scorpion through negotiation.

Yet even his ambush strike from the Shadows couldn’t halt the Terrorclaw Scorpion’s killing spree.