Chapter 321

Chapter 321: Ant Tribe vs. Earth Dragon (End)

The one who slew Fire Dragon Fan was indeed Darkling Stalker.

Upon entering the forest’s depths, the commotion caused by Fire Dragon Fan being sent flying from Dragon Flossie’s strike had drawn her attention nearby.

Morphing into a shadow, she hurried to investigate and discovered the gravely wounded Fire Dragon collapsed on the ground.

Darkling Stalker then cloaked herself and stealthily circled behind the Fire Dragon. With a single motion, she plunged her shadowy forelimb into Fire Dragon Fan’s skull while shadow-forged weapons erupted simultaneously, impaling the dragon’s battered body.

Within mere breaths, the formidable Class A LV.50 Earth Dragon was slain.

This kill granted her another level advancement, elevating her to LV.43.

A new skill emerged:

"Shadowification": Transform into shadow, enhancing skill damage while mitigating incoming harm. The user may directly assault enemies through their shadow form.

Not long after eliminating Earth Dragon Fan, she detected the approaching disturbances of Ice Dragon Orna.

…

Returning to the present:

Of the two Earth Dragons previously slain, Earth Dragon Jon had required assistance from Army Lady and Lvzi, coupled with her infiltration of the creature’s body for internal destruction.

The Fire Dragon’s swift demise had only been possible due to her level advantage and the target’s critical injuries combined with mental instability.

This Ice Dragon differed—evidently superior to its predecessors.

Yet… it would merely demand slightly more time.

The Shadowification-enhanced Ant Tribe member seemed to grin as endless shadows converged from all directions, coalescing into innumerable blades that hurtled toward the Ice Dragon.

Orna snorted coldly. Fresh ice shields materialized around her form while frost from the ground tore upward, crystallizing into frozen projectiles midair that launched at both the shadow blades and their caster.

Collisions between ice bullets and shadow blades sparked thunderous detonations overhead.

Unhindered projectiles struck their intended marks.

The ice volleys targeting Darkling Stalker phased harmlessly through her shadow-state, leaving the Ant warrior unscathed.

Contrastingly, Orna—initially confident in her shields—flinched as searing pain erupted across her scales despite the ice barriers visibly blocking the shadow blades. Crimson welled where invisible strikes split her flesh.

Checking her status panel, she confirmed her Health Value had indeed dropped.

As shadow blades hammered relentlessly against the ice shields, Orna suddenly screamed—her entire body flaring with sword-cut agony though the barriers remained intact. Fresh wounds materialized moments later, blood gushing as if she were being flayed alive.

"What sorcery is this?!"

How could this wraith-like foe bypass her defenses?!

Orna glared furiously at Darkling Stalker. Even as she conjured additional Magic Shields around herself, the attacks persisted undeterred.

The shadow-clad Ant emitted a guttural *"kiki"* chuckle.

What use was comprehension now?

After savoring the Ice Dragon’s fury, Darkling Stalker gestured with a forelimb toward Orna’s back—or more precisely, toward the dragon’s own shadow stretching behind her.

Orna turned to gaze behind her.

Her own shadow bristled with numerous shadowy blades lodged within it.

Her shadow?! If attacks on shadows reflect damage…So that’s the trick?

Her draconic eyes narrowed intently.

But knowing this changed everything…

With swift reflexes, Orna conjured an icy barrier around her shadow.

The renewed onslaught of shadow blades clattered against the frost shield, failing to reach either her physical form or shadow. True enough, no fresh wounds manifested.

Yet the accumulated damage from earlier assaults weighed heavily—particularly the initial ambush. Her Health Value now teetered below one-third, while Magic Value dwindled from sustaining continuous regeneration and cryomancy.

How to counter this foe?

An ant monster? Her claws tightened. This creature wielded unnatural skills, and her previous strikes had proven utterly futile. Was its essence bound to shadows?

As the last shadow blade shattered against her defenses, Orna whirled around—

Vanished?!

The realization chilled her blood seconds before familiar wind-whispers teased her ears.

Approaching during my turn! Another coward’s strike!

"Face me, coward!" she roared, forelegs rising instinctively to rend the enemy with dragon claws.

Though renowned for magic among Earth Dragons, Orna’s physical prowess remained formidable—a direct hit would cripple any adversary.

Yet disbelief seized her as her limbs betrayed their course. The sensation resembled stepping into void, her raised foreleg abruptly veering sideways!

Razor-sharp claws tore through her own ice shield, plunging into the shadow beneath.

Agony erupted across her abdomen as phantom gashes split her scaled flesh.

"ROARRRR!!!"

The bellow of pain shook the battlefield. Her Magic Shield and ice barrier flickered precariously.

Darkling Stalker struck like a viper. The massive shadow limb she’d been coalescing pierced through both faltering shields as easily as rice paper, spearing into the unhealed wound at Orna’s skull base.

BOOOOM!!!

The Ice Dragon’s watermelon-sized head exploded violently. The mountainous body swayed, then collapsed with ground-shaking force.

Orna’s Health Value flatlined.

Thus perished all five Class A LV.50 Earth Dragons—Aier and Kekui slain by Red Pupil; Jon, Fan, and Orna falling to Darkling Stalker.

Her status panel flickered—LV.43 to LV.45.

Only two levels? Hitting the ceiling already?

Darkling Stalker’s brow furrowed momentarily.

The newly acquired skills from Jon and Fan soothed her irritation. "Shadowification" from Fan complemented Jon’s "Shadow Doll"—a brutal technique linking target and shadow. Any shadow wound mirrored on flesh, while subtle manipulations turned victims into marionettes.

This explained Orna’s self-maiming and Fan’s earlier downfall.

After reviewing her panel, she glanced at the draconic corpses before peering into the forest’s shadowed depths.

With maximum level achieved…No purpose in lingering.

Once Mother and the others—

Her thoughts scattered as Lin Yu’s consciousness brushed against hers.