Chapter 398

Chapter 398: Slaying the Prey

Since stealth failed, only confrontation remained.

Staying hidden at such distance limited usable methods. Unwilling to deploy his trump card, Midi found the Demon Swordman’s sword techniques most effective here.

Golden-red glow erupted around Midi.

He sprang from concealment, his longsword carving four intersecting sword lights with surgical precision.

Sword Soul skill: Double Cross Slash.

Blood sprayed from Terrorclaw Scorpion’s cracked armor, drawing Blue Serpent Tribe’s dark elves’ attention.

"Intruder!"

Their faces showed shock and poorly concealed wariness. Midi’s display clearly marked him as dangerous.

Yet since he aided them without hostility, the dark elves had no choice but fight alongside him in this crisis.

The Asura finally recovered, disengaging to bombard the scorpion. Though less skilled than Midi’s volleys, his Exploding Flame Orbs fell rhythmically, hampering the magical beast’s movements.

Seizing this, Midi struck from mid-distance.

Poison mist couldn’t reach here. His sword lights pierced armor gaps at full power.

Though cooperating hastily, Cuide the Blue Serpent Warrior demonstrated fine tactical sense, easing Midi’s burden.

Meanwhile, the once-dominant Terrorclaw Scorpion sustained mounting injuries.

Veteran Midi pressed the advantage fiercely.

Each strike worsened the beast’s wounds. Golden-Red Sword Lights’ psychic energy and Dragon’s might further crippled its recovery.

The tide turned. The mighty magical beast finally showed fatigue and fear.

Abruptly, Terrorclaw Scorpion shrieked and thrashed violently. Mushrooms toppled as Blue Serpent dark elves retreated.

"Beware! It seeks mutual destruction!" warned the Level 61 peak Dark Elf Demon Swordman.

Midi snorted. True kamikaze attackers didn’t posture – they struck without warning. This spectacle meant only one thing:

Escape.

As predicted, the scorpion’s six legs churned through mushroom mist, its bulk retreating without turning.

"Fleeing?!" The dark elves froze momentarily before shouting:

"After it! Don’t let it escape!"

The Level 61 peak Demon Swordman gritted his teeth and issued another order.

The Terrorclaw Scorpion had killed their companions. By the customs of the Shaded Realm, vengeance was mandatory.

Every part of a Terrorclaw Scorpion held value. Having paid such high cost to drive it into severe injury, the dark elves wouldn’t let it escape.

Yet despite its heavy injuries, the scorpion’s speed remained unimaginable.

Or perhaps its desperate escape came precisely because of those wounds.

Though all dark elves present were above Level 60, none possessed sustained high-speed movement skills. They’d also fallen for the scorpion’s feint earlier. Their pursuit further slowed as they clambered over toppled mushroom trees.

Only Midi kept close pursuit. He’d seen through the creature’s tricks from the start and possessed flying skills.

Swirling with Golden-Red Sword Lights, he didn’t truly fly but used low-profile disguise to mimic leaping motions. His speed seemed unbelievable yet logically explainable.

Soon, scorpion and pursuer vanished into the Dark Mushroom Forest’s depths.

Blue Serpent Tribe warriors refused to abandon chase, though helplessness crept into their expressions.

“Who’s that guy anyway?”

“Not dark elf – too pale. Round ears too.” A sharp-eyed dark elf observed.

“Wolfspider Tribe’s slave warrior. Saw their mark on his magical iron collar.” Cuide’s voice cut through. “Brilliant movement skills – even I can’t match them.”

Instant silence fell.

Only the Level 61 peak Demon Swordman broke it, sneering: “Brother Cuide! Just a scavenging slave! Let me catch him and he’ll pay!”

Many dark elves nodded agreement.

This round-eared slave had stolen their hard-won prey. They’d lured the scorpion, fought eight-strong for hours, lost comrades – only for some slave to snatch victory? Unbearable!

“Enough, Vorg. He saved us,” Cuide shook his head.

Vorg persisted: “If you hadn’t been injured, brother—”

A bloodcurdling shriek pierced the forest depths – abruptly silenced as if throttled.

Blue Serpent Tribe members stiffened.

The Terrorclaw Scorpion had fallen. Close by.

With effort, their lost prey could be reclaimed.

“Brother!” Vorg stamped, glaring at Cuide.

All eyes locked on their leader.

“Pursue,” Cuide declared after brief pause.

Five kilometers from the battlefield, Midi stood on a mushroom cap, wiping sweat as steam rose from his breath.

Below lay the lifeless Terrorclaw Scorpion.

A narrow but infinitely deep wound split its armor. Through this, Midi’s sword light had pierced three massive hearts.

From the start of the chase to the Terrorclaw Scorpion’s death, only a few breaths passed. Yet Midi deeply sensed the ferocity of Shaded Realm’s magical beasts.

He’d been forced to use mind-related abilities beyond simple environmental awareness.

The scorpion’s defensive power proved shockingly strong. In its dying moments, the surrounding poison mist liquefied into gelatinous armor that hardened into a second shell.

Now resembling a miniature "Fury Cruiser", the creature left Midi no choice but to use his trump card. With unseen reinforcements nearby, he channeled psychic energy invisible to ordinary eyes.

To observers, the scorpion merely tripped and revealed a fatal flaw for Midi to exploit. Only Midi knew the massive creature’s terrifying Vitality and defense.

"Opponents in Dark Dragon City dwarf this runt. Strengthen yourself quickly," Eighth Apostle Rot’s voice suddenly intoned.

"I know," Midi answered bitterly.

Even with reincarnation’s gift and twenty years of Insight, he remained inadequate in this vast world. To survive Death’s Pursuit Order and protect Fina and Alice, he couldn’t pause – only push forward relentlessly.

Rot’s voice returned: "Later I’ll extract this scorpion’s core. Beneficial for spirit forms."

"So that’s why you insisted I kill it," Midi realized. "But we’ll wait. Trouble approaches." His hand settled on his sword hilt.

Seven dark elf warriors sprinted through Dark Mushroom Forest’s far end. The fleeing scorpion and pursuing Midi had left obvious battle traces, making tracking easy for Blue Serpent Tribe warriors.

Reaching the corpse, they deployed grappling hooks to scale nearby mushrooms, rising to Midi’s elevation. Midi waited silently above.

Though wanting sole claim, the armored beast’s size and toughness made rapid removal impossible even with wilderness expert Zaknavan’s help. Since escape proved futile, Midi chose to stand his ground – he’d grown accustomed to direct combat.

But Blue Serpent Tribe’s hostility exceeded expectations.

"Wolfspider Tribe slave! Move!" barked Demon Swordman Vorg, gripping his weapon. "This Terrorclaw Scorpion is Blue Serpent Tribe’s prey – every part belongs to us!"