Chapter 1179: Obsidian Guard (Part 1)

Unexpectedly for themselves, Adam and Fromund found themselves in the middle of a battlefield.

Not that it was an unfamiliar location for the two of them, but due to the lack of information about the location of the Twilight Crystals, they had already prepared themselves for a long and tedious search, but perhaps they would not have to do so.

This couldn’t help but please Fromund, who felt much more at home in situations like this than in fierce one-on-one battles like the one he had faced against Adam at the Moon Colosseum.

Thump. Thump. Thump.

Dozens of obsidian golems moved straight toward the fiery core to absorb its energy before it exploded, but they weren’t the only monsters for whom the core was valuable.

The volcano beasts that had been waiting for their moment decided to attack all at once. They would have been no different from hundreds of other beasts if not for the small volcanoes on their backs that functioned as cannons.

One or two volcano beasts would not have been a serious threat. However, when there were so many of them, they could destroy everything in their path while they had the opportunity to shoot.

Watching dozens of fireballs cross the dark sky, Fromund stepped forward as his energy became more active.

Tap.

But before he could do anything, Adam stopped him by pulling him back by his sleeve.

“Hey! What’s going on?” Fromund frowned.

Adam nodded his head forward.

“Look. Those two sides aren’t the only ones who want the core. Arayna said we need to look for glowing pillars, right?”

Fromund nodded silently.

“Well, I don’t see anything like that here. The core just absorbed too much energy and became an important resource, but very soon, someone will capture it. Also, I don’t see any passages down here where the Twilight Crystals could be.”

Looking around the dark field, Fromund nodded again. Adam was right; among the multitude of lava channels, rivers, and small hills, there was nothing that stood out.

Obviously, they needed to look for a passage down somewhere else. However, neither they nor their Operators knew exactly where to go.

That meant they needed to find someone who did.

Fromund narrowed his eyes, as did Adam, when he finally noticed a multitude of shadows rapidly approaching the battlefield.

Their long, chitin-covered bodies with thin legs were nothing like beasts or golems.

“Are those insects?” Fromund muttered, then his eyes widened in realization. “Right, that’s what Arayna was talking about. She said to look for a hole, but not a cave or a gorge. Insects don’t need caves, just a thin tunnel, right?”

Strangely enough, Fromund was right about everything. At the moment, it was their best theory.

“Yeah, I think so too. Most likely, these insects also want to take the core. We may have to help them.”

“Hmm?” Fromund tilted his head in confusion.

“Just wait.”

Just a few seconds later, several of the volcano beasts stopped firing at the obsidian golems and shifted their attention to the approaching Kirani Bugs. Each bug had four wide, glass-like wings that moved quickly, supporting their large bodies in the air.

Their only weapons were their powerful jaws and two front legs with broad, blade-like tips.

They didn’t look as threatening as many of the weaker monsters with various abilities, but that didn’t mean they weren’t dangerous.

These were the Black Threat Level monsters that could handle a Lesser Elder or even seriously injure an Elder if there were enough of them.

As with the Phantoms, abilities were only an indication of how extensive a fighter’s arsenal was, not their strength. A stronger Phantom could defeat a weaker one through sheer physical strength.

BLAST! BLAST! BLAST!

One by one, magma shells flew out of the volcano beast, hitting the approaching Kirani Bugs. The insects tried to dodge, but there were too many shells. As soon as they dodged one, three more appeared.

It seemed as if the volcano beasts could shoot endlessly, and their energy would never run out.

In any other situation, neither Adam nor Fromund nor any of the other Phantoms would have interfered in this battle or helped any particular monsters.

But the Kirani Bugs were the only ones who could lead them to their destination.

Step.

Adam stepped forward, staring intently at the volcano beasts. It was obvious that they were the problem. With every second, the shells knocked down several Kirani Bugs, and the insects couldn’t keep up with replenishing their ranks.

“Hey, there’s no need for that.” Fromund shook his head with a slight smile on his face.

Adam raised an eyebrow.

“Hmm? What are you talking about? If we don’t deal with these living cannons, we’ll lose track of those bug monsters.”

“Nah, that’s not what I mean. I agree we need to deal with these beasts, but you don’t need to do anything.”

Adam said nothing, but remained puzzled.

Crunch. Crunch. Crunch.

With a crunch, Fromund stretched as he stood atop the hill.

“Have you forgotten what my strength is? If we were at war and leading battalions of warriors, I would most likely defeat you. Hah, come to think of it, at the Moon Colosseum, you had the advantage against me from the start!”

With excitement, Fromund thrust his arm forward as his aura suddenly became several times more powerful.

“I had to fight you in a 1-on-1 battle when that was your strong point and not mine. My path and my abilities, like myself… Well, I love scale!”

At the same moment, at Fromund’s command, particles of flame appeared high in the sky. They trembled violently in one spot until they turned into portals the size of a medium-sized house.

Each possessed enough energy to rival a beast or golem, posing a looming threat. The monsters didn’t know what was waiting for them, but soon everything would become clear.

Then, Adam saw Fromund’s ability, which had changed since the last time, but retained its essence — dozens of meteors gathering to rain down on the battlefield, specifically on the volcano beasts.