CHAPTER 414: CHAPTER 215: INVERTED FIRMAMENT AND THE DECAYING LEAF EARTH (2)

Just like the proverb passed down in the Vireis clan: in the Dark Territory, if you accidentally fall into a cave, you might encounter a famished Terror Claw Beast or perhaps a long-hidden secret treasure.

An "alleged newcomer" inadvertently recruited into the squad suddenly displayed extraordinary power, disrupting the original plans of the two, yet staying without incident until the last mission when they discovered that the long-pursued target was precisely the subject of the other’s investigation.

The plot thickens.

When Vireis stood in the bushes, gazing across an open space, seeing the corpse of the Beastman.

When the dazzling Magic Radiance flickering around the opponent’s neck reflected in her eyes, which grew increasingly bright in the deepening night.

This half-breed from the Dark Territory suddenly recalled the night before she passed the clan’s trial.

Sweet, and memorable.

Everything was worth it.

The pathological pursuit of money and wealth cultivated unconsciously over years of adventuring even made Vireis instinctively want to pocket the Magic Accessories before her.

But in the next second, the remaining reason deep within her heart warned her:

Don’t rush, don’t rush yet.

First, deal with the only outsider on the field, that young lad newly joined in the team.

She and her teammates would naturally have a good discussion about the distribution of the spoils.

At that time, if still unsatisfied...

Vireis’s eyes flickered, and the intense greed buried deep within her pupils vanished in a blink.

"Snap."

Behind her, footsteps rapidly approached, accompanied by the sound of breaking branches and the clanging of metal chain.

Here they come!

Her heart was suddenly alert.

Instinctively turning her head, she silently met eyes with Cash.

That gaze, seen countless times and identical to hers, made a slight arc appear at the corner of her mouth involuntarily.

No extra communication was needed, Vireis knew clearly in her heart that her long-time teammate shared her thoughts.

Her mind raced, countless thoughts flashed through in an instant.

This black-haired young man, known among the low-level adventurers in River Valley Town as the "Gray Sword", possessed power far surpassing other newly promoted professionals.

Though his combat style leaned more towards close combat, his armor was thick and heavy, providing good defense.

But after careful observation over several missions, she knew well that he also mastered a type of Charge Battle Skill with explosive power, enabling quick displacement in a short time.

And it didn’t seem to consume much, allowing repeated use in a single battle.

Under normal circumstances, he would absolutely be a very tough opponent.

In close combat, wielding that distinctly personal Iron Gray Longsword, suspected to possess Master Level Battle Skill of arc-shaped slash, even the thick fur and skin of a Bear couldn’t resist;

From top to bottom, his finely made Plate Chain Composite Armor and the rugged styled Leg Armor wrapped almost his entire body, granting him toughness and defense far beyond ordinary adventurers with high tolerance for mistakes.

Whenever attempting to distance, the displacement battle skill that materializes a wolf head in the air would instantly shift the battlefield advantage under the control of Wolf Teeth.

Retreat, maneuvering, approaching attack...

As long as you don’t possess speed faster than the wolf howl, he controls the development on the field.

Opportunity is fleeting.

At the very beginning, when the opponent approaches, before sensing any hostility in that brief moment.

It’s the perfect chance to resolve the opponent with the fastest speed.

Otherwise, once the "Gray Sword" reacts, the field would fall into a stalemate tug-of-war.

Clearly, resolving Xia Nan in an instant was an arduous task.

But Vireis, in her heart, remained particularly confident.

On one hand, the Zor Elf bloodline within made her increasingly calm and composed at critical moments, naturally an assassin, with nerves of steel.

On the other hand, it was also due to her own comprehensive and somewhat intricate preparation.

Her right hand, tightly gripping a sharp short dagger, quietly brushed against her waist, and in the next second, a slender oval object resembling a closed eye suddenly appeared in her fingers at the blind spot of Xia Nan’s vision.

It was her trump card brought from the clan, placed closely for crucial moments.

A specially processed and treated eyestalk from an Observer Beholder.

This dangerous demon with a challenge level of up to "3" doesn’t possess the burly and strong physique of a Bear, nor is it even as physically robust as a Petrified Lizard.

However, their eyes and tentacles, capable of emitting "Confusing Gaze," "Paralyzing Gaze," "Fearful Gaze," and "Injuring Gaze," make them one of the most terrifying presences in the many deep tunnels of the Dark Territory.

At present, the eyeball in Vireis’s hand retains a Fearful Gaze.

By channeling her spiritual power and gently squeezing, that special gaze, which could plunge the target into a state of "fear," would fall upon Xia Nan.

She wasn’t sure how long Xia Nan would be affected by this consumable tool.

A minute, thirty seconds, or just a few breaths?

Considering the worst-case scenario, he might have a will strong enough to completely resist the mental attack of the Fearful Gaze.

At the same time, with the Wanderer’s class ability, the Shadow Binding she mastered had already trapped his legs like thick mud.

This ability is not one that can be nullified by willpower alone, and his physical attributes wouldn’t be enough to instantly break free.

An instant, even a momentary confinement.

Would be enough for Vireis to continue her plan.

Her Shadow Body would grant her a movement speed far surpassing usual in a short time, allowing her master level Direct Stab to display explosive power in an instant.

And considering every possible scenario with no lower limit, even if this attack didn’t achieve the ideal effect amidst all these conditions and while ignoring Cash, who was acting alongside her,

as long as her two poisoned short daggers brushed against him, the deadly poison would seep into his body through the wound and flow through his bloodstream.

By that time, the scales of the victory goddess would completely tip in their favor.

Vireis didn’t hold back in the slightest, revealing her trump card and going all out from the start.

And if everything went as she anticipated, Xia Nan might suffer a blow sufficient to impact the situation on the field in less than a second.

Unfortunately, no matter how meticulously Vireis planned, and how insidious and cunning her methods were,

she never imagined that everything stalled from the very beginning.

Just as the short dagger in her hand was thrust forward, the master level Direct Stab battle skill was not even formed;

her body’s surface briefly showed afterimages, the explosive power brought by the Shadow Body was still brewing in her muscles;

in the dim light casting slight distortion on the meadow’s shadow, the Shadow Binding had only just locked onto its target, slowly reaching beneath them.

At the very beginning,

she aimed at Xia Nan before her, and forcefully squeezed open the eyeball from the Observer Beholder in her hand.

When that tightly closed eye abruptly opened, casting a dark purple beam at the black-haired youth, attempting to plunge him into a state of fear,

everything ended.

...

[Gaze into the Abyss]

Category: Specialty

Effect: 1. When resisting mental control spells like charms, fear, hypnosis, etc., your immunity checks gain a bonus (affected by Perception Attribute);

2. When you successfully resist the mental control effect, the spellcaster must forcefully perform an immunity check, failing which they fall into a state of [temporary unconsciousness] and suffer certain mind damage.

...

Vireis found it difficult to describe with words the kind of experience she had at the moment she squeezed open the Observer Beholder’s eyeball.

All thoughts, plans in her mind, and even greed for wealth, were instantly dispelled by a vast and invisible force.

It wasn’t a simple blank mind; even the ability to "think," innate to every living being, seemed to have been stripped away.

Only a desiccated body containing a pale soul remained, sinking unceasingly in the lightless Bottomless Abyss.

Vireis didn’t know how long she remained in this state.

When her eyes regained focus, and the colorful world once again with light refracted into her pupils,

she suddenly realized that the sky and the ground seemed to have rapidly flipped over in rotation.

Trees grew downward from the mud and decayed leaves forming the sky, while the lush canopy and dim twilight descended to become the earth.

The final thread of thought spun in her mind, eventually waking up with the iron grey sword light remaining at the corner of her eye, and amidst the headless body spewing blood.

Ah... so it was.

"Bang."

Amidst the silent forest, the sound of a body falling echoed.