Chapter 100: Fire Immunity

Thorn demons were not native creatures of the material plane.

They often vibrated their bat-like massive membrane wings, shuttling through hell's turbid firmament filled with flame clouds.

Shrieking as they searched for prey on the surface.

But for various reasons—for example, coincidental planar rifts, unlucky novice summoners, cultists reciting wrong chants, greedy ones attempting to deal with devils...

This type of monster with massive population also often appeared on Ephara Continent.

During my rest period in River Valley Town, I'd urgently crammed knowledge about various aspects of this world.

Especially monsters possibly encountered during adventures—I seriously memorized them all in my mind.

Therefore, I clearly knew this hell monster with challenge rating as high as "2" was far from something I, unable to even independently handle bear goblins yet, could deal with.

Almost the first moment I identified its "thorn demon" identity through its appearance characteristics.

Even the dust from its crash landing hadn't completely dispersed—I instantly changed direction.

Slightly sacrificing some speed, planning to go around from the side.

In my view, under the terrifying imposing presence from Karanfor behind, no matter how fierce the thorn demon's nature, it wouldn't at this life-or-death moment waste escape time entangling with me.

But unexpectedly, I'd just taken two steps to the left.

"Sizzle!"

A bone spike adorned with barbs shot like a bullet into the muddy ground before me.

Footsteps urgently stopping, I instinctively leaped back.

Brow furrowed, pitch-black eyes looking toward the fierce figure ahead on the road.

Its condition seemed somewhat wrong.

Seemingly just having fought some creature, the thorn demon's body showed obvious injuries:

Tough skin capable of resisting hell's blazing storms was torn by some sharp weapon, leaving a bloody wound at its chest center;

The massive bat wing that let it escape earth's gravity and soar the firmament—its left half suffered heavy damage, folded down from the middle, wound exposing pale bone fragments.

And what most made me vigilant was the obviously much richer fungal spore purple mist around the thorn demon's body.

"Infected?"

I pondered inwardly.

Still didn't want to delay and waste time with it here.

I carefully moved several horizontal steps sideways away from the thorn demon's direction.

Seemed to want to show I had no intention of threatening it.

What came to meet me was a shriek full of pungent sulfur smell.

"Hisss!"

Only just reaching an ordinary human's waist, the thorn demon's lean body suddenly burst with exaggerated speed ordinary people fundamentally couldn't react to.

Even I could only see a blurred phantom flash before my eyes, instinctively raising my longsword to hold before my chest.

Clang—

The beheading longsword's blade violently trembled.

I only felt an extremely penetrating force transmit from both hands throughout my entire body.

"Tap, tap, tap."

Mud stars splattering, I retreated three steps.

Looking again, the thorn demon had already withdrawn back to its original position.

Crouching, wings covering its body, long tail raised high—like a venomous snake threatening enemies, lightly swaying.

"Huff..."

Exhaling a long breath, the soreness in my arms gradually dissipated.

I no longer moved, instead maintaining defensive posture, firmly staring at the thorn demon ahead.

Brain rapidly operating.

"Too fast!"

Clearly already severely injured, having lost flying ability.

This monster from hell still displayed powerful explosive force I couldn't match.

In this situation—

Escaping, absolutely impossible!

Probably just slightly exposing my back to it—the next second, jagged sharp fangs would pierce through my neck.

Behind me, from Karanfor, layer upon layer of heat waves stirred up by transcendent battle aftershocks constantly impacted my back.

Increasingly scorching!

The smooth iron-gray blade reflected the fierce monster surrounded by spores ahead.

In the depths of my pitch-black eyes.

All hesitation and retreating intent were swept away in an instant.

Replacing them was battle intent and determination igniting my heart!

Both eyes locking onto its body, paying attention to its every move.

I leaned my body forward, suddenly charging!

Without ranged attack means, to win this encounter, I had to close distance with it.

"Sizzle!"

In my ears came air's wail from being torn.

In my vision seemed to have a blurred black shadow flash past.

Instinctively tilting my head aside.

Hiss snap—

Several strands of hair fell from beside my ear.

The bone spike capable of penetrating steel grazed past my face. The force it stirred made my cheek painfully ache.

One step from death, heart violently pumping, blood even more surging and scalding as if boiling.

I could even hear the magnificent sound of fresh blood surging through blood vessels.

Both hands gripping the longsword, the combat skill practiced countless times displayed again in this world.

Step forward, gather force.

As if rooting deep in soil, vigorous force surged up from the soles, gathering all strength throughout my body, collecting it to one point.

Wrist, sword hilt, blade edge.

Everything transformed into the purest slash.

【Whirlwind Slash】!

Whooom—

Iron-gray sharp arc light flashed briefly in the air.

But different from the past, that perfect sword light that should cut flesh and harvest lives.

This time came to an abrupt halt.

"Clang!!!"

The grating sound of hard objects colliding.

Never before—my 【Whirlwind Slash】 was actually forcibly blocked.

With challenge rating as high as "2," having completely reached professional strength—the thorn demon.

Even severely injured, still possessed powerful physical fitness far exceeding ordinary adventurers.

Almost the first moment I closed to before it, it reacted.

Left arm lifting, sharp bone clusters proliferating at the elbow joint blocked right where the blade was about to pass.

Sparks scattering!

The blade violently trembled from friction with bone clusters.

In the corner of my eye was the thorn demon's long tail once again silently raised high, and pale sharp light flashing through the air.

This inferior monster from outer planes actually wanted to, while wrestling with me, once again shoot its bone spike that could easily penetrate human bodies!

Making a snap decision, I exerted full strength, both hands pushing the longsword fiercely forward. Footsteps retreating, while pulling distance from it.

My left hand from the waist pouch—fire oil bomb already prepared.

Forcefully threw it at the thorn demon's face!

"Boom!"

Turbid dust and pitch-black oil liquid exploded in firelight in an instant, transforming into curling orange-red flames, devouring that goat-bone-like narrow head.

No intention of pausing at all.

Seeing the thrown object seemed effective, I gripped the longsword in hand, just about to seize victory and pursue.

Immediately, another shriek interrupted my movement.

Sound waves vibrating, faintly stirring ripples in the air.

The special fire oil bomb from River Valley Town general store, fierce flames that had incinerated countless insects.

Falling on the thorn demon, like water drops into a sponge.

Visibly, in one breath, the curling, coiling flame tongues seemed to gain consciousness, actively extinguishing, seeping into pores.

Revealing the thorn demon's rough skin without any scorch marks.