Chapter 238 - 142: Frenzy Rune
Most of the underground caverns were dark. There was no sunlight here; the only source of light was the bioluminescent moss that grew underground. This moss grew in clusters, resembling tiny crystals that emitted blue, yellow, and green light. It carpeted the cavern walls, dispelling some of the Darkness.
The cavern passages were a sprawling, dangerous maze, teeming with countless Demonized Beasts.
Danger always lurked in the Darkness. A Demonized Wild Wolf hid itself in the shadows, waiting for prey. The Darkness might affect other creatures, but not the Demonized Creatures. They had lived in these underground caverns for far too long and had long since adapted.
There was a huge difference between a Demonized Wild Wolf and a regular Desert Wolf. They were larger, with sharper claws and fangs. Tusks jutted from their mouths, and black veins were visible on their skin. Their eyes, slightly bulging and bloodshot, held a hint of madness.
They were the lowest-tier creatures in the Underworld, often serving as food for other Demonized Creatures.
This particular Demonized Wild Wolf was a native species. It had been born a Demonized Creature, living its entire life underground, and was intimately familiar with its surroundings. But just yesterday, a hole had opened in the "sky," and something had come through it into its world.
They were small creatures, a type of animal it had never seen before. It didn’t know why they had come or how strong they were, so it chose to wait and see, not daring to get any closer.
Today, light shone down from the sky-hole, attracting more Demonized Beasts to the area. They wanted to go out and investigate, but their extreme aversion to the light made them stop just before the opening. Still, they wouldn’t leave. A few foolish ones, suppressing their disgust for the light, charged out.
The Demonized Beasts heard the roars and howls of their companions who had charged out, but the sounds soon turned to agonized wails before falling silent altogether.
’As expected, that light is dangerous!’
’But what if the light disappears?’
The Demonized Beasts chose to wait.
Their patience was rewarded. The light began to dim, and the Darkness slowly returned. The Demonized Beasts grew excited, waiting for the light to vanish completely so they could rush out of the sky-hole and see what was on the other side.
But just as the Darkness was about to return, the light flared again. It came so suddenly that it startled the nearby Demonized Creatures. They sensed this light was different from before, but light was light, and they hated it. Light exposed them, and exposure meant danger. That was a bad thing.
So they retreated and continued to wait.
An unknown amount of time passed before more things began falling from the sky-hole. They were skeletons. The Demonized Beasts couldn’t understand why skeletons were falling from the sky—moreover, these skeletons were moving, and they burned with fire.
Food was scarce in the underground caverns. After every hunt, the Demonized Beasts would eat their prey clean, not even leaving the bones behind. They had been waiting by the sky-hole for too long and hadn’t hunted. Now, they were ravenous. Seeing those bleached-white bones, some could no longer hold back.
’Even if it’s just bones, it’s still excellent food!’
One Demonized Wild Wolf could no longer bear it. Its stomach felt like it was on fire. Hunger ignited its ferocity and madness. With a howl, it was the first to pounce on a Skeleton, intending to crush its bones and swallow them.
The Demonized Wild Wolf had a vague sense that the fire burning within the Skeleton would be of great benefit to it.
The Skeleton Undead descending from above had already sensed the disturbance in the cavern. It then saw a Demonized Wild Wolf suddenly lunge from the Darkness. But seeing and reacting were two different things. The Demonized Wild Wolf’s charge was too ferocious, and the Skeleton Undead was instantly tackled to the ground.
The instant the Demonized Wild Wolf crushed its skull, the Skeleton Undead plunged the Bone Saber in its hand into the beast’s body. Then, its Soul Fire dissipated.
Wisps of Soul Fire drifted into the Demonized Wild Wolf’s nostrils. It sniffed deeply, a look of satisfaction spreading across its face. It even forgot to immediately crush and devour the bones.
Just as it was reveling in the Soul Power, several figures leaped down from above. Pickaxes, swords, and hammers swung unhesitatingly at the Demonized Wild Wolf. Before it could react, it was struck by several attacks and collapsed with a piteous howl.
To enhance the Skeleton Undead’s combat effectiveness, Li Ziyu had equipped them with Weapons. Apart from the Weapons taken from the Natives, Jackal Wolfmen, and Kobolds, most of the other Undead were equipped with Bone Sabers. The things were cheap and effective.
As the Demonized Wild Wolf fell howling under the assault of numerous Undead, the other Demonized Beasts finally launched their own attack.
The first Demonized Wild Wolf had served its purpose. Now they understood the combat strength of these skeletons: they were just weaklings, utterly fragile. What was there to hesitate about? Weren’t these skeletons just a walking buffet?
Facing the swarming Demonized Creatures, the Skeleton Undead were utterly fearless—or rather, they didn’t even know what fear was. They just raised their Weapons and charged head-on. If you bit them, they hit you. If you clawed them, they hit you. If you tried to run, they still hit you. They fought without regard for their own existence, simply trading life for life.
The Skeleton Undead’s combat power was limited. Facing so many Demonized Beasts, they could only hold their ground. From the very beginning, they were at a disadvantage. But more Skeleton Undead were dropping from above, continuously joining the fray. The tide of battle began to turn.