I Have a Task Log

The Cultists wielded weapons like Scimitars and Broad-Blade Machetes. They were clad in large Cloaks, offering glimpses of the crude Leather Armor worn underneath.

To Colin, these Cultists were nearly twice his height and looked quite intimidating.

Kase and the others at the front fell back, tightening their defensive formation.

Without hesitation, the distant Cultists swarmed forward.

Their Speed was incredible. Colin had just dealt with the Kobolds, and Ale had just finished her Casting. Neither of them could intercept the Cultists with Magic in time.

’There’s no room to cast safely now.’

Holding Burning Blood, Colin stepped forward and thrust his sword at a Cultist.

The Cultist ignored the threat, swinging a broad-bladed scimitar, as wide as a man’s palm, directly at him.

The next instant.

The sharp tip of the sword pierced straight through the Leather Armor and into the opponent’s chest.

But a barrier of faint blue light suddenly appeared before the incoming Wide-Blade Machete—Kase had helped block the powerful, heavy blow.

The other eight Cultists closed in. In response, Dorn, Kase, Orelia, and the created Spiritual Weapon also rushed forward to fight alongside Colin, holding back the other charging enemies.

"Haaa—"

After charging in and exchanging a single round of blows, the Cultists opened their mouths wide and began to inhale.

Their lungs visibly expanded, looking as if they were about to burst.

’It looks like a breath attack.’ A sense of foreboding washed over Colin.

’Should I escape with Misty Step? No, I can’t let Kase and the others take this hit. I have to stop these damn bastards.’

With a backhand, he struck with his Emerald Flame Sword, piercing the throat of the Cultist in front of him. The resulting burst of Flame erupted against another nearby enemy.

The others beside him also fought with all their might to stop their opponents.

Even so, only four of the nine Cultists’ actions were interrupted.

The next moment, a cloud of white and dark green gas spewed from the Cultists’ mouths.

Colin felt an acidic sting in his mouth and nose. An icy, stinging pain washed over his entire body, which immediately transformed into a burning pain.

Then, an endless cold rushed in from all directions, turning the burning pain into complete numbness and weakness.

’Acid fog and cold air...’ Colin thought. ’This must be the work of Black Dragons and White Dragons.’

BOOM!

A burst of fire suddenly erupted in front of them.

The furious Flames instantly engulfed the Cultists in front of Colin and the others. Ale’s Fireball Technique was as devastatingly powerful as ever.

Amidst the endless sparks, Colin glanced at the Cultists’ positions.

Because he, Kase, and the others had met the charge head-on, the Cultists were now positioned opposite them, roughly forming a crooked line.

He recited the Spell and instantly used Misty Step to Teleport to the flank of the battle line.

The entire team understood what Colin intended almost instantly, even though he hadn’t had time to voice his plan via Mind Communication.

The fighters at the front launched a desperate offensive to distract the Cultists, while Ale, at the rear, also began Spellcasting.

A biting cold wind rose again.

The frigid wind condensed into ice on the Cultists’ bodies, rendering most of them unable to move an inch. Those who managed to break free were immediately engaged by Kase and the others.

However, the vast majority of them had no intention of fleeing; they only wanted to fight the enemies before them to the bitter end.

Not far away, Colin raised a rubbed glass rod.

The last syllable of the Spell was uttered.

CRACKLE!

The entire cave was once again as bright as day. A powerful electric current tore through the air, perfectly grazing the edge of the Cultists’ line. Several Cultists convulsed and then fell stiffly to the ground.

After the Lightning Bolt, the entire cave fell silent, with only a few tendrils of electricity still dancing in the air.

After the repeated magical bombardment, these Cultists were already at their limit. This Lightning Bolt was the mountain that finally broke the camel’s back.

"I bet there are more of them inside!" Dorn shouted.

"Let’s go check it out first," Colin said, looking toward the cave entrance in the distance.

There was no longer any movement over there, nothing left but a few charred corpses and some strands of cobwebs.

He immediately rushed toward the cave mouth.

Upon reaching it, he saw that the next cavern was, as expected, completely empty.

The group didn’t even have time to treat their wounds before stepping directly into the next cavern.

This cavern had clearly been excavated and polished. The floor, walls, stalagmites, and stalactites were all buffed to a smooth finish, glittering in the light of a few oil lamps.

An exquisitely crafted relief was carved into one of the cavern’s walls.

Colin walked around the relief carving to the innermost part of the cave.

Here, there were several deep pits that had been dug out. Three of the pits were filled with a bubbling, dark green liquid that smelled acidic, while the other three were piled high with ice.

Next to the pits was a large table with a bookshelf. On the table were some scattered notes and books, as well as a large pile of beakers, test tubes, and other similar items. It looked like a Magic experimentation station.

Besides all that, there was also a small, fist-sized hole.

The inside of the small hole was pitch-black, making it impossible to see where it led.

"It was probably a Mage. They might have escaped using a spell like Gaseous Form," Colin said.

Dorn stroked the ice from his beard. "So, do we give chase?"

"There’s no way we can catch them now. Let’s just head back," Colin said. "This is beyond our control."

Hearing this, the others each breathed a sigh of relief.

After the Cultists’ collective breath attack, the few who had been at the front were in bad shape.

Patches of their skin had begun to blacken and fester. Blisters had formed in many places, and then both the blisters and the resulting fluid had been frozen to their skin, creating a horrifying sight.

Although Colin couldn’t see the skin under his own armor, he had a bad feeling about it. Whenever he moved, he felt a tearing sensation, as if the innermost layer of padding had fused with his skin.

"You all treat your wounds first. I’ll check out the room," Colin said. "Besides, I have to take off my Armor before I can treat my injuries."

"Alright. Just be careful."

Kase gasped for breath and slumped to the ground. When the breath attack hit, he had borne the brunt of it.

Colin gave a wave and looked at the small pits nearby.

It was said that Dragon Eggs required specific environments to hatch. A Black Dragon Egg, for example, had to be incubated in acid, while a White Dragon Egg needed to be kept in ice.

’But this place definitely isn’t for raising Dragon Eggs. Even if Evil Dragons have a much higher birth rate than Good Dragons, the Dragon Worship Cult wouldn’t leave precious Dragon Eggs in a place like this. Besides, the escaping Mage probably took any eggs that were here.’

Then, Colin noticed the wall on the far side of the cavern.