Chapter 527 - 525: Clash on the Isolated Island

Chapter 527: Chapter 525: Clash on the Isolated Island

Welcome, honored guests. Please forgive me for being a little late.

Just then, the voice of a middle-aged man echoed in Colin’s mind.

"Do you think that welcoming party earlier wasn’t enough?" Colin shouted at the dark water before him. "Let the Dwarves go!"

A SPLASH resounded. A geyser of water erupted from the surface before him, and then a massive, meter-wide fish head emerged from the dark depths.

The head had no scales, only a layer of skin slick with mucus. Three bright red eyes, devoid of irises or pupils, were arranged in a vertical line down the center of its face. It had a spiracle on either side, but for a moment, Colin couldn’t see a mouth anywhere on its head.

’So the creature actually decided to show itself,’ Colin thought.

Ah, you mean those wretched stragglers left behind by the Shadow Anvil Clan? the voice echoed in Colin’s mind once more. The king of the Shadow Anvil Clan is in my possession. By right of conquest, this land now belongs to me... invader.

’This thing is trying to turn the tables on us.’ Colin didn’t have to look to imagine how red the faces of the Shadow Anvil Clan Dwarves beside him must be.

And you... I must admit, I didn’t expect to meet a living Murmurer. As a rule, your kind doesn’t live long.

The Aboleth swiveled its head casually, clearly not considering the people before it to be a threat.

Colin wasn’t about to give it another second to stall.

He reached for his sword hilt. As a faint shimmer ran across the blade, the Spellbook at his waist began to emit a weak Spiritual Light, invisible to the naked eye.

In that same instant, more splashing sounds echoed from around the small island.

Four giant lobsters burst from the water on all sides of the island.

The creatures stood about three meters tall. Each brandished a pair of absurdly large pincers that looked like guillotine blades. Instead of mandibles, their mouths sported several bizarre, writhing tentacles, like a cluster of earthworms.

’Chuul.’ Colin immediately recognized the creatures.

Long ago, when the Aboleths were still masters of the deep sea, they used their Spiritual Energy to create many servants to suit their needs. The Chuul were one such creation.

These creatures were born to obey the Aboleths without question, and their combat prowess was formidable.

Furthermore, to counter the Magic widely used by other beings, these monsters could sense any spellcasting within a forty-meter radius. They had detected Colin the instant he began Casting!

Colin aborted the Acid Ball he was preparing and instead shot a Flaming Arrow at the Aboleth before him.

The creature tried to dive back into the water to evade, but its massive body was too clumsy. It failed to dodge the fiery projectile, and the Flaming Arrow exploded squarely on its face.

The Aboleth didn’t press the attack. It twisted its body and submerged back into the depths.

After finishing his spell, Colin glanced at the surrounding Chuul and shouted a warning: "Their tentacles are venomous! If you’re poisoned, you’ll be paralyzed."

"Everyone, to me!" Orelia cried out.

"In Your holy name, I pray—"

Orelia raised her Dawn Messenger high. The brilliant radiance of her Daylight spell slowly faded, replaced by waves of gentle, white light.

Colin felt a gentle breeze wash over him from Orelia’s direction, its soft warmth completely dispelling the bone-deep chill of the Underground.

"—May the morning light cleanse all filth, and the rising sun burn away all corruption."

Orelia’s prayer concluded.

The white light swirled within a ten-meter radius of her, enveloping everyone.

’A Tier Four Divine Technique: Purifying Spiritual Light,’ Colin thought. ’As long as we’re inside the aura, we’ll be immune to all diseases and resistant to poisons.’

But...

Colin glanced at Orelia and, just as he’d expected, saw wisps of white smoke rising from her wrists.

For a Tiefling like her, whose Demon blood ran so pure, this gentle white light was far more violent and unforgiving than the fiercest sun.

But this wasn’t the time to dwell on it.

As if oblivious to the Spiritual Light, the Chuul closed in, brandishing their pincers.

Colin, Kase, Orelia, and Langgrin exchanged a glance, then each charged a Chuul.

Focused on maintaining his Intelligent Barrier, Colin couldn’t cast any enhancement Magic on himself. Instead, he chanted a Spell as he charged.

A low hum that vibrated deep in the skull filled the air. The space next to the nearest Chuul began to tremble violently, and the stone block under its feet visibly cracked and shattered.

Spiderweb cracks began to spread across parts of the Chuul’s carapace.

Shatter was as effective as ever.

As Colin charged, a massive wave surged up from behind him. It rushed forward menacingly, but he felt none of its impact.

It had to be Tidal Surge, a spell from Ale, cast using Cautious Spellcasting.

The Chuul were tall, but they were no match for a three-meter-high wave. Two of them were knocked to the ground by the surging torrent of magical water.

Since the Chuul were charging from all sides, it was nearly impossible to hit all of them with a single spell.

Colin charged forward, seizing the opportunity to bring his Emerald Flame Sword down on one of the fallen opponents.

The creature raised a pincer, catching the Giant Sword mid-swing.

CLANG! The blade struck the base of the pincer.

For a moment, it felt like he had struck solid iron; a numbing shock jolted through the hand gripping his sword.

A nearly invisible crack appeared where the blade had struck. Then, with a SNAP, the pincer clamped down, trapping the sword.

Before the Chuul could even get to its feet, its other pincer clamped around Colin’s waist. With both claws engaged, it strained to lift him.

The creature’s strength was terrifying.

With a harsh screech of metal grinding against shell, Colin, clad in his Half-plate Armor, was lifted into the air.

Immense pressure crushed his abdomen, and his compressed organs screamed in protest.

The tentacles on the Chuul’s face whipped out, jabbing toward the gaps in his armor.

However, the tentacles were only meant to deliver venom; they weren’t true offensive appendages.

The tentacles’ only real threat had already been neutralized by Orelia’s Purifying Spiritual Light.

Just then, a giant fist made of stone block flew in from the side and smashed into the Chuul, crushing its shoulder. The pincer’s grip slackened, freeing Colin’s sword.

It was the Tier Five Magic, Bigby’s Hand—a spell from Donkexes!

Colin, who had been about to draw his Burning Blood, instead swung the freed Giant Sword backhanded, smashing it down on the Chuul’s head. The massive blade embedded itself deep within the creature’s lobster-like skull.