Chapter 280 - 278: The Special Use of Harmony Magic

Chapter 280: Chapter 278: The Special Use of Harmony Magic

The scene shifted. Duane was poised to attack, only to find the area eerily quiet, with no trace of any Demon Beasts.

The figures of Simone, Lune, and Raymond appeared one after another. They were all geared up for a fight and were quite surprised by the situation.

"Uh, didn’t the Demon Beasts come to ambush us?"

Duane’s brow furrowed. The Demon Beasts’ absence made his earlier warning seem entirely unnecessary.

"My Lord, what should we do?"

Raymond stepped forward to ask, "Should we split into smaller squads to mop them up, or should we move as a single unit?"

Duane pondered for a moment before making a decision.

"The Secret Realm Space isn’t vast, but it’s not small either. Splitting up would take too long, and it would make it easy for them to watch us and pick us off one by one."

Duane gazed ahead, his eyes resolute as he made his final decision.

"Since they won’t come to us, we’ll go straight to their lair!"

Every time he had entered the Secret Realm, the giant Black Bear had been in that massive pit.

Furthermore, whenever it was attacked, it could send a signal by some means, summoning other Demon Beasts for support—just like that other day.

With the decision made, the group immediately took action, running toward the central pit at top speed.

Along the way, they did indeed encounter Demon Beasts sprinting in the same direction: a pack of six forest wolves.

"Let me handle this!"

Simone shot forward, instantly unleashing his Bloodline Power.

Crimson Fighting Qi condensed into a powerful Fighting Qi Slash, decapitating the three lead wolves in an instant.

"Nice!"

Lune followed close behind and finished off the remaining three.

Their movements were clean and efficient. The battle was over before anyone else had a chance to react.

"My Lord, what should we do with the meat and hides from these Demon Beasts?" Lune inquired.

Duane stepped forward to examine them and saw they were just ordinary forest wolves. They weren’t strong, and their hides offered little protection. No wonder the two of them could take them down in a single move.

"I don’t know if there are side effects from eating the meat of these mutated Demon Beasts. As for the Wolf Hides..."

He was about to let the men divide the spoils when Manny interjected, "Count, I would advise against touching them too much."

"Oh? You know something about this?" Duane asked.

Manny explained, "The Demon Beasts that came out of my family’s Secret Realm also left behind things like Magic Crystal Stones and Elemental Ores when they were killed. We thought they were treasures, but after we collected them, prolonged contact caused our limbs to corrode."

A chill went down everyone’s spines, and they no longer dared to think about taking the Demon Beast Meat back with them.

Duane carefully inspected the Demon Beast Meat. He could indeed see some unnatural components within the flesh; perhaps it was truly inedible, just as Manny had said.

But he was reluctant to let it go to waste.

The Wind Wolf meat was one thing; it wasn’t very valuable.

But that Black Bear was a treasure trove from head to toe.

If they killed the Black Bear and came away with no spoils, it would be a terrible waste.

After some thought, inspiration struck, and Duane began to cast a Level 5 Magic—Harmony Magic.

This was a spell Duane had obtained after raising his [Basic Brewing] Skill Level to the Perfection realm.

Its purpose was to neutralize the volatile Magic Energy within the Qingming Medicine Wine, Intoxicating Honey Wine, and Deep Blue Enlightenment Wine, allowing them to coalesce gently.

Harmony Magic was incredibly difficult to learn. Its Spell Model was far more complex than other Level 5 Magic like Cone Flame or Water Flow Manipulation.

After practicing for some time, Duane had only just raised the Skill Level for this Skill to Initial (53/100).

As Spiritual Power and Magic Power gathered in his palms, the Spell Model for Harmony Magic was slowly drawn in the air. A radiant Arcane light enveloped his hands, appearing both gentle and mysterious.

Manny was inwardly stunned. "My Lord, you..."

He never expected Duane to be not only a Shooting Star Warrior but also a Mage—and one who could use such a unique and masterful spell at that.

The others also revealed looks of shock.

Lune in particular was stunned. The magical fluctuations just now had been intense; the spell was clearly of a high level.

Duane hadn’t shown this side of himself at the tournament.

Duane was completely focused, and the beam of magic from his hand fell upon the corpse of the Wind Wolf on the ground.

In an instant, the black and dark-green substances within the Wind Wolf’s flesh seemed to be purified, dissipating into wisps of faint smoke.

Duane’s eyes lit up, and the corners of his mouth curved into a slight smile.

He had only been trying it as an experiment, not expecting it to actually work.

’We’ll test this on some livestock when we get back,’ he thought. ’If nothing happens, the Wind Wolf meat will be edible.’

Duane didn’t offer much of an explanation. After stuffing one of the Wind Wolves into the space in his left eye, the group set off once more.

Observing the direction the six Wind Wolves had been sprinting, it was clear they had been summoned by the Black Bear and were rushing to their master’s aid.

The closer the group got to the massive central pit, the more Demon Beasts they encountered.

Human Tier Warriors like Clint, Ross, Raymond, and Gaius all had a chance to show their skills.

It was like a silent competition, making the Advanced Warriors who hadn’t yet killed a Demon Beast feel anxious.

"We’re here!"

Rounding a hill and passing through a thicket of bushes, they saw a massive number of Demon Beasts gathered up ahead.

HISS!

Everyone sucked in a sharp breath. The Black Bear at the forefront was especially eye-catching; even without standing fully upright, it was four to five meters tall.

Beside it stood an equally tall Mutated Steel Claw Long-armed Ape, several leopards, and more.

However, Duane had already slaughtered many of the formidable Demon Beasts in Thorn Valley. Among the hundred or so beasts before them now, many were just there to pad the numbers.

Even so, the sight made everyone’s throats run dry and their scalps tingle with fear.

None of them had ever been on a real battlefield or experienced a large-scale war. Faced with this scene, even the eternally calm Lune felt a pang of nervousness.

"ROAR~~"

The Black Bear slammed its paws on the ground, letting out an furious roar directed at Duane.

It had known for a while that Duane had entered the Secret Realm, but their last encounter had made it extremely wary of the human before it.

Therefore, it hadn’t attacked proactively, instead opting for a defensive strategy. It never imagined its opponent would come straight for its lair.

"Simone, Moen, Hubert."

The three men looked at Duane. One was a Human Tier Warrior, the other two were Advanced Warriors.

"You three will be a team. Coordinate your attacks."

Duane continued, "Second team: Raymond, Gaius, Theodore, and Manny."

This team was composed of two Human Tier Warriors and two Advanced Warriors.

He placed Manny in this group to better ensure his safety, since Manny was not one of his own men, after all.

"The third and final team: Clint, Ross, and Bowen."

This team had two Human Tier Warriors and one Advanced Warrior.

"When you move as a team, you must provide cover for your teammates. Simone, this is especially for you. Don’t get so focused on hunting Demon Beasts that you fail to watch your teammates’ condition."

Simone’s voice was grave. "I understand, my Lord!"

Just then, Lune spoke up. "My Lord, have you forgotten about me?"

As he spoke, he glanced at the Long-armed Ape beside the giant bear. ’Was the Level 6 Demon Beast being left for me?’

To be honest, the pressure was immense. However, if his only job was to keep it occupied, he thought he might just be able to pull it off.

Duane nodded. "Lune, you will act as a mobile support unit. If you see any team at a disadvantage, or anyone whose life is in danger, you are to provide immediate support."

"This is your first battle together. I don’t want to be taking anyone’s body back to the Territory."

Although the men were nervous, hearing this arrangement gave them a bit more confidence.

"But, my Lord, what about that Level 6 Long-armed Ape?"

Lune volunteered, "I’m afraid I can only barely keep it occupied."

Once he engaged the Long-armed Ape, he wouldn’t be very "mobile" anymore.

"Leave the Black Bear and the Long-armed Ape to me. You don’t need to worry about them."

Everyone who heard this was utterly shocked.

Their Lord was going to take on the two most powerful Demon Beasts all by himself?

Simone and Lune were about to protest when they saw a Magic Array Map appear beneath Duane’s feet, followed by a warhorse materializing out of thin air.

"Charge!"

A Long Spear fell into Duane’s hand. With a single thought, his warhorse shot forward, becoming a blur as it charged into the horde of Demon Beasts.