Chapter 354: The Powerful Blackstone Troll
Translator: RaidenTL
Chapter 354: The Powerful Blackstone Troll
Slap!
"A Blackstone Troll! The Abyss actually dared to use a Blackstone Troll against our freshmen!"
The table rattled from the furious strike. Even when the script information had been leaked earlier, the Dean hadn't been this enraged.
The Abyssal demons had struck a nerve with the Main World powers twice in a row. Allowing those wretches to leak information that fell under "unspoken rules" was already a form of indulgence—so much so that many Transcendent academies felt the situation was going south fast.
But this time, they had directly ignored the rules to intervene. That was breaking the explicit regulations of the game.
The hand that touches those rules must be chopped off!
If they weren't given a taste of real pain, did those demons think they could just keep being absolute pricks without consequence?
The Abyssal demons had clearly seen Yang Yuehan’s terrifying potential and balance-breaking combat power and decided to act. Of course, it was also possible they wanted that Transcendent item related to Luck.
The demons would never let a genius of the Main World grow unchecked, especially since they didn't have a seat at the Main World's table.
They had even timed this sneak attack perfectly, knowing there would be a delay in the Witch Academy’s reaction time.
Even the Blackstone Troll was a calculated choice. This specific troll hadn't reached the Transcendent level. In the world of Abyssal demons, anything below Transcendent was considered the lowest of the low, but that didn't mean it wasn't powerful.
Blackstone Trolls were cannon fodder used by the Abyss to invade other worlds, similar to the servant armies commanded by witches.
The Abyss was betting on the fact that since they hadn't sent a Transcendent powerhouse to carry out the assassination, they hadn't crossed the Main World’s final bottom line. But clearly, the demons' intelligence was outdated.
A Transcendent Witch didn't care whether you "crossed the line" or not. They only knew that if you laid a hand on someone they valued, you were going to pay the price!
This wasn't just simple overprotectiveness. Witches wouldn't coddle those they favored too much, but there was a standard: the younger generation should compete with the younger generation. If someone used an inappropriate status to provoke them, they would be taught exactly what it felt like to be bullied by the strong.
"Then, Dean, shall we go deal with this Blackstone Troll?"
"No need. This is also an opportunity. Xiao Han won't die that easily. I’m going straight to find those guys in the Abyss... It’s time we had a proper 'talk'..."
"Does anyone know which Transcendent Demon Lord this mob belongs to?"
"It’s impossible to tell from here..." The surrounding witches were all startled by that phrase "talk." Judging by her tone, it was going to be much more than just a conversation.
"Then I’ll go ask them one by one. I don't believe the demons over there won't know who did it."
As the witches watched Dean Mei Lind’s figure vanish, they knew the Abyss was in for a world of trouble.
In the Main World, not everyone had the right to provoke an entire Transcendent race, but Dean Mei Lind was certainly not among those who lacked it.
"By the way, do we really not need to send reinforcements?"
"I’m not sure what the Dean is thinking. Let’s just prepare for the worst."
* * *
"What on earth is that thing!"
As the rift in the channel tore wider and wider, the terrifying monster looked as if it could burst through at any moment.
Fear and dread rose in everyone’s hearts—an uncontrollable, instinctive reaction to the unknown.
"Run! Another monster is coming!"
"Prepare to engage!"
Faced with the descending danger, the crowd made two different choices.
"Seriously... is there no end to this?"
Looking at the threat, I knew I had no choice. The creature's claw alone was roughly the size of a human. If a beast of that scale entered the Underground District, wouldn't it just reign supreme? The Underground District would truly become the Underground Ruins.
In this moment of crisis, I didn't forget the Dream Demons. Seeing them suddenly grow excited, I could guess that this monster came from the same Abyssal world as them.
In the coming fight, I was likely the only one who could stand against it. It was in reality, and it didn't seem to possess the Dream Demons' ability to phase between dreams and reality.
Furthermore... it was tearing a spatial teleportation channel with its bare hands! Just how terrifying was its physical strength?
Though my Spirit Vision told me that the opening and expansion of the spatial portal didn't have much to do with it physically "tearing" it, the fact that it dared to grab the edges of a spatial rift was enough.
To prevent myself from being distracted later and letting these Dream Demons escape to harm others, I decided to strike first.
Pshhh!
One after another, the sounds of death echoed. The Dream Demons within the dream died with their eyes wide open. Just moments ago, they had seen a glimmer of hope, only to be executed by me within the dream world.
I even wiped out their lingering information; not even a Resurrection Spell could bring them back now.
While I did have questions for them—specifically about Transcendent items—I could always look that up in the Great Library later. If I couldn't find it there, I’d just ask Teacher Ji Niang.
"Xiao Han, get out of here! That monster is coming through!"
Sister Bai rushed to my side.
"But we have no way back, do we? Where would we even run?" I paused and looked at her, then turned my gaze toward the distant elevators.
A mechanical structure like that would be destroyed by a single swipe of that monster's claws.
Of course, I could leave. No one could stop me if I wanted to go; I could fly all the way to the surface on my broom without a hitch.
But if I did, what would happen to the Underground District?
I admitted that the previous battle had destroyed many buildings, but the damage hadn't even reached the entire residential area. The Underground District was massive, containing more than just housing. If I let this monster run wild, there would be nothing left.
Moreover, a huge number of civilians hadn't left yet. They were only stationed in temporarily safe areas. The elevators were only so big; it was impossible to evacuate everyone in time. It wasn't realistic.
ROAR—!
With a roar that shook the entire Underground District, the monster’s body was mostly through. Its hideous, massive head and the scales covering its entire frame screamed of its lethality.
It swung its head around as if searching for something, until its gaze landed on me. Like it had found its target, it scrambled frantically to crawl out of the channel.
"Looks like... this is an 'accident' specifically designed for me."
I sighed and turned to Sister Bai with a helpless look.
"Oh boy... it seems the threat I posed has touched the nerves of some unknown entity, and they want me dead."
"Alright, Xiao Han, stop with the self-deprecating jokes at a time like this."
"Got it. Watch out for the debris."
I gave a soft sigh, my eyes fixed on the monster. If it stood up straight, its massive body would be level with the buildings here.
To maintain its own weight with a physique like that required unimaginable physical stats. The fact that it was moving so quickly made it even more terrifying.
"Point-Focus Fireball Spell."
I attempted a test attack. The Point-Focus Fireball Spell, which had been invincible until now, only scorched the creature's scales and caused a minor explosion. Those thick, pitch-black scales covered every inch of its body.
Most of its weak points were well-protected. Facing this monster felt like being on a battlefield against an enemy in full plate armor.
The Abyss really does produce all kinds of freaks... I couldn't even imagine what kind of environment could breed a monster like this.
Faced with its ferocious attacks, I relied on the massive size difference and the high mobility granted by my Body Cultivation to barely dodge.
To be safe—and as an insurance policy—I even cast a Resurrection Spell on myself. Not from a spellbook, but a manually cast one. The spellbook version consumed too much mana for a Mana Source to sustain, and it was too rigid in its application.
With a manually cast version, I knew the spell inside and out. I could make micro-adjustments easily and slowly draw energy from the environment. The process was more tedious than using a spellbook, but it was worth it.
It was funny, though. In the past, my "insurance" was always a shield. Now, I had to use a Resurrection Spell as a safety net...
But I had no choice. The shields I knew were like paper in front of this monster. Layering them would just be a waste of mana, and I didn't have enough to squander.
Besides, my definition of the Resurrection Spell had drifted away from its original intent. I was using it to repair my damaged shell and body. After all, in a fight against a monster like this, one mistake could mean being torn to shreds—the kind of damage a Flesh Healing spellbook couldn't fix!
The people who had been fleeing in terror realized the monster wasn't chasing them. Those who had prepared to fight to the death also noticed the giant beast didn't give a damn about them.
Only then did many of the academy students remember they were currently inside a dream.
They let out a collective sigh of relief.
However, the people in the shelters and the Ground Patrol members who couldn't intervene watched with deep anxiety. They lacked the power to stop this.
Before, they had the courage to face the Dream Demons, perhaps out of ignorance. But the monster before them was a physical reality. When ignorance could no longer mask their inner terror, they fell into despair, knowing any intervention would be a pointless sacrifice.
"This really is... a dead end..."
After cycling through my various methods, I found I couldn't inflict any effective wounds on the monster.
I even tried to use a Nightmare Spell to pull it into a dream for a consciousness decapitation, but it possessed such overwhelming strength that it tore through the spell and woke up instantly.
I suppose this is what they call a powerful Life Level. Could it be a Transcendent?
No... impossible. At most, it’s close. The Dean told me that a Transcendent Life Level has the power to independently sever Ley Line Shackles. That’s not just a magical technique; it’s the raw power of one's existence.
A brutish lug like this definitely wouldn't have the mental techniques to crack a dream, so it had to be relying on its Life Level.
"How troublesome..."
I managed to lop off one of its limbs again, but other than a cry of pain, it seemed unfazed. Its wound squirmed, and the flesh began to reconstruct. This ability to regenerate limbs and heal instantly was what gave me the biggest headache.
I wasn't afraid of its thick scales; no matter how thick they were, there were always gaps I could use to break that massive body.
But this recovery speed...
It was practically unsolvable. It reminded me of Ninglan Qiuyu back then, who had become that difficult to deal with after receiving a blessing from the Abyss. And this monster was a native-born creature of the Abyss...
"Wait? Dammit... that direction..."
As I tangled with the monster, it forced me back step by step, destroying countless buildings along the way. But further ahead... that was where the hundred or so Fool's Dreams were being kept!
"The Fool's Dreams... Did the Ground Patrol not take them when they evacuated the civilians?" A spark of irritable anger rose in my heart—anger at the Ground Patrol for promising to look after the Fool's Dreams and then failing to keep their word.
"Get... the hell away!"
I unleashed the Nightmare Spell with everything I had. The moment I dragged its consciousness into the dream ritual, I used a Dream Rewriting Spell to generate a massive impact, slamming it toward the other side.
In that moment... I wished I had the Dream Demons' method of draining soul essence. Then I could have attacked it on a spiritual level. But unfortunately, I didn't have the time to research that now.
A moment later, it forcibly broke out of the dream. The pain it felt in the dream world made it roar again.
Enraged, it launched an even more terrifying assault.
"I'm dead..."
Facing a strike that far exceeded my reaction speed, I knew I couldn't dodge. There was no time, and my reaction speed was being completely suppressed.
Only now did I realize that combat wasn't just about power, methods, and skill... it was also about one's own reaction speed.
I was being completely outclassed. In the next instant, the Resurrection Spell ritual I had been charging exploded into effect.
"Whew... whew... stay calm..."
I kept telling myself to settle down. My heart had been rattled by that mistake, and my emotions were starting to cloud my judgment.
Without hesitation, I used a "Unity of Knowledge and Action" spell to force myself into a calm state, while activating a series of Illusion Clones.
There had to be another way to kill it... No... I shouldn't think like that. It didn't have to be a kill. When my thoughts became trapped in a specific goal, I would inevitably face a dead end.
Like right now. But I had a way out. If I stopped making "killing the monster" my goal... my perspective suddenly widened.
This monster... still has... a great use!
But that required me to have enough strength, enough methods, and precise control to utilize this uncontrollable beast.
While dodging the monster, a white crystal appeared in my hand—one that no one else noticed. It was the Transcendent item formed from the Luck Seed.
I understood its function: Luck manipulation. Luck... that was the major boost I needed right now, and also a form of insurance.
"Xiao Han! We’re coming to help! You managed to trap it in a dream for a bit, didn't you? We'll—"
"Get lost. People who can't read the situation will only get in my way."
"You! We’re trying to help, and you’re being ungrateful!"
"Dumbass."
I spat the word back without mercy. If I spent another second acknowledging her, I’d be the loser.
I acknowledged these people's strength and talent, but not everyone was smart. They used to be ordinary people, after all; I couldn't expect them to have their wits about them in a crisis.
Just now, after that near-death blow, I had returned via the Resurrection Spell. Combined with Unity of Knowledge and Action, Emotion Body Cultivation, and the subconscious guidance of my Illusion Clones...
I had a very insane idea I wanted to try.
Severing... the Ley Line Shackles!
The Dean said this was something only those ascending to Transcendent could do, but under special circumstances, I might be able to do it too!
For instance, here, on this patch of Main World ruins where the Ley Lines were severed. The "grip" the Ley Line Shackles held through the Ley Lines was greatly diminished here.
This was my chance.
Time ticked by until the magic rituals around my body suddenly flared to life. I knew it was time.
I manipulated the Transcendent item, preparing to stack Luck protection. At the very least, Luck was a vital force before I severed the shackles. And at the moment of severing, I could use this item to cut away all the Luck attached to me as well.
"Let’s see what the price of using a Transcendent item is..." I whispered.
Inwardly, I had a guess. It was highly likely to be the consumption of one's flesh and blood. Otherwise, why would that First Generation City Lord have targeted those people? That was the flesh and blood energy sacrificed by the people of Ninglan New City...
But... at this point, the arrow was on the string. I had to fire.
"Come on, monster! I was waiting for my Resurrection Spell to recharge. What were you waiting for? To die!"
I leaped high into the air, holding the Transcendent item in my right hand. The golden Luck—visible only to me—erupted in an instant!
And the price for using the Transcendent item... followed immediately after.