The Cornflower Witch Chapter 170

Footsteps moved swiftly on the steps. When Hylial no longer bothered to hide her strength and unleashed it completely, her lithe figure, like a streak of light, reached the end of the mountain path at extreme speed.

Then she leaped up, turning her body sideways in the air to draw her bow, aiming and firing almost simultaneously upon spotting the enemy.

The star-like arrow hurtled towards the lizard, striking its scales but failing to pierce them. However, the seed on the arrowhead, already imbued with the power of the Emerald Honey Aspect, began to sprout and grow upon landing. The spreading vines interrupted the lizard’s process of gnawing on the “Bad Apple,” causing it to retreat and tear at the thorny vines entwined around its body.

“Did I make it in time?” she looked around, spotting the stiff body of Captain “Bad Apple.”

Upon landing, Hylial moved again, rushing ceaselessly towards the rock face of the back mountain. She leaped into the air, seeking a better vantage point.

This time, she switched to a different arrow, which was loaded with ‘Thick Wood Vine.’ This was a vine plant that grew rather slowly but was exceptionally thick and strong.

Her target was not the lizard itself, but the sandy ground beside it.

After the arrow landed, the seed germinated, and thick woody vines spread in all directions. Some even extended into the stone spring pool, enraging the lizard. It tore open the woody vines in front of it with a bite, then looked at Hylial not far away, this “bug” that had come to cause trouble.

Invisible magic radiated from its gray eyes, causing Hylial’s body to stiffen and fall to the ground. Fortunately, her Moonlight Breath Method was operating at full speed, dispelling the stiffness, allowing her to adjust her posture at the last moment. She merely staggered, not completely falling.

After this brief encounter, Yarn and Karl finally appeared at the stone archway, realizing the situation of the battle.

“Petrified Lizard!?” Karl exclaimed the moment he saw the lizard.

Facing the monster, Yarn, who had been preparing to raise his shield and charge forward, also stopped.

If it were a common enemy, it would be fine, but a ‘Petrified Lizard’ was a monster that greatly countered heavy-armored warriors who lacked defensive measures. The heavier the armor, the easier it was to be restricted and slow in movement, unable to dodge the lizard’s gaze and breath.

“What should I do?” He was in a dilemma. If he didn’t save “Bad Apple,” the other person might die, but if he did, he might not even be able to save himself.

Brief contemplation offered no solution or answer, and he didn’t have much time to think. He could only brace himself and charge forward, placing his hopes of victory on his companions behind him.

The silver glow of the ‘Castle’ Aspect covered his entire body. Mysterious patterns, like closed gates, appeared on his shield.

‘Gate of Tiralia,’ it was said to be the gate of the first city wall in the magnificent city built by the ‘Swan King,’ and the origin of countless castle scholars engraving magic circle patterns in later generations.

Compared to the petite “Bad Apple,” Yarn, who was shouting and rushing over from not far away, was clearly a more threatening opponent. The petrified lizard ignored the interfering woody vines and instead aimed at Yarn’s raised shield, exhaling a breath of white mist.

The misty breath, upon contact with the shield, immediately shrouded it in a layer of gray. The flowing patterns of the gate quickly dimmed. At this moment, Yarn, behind the shield, also felt his body become incredibly heavy, as if filled with lead.

“This is bad,” he murmured inwardly, reactivating the power of the ‘Castle’ Aspect, hoping to dispel the negative effects, but the effect was limited.

‘Castle’ was suitable for defense, but to dispel the mist concept magic, he would probably need ‘Glorious Moon’ or ‘Blazing Sun.’

Fortunately, he was not fighting alone. After much preparation, Karl’s incantation ended, and the special pale powder in his hand drifted like mist, slowly moving towards the lizard.

As soon as these gray powders landed on the lizard, they caused black corrosion in the gaps of its scales, spreading like a plague into the lizard’s body, causing it immense pain. Seizing the opportunity while the lizard struggled, Hylial leaped forward, picked up “Bad Apple,” and carried his stiff body to safety, tossing him down the steps of the stone archway.

“Let’s go!” Karl called to Yarn ahead, preparing to retreat.

Even though they seemed to have a slight advantage now, in reality, it was only because the lizard was unaccustomed to it and flustered. They were still far from victory.

Yarn heard him and quickly retreated, but he still dared not turn and run, as exposing his back would only be more dangerous.

Just as everyone thought they could safely retreat, the lizard moved again. This time, it no longer struggled, but looked at them once. Then its entire body dissipated like mist, leaving the缠绕 its body vines grasping at empty air. The “dead ember” mist that had been corroding its body also fell, slowly descending to the ground.

Several people ran quickly along the mountain path. Yarn carried the “Bad Apple” behind, while Hylial walked at the very front.

At this moment, a strong gust of wind swept over their heads, and then invisible mist gathered. The giant lizard appeared before them, its body half-raised, and another misty breath spewed out, filling the mountain path.

Yarn, who had been running, was completely paralyzed, and Karl, who was preparing to use his casting materials, also stiffened and couldn’t move.

Hylial, who bore the most direct impact of the gray mist breath, also felt extremely sluggish, her body like rusted metal. She could only leap into the air, barely stepping on the mountain wall to dodge the swirling gray mist below.

Below, the lizard with stone scales raised its head, its gray vertical pupils fixed on Hylial in the air. A peculiar stiffness spread through her limbs once more.

A silver halo appeared on Hylial’s body, constantly moving to dispel the spreading stiffness and keep her conscious. She finally landed on the back side of the mountain path, an area not yet encroached by the gray mist breath.

Gasping for breath, Hylial’s eyes shimmered with light, as she now fully analyzed the situation of the giant lizard before her.

Species: Lizard (Variant)

Status: Healthy (Misty Form)

Talents:

Hibernation [Excellent Class]: Can put the body into a dormant state, without eating or drinking, while maintaining the power of its Aspect from weakening.

Fate Card: [Petrified Lizard] [Tier 3 – Mist Shadow]

‘A lizard guarding a spring, through a hundred years of drinking the spring water, finally reached Tier 3, powerful and bizarre.’

–

Effect: [Petrification Breath Lv.6], a bloodline talent that grants you a breath capable of petrifying targets, with its potency increasing further with advancement.

–

Effect: [Stiffening Gaze Lv.5], merely looking at it can stiffen the bodies of distant enemies, rendering them unable to move. (This effect is difficult to resist).

Core Card: [Shape-shifting Mist Beast] [Mist Shadow]

‘You have used your shapeshifting and concealment abilities to deceive and devour hundreds of enemies of the same rank, making you a forgotten legend.’

–

Influence: [Mist Form], can instantly mistify the body to escape restraints, remove injuries, and negate negative effects. (This is a conceptual ability, ignoring the effects of conventional methods).

Ability Cards:

[Transformation Method Lv.7] (Mist Shadow): Can transform the body into other inanimate objects. Unless a detection method of a higher rank is used, it cannot be perceived or distinguished.

[Lizard Scales Lv.4] (Spiral Fish): Tough scales that can resist most attacks and have good resistance to low temperatures.

[Hibernation Method Lv.6] (Sleepy Winter): Requires only a small amount of food to maintain a very long period of dormancy, and to digest and devour Aspect power, thereby extending your lifespan and slowly increasing your strength.