582 The Bug Player



"Hoi! Isolde, don't just stand there! Attack him!" Xian shouted.

Isolde scratched the back of her cheek and looked at the ceiling with a dopy smile on her face. "Attack? But he's not there. I don't see him."

"Then find him!" Xian roared. His cousin was really getting on his nerves. If she had just helped, Ren would have been dead by now. Her attack power was ridiculous enough to one-shot anyone at this point in time.

Erica clicked her tongue at the side. "This isn't good. I can't find him even with [Detect] and [Uncover]."

"Is it an item?" Serine asked no one. "My beasts couldn't seem to find him as well. Can you sense him, Eric?"

Eric didn't reply and just shook his head. He was alert for any signs of Ren. He knew that he was casting his spell somewhere, and this got him edging on his toes.

"Erica cast barrier and shield on me!" Eric shouted at his sister, which she immediately complied.

Just as an invisible barrier formed around Eric, a flash of four powerful magical attacks tore through the air, their intensity palpable. They seemed destined to strike Eric, but to everyone's shock, they abruptly changed course. With a thunderous impact, they collided with the unsuspecting backline, engulfing Erica in a maelstrom of destructive energy.

Time seemed to freeze as the magical attack unfolded before their eyes. Erica's form dissipated, consumed by the overwhelming power unleashed upon her. Eric and the others stood in stunned silence, their expressions a mix of disbelief and horror.

"W-what just happened?" Xian's voice wavered, his body trembling with shock. "What's that damage?"

Serine, her voice barely a whisper, struggled to comprehend the magnitude of the damage inflicted. "He . . . he obliterated Erica with a mere simple fire spells?"

The realization of Ren's INT settled upon them, shattering any illusions of safety or invincibility. They were facing a foe whose strength surpassed their expectations, and their resolve wavered.

Isolde could only shake her head. "It's not too late, you know. We can always abandon this quest and just help Ren and go on our way." Then maybe we can have another day to explore this realm. She wanted to say.

"Too late!" Xian spat. His face contorted with anger and frustration. The thought of abandoning their mission seemed inconceivable to him, and his resolve hardened like steel.

In a swift motion, he summoned the dark forces within him, unleashing his formidable spell, [Shadow Nova]. Shadows coalesced around him, swirling with malicious intent, as he directed the deadly energy toward Ren.

Caught in the crossfire of friendship and duty, Isolde could only watch as the magical assault hurtled towards Ren, uncertain of the outcome and fearful of the consequences that awaited them all.

A swirling vortex of shadows engulfed the area, unleashing devastating dark magic upon foes. The shadows twisted and writhed, lashing out at enemies with tendrils of pure darkness, dealing immense damage.

Additionally, the spell has a secondary effect of inflicting a debilitating curse on affected targets, draining their life force and weakening their magical defenses.

It was a nice spell to have, but Xian lacked the necessary INT to really inflect its true damage.

Ren stored it in his [Mind Palace] and didn't even bother to evade. He was immune to the [Curse] anyway.

When the aftermath of the attack dispersed, Xian's face contorted with disbelief and frustration as he witnessed the lackluster effect of his most potent spell. The shock reverberated through his being, leaving him speechless for a moment. His eyes widened, and his mouth fell open.

Ren, unfazed by the feeble attempt to harm him, stood there unscathed, a wry smile playing upon his lips. The power of the [Shadow Nova] was nothing against his stat, rendering it nothing more than a fleeting nuisance.

With a composed demeanor, Ren retrieved a potion from his inventory and swiftly consumed it, restoring his health to its full capacity. The sight further deepened Xian's sense of defeat, as his most devastating spell had proven futile against his opponent's seemingly impenetrable defenses.

How could that be? Only a hundred damage? That spell should have turned him into particles!

The anger within Xian boiled over, and his frustration found voice in a single word that echoed through the battleground.

"Cheater!" he bellowed, his accusation laden with frustration and a tinge of envy.

Ren's smile widened, an amused glint sparkling in his eyes.

"Just how high is his stat?" Serine whispered weakly.

"Ugh . . . it's not too late to switch sides, you know," Isolde uttered at the side. "I think we're no match against him. We should just give up." While we still can.

"Shut up! There's no backing out now!" Xian spat. At this point, his pride was the only thing working, flaring within him like an unquenchable fire. His stubbornness refused to yield.

"So what if his MDF is high?" Eric said, his double sword glowing. "Let's see how fair his DEF is!"

With a confident smirk, Eric brandished his dual swords, their gleaming blades casting a dazzling light across the battlefield. He unleashed a flurry of lightning-fast strikes, each swing of his blades a testament to his skill and prowess. His movements were fluid, a dance of precision and agility, as he aimed for Ren's critical spots.

But Ren stood firm in the face of the impending onslaught. With a calm and collected demeanor, he summoned the elements at his fingertips.

As Eric's blades descended upon him, Ren summoned a powerful barrier of swirling energy, deflecting the onslaught with ease. The force of the impact resonated through the air, sending shockwaves rippling across the ground.

The others watched in disbelief as Ren emerged unscathed – yet again.

Just what is he? Eric and the others thought. Ren couldn't be damage by magical attacks and couldn't be penetrated with physical attacks

"Is he a bug?" Eric couldn't help but mutter.

Sensing an opportunity to shatter their confidence, Ren decided to strike back.

With a swift motion of his hand, Ren conjured a tempest of flames, an inferno that engulfed the battlefield. The scorching heat intensified, enveloping Eric and his companions in searing heat. Eric's confidence wavered as the flames licked at his defenses, threatening to consume him.

He needs to get out – fast!

But to where . . . Eric didn't know. All he could see were flames, and Erica wasn't there to heal him.

Shit!

This wasn't good. Eric thought as his HP was decreasing at an alarming rate.