Flesh Cancer was an attempt by a sixth-circle Great Wizard during the enlightenment period of the Wizard World to break through to the seventh circle.
But the result was undoubtedly a failure.
He created a mass of twisted flesh that perpetually proliferated. Once born, it voraciously absorbed energy from its surroundings, akin to cancer cells, and continued to grow uncontrollably.
For reasons unknown, the sixth-circle Great Wizard, in a moment of madness, fused this twisted flesh into his own body.
The consequence was that both his soul and body were absorbed by this mass of flesh, leading to the infamous experimental disaster of the enlightenment period—the Tide of Flesh.
Thousands of low-level Wizards of varying strengths and millions of ordinary people were devoured.
Ultimately, the twisted flesh was sealed by several sixth-circle Great Wizards working together, and it was named Flesh Cancer.
This case became widely known among the Flesh Faction of the Alchemy school, serving as a cautionary tale against recklessly integrating experimental products into one's body.
"A failed experiment?"
The High Priest was startled but quickly calmed down.
He was well aware of the terrifying nature of Wizards. Since this Fiend before him had been sealed by Wizards, it wasn't surprising that it was a failed experiment.
On the throne of flesh, the four-meter-tall Fiend Bruno opened his eyes.
This former King of the Dwarf Demons now bore little resemblance to his former self. His body was covered in countless tumors and growths, with one arm long and thick, wielding a flesh hammer, and the other short and thin, holding a whip-like intestine of flesh.
His legs could hardly be called legs anymore; they resembled crude pillars of flesh and bone, as if a mischievous child had haphazardly assembled them.
He showed no reaction to the dwarf army that had come to challenge him.
The moment he opened his eyes, his gaze locked onto Richard.
"A Wizard! You've actually brought a Wizard here!"
Fiend Bruno's eyes widened instantly, the corners of his eyes splitting open to reveal the proliferating flesh within.
Richard felt a chill under that gaze. It wasn't hatred but more like the look one might give to a rare treasure.
The High Priest declared passionately, "Fiend, today is your day of reckoning."
With a wave of his hand, forty-eight heavily armored Dwarf Demons charged straight at Fiend Bruno, wielding long-handled war hammers.
Fiend Bruno rose from his throne, and the mutated monsters surrounding him became active.
"Solrin! You treacherous traitor. I trusted you so much back then, yet you betrayed me, repeatedly attempting to kill your king.
You, a traitor to your core, found it as easy to kill your king as a Dwarf Demon would find a vein of ore.
I should have turned you into the lowliest flesh puppet!"
Fiend Bruno shouted about the past, and the mutated monsters beneath the throne surged like a tide toward the charging Dwarf Demons.
Boom! Thirty-six streams of fire passed through the gaps between the golden-armored dwarves, and the searing flames instantly engulfed a large number of mutated monsters. The monsters began to collide chaotically under the flames, rendering even Fiend Bruno unable to control them.
Although these mutated monsters had bodies equivalent to second or even third-level creatures, their grotesque forms couldn't support the complex organ of the brain, leaving only primal instincts to guide their actions.
The twelve golden-armored dwarves at the forefront, wielding their hammers, sliced through the mutated monsters as if they were butter.
The golden hammerheads, forged through Dragon Alchemy, moved with such force that golden flames burned at their tips, each strike carrying immense power.
Behind them, the High Priest pulled out a golden staff adorned with gems.
He plunged the staff into the ground and began a ritualistic dance.
As he danced, the golden staff began to glow with a brilliant light.
Figures emerged from the golden light—heroic Dwarf Demons who had already passed.
Behind them, a Dwarf Demon seated on a throne issued his command.
"Slay these Fiends."
In the next moment, the heroic Dwarf Demons, returned from the underworld, transformed into golden light and merged into the bodies of the forty-eight charging Dwarf Demons.
Instantly, the charging dwarves felt as if they were divinely aided. Techniques that had once been clumsy suddenly became smooth, and long-lost combat skills emerged in their minds.
Due to insufficient Power of Faith, these heroic Dwarf Demons could only join the battle in this form.
Richard watched with interest, thinking to himself that he should create something like this in the future.
Having ancestors possess you is incredibly useful.
Seeing that the mutated monsters were ineffective against the Dwarf Demons, Fiend Bruno became enraged.
"Worthless!"
In the next moment, countless flesh tentacles sprouted from his body.
These tentacles, like parasites, burrowed into the bodies of the mutated monsters, which then froze in place.
Soon, their flesh began to merge, pale bones forming and solidifying within the flesh, and grotesque organs sprouting like weeds.
In moments, the selected mutated monsters transformed into a towering, over-ten-meter-tall mutated giant.
This giant was covered in pale bone scales, with proliferating flesh surging beneath them like waves.
Without a doubt, this giant possessed the strength to move mountains.
Fiend Bruno flew to the side of the mutated giant. In the next moment, the bone scales parted, and the flesh surged, revealing a massive heart.
He approached the heart, and his body sprouted countless tiny flesh tentacles.
These tentacles connected to the heart, and in an instant, Fiend Bruno and the heart became one.
Richard raised an eyebrow and gestured. The Wizard Hunting team immediately sent three members to join the Dwarf Demons, leaving only Makar to guard Richard.
Richard himself, holding the Mithril Staff, launched massive black fireballs.
The fireballs exploded, the raging flames clearing a large area of mutated monsters.
Thud! Suddenly, a heartbeat like the sound of a drum echoed in everyone's ears.
Immediately, they felt their bodies beginning to act on their own, as if their cells had gained consciousness and were trying to escape the prison of their bodies to roam freely.
Noticing this, Richard remained calm. A powerful surge of mental energy swept through his body, starting from his head.
Against such rule-based interference, strong mental power and unwavering will were the best defenses.
The mutated monsters were now entirely engulfed in searing flames, leaving only the mutated giant and the Fiend Bruno within it as the targets for Richard's group.
"Traitors! I was the King of the Dwarf Demons. I could have united the entire Dwarf Demon race and led you into eternal paradise.
To enjoy everlasting happiness and eternal life.
Yet you betrayed me!
You used despicable means to banish me here, repeatedly attempting to kill your king.
Today, it's time to set things right!"
The mutated giant let out a twisted, distorted roar and slammed its fist into the Dwarf Demon formation.
Boom! The sound of the sonic boom assaulted everyone's ears.
The mutated giant's punch had broken the sound barrier! The Dwarf Demon formation scattered instantly. In the past, Dwarf Demons had slain Fiend Bruno several times.
Those who had achieved such feats naturally joined the King of the Dwarf Demons in death.
Now, the experience of these heroes immediately led all the dwarves to make the right decision.
The twelve golden-armored dwarves, agile as cats, wielded their long-handled war hammers. As they scattered, they all struck the mutated giant's wrist.
In the next moment, a loud crack echoed in everyone's ears.
The mutated giant's wrist bones were shattered in an instant by the golden-armored dwarves.
The giant's fist was firmly pinned to the ground by the twelve golden-armored dwarves.
At the same time, the thirty-six dwarf warriors added their own attacks. Thirty-six streams of fire, like roaring dragons, enveloped the giant's fist.
Although the giant's defenses were stronger than those of ordinary mutated monsters, against the streams of fire, it was nothing more than fuel.
Meanwhile, the three armored Fire Lizards showcased their terrifying combat prowess.
These battle-hardened Fire Lizard Warriors, almost the moment the golden-armored dwarves pinned the giant's fist, identified the giant's weakness.
Like three black lightning bolts, they raced up the giant's arm at an invisible speed, reaching its shoulder.
Then, the chainsaw swords roared, and in an instant, they severed the giant's entire arm.
The severed arm was immediately cauterized by the Fire Lizards' flame throwers, the terrifying searing flames quickly spreading over half of the giant's body.
Roar! The mutated giant roared, its flesh surging in response.
The searing flames, which had been so effective against the flesh before, were extinguished by the surging flesh.
The Dwarf Demon formation split into six teams. Led by the third-level golden-armored dwarves, they charged through the air toward the giant's torso.
Meanwhile, the trio of Fire Lizards headed for the giant's other arm.
Countless flesh tentacles sprouted from the mutated giant, lashing out like whips at the charging dwarves.
These tentacles also had holes, from which streams of highly corrosive digestive fluid sprayed like rain at the Dwarf Demons.
In the past, this would have seriously injured at least a third of the Dwarf Demons.
But after Richard's improvements to their armor, the digestive fluid was as harmless as water to them.
"Ha!"
A golden-armored dwarf swung his hammer, and the force of the blow instantly turned the obstructing tentacles into mush.
Then, holding the long-handled hammer with one hand, he aimed the flame thrower at his waist toward the giant's chest.
Boom! The searing flames shot from the nozzle, instantly turning the giant's chest into charcoal.
At the same time, the other dwarves took their positions, their flame throwers all aimed at the giant's torso.
Boom! Forty-eight streams of fire turned the entire torso of the mutated giant into charcoal.
Hidden within, Fiend Bruno, who had been preparing to ambush, was instantly exposed.
"Traitors!"
Seeing that he had been discovered, Fiend Bruno didn't hide. With a flash, he appeared in front of a dwarf warrior.
His thick right arm swung the flesh hammer, and with a loud "bang," the dwarf warrior was sent flying.
But Fiend Bruno showed no joy, for the feedback from the hammer told him that this mere second-level dwarf warrior hadn't been killed by his strike.
This would have been impossible in the past.
His gaze suddenly turned to Richard, who was watching from afar. Richard, looking at him, yawned in boredom.
"Makar, go help. Activate combat mode and finish this quickly."
"Yes, my lord."
Makar bowed slightly to Richard and then disappeared from his side.
"My lord has ordered us to activate combat mode. Do not spare energy."
Makar's voice transmitted through the communication system to the other three Fire Lizards. The three, who had been struggling with the giant's arm, instantly changed expressions.
Kava said excitedly, "Hehe, it seems these dwarves won't get to kill their enemy after all."
Hum! With a hum, the four members of the Wizard Hunting team activated combat mode.
Combat boost, activate! (End of Chapter)