Chapter 198: The Forging Minister's Terror, the Monster · Gargoyle
Chapter 198: The Forging Minister's Terror, the Monster · Gargoyle
Whoosh!
A fierce wind rapidly condensed on the sand ahead. A large amount of yellow sand gathered, forming a Sandstorm Elemental shaped like a tornado and cloaked in sand.
This was a Compound Elemental, formed from the fusion of the Earth and Wind elements!
The sudden scene left Alar and the others stunned as they stared at Tang Zheng in disbelief.
"This is magic," Tang Zheng said calmly, facing their astonished gazes.
Third-tier magic wasn't considered overpowered. Even if some powerful being was truly hiding in the shadows, this would only provide them with incorrect information.
Besides, after his recent observations, Tang Zheng was almost certain that there were no truly powerful beings in this Despair Valley.
Otherwise, a single hero-class expert wouldn't have been enough for the Human Faction to easily occupy one of the three major oases for decades.
Tang Zheng hadn't originally intended to use magic, but he couldn't be sure if the Grey Dwarves had any hidden methods or items.
These Grey Dwarves had, after all, escaped from the outside world into this Despair Valley, managing to survive with so many of their people even after their kingdom had been destroyed.
Tang Zheng didn't believe for a second that they had no tricks up their sleeves. Using a summoned creature to probe them was, naturally, the most suitable course of action.
Swish!
Once the Sandstorm Elemental finished forming, it sped across the desert, charging toward the Grey Dwarf oasis ahead.
"What is that?"
"Is it an unknown monster?"
"Stop it!"
"..."
"Enemy attack!"
The panicked shouts of the Grey Dwarves came from the direction of the oasis.
The Sandstorm Elemental quickly engaged a patrol unit, triggering a series of screams and wails.
Experience Gained: 75
Experience Gained: 36
...
Experience Gained: 51
A series of experience notifications quickly scrolled across the status panel.
Tang Zheng ignored the messages on the panel and closed his eyes, using the ability of *Partner Contract I* to perceive the scene witnessed by the spectral hound hovering above the oasis.
The Sandstorm Elemental's intrusion immediately drew a large number of Grey Dwarf patrol soldiers to surround and attack it, raining down a dense barrage of weapon blows.
However, this had no effect on the Sandstorm Elemental. Elementals themselves possessed a rather strong resistance to purely physical attacks.
The attacks from the Grey Dwarves had a negligible effect. Instead, a large number of Grey Dwarf soldiers died under the elemental's assault.
Tang Zheng controlled the Sandstorm Elemental, not getting entangled with these Grey Dwarf soldiers, but instead rushing into the oasis's interior to search for a cave leading underground.
This action immediately attracted even more Grey Dwarves.
The entire oasis descended into chaos!
But for a time, no Grey Dwarf could bring the Sandstorm Elemental under control.
Although Tang Zheng had used third-tier magic, under the influence of his high spellcaster level, the Sandstorm Elemental was level 21.
If the Grey Dwarves had no impressive tricks up their sleeves, defeating the Sandstorm Elemental would likely take a great deal of effort.
Finally, through the Sandstorm Elemental's search, the entrance to a relatively spacious underground cave was located. Its tornado-like body swept up a cloud of yellow sand and probed its way underground.
It had just descended a few meters!
Tang Zheng's closed eyes suddenly snapped open, a look of surprise on his face. "They really do have something!"
The Sandstorm Elemental had already been destroyed.
Since he had no line of sight, Tang Zheng didn't know what the Sandstorm Elemental had encountered.
"In that case!"
A glint flashed in Tang Zheng's eyes as he cast a spell again. "Compound Elemental Summoning: Sandstorm Elemental!"
A brand-new Compound Elemental condensed once more and charged again toward the Grey Dwarf oasis. This time, however, under his deliberate control, he didn't let this Sandstorm Elemental go underground. Instead, it continuously attacked the Grey Dwarves on the surface of the oasis!
"Aahh!!"
"What a terrifying monster."
"Everyone, run!"
Wherever the elemental passed, large numbers of Grey Dwarves suffered casualties, their screams echoing through the air.
In this situation, an elderly Grey Dwarf with a completely white beard climbed out of an underground cave. Smelling the scent of his kinsmen's blood in the air, his expression turned utterly grim.
"Kill that monster!"
The Grey Dwarf's hands trembled with rage as he roared.
This was none other than the Forging Minister, one of the two ministers with the highest position in the entire Grey Dwarf race.
Following his command, a black, beast-like figure pounced toward the Sandstorm Elemental with ferocious speed.
Bang!
A powerful whoosh of displaced air exploded in front of the Sandstorm Elemental, and the forceful impact actually knocked it back.
The next moment, the Sandstorm Elemental swept up a gust of yellow sand and, as its tornado-like body spun, projected the sand outward.
The dense grit flew like a volley of bullets, bombarding the black, beast-like figure. Yet, it only produced a dull thud upon impact!
Bang!
The black, beast-like figure pounced again. A fluctuation of dark energy emanated from its body as it brutally slammed into the Sandstorm Elemental.
The two streams of energy collided in mid-air!
The Sandstorm Elemental was actually dispersed by this single blow!
Seeing this, the Forging Minister finally breathed a sigh of relief. Then, a pained look appeared on his face as he looked at the small cracks on the black figure's body.
"What in the world is going on?"
The Forging Minister looked at his heavily injured people all around him, a bewildered expression on his face.
He had never seen a monster like that before. If His Majesty the King hadn't activated this treasure, he couldn't imagine how many more people would have been injured.
Clearly, no one could answer this question.
The Forging Minister could only hurry to arrange for his people to treat the wounded.
Thud!
A panting Grey Dwarf quickly scrambled out of a nearby underground cave, looking around with a panicked expression.
When he saw the Forging Minister, his eyes lit up. He ran over anxiously and said, "Lord Forging Minister, the Chief Steward told me to tell you that what just attacked wasn't a monster, but a type of elemental."
"It wasn't a monster attack, it's an enemy!"
Hearing this.
"What!" The Forging Minister's face paled in shock.
Mana Slash: Wind!
A three-meter-long slash flew in from a distance.
All the Grey Dwarves standing in its path were sliced in half at the waist, a torrent of blood and viscera erupting from them.
Thump! Thump!
The sound of steady, powerful footsteps rang out.
The faces of the Forging Minister and his group changed drastically as they hurriedly looked in the direction of the footsteps.
They saw a figure completely covered in grey armor, holding a greatsword, walking toward them from a short distance away.
With every swing of the greatsword in the figure's hand, the life of a Grey Dwarf was easily taken. The surrounding Grey Dwarf soldiers roared as they brandished their weapons and charged the figure in grey armor.
But in an instant, the grey-armored figure easily cleared out a crimson area.
"It's him!"
"It's him, the hero-class expert who saved the Humans." The Forging Minister's pupils shrank. He subconsciously took a step back, his face filled with terror.
The soldiers who had escaped and returned had already informed them of the mysterious expert's features, so the Forging Minister was able to recognize Tang Zheng immediately.
After a moment of panic, the Forging Minister snapped back to his senses. He pulled a palm-sized bell from his robes and shook it rapidly.
At once, the sound of the bell echoed simultaneously throughout the entire Grey Dwarf oasis.
"A magical alarm item?"
Tang Zheng, holding his magic greatsword, looked toward the Grey Dwarf who was clearly of very high status, protected by layers of Grey Dwarf soldiers. A glint flashed in his eyes, hidden behind his armor.
His gaze shifted downward.
A strange creature, pitch-black all over with a demon-like face, was squatting silently on the ground not far away. It radiated fluctuations of dark energy and had a pair of wings.
At first glance, it looked like a statue!
And this strange creature was the culprit that had destroyed the Sandstorm Elemental.
"It's actually a gargoyle?" An expression of surprise appeared on Tang Zheng's face after he got a clear look at the strange creature.
A gargoyle is a special type of monster, or what could be called an elemental lifeform. They generally exist in ruins or subterranean caves.
Tang Zheng hadn't expected the Grey Dwarves to be able to control a special monster like a gargoyle. These were not friendly creatures.
Judging by the strength the gargoyle showed in easily defeating the Sandstorm Elemental, its level must not be low.
"Kill him!!" the Forging Minister roared, once again issuing a command to the gargoyle.
The gargoyle, which had been squatting motionless like a statue, raised its head. A scarlet glint flashed in its sculpture-like pupils.
With a flap of its pair of sculpted, stone wings, it transformed into a black afterimage!
Although its stone-like body should have been incredibly heavy, the gargoyle displayed movements far more agile than any wild beast.
Its pair of pitch-black claws flickered with dark energy as they slashed viciously toward Tang Zheng.
Facing this fierce attack, Tang Zheng simply raised his head, lifted his magic greatsword, and casually swung it forward.
Boom!
The blade struck the gargoyle's body, letting out a heavy roar.
The gargoyle had no chance to resist. It was shattered in a single strike, exploding into countless stone fragments that scattered in all directions.
The Forging Minister trembled all over. "How is that... possible."
"If this is all you have, then it's truly disappointing," Tang Zheng's muffled voice emerged from his armor as he raised his arm and waved.
"Compound Elemental Summoning: Sandstorm Elemental!"
Swish!
The yellow sand condensed. A new Sandstorm Elemental was summoned once again, and it immediately surged toward the nearest underground cave.
With a move of his feet, Tang Zheng charged toward the Grey Dwarves gathered ahead.
"Lord Forging Minister, go, quickly!"
"We'll hold him... Aahh!!"
The Grey Dwarves raised their shields and charged at Tang Zheng, but they were completely unable to stop him.
Even when the Grey Dwarf soldiers used all their strength to block, the only result was being sliced in two by a single swing of his sword.
(end of chapter)