Another World’s Versatile Crafting Master c1-1074

by Zhuang Bifan

  "Those flying demons have to be the Scourged Ankylodons Connoris was referring to. Just look at how that petty moron is going to suffer!" Angelano spoke to Lin Li gleefully through mental strength as he controlled the Alchemy Colossus to rip off the head of a Hell Python.

  The status of the Scourged Ankylodon was much higher than the Hell Python's in the Zago. Scourged Ankylodon? This meant that they had to be more powerful.

  What enabled the Scourged Ankylodons to fly was not their wings, but a membrane that resembled that of insect wings. Although the 62 black membranes seemed to be greatly transparent at the incredible speed, they were not like any membrane that the bugs had. The demonic runes on the membranes empowered them with the strength to cut through metal. They had turned into one of the greatest weapons of the Scourged Ankylodons.

  The huge mouthpiece on the head of a Scourged Ankylodon was like a gigantic metal clamp. Despite having tremendous defensive ability, the wyrm could not avoid being bitten by it. The flat neck of the Scourged Ankylodon was like an integration of two Tower Shields, and the countless spikes on both sides were coated with green toxins. The body of a Scourged Ankylodon was unlike the scales of common dragon species. It had an incredibly firm shell unique to the Zago Demon species that could counter magic spells, not to forget the six sturdy sickle-like feet on every Scourged Ankylodon; on top of each of its two forelimbs was a larger serrated sickle, with the power to split a wyrm's body easily.

  Each Scourged Ankylodon had at least a Legendary-level ability, and the stronger ones were at the peak of the Legendary-level. According to Connoris, there was even a Sanctuary-realm Scourged Ankylodon that appeared in the prehistoric times, and its powers were comparable to the ancient dragons'. Tyrant Balak once had a team of Scourged Ankylodons as his guards. They had few opponents in the abyss, and had once almost reached the 90th level of the abyss. If Connoris had not conspired against tyrant Balak and another ancient deity, Balak would have become the owner of level-90 instead of him.

  "Who asked him to volunteer as the leader? Did he really think that the Zago Demons are brainless? The intelligence of Zago Lord's is much higher than any human combat genius'. How could they not know the need to get rid of the leader?" Connoris commented disdainfully.

  The Zago Lord whom Connoris was referring to was the gray cloud that covered the void. Despite being a demon without much combat prowess, his intelligence was definitely comparable to the so-called "intelligent species". His combating intelligence was definitely much higher than a military genius'.

  Ordinary demons would be swarming up to their enemies in every battle regardless of their numbers. Despite appearing as a group, they were all fighting as individuals. However, it was not the case for Zago Demons. Under the directions of the Zago Lord, the group of Zago Demons was not a herd of beasts, but a true functional army. The existence of the Zago Lord was the reason why the Zago Demons were one of the most powerful species in the abyss in terms of combat ability.

  The Zago species had a lord with perfect intelligence, Scourged Ankylodons with a set of effective combative ability that overpowered dragons, as well as Sickle Black-armored Demons that were unafraid of death and had the ability to multiply at fast speed. If they had not been restrained in the abyss, they would have become the rulers of Anril long ago.

  Of course, although Zago Lord was primarily dealing with Rosen, he did not neglect Lin Li and the others. A few Scourged Ankylodons flew over to Lin Li and the other men shortly after. There were also a few gigantic shadows that appeared before the men from the vast horizon of the black current.

  Lin Li turned pale when he saw the hill-like shadows from afar. Connoris' and Angelano's voice of surprise also rang in his mind.

  "Mammoth Behemoth! That's a freaking Mammoth Behemoth!" Connoris exclaimed in a shrill voice. He could not conceal his astonishment.

  Angelano's inability to act spontaneously due to his fright allowed the Hell Python to trap the leg of the Alchemy Colossus. He had to take some effort to break free from it.

  "So what if it is a Mammoth Behemoth? Do not forget that the tyrant Balak has yet to appear. It will be our doom when he does," replied Lin Li as he gazed into the distance. He was looking at the crystal coffin that was hovering in the air. The vast backdrop of the black current made the coffin extremely striking.

  "Could we even survive to see Balak? That bastard Osric, why did he choose such a monstrous place to bury himself when he could've been buried everywhere else? It is no wonder that he died an early death!" Angelano scoffed impatiently, and waved his spear to cut the Sickle Black-armored Demon that was charging towards him into pieces.

  "Felic, look. Since I can't help you with anything, why don't you let me go?" the Fire Demon King said meekly.

  "Shut the f*ck up!" Lin Li, Connoris, and Angelano snarled at the Fire Demon King in unison.

  At this time, the Scourged Ankylodons have launched their attack on the men. They displayed their terrifying powers as the personal guards of tyrant Balak. The vines in Andoine's Thorn Domain that were supposed to be stronger than metal were as weak as noodles before the Scourged Ankylodons. Aldwin's Flaming Storm Domain and continuous fire rain bounced off the bodies of the Scourged Ankylodons, but left no trace on their smooth armored shells.

  Under Macklin's directions, the team of mages tried their best to control the situation, but the combined attack from Scourged Ankylodons resulted in casualties for the team. Seven mages at the sides were sliced into halves by the enormous sickles despite having the protection of the Elemental Shield.

  There was a Gordon demon with all sorts of magical metals at Lin Li's side. Although he had maximized the efficiency of the defense mechanisms, he failed to block the last blow from the Scourged Ankylodons. Great defense also did not save a Humerus Wyrm from having its tail severed by the transparent wing membrane of the Scourged Ankylodon when they battled in the air.

  The Hell Python that was controlled by the Lord of Nightmares spat a venomous substance into the sky. That was a substance that could corrode any item. Yet, it was powerless before the Scourged Ankylodon. Dozens of Angels of Light and Dark charged towards the beasts with an explosion aimed to engulf the Scourged Ankylodons, but after the rays of light dispersed, what appeared were the unharmed bodies of the Scourged Ankylodons.

  "Connoris, aren't you a demon deity with a lot of tricks up your sleeves? Think of a way now! If not, we will all be doomed when Balak appears!" Lin Li urged Connoris as he created a Light and Darkness Sword with all his might to slay a Scourged Ankylodon before meeting with another two.

  "W-what could I possibly do? I could not even deal with this monstrous Balak as a demon deity. Why did Osric choose such a place? Did he not fear that Balak would dismantle his bones?!" Connoris rattled off anxiously. He felt that any strategy would be futile before this ultimate force.

  The Mammoth Behemoths in the distance were like hills rushing towards. Every man knew that their adventure team would be eliminated by the Scourged Ankylodons and Mammoth Behemoths before Balak even arrived.

  "Hold on, I think you said something useful," spoke Lin Li as he raised his brows. He asked, "You were talking about whether Osric would fear Balak dismantle his bones if he put his body here. Do you think Balak is a demon deity who knows how to respect the bodies of other people?"

  "What sh*t does he know? If I were him, I would never give up on the crystal coffin!" Connoris exclaimed angrily. Yet, his attitude took a shift when he thought about Lin Li's reminder. "That's right. If Balak was here, he would not have kept the crystal coffin in such a great condition. Could it be that he is not here anymore? No, no. I'm clear on how powerful Balak is. No one would be able to do anything to him in the Endless Abyss unless he was as powerful as a Dragon Aspect."

  Chapter 745 - Fleeing from a Battle?

  "I remember Osric coming to the abyss alone after he enslaved me. He mentioned something about the 72nd level of the abyss," interrupted the Fire Demon King bravely. He did
not want to die with Lin Li.

  The Fire Demon King did not get reprimanded by Lin Li and Connoris this time. Instead, they took a moment to reflect on his words.

  "I do not remember accompanying Osric here. Could it be that he came here alone?" asked Angelano. He had participated in Osric' mission to raid the abyss, but they had never advanced to the 72nd floor of the abyss then.

  "Alone? This is the 72nd floor of the abyss—the territory of Tyrant Balak. There are countless formidable Zago Demons here. I don't believe Osric came here to have a peaceful conference with Tyrant Balak," replied Lin Li. Although he knew that Osric should've been a powerful man as he was the disciple of Immortal King, he could not fathom the possibility of him barging into the 72nd floor of the abyss himself.

  Connoris said that although Tyrant Balak resided on the 72nd floor of the abyss, he was one of the most powerful ancient deities out of the 99 who'd created the abyss. This abyss was like the territory of the ancient deities, and being deep inside the abyss would definitely make Tyrant Balak even more formidable. Lin Li could still remember how a line of demonic runes from Connoris was able to let him engage the energy of the abyss to oppress the Lord of Darkness when he was in the Throne of Darkness. This could only show that a real ancient deity would be a god-like figure in the abyss.

  Furthermore, apart from activating the vast force of the abyss, this formidable troop of Zago Demons was definitely not something anyone could deal with. The Sickle Black-armored Demons that multiplied at great speed, Hell Pythons with extreme venom, Scourged Ankylodons that had the ability to slice a wyrm alive, tyrannical Mammoth Behemoths… These terrifying Zago Demons that were led by the highly intelligent Zago Lord really posed a great threat even to a man in the Sanctuary-realm.

  How could Osric trespass this region alone? Was he a god?

  Lin Li could not imagine how a man could deal with this scene on his own. He was sure those demons would be problematic even for a Dragon Aspect.

  "You were saying Osric entered this place alone. When was that?" Angelano asked the Fire Demon King.

  "That was when I just started to follow him. Oh yes, didn't I fight with Amatir? I think that happened one or two months after," replied the Fire Demon King. His vast lifespan made him ins.e.n.s.i.t.i.v.e to dates. It was good enough that he could remember significant events.

  "Hold on, I remember it. That was when Osric had the magical crystal I wanted. Could that be…" Angelano could not complete his speech. He was flabbergasted by his thoughts. Despite being one of the first to follow Osric, if his guess was true, he really could not believe Osric's real abilities.

  "Could that magical crystal belong to tyrant Balak?" Lin Li and Connoris gasped in unison. No matter how shocked they were, it was a fact that all the clues were pointing in that direction.

  Just when millions of thoughts were running through the minds of Lin Li and Connoris, the situation on the battlefield had worsened. The Black Current that was made up of numerous Sickle Black-armored Demons and Hell Pythons had brought about an incredible amount of pressure to the men like never before. The appearance of the Scourged Ankylodons multiplied their stress and pushed them to their limit. The men could not help but feel a sense of despair when they saw the shadows of the hill-like Mammoth Behemoths becoming larger and larger.

  Rosen, who had been under the radar of the Zago Lord had to deal with the six Hell Pythons and four Scourged Ankylodons alone now. Despite being a level-23 Legendary-mage, he was not outside of any danger. The loopholes of Rosen's element domain were exposed; while the magic storm that filled the magical domain was rather effective in dealing with the Sickle Black-armored Demons and Hell Pythons, it was like a tickle to the Scourged Ankylodons.

  If he had a perfect Element Domain, he would be able to instantaneously cast all the elemental spells that he was capable of using. For instance, since he was a level-23 mage, the elements that made up his magic storm would be level-22 and below. If he had this ability, it would not put him at a disadvantage.

  Unfortunately, the energy of one man was still limited. Rosen's greed to reach into the four elemental Laws made him a master of none. The elements that made up the magic storm were all weaker than the Legendary-level. How would that pose any threat to the tyrannical Scourged Ankylodons?

  Goddammit, did this bunch of Zago Demon eat the wrong medicine? Rosen thought anxiously as he saw a few more Scourged Ankylodons flying from the distance. He still could not understand why he was so popular among the pests. The Zago Demons that he alone was battling with had nearly reached half of what Andoine and the rest were dealing with together.

  Rosen clenched his jaws and got an opportunity to bring out his magic staff again. It had been quite some time since he last used it, and the two huge gems on the magic staff had a fresh glow of light. Rosen had initially planned to use the magic staff to protect himself against Lin Li, but he knew that if he was not able to overcome his present ordeal, it would be futile to think of the future.

  As their growls sounded off, two dragons of gold and silver appeared beside Rosen. They smashed the countless Sickle Black-armored Demons into fragments instantaneously. The gold dragon turned the two spitting Hell Pythons into ashes with its breath, while the silver dragon pounced onto the Scourged Ankylodons and battled with them.

  However, the two dragons that should've been in the Sanctuary-realm did not display any of that level of power. While the Hell Pythons were unable to deal with the two dragons, it wasn't the case for the Scourged Ankylodons. Their impregnable defense gave them the right to be worthy opponents of the two dragons. Although these two dragons were able to share a huge part of Rosen's burden, it convinced the Zago Lord of Rosen's identity as the leader.

  Rosen's delight did not last after he summoned the two dragons. Fresh blood flowed out from the side of his mouth on his pallid face. It was obvious that the summoning of the two dragons cost Rosen significantly. He wiped the side of his mouth and decided to put away his pride to draw closer to Andoine and others.

  "Bam!" That was the sound when the Alchemy Colossus that was controlled by Angelano collided with the first Mammoth Behemoth that charged towards it.

  The Mammoth Behemoth that was covered in firm armor from head to toe had a massive body that was comparable to the Alchemy Colossus. It had a machete-shaped horn on its head and two massive and sharp tusks that grew from the back of its neck, just like the giant metal spear the Alchemy Colossus had in its hands. Its three pairs of legs supported its hill-like body, and ensured that the Mammoth Behemoth could move fast unaffected by its huge body size. The sickle-shaped claws on each of its leg killed countless Sickle Black-armored Demons as it advanced towards the men. The dark-green flesh and blood of the demons covered its claws distastefully.

  The Mammoth Behemoth was definitely a strategy-ranked existence among the Zago Demon species. Although it did not have any incredible ability for defense, the hill-like body was sufficient to allow this creature to do whatever it wanted in the abyss. No one knew how thick its armor was to be able to defend it from the attack of any Sword Sage. Although it did not have very high resistance to magic, it was definitely able to withstand Legendary-level attacks. Its trump card was its massive body that could protect itself from most critical attacks.

  It was a blessing that Lin Li had Angelano's huge Alchemy Colossus with him to deal with the huge beast. He was almost certain that the spear of the Colossus would be able to pose a threat to the Mammoth Behemoth.

  Unfortunately, Lin Li only had one Titan-level Alchemy Colossus with him. That was in stark contrast to the Zago Demons that had at least 10 Mammoth Behemoths. While Angelano was able to deal with one Mammoth Behemoth, he wouldn't be able to emerge safely if two or three other Mammoth Behemoths were to charge over.

  "And Tyrant Balak has yet to appear. Could it be that it had already been gotten rid of by Osric? If the magical crystal in the crystal coffin really belongs to Tyrant Balak, it is not impossible for us to overcome t
his crisis!" Lin Li exclaimed to his followers as he pointed at the coffin that was hovering in the air.

  "I might have followed Osric for a long time, but I've never seen him demonstrate his real power. When he defeated me, it was as if I was an ant under his thumb. Frankly speaking, I lost all courage simply by standing in front of him," recalled the Fire Demon King.

  "If Osric was here to defeat Tyrant Balak by himself, I bet he had to be stronger than common Sanctuary powerhouses. Could he be at the peak of the realm?!" Lin Li gasped. He was shocked by his thoughts. If Osric was at the peak of the Sanctuary-realm, he had to be extremely close to being a divinity.

  Although all of the clues were pointing to the crystal coffin, no one could be certain that it was Tyrant Balak's magical crystal in the coffin. If one were to leave out the possibility of Osric defeating Balak single-handedly and acquiring his magical crystal, who could be certain that the magical crystal in the crystal coffin had to belong to Balak instead of some prehistoric magical beast?

  But, Lin Li had no other choice now. The only thing he could do was to gamble on it. If he won, he would be able to find a way out of the situation for himself and the other men. If he lost, the ending would not be any different from not acting on it.

  "Teacher Andoine, Master Aldwin, please press on! I need your help to delay their leader!" Lin Li shouted. He did not provide any explanation for what he was about to do. He knew there was no time to lose. Before Andoine could respond to his request, he cast the Power of Flight and flew towards the crystal coffin in the distance.

  The absence of the Light and Darkness Domain depreciated the ability of the followers under Lin Li greatly. Although Ujfalusi and Lord of Nightmares immediately established their Humerus Domain and Nightmare Domain, respectively, their combined strength was still far behind Lin Li's Light and Darkness Domain. Although Lin Li left the area alone, the departure of a level-23 Legendary-mage elevated the pressure felt by the rest of the team.