Warlock Apprentice

Chapter 2017: Chapter 2018: Ifeg

Something is approaching.

Getting closer and closer...

Rhein could feel the unrest in the darkness rushing towards him.

As a roughly three-meter-tall silhouette gradually emerged from the darkness, Rhein’s eyes grew more focused.

”Efieg?!” Rhein’s low exclamation also caught Sanders’ attention.

What appeared before Sanders’ eyes in the darkness was a magical creature that seemed to be made from layers of fat. It was still a stitch monster, but it looked even more portly, with layers of flesh piled on top of each other. Greenish grease oozed from the seams, emitting a suffocating stench.

They had encountered a stitch monster once before, so seeing it again seemed almost normal, even if this one was more robust than the last. But what truly surprised Rhein and Sanders was that embedded in the navel of this stitch monster was a human head.

This human had his eyes tightly shut, and although his face was also covered with numerous stitching marks, one could vaguely discern that he was a handsome man.

Moreover, both Rhein and Sanders recognized the identity of this human.

Efieg, a genius Wizard from the Song of the Deep Sea. Two months ago, he had the misfortune of falling into ruins and never came out.

They had considered the possibility that Efieg might have been controlled by Nightmare Realm creatures, just like those humans in the Sleepless City who were possessed by parasitic creatures, becoming mere puppets dancing to the tunes of the Nightmare Realm creatures.

If he was indeed possessed by a parasitic creature, there might still be hope for revival. But they never expected Efieg to meet such an end, becoming part of a stitch monster.

Sanders had interacted with Efieg before. Though he was proud, he had not engaged in the factional struggles of the Song of the Deep Sea, and was considered the purest wizard. Sanders had a certain admiration for him, and never imagined such a tragic fate would befall him, making Sanders sigh in lament.

Rhein’s expression was also somewhat sympathetic, but this emotion only showed outwardly, never entering his eyes, let alone settling in his heart. After all, he had lived too long, experienced countless separations by death. For him to show even a surface level of sympathy was no easy feat.

Although Rhein also felt sorry for Efieg’s situation, when confronted with this stitch monster, he did not drop his guard even a little.

Because, not to mention that this stitch monster used Efieg’s Wizard-level head as the controlling center, what was even more alarming was that above Efieg’s head hung a coiled sphere demon.

According to their previous conjectures, the sphere demon could greatly amplify the capabilities of a magical creature. Thus, a stitch monster with undeniable strength, empowered by the sphere demon, would undergo an astonishing qualitative change.

Even Rhein, at this moment, put away any trace of ease.

Rhein whispered to Sanders, ”Be sure to protect Angel, and establish a defense barrier.”

As his words fell, Rhein first launched an attack on the stitch monster. An invisible sonic wave shot directly towards the navel of the stitch monster—Efieg’s head.

Although this stitch monster had two heads, since the sphere demon was clinging to Efieg, it was clear that the head at the navel was the true central hub!

Rhein’s initial move was meant to strike a decisive blow.

At the very moment Rhein made his move, Efieg suddenly opened his eyes. His eyes, originally a beautiful sea blue, were now a ghastly white!

As Efieg’s eyes opened, a barrier with light blue water patterns appeared before him.

”Devil Bat Ray’s defense spell.” Sanders instantly recognized the barrier in front of Efieg as a bloodline talent from the Devil Bat Ray. Efieg’s initial bloodline integration was with the Devil Bat Ray, and among the talents it provided, aside from sonic attacks, the strongest was the defense spell.

Since Devil Bat Rays inherently possessed sonic attacks, their defense spell naturally had a high resistance to sonic assaults.

However, in Sanders’ view, no matter how strong the Devil Bat Ray’s defense spell was, it shouldn’t be able to withstand Lord Rhein’s Silent Kill, as the difference between the two was a qualitative gap, beyond measure by mere calculation.

Yet in reality, an astonishing scene unfolded. The light blue water-patterned barrier, while not fully withstanding Rhein’s strike, managed to reduce Silent Kill’s effect substantially by the time it shattered, allowing Efieg to easily deflect the remaining impact.

Was it possible that with Rhein’s threefold True Knowledge strength, the powerful self-crafted spell technique he unleashed was actually warded off by Efieg?

This unbelievable sight almost defied the basic principles of power difference.

In Sanders’ shock, the only thing he could think of was the sphere demon! It must have been the sphere demon amplifying Efieg’s abilities!

Previously, they had not paid much attention to the sphere demon, but now its terrifying power was clearly evident. Its amplification of Efieg’s ability was definitely not a simple percentage increase, but an utterly illogical doubling!

Though the sphere demon itself had no abilities, its threat level was vastly increased in Rhein and Sanders’ minds at that moment.

Surprised as Sanders was, he still didn’t believe that Efieg could pose a true threat to Rhein.

Sure, Efieg could easily fend off a single Silent Kill, but what if faced with multiple instances of Silent Kill?

Silent Kill, on par with third-level spell techniques, requires a long casting time by nature. But since this was Rhein’s self-crafted spell, he could release it instantly, and combined with Rhein’s seemingly limitless magic power, Sanders did not think Efieg could withstand it.

As Sanders had expected, seeing that the first attempt did not resolve the issue, when Rhein raised his finger again, five sonic wave killing techniques erupted instead of just one.

This compounded damage was not as simple as one plus one.

After enduring the first Silent Kill, Efieg was indeed left defenseless, forced to use his flesh to shield his head.

With the sphere demon’s assistance, Efieg’s left hand managed to withstand two Silent Kills, and his right hand did the same.

Though Efieg was now in a dreadful state, with both hands shattered into pieces, in the end, he managed to survive.

Such an achievement would definitely be formidable in the outside world. But Efieg could not carry this feat back outside; he was destined to perish here.

Rhein extended his hand once more, pointing at Efieg.

At this moment, however, Efieg seemed to sense his impending danger. He let out a furious roar, and as the roar faded, a surge of energy began to dissipate from his body, migrating from his head to his limbs. The previously shattered left and right hands started to sprout fleshy tendrils, and at an astonishing pace...

This physical regeneration was rare, yet not unheard of. But this was the first time they had seen it on a stitch monster.

Again, it was likely the sphere demon’s power.

Rhein grew increasingly curious about the sphere demon—how exactly did this peculiar creature enhance and modify magical creatures?

However, despite his curiosity, Rhein was not in the mood to conduct any research at this time.

Killing Efieg was his sole objective at that moment.

Not waiting for Efieg’s hands to regenerate, Rhein unleashed Silent Kill from his fingertips once more.