All, One, Everything.

Chapter 18: Fighting the Shadow Hound(2)

Preview: It got close to the sunflower wreaking havoc in the distance and raised its dark yet glimmering obsidian-like claw.

Danger! The Sunflower's senses warned it as the roots at the back unanimously moved and attacked the figure that appeared out of nowhere. The sense of danger dissipated as the roots hit and pierced something but the majority were sliced cleanly.

Roots flew through the air on impact and landed on the ground. TSS! Something sizzled and the smell of cooked flesh erupted. The parts where roots landed were scraped and created holes that were sizzling from the burning effect of holy light. While the roots that pierced through them fattened as the nutrients and vital energy passed through the channel and nourished the sunflower.

"Mmm! DELISH!" a voice of exclamation and shock echoed. The little Sunflower didn't expect the Shadow Hound would taste so good, just a tiny sip of him was overwhelming.

"Good. Very good!" short words sounded from the Shadow Hound as rage bubbled up from being striked by its prey. Prey are supposed to be hunted, to be killed and eaten. But now, a prey actually fought back and not only that, it also dealt damage to him!

The humiliation it felt was much more than the injuries it sustained. Darkness receded from the parts pierced by the roots covered in holy light. Burnt smell went along with it as blood trickled down and hit the floor.

Tss! The ground melted as the Shadow Hound's mutated blood corroded it away. Due to its high level of a lifeform, with its blood filled with some tiny substances of Shadow element mana. Once demons are able to use magic with their magic circuits, their bodies would slowly get assimilated by the mana they are attuned with and have their bodies strengthened in some ways. Thus, the stronger they are, the closer their physiques are to nature.

The Shadow Hound endured its injuries as it cast more magic in the air.

"Shadow Spears!"

Echoed as the Shadow Hound summoned dozens of shadow spears at once. Then his figure retreated in the darkness and used the darkness to expel the holy light festering its wound. It took a lot of time to finally remove the holy light before the wounds started to close. The shadow hound wasted a lot of his mana just trying to recover from this tiny injury as it chanted a spell before coming out of the shadow.

"Shadow Cloak."

Darkness flickered on its body for a moment as the spots hit by the roots were covered in sticky shadow-like mana again. His entire body was cloaked by shadow as his defenses and stealth improved. His presence lowered as he once again prepared to ambush the sunflower. But this time, he did not choose to foolishly confront head-on like last time.

He just stood somewhere far away and casted microspells to save mana and energy.

"Shadow spears!"

"Shadow manifestation!"

He repeated his previous tactic in order to exhaust the sunflower but it wasn't so effective. Although the sunflower indeed felt exhausted, its control over its power became more agile as it familiarized itself with the patterns of the attack.

And that was exactly the goal behind the attacks of the Shadow Hound. To make the sunflower get used to it and feel complacent, then add a new attack to finish things off.

But to cast a high-burst damage, he has to spend some time chanting. Thus, he used this diversionary tactic as he chanted the incantation in his mind and mobilized the mana in the upper levels of hell and let it circulate around his magic circuit.

Damn it. The mana here is too thin. The amount that I restore compared to what I spend is inversely proportional. I don't have much mana left, I hope this last attack of mine will end this thing once and for all.

The Shadow Hound inwardly cursed as its mana reserves continued depleting at a rapid rate. Especially while casting the high-burst magic spell. The mana absorbed and refined from the atmosphere of upper levels was simply insufficient to supply and recover the Shadow Hound's consumption as it had to use its personal reserves to cast it.

Hmph. I don't believe you still won't die this time.

A tiny dot of black silently appeared in mid-air below the Shadow Hound. It was tiny, painfully tiny that anyone could possibly dismiss it in this dark place. The Shadow Hound was proud of its spell as it awaited the scene of the sunflower getting pierced by darkness and corroded.

The sunflower's sense of danger rang once again. But this time, it did not know where the danger came from. It could only warily look around to watch out for the incoming danger.

The darkness in the surroundings stirred as though something was moving within as the spears continued raining towards the duo. They became more and more familiar with the patterns of the attacks when suddenly.

"Shadow Needle!"

The darkness boiled for a moment and something jumped out at a rapid speed. A needle-like object pierced the sunflower's leaf and melted immediately. Darkness spread with it as the point of origin and continued spreading towards its still green body that was tinged with dark reddish colors due to being exposed in this environment for a long time.

Haa. Haa. I don't believe that's still not enough. You must die this time.

The Shadow Hound huffed from the complete depletion of its mana, causing him to be greatly weakened as he could no longer use spells. Shadow Needle was the strongest spell it knows currently. Although small, the needle contained a terrifying penetrative and corrosive affinity. Just as how holy light mana can corrode creatures aligned with darkness, Shadow Needle has the similar principle and works the same way, but with more piercing power.

The Shadow Hound felt confident in his attacks as he exposed his body. Darkness receded like a tide as he could no longer keep up with the consumption from Shadow Cloak. His stealth came undone as the duo finally sensed him. Behind them, the towering figure looked down at the two with cold and avaricious eyes.