Chapter 521 - 467 : Summoning (2/2)

Lissandra cut the couple off, her expression that of confusion.

”Wait, who are you talking about? Who's this Zaarae?”

”The Parasite Empress.” Arthur gave an immediate and honest reply. As she heard him, Lissandra and Vyncent kept silent, neither stopping Arthur nor questioning him about knowledge about said Empress.

They already knew he was parasite but way different than the rest, more powerful and mysterious. From the way he just talked, it was clear that he had issues with Zaarae, who should not be brought here.

”What do you want to do?” Lucy asked her husband, waiting for him to speak of a plan before voicing out her thoughts.

”Check the parasite base and destroy the summoning crystal.”

Lucy frowned, thought for a moment before responding: ”That's a bit rush, isn't it? We're still not sure if they'll summon her… or if that's even possible. Why don't we investigate first.”

Arthur didn't reply to her, instead, he abruptly halted his steps, looked around and said:

”That's not an option anymore.”

Lucy didn't get enough time to reply as several swift shadows appeared all around them, each focusing on one of the four. Their faces were covered by a black veil and and their clothes were inky black. Their speed was out of the ordinary, however, to their misfortune, they couldn't reach their target as their legs got mingled into vines that sprung from the ground.

Two of them rolled on the ground and were bound by thick thorny vines while the other two managed to jump away and safely land a distance away from the instantaneous field of poisonous plants created by Arthur.

”What have we here?”

The undead faced the motionless assailants, his feet slowly marching toward them. They cautiously raised their weapons, a pair of silver daggers, and tried to slowly back away only to meet an invisible way.

”We are still far from your base, why the need to come to us, so quickly and aggressively?”

Arthur's voice became ghastly, his cane monotonously banged on the ground with each step taken. A black fog materialized around him, shrouding his figure and releasing an ominous aura.

Actually, Arthur expected them to commit suicide but the reality was much different and surprising. They raised their hands, threw their daggers and knelt on the ground.

Seeing such suspicious behavior, Arthur felt uneasy. He isn't used to such behavior, especially from parasites, who would rather die than submit.

Lucy joined him as two crystalline lotuses flew from her side to the two kneeling parasites, rotating around them and freezing the ground, slowly creeping into their bodies, starting from their lower limbs.

”We mean you no harm, please stop!” One of them yelled with a feminine voice.

Although the freezing process was momentarily stopped, the two closed lotuses remained near the surrendering parasites.

Arthur stopped a few meters away from the parasites, glanced at the other two, who were caught by his vines and fell unconscious, then coldly said.

”I would like to believe you… were it not for your previously raised arms, hostile actions and covered faces.”

The undead raised his bony hand, malevolent darkness emanating from the spiky tip of his fingers.

Vyncent, staying at the back, hurriedly said: ”It's pointless to argue with them, finish them off and let us go. There will be more coming.”

As they heard him, the female parasite who just yelled shook her head and pleaded again:

”No! We came alone! Please believe us. We really meant no harm, we were just testing you.”

With a trembling hand, she pointed at the fallen daggers and explained: ”Those daggers are fake… they're made of fragile glass. They can't even hurt a corpse.”

Arthur followed her gaze and stared at the fallen daggers. One of them flew up to him, stopping inches away from his eerie eye. He stretched his hand and felt the dagger, which easily shattered the moment it made contact with a tiny bit of Dark Magic.

Indeed, the parasite was telling the truth, nevertheless, that doesn't make them any less dangerous.