231 Chapter 231: Reinforcements (2/2)
”You…!”
Shun Yin recognized the solitary figure who was stepping out of the shadows, accompanied with something…so horrifying and eldritch that he was almost driven mad from the sheer sight of it. Waving tentacles and a gelatinous, shifting organic body with countless blinking demonic red eyes. A gigantic Shaggrowth, or at least something that resembled a Shaggrowth, but had many more eyes and tentacles. With a gargled roar, it struck out, its many tentacles whipping out to ensnare the hovering Vermillion Phoenix above.
The fiery Soul Beast responded by incinerating the tentacles with its fire spells, bathing the entire area in flames. Stirring within the inferno, the immense Shaggrowth continued to launch shadow spells, hurling dark projectiles at the soaring phoenix. Vermillion Phoenix then swooped and dove, weaving through the storm of shadowy spikes before launching a colossal fireball into the misshapen mass of the writhing creature.
”What the fuck is that?!” Glen cried out, his eyes bulging from witnessing the sheer horror of the thing.
”Hey, language.” Ying Bu Si made a tutting sound and wagged his finger at him. ”And that baby is my Soul Beast. You didn't think you were the only summoners around here, did you? We are pretty rare among Assassins because the summoning spells take too much time to cast, but there are among us a few who went and learned it anyway.”
”Your Soul Beast.” Shun Yin was gaping at him in disbelief. ”That monster?”
”I would appreciate it if you don't call my little pal a monster. You'll hurt his feelings, you know.” Ying Bu Si feigned a pained look. Then he raised a hand and blocked a sword strike from Michael, a mass of shadows wrapping around his arm to protect it from the latter's flaming blade. ”Hey, don't you know it's rude to interrupt a person when he's talking?”
”Are you really an Assassin?” Shun Yin felt as if he was getting a headache. ”You talk too much and are too showy. Most of your brethren just do the job quickly and quietly, with us almost not realizing we're under attack until it's too late.”
Just like the Umbra Assassin capable of using Shadow Ball. While Michael was distracted by Ying Bu Si, the other Umbra Assassin launched a sneak attack from behind, his shadowy dagger stealthily snaking toward his back.
”!!!”
Michael spun around on instinct and deflected the dagger before ducking under the short sword that the Umbra Assassin swung at his unprotected neck. He clenched his free hand into a fist and ignited a fire blast that combusted against his opponent, only for the Umbra Assassin to counter the spell with another Shadow Ball.
The two of them split apart from the explosion. While Michael's attention was occupied by the other Umbra Assassin, Ying Bu Si sprang his trap. His hands in his pockets, the Assassin in a business suit calmly unleashed several shadowy appendages from behind him, the limbs reaching out to grab Michael.
”Mike! Watch out!”
Glen shouted a warning, but neither he nor Shun Yin were in any position to assist. The two high school students were currently besieged by the remaining Assassins. White Tiger roared and swiped at a couple of Umbra Assassins, who stayed out of reach of its claws, but when it turned to lunge at the Umbra Assassin trying to stab Shun Yin in the back, its two intended victims retaliated with a double shadow ball that struck its flanks and sent it spinning.
The Assassin who was assaulting Shun Yin also threw out a hand and summoned his own Soul Beast. A ghostly demon with two pointed ears, entirely dark purple in color, and had red eyes and a wide mouth that was perpetually twisted into a sinister grin. Spikes lined the back of the humanoid Soul Beast, and a stubby tail complemented short hands and legs.
”What the…?!”
Glen gaped at the newly summoned Soul Beast, but the Ghost-type demon sprang at his White Tiger and punched it with a Shadow Punch, flooring it. Snarling, White Tiger leaped back to its feet and sent lightning arcing crazily across the ground, only for the Ghost-type demon to lazily evade the web of lethal electricity.
Having finished his summoned spell, the Umbra Assassin spun around and kicked Shun Yin, who was busily weaving through the grappling shadowy appendages that Ying Bu Si had conjured. Having used his fiery sword to slash at one of the limbs that were so close to entrapping him, Shun Yin was unable to block the kick to his midriff and was sent tumbling into the nefarious embrace of the shadowy appendages, who closed around him with a crushing grip.
Flames exploded around him, but the shadowy appendages merely extinguished them before turning into somewhat of a writhing sphere that enclosed him. However, before they could pulverize the nearly helpless Michael, someone jumped forward and smashed the shadowy appendages apart with a single punch.
”?!”
Ying Bu Si twisted around to face the new threat, his mouth already opening to yell a command to his Shaggrowth thing. However, even as its numerous tentacles lashed out at the newcomer, a blizzard of vividly colored petals flitted out and sliced them into bits, causing the creature to wail and recoil from the pain.
”You are…!”
”My, what a monster you have there.” Lionel Stuart stepped forward, swinging his sword down to send another storm of flowers spiraling into the fleeing giant Shaggrowth. Behind and above him, the ghostly aura of an enormous Green Dragon shimmered, as if lending him power.
Glen and Michael immediately recognized the Green Dragon as the symbol and mascot of the famed Stuart clan.
”You…!”
Ying Bu Si's calm façade broke for a moment, his anger leaking through his mask, as he sent another flurry of shadowy appendages at Lionel Stuart. However, the first newcomer broke in between them and punched them away.
With just a single fist, he obliterated the entire collective of shadowy limbs, disintegrating them and reducing them into nothing.
”Thank you very much, Yue Guang.”
”It is my duty to serve, sir.”
Yuan Dao Yue Guang bowed his head humbly for a moment, and then he proceeded to charge at Ying Bu Si.
”That technique…destroying my shadows with a single physical punch…you're an expert on Ba Qi, aren't you!?”
Ying Bu Si immediately retreated wearily, recognizing the potent Armament Ba Qi that wrapped around Yuan Dao Yue Guang's heavily muscled body. That figure spoke of decades of harsh training, honing his body into the peak of human capabilities with nothing but mystical martial arts and grueling combat.
Ba Qi…the pinnacle of the mystical martial arts practiced by those mages whose magic was not aligned with any element.
”Sorry for being late, Michael.” Lionel stepped forward, unleashing another wood spell that blasted the giant Shaggrowth back with sheer numbers of razor-sharp petals. ”We rushed over when we heard about the near annihilation of the Porter Clan. I'm very sorry for your loss.”
He then straightened his gleaming sword and infused it with even more mana. Behind him, the shimmering Green Dragon aura roared silently as more petals danced around it.
”But rest assured…the Stuart clan is here to help you avenge the deaths of your family.”