Riyao lay prone behind a low slope of the Black Bone Mountain Range, his fingertips lightly touching the ground as his magic quietly spread through the soil. This was his usual method of scouting—more stealthy and precise than magical perception.
Soon, dense life fluctuations emanated from the direction of the abandoned mine. They weren't the disorganized movements of beasts, but rather a disciplined march, numbering at least forty or fifty.
He immediately abandoned the idea of a frontal assault. He wasn't some reckless hothead; being alone against so many people was already a disadvantage, and who knew if a powerful leader was hiding deep inside?
"I don't want to fight until I'm exhausted. If I mess up, the whole guild will be attending my funeral."
Just as Riyao was holding his breath and retreating to circle around and call for backup, a sudden change occurred.
The soil beneath him surged violently, and hidden Binding Vines abruptly shot out, coiling toward his limbs and ankles. His mind sharpened as his physical strength exploded instantly; his feet slammed against the ground, and he vaulted into the air, deftly dodging the unexpected entanglement.
The moment he landed, several dark incantation lights suddenly flared up around him.
Numerous Dark Mages emerged from behind rocks and the dense forest, surrounding him in layers and sealing off all paths of retreat.
A man as dark as pitch stepped slowly out of a dark halo, his luxurious black robe covered in incantation patterns. He clapped slowly, his tone calculating. "Lord Riyao, you've finally arrived."
"Allow me to introduce myself. I am the leader of the Black Light Society, Nirdo Longla."
Riyao blinked, his face a mask of confusion, and flatly retorted, "What the hell are you barking about?"
Nirdo completely ignored the offense, immersed in his own scheme, and laughed loudly. "I set this whole stage, spreading the plague to sacrifice the lives of the townspeople. It both pleases Lord Zeref and lures you into my trap to seize your body. Truly killing two birds with one stone!"
Riyao furrowed his brows, looking utterly disgusted. "Sorry, I'm not into guys. Even if you get my body, you won't have my heart."
"Shut up! What nonsense are you spouting, you bastard!" Nirdo snapped instantly, roaring in anger. "Who wants your heart! I want to refine your body into a vessel to serve Lord Zeref!"
"Tch," Riyao curled his lip. "You spent all that time acting refined, and then you lost your class in an instant."
These words thoroughly enraged Nirdo. His face contorted as he barked an order, "Get him! Sew this bastard's mouth shut!"
In an instant, the surrounding Dark Mages pounced together, their magic surging.
Riyao dropped his playful expression, his muscles and bones tightening. Without relying on any magic or summoning any vegetation, he stood his ground using only his long-tempered physique, facing the swarming assault head-on.
"Healing Magic: Hundred Battles" activated instantly. Golden patterns crawled across his body as his self-healing reached its peak. His skin and flesh became incredibly resilient, allowing even wounds to heal at extreme speeds.
With Super Strength Mode fully active, his body appeared ordinary but unleashed an explosive power far beyond its appearance.
With a low shout, he braced his steps and charged into the crowd like a cannonball. A Mage swung a blade at him; Riyao didn't dodge, tanking the blade with his left arm. The magic only left a shallow mark on his skin, which was instantly smoothed over by a green glow. Before the opponent could react, he clenched his right fist, twisted his torso for momentum, and slammed his fist into the man's face with a whistling wind.
Bang!
The enemy's nose collapsed, and he flew backward like a broken kite, hitting a rock and falling unconscious.
Someone from the side swept a short staff at his knees. Riyao lowered his center of gravity, his right leg as immovable as a steel pillar. He grabbed the attacker's wrist, yanked hard in the direction of the force, then shoved forward. With a crack, he twisted the arm and drove his knee into the man's chest, slamming him into the dirt. All the combat techniques he had practiced over the last two years came into play—using the enemy's momentum against them and controlling his center of gravity perfectly. Every strike was efficient and lethal.
Flying blades and poison stingers condensed from magic constantly struck him. Some grazed his skin, others embedded in his shoulders, but the "Hundred Battles" magic never stopped. Wounds scabbed and healed at a visible speed, disappearing before a single drop of blood could fall. Riyao ignored it all, simply rampaging through the crowd, his fists alternating in a rhythmic, bone-crushing symphony.
He grabbed a Mage by the back of the collar, swinging him like a chick to knock down three nearby comrades before letting go. Two others lunged to grab his waist; Riyao arched his back, using his refined strength to flip them off, then followed up with two kicks upon landing, snapping their ankles.
In the chaotic fray, Riyao moved as if in an empty field, tanking attacks from all sides while dealing massive damage. A green glow flickered on his body—a sign of his high-speed self-healing—while his fists never stopped. Within his seemingly lean body lay a crushing level of power. His face held no extra expression, only the sheer thrill of a long-awaited serious battle, which was far more comfortable than dealing with stacks of medical requests.
Nirdo Longla stood on the outskirts, watching his subordinates fall like wheat before a scythe. He felt no pity; instead, his pupils brightened, and a greedy, cruel smile crept onto his lips.
He rubbed his hands together, his eyes glued to Riyao like a starving wolf watching its prey, his gaze burning with intensity. The green glow flowing over Riyao's skin, the resilience that healed wounds instantly, and the exuberant vitality that persisted despite the onslaught—in his eyes, it was all the most alluring luster.
This body was even more perfect than he had imagined!
"Hahaha... Great! Simply perfect!" he couldn't help but chuckle, his voice thick with uncontrollable excitement. "To take so many attacks and still output such power... his self-healing and vitality are at such a level, he's practically a vessel tailor-made for Lord Zeref!"
A lackey was punched flying by Riyao and landed right at his feet. Nirdo didn't even spare him a glance, stepping over the body as he approached the battlefield step by step. His gaze traced Riyao's every move, greedily sensing that endless life aura, his breathing becoming rapid. "The better he fights, the more vigorous his vitality. Only a vessel like this can hold Lord Zeref's power!"
Nildo Longla was immersed in his fanatical covetousness, his eyes locked onto Riyao's body, muttering praises to himself, completely indifferent to the state of the battle.
While he was distracted by his own words, the remaining lackeys continued to charge. But ordinary Mages were physically weak; without a powerful physique or continuous self-healing, they couldn't withstand Riyao's precise and violent strikes.
Every collision was a one-sided massacre. Cracking sounds echoed as one black-robed figure after another collapsed, unable to last even a move or two. In just a few breaths, the layers of people surrounding him had dwindled to nothing, with defeated Dark Mages lying scattered across the ground.
He raised his hand to condense thick dark magic. A dark purple halo covered his body as he hunched over, letting out a low growl.
Riyao, showing no sense of sportsmanship, charged directly in front of Nildo Longla and threw a punch straight at his face.