Chapter 17: Evolution

Irrecoverable mana forced Lu Cang to make a choice.

To ensure survival, he could no longer delay.

He had to kill this Lord first!

Ice spikes were being output without a moment's pause!

Lu Cang didn't know exactly how many more ice spikes it would take to kill it.

Therefore, the optimal solution was to use all remaining mana for attacks!

Boom!

An ice spike rotated into the giant snake's lower jaw, burst through, and sprayed blood before exploding!

An ice burst occurred!

Just as one ice spike exploded, the next rotating, piercing spike drove into the freshly opened wound!

The more he stabbed, the more it pierced!

Is this the vitality of a Lord-class creature?

Too tenacious...

It was on a completely different combat level compared to the previous monsters.

At least a thousand times stronger?

Against the small mobs outside, seven fireballs were needed, but only two were required to instant-kill them.

How many of his full spells had this BOSS already swallowed?

If calculating by health alone, it was likely more than ten thousand times that of the small mobs outside...

Furthermore, its attack intensity...

His physical constitution would likely result in death from a single graze.

Mana...

Was gradually running out.

But the giant snake's body was still writhing.

Even though its entire head had been frozen, was it still not dead?

Since entering the second phase, he had fired thirty consecutive ice spikes.

With every cast, Lu Cang was calculating his mana usage with extreme precision.

He strove to ensure every ice spike achieved maximum power with minimum mana consumption.

And under this meticulous operation, every single ice spike provided Lu Cang with 150,000 proficiency experience points.

If he hadn't pushed himself, he wouldn't have known where his limits lay.

But to ensure the lethality of the ice spikes, no matter how much he reduced mana consumption, he had to use 2% of his mana to release the Ice Spike spell.

Now, an Ice Spike cast with 2% mana already surpassed the lethality of the initial 3% casts.

Even though he possessed the talent "God-tier Proficiency Evolution," which allowed him to continuously refine and evolve!

But was he going to die here, just as he was starting? Die in his very first dungeon adventure?

Resentment surged in his heart.

The mana within his body was being squeezed dry.

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

Bang!

However, an unexpected turn of events occurred once again!

The giant snake, which looked almost like a frozen zombie, actually shattered countless ice chunks once more!

Its rotting, broken head turned toward Lu Cang...

"Die..."

"Die!"

"Why won't you die!"

The resentment in Lu Cang's heart transformed into rage. He didn't know why it had come to this, why he was inexplicably about to die...

Why?

All his remaining mana condensed at once!

[Ice Spike Proficiency EXP +100k]

[Ice Spike Proficiency EXP +100k]

[Ice Spike Proficiency EXP +100k]

[Ice Spike Proficiency EXP +100k]

...

Compression.

He compressed the hardness of the ice spike even further, making it rotate even faster!

He didn't need a large ice spike; he needed it to be thinner and longer!

Mana poured out incessantly.

And within Lu Cang's mind, the notifications for proficiency increases rang out continuously.

This surge in proficiency was extremely fierce.

An ice spike, shaped like a long needle, condensed beside Lu Cang.

Under high-speed rotation, the entire cavern was swept by a frigid chill.

His mana was exhausted.

But it wasn't enough.

He could over-cast! *Squeeze out all my strength; if I can't kill it, I'll die anyway.*

Not a single drop of the tide remained.

In its place was a void within his body.

A place where not a single drop of mana remained.

It was depletion...

It was nothingness...

A violent sense of dizziness struck!

Bang!

At that exact moment!

The ice needle beside Lu Cang vanished!

Psh!

A long stream of blood mixed with ice shards sprayed out! A long pillar of blood erupted toward the ceiling of the cave!

The giant snake's head was completely pierced through. Not just the head—this ice needle had driven straight from the hole in its skull deep into its body!

The entire body of the long snake was frozen like an ice sculpture within a very short time.

Lu Cang only saw this final scene.

His vision went black, and before losing consciousness, he could faintly hear voices echoing in his mind.

[Magic Enhancement: Mana Tide has evolved]

[You have learned: Mana Void (Tier 2) (Forbidden Art)]

[Mana Void Proficiency EXP +100k]

[Magic Enhancement: Mana Void (LV: 10) — Automatically operates, obtaining more mana from the void]

...

Iz pushed open the stone door and entered, catching Lu Cang before he hit the ground.

He let out a soft sigh.

"Sorry. If I hadn't applied pressure to you in this way, perhaps you wouldn't have fallen into a crisis at all. Your talent is too strong."

Iz lightly snapped his fingers.

The elements in this space became dense once more.

Iz looked at the giant snake before him.

"Your task is also complete."

*Clack—*

[Monster Frenzy (Tier 4) (LV: 100)]

The spell was dispelled.

Boom!

The giant snake, frozen into an ice sculpture, shattered into fine ice dust and collapsed.

The strength of the giant snake itself wasn't actually that great.

It was only because Iz had used the Monster Frenzy spell that it had become much stronger.

...

My body feels so light...

But I can still feel my body.

It's so warm.

There isn't a hint of coldness.

Did I win?

I didn't die again and reincarnate into another world, did I?

Lu Cang slowly opened his eyes.

What he saw was flowing, emerald-green hair.

A familiar face.

Kumironi.

Lu Cang sat up abruptly!

Subconsciously on guard!

He stood up on the sofa.

However, Kumironi looked at him with a gentle smile.

"You're awake."

"Um, I might have to help Iz clear up some misunderstandings with you."

Lu Cang pointed his right hand toward Kumironi, his vigilance not yet wavering.

His voice dropped as he asked, "Misunderstandings?"

Kumironi twirled a strand of hair, looking somewhat helpless as she sighed, "Little Lu Cang, actually, Iz didn't leave you there because he wanted to kill you."

"He did it to make you break through your mana limits."

The alertness in Lu Cang's heart remained taut.

But at the same time, he observed his physical condition.

The Mana Tide had disappeared.

The mana in his body no longer rose and fell like a tide; instead, it was replaced by a tiny hole, a void like a black hole.

Inside that void, his mana was contained.

Lu Cang couldn't sense the limit of the void; he only felt that he could draw mana from it at any time.

Furthermore, his total mana...

Was nearly fifty times greater than before.

Equivalent to over five thousand times the mana he had at the moment of awakening...

"See... if Iz truly harbored malice toward you, you wouldn't have felt like you were in a life-or-death crisis~"

"Only when you feel despair will you exert every ounce of strength to trigger all your potential."

Lu Cang's body gradually relaxed a little.

"And if he really wanted to kill you, he wouldn't have brought you back for me to treat..."

"Who would bring back someone they hate to the bone?"

What Kumironi said did make sense.

Only then did Lu Cang notice his body; his right hand had completely recovered, and any sensation of discomfort had vanished.

If anything.

He felt his constitution was even sturdier than before; his originally somewhat thin frame had gradually gained some muscle.

His physical state was much better than it had been before entering the dungeon.

As for his spells...

[Mana Void (LV: 92)]

[Ice Spike (LV: 100) (Awaiting Evolution)]

[Fireball (LV: 91)]

[Wind Blade (LV: 86)]

[Light (LV: 55)]

[Lightning Bolt (LV: 43)]

[Cross of Light (LV: 39)]

The Mana Tide had been replaced by Mana Void, and Ice Spike had reached level 100, showing the "Awaiting Evolution" prompt.

*Knock, knock, knock—*

Just then, a knock came at the door.

Kumironi softly said, "Come in."

Izparut pushed the door open and entered.

(End of Chapter)