Chapter 16: Phase Two

"Ice Spike Proficiency EXP +100k"

Can this kind of maneuver actually increase proficiency?

It really is... practice makes perfect.

There was no time for further internal reflection.

Once the giant serpent discovered Lu Cang's position, it immediately reared its head!

It opened its massive, bloody maw, spraying a dark liquid from between its teeth!

Seeing this liquid, Lu Cang struggled to heave and shift his entire right arm, forming a spell!

He unleashed seven fireballs!

Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!

The fireballs collided with the dark liquid mid-air and exploded!

A boiling black mist rose in the air.

Was it poison?

Is this thing even a venomous snake?

*Swish!*

*Thud!*

Another ice spike slammed down!

It smashed the giant serpent's attempting head back toward the ground!

Lu Cang hung suspended in mid-air.

He melted a small portion of the massive ice spike, creating a space for himself to stand upon the ceiling of the cave.

This relieved the pressure on his arm that was supporting his entire body.

Otherwise, if this continued, his left arm would snap.

He had already lost one arm.

He couldn't afford to lose the second.

Ice elements were still useful; Lu Cang used ice to temporarily cover his right arm. While it couldn't heal him, it could at least briefly numb the pain.

*Boom!*

*Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!*

Four massive ice spikes slammed down in succession!

They temporarily pinned the giant serpent to the ground.

However, it had not been pierced through.

A Lord-class creature was indeed far more powerful than the other creatures in the cave.

It wouldn't die even after so many ice spikes were smashed into it.

The opponent was likely a dark-attribute monster; to deal with dark-attribute monsters, light-attribute magic would be more appropriate.

But he had only recently learned "Cross of Light."

His current level was only LV: 39.

Compared to his LV: 91 Ice Spike, the difference in power was more than significant.

With such a massive gap, attribute advantages likely wouldn't be enough to compensate.

Ice Spike was his highest-level spell.

Aside from his LV: 100 Mana Tide, his LV: 91 Ice Spike was the highest.

*Thud!*

However, after a total of ten massive ice spikes slammed into the giant serpent, its body was completely encased in a layer of frost.

Furthermore, under the penetration of the ice spikes, it struggled to lift its head several times but failed to rise.

It seemed that as long as he maintained pressure, it would lose its means of attack.

As long as he killed it before his mana ran out, he would succeed.

But...

Now he had to consider the second problem.

That was how to deal with Izparut outside the door.

Iz's sudden revelation of his true colors and his display of malice toward him was difficult for Lu Cang to understand.

Why did the other party want to kill him? Was it to let this snake eat him?

It wasn't impossible...

After all, his understanding of this world was too shallow. This was an otherworldly realm; one could not judge it by the common sense of his original world. Any motive was possible.

*Thud—*

Two more massive ice spikes fell, and the giant serpent could no longer be suppressed.

Its body was pressed against the ground, connected to the floor by a thick layer of frost.

A Lord-class... it didn't seem that strong; it just felt more oppressive during the first encounter.

Lu Cang had completely settled himself into the hollow carved out by the ice spikes.

Attacking from the ceiling of the cave was indeed an excellent invulnerable position.

But Lu Cang could not figure out how to deal with Iz outside the door.

Poison...

If he opened the door and entered again, could poison solve him?

All of his spells were taught by Iz.

And he only knew a few Level 1 spells.

During the struggle just now, Lu Cang had realized that his spells likely wouldn't have any effect on Iz at all.

Ice Spike and Fireball were already his two strongest means of attack.

The remaining Wind Blade, even if useful, would likely have a negligible effect.

It would be better to start with this BOSS...

Just as Lu Cang was contemplating a strategy against Iz, the half-dead, suppressed giant serpent's eyes suddenly lit up.

Its eyes turned from pitch black to blood red!

The serpent's head, which had been pinned by the ice spikes, suddenly exerted force and lunged upward!

"Hiss!"

Lu Cang had never imagined a snake's hiss could be so loud!

The entire cave vibrated at a high frequency.

His eardrums felt like they were about to burst!

Lu Cang quickly raised his left hand, and a massive ice spike formed!

He slammed it down toward the serpent's head once more!

*Boom!*

But this time, the serpent's head shattered the ice spike!

"Has it gone berserk?"

"A second phase?"

He didn't know exactly what was happening!

He saw the giant serpent's tail flash violently!

*Bang!*

In the next instant, the ice spike Lu Cang was occupying shattered directly!

A massive crater was smashed into the ceiling of the cave.

And Lu Cang...

Was pinned against the opposite rock wall, drenched in cold sweat.

At the critical moment, he had condensed a second massive ice spike.

Using it to launch himself to the other side of the cave.

"Ice Spike Proficiency EXP +100k"

Heh...

Does this even count as proficiency? Does proficiency increase more when things are more desperate?

The giant serpent "stood up" once more, shaking off the layers of frost from its body.

It seemed there was no longer any room for distraction.

*Swish!*

Its tail whip was incredibly fast!

Despite its massive size, it possessed such speed!

*Boom!*

Lu Cang was pinned against the wall once again.

The position he had just occupied had been blasted into a deep pit.

Remnants of frost remained in the crater.

Those were the traces left behind after the ice spike was smashed.

If he had needed to chant to cast his spells, he would already be dead.

If his reaction speed had been any slower, he would be dead.

If he had chosen to attack just now instead of stopping to think and observe, he would also be dead.

A true...

Threat of death.

Lu Cang swallowed hard.

His mana reserves were constantly being consumed. He had thought that after killing it, he would have plenty of mana left.

But looking at it now...

Lu Cang checked his remaining mana, which was only about 52%.

It might not be enough.

*Whoosh!*

*Thud!*

Another tail strike came, and Lu Cang once again used an ice spike to pin himself to the opposite wall.

Practice makes perfect.

This method of movement was gradually becoming second nature.

And this time, while pinning himself to the wall...

Another ice spike descended from above!

*Thud!*

This strike landed directly on the giant serpent's head, dealing a heavy blow to a head that had already suffered an ice spike piercing!

Double Piercing!

The rear half of the massive ice spike exploded outward!

But the momentum of the rear half shattering pushed the front half even deeper into the target!

Immediately following, a wave of chill was released from the tip of the spike!

Extreme cold pierced directly into the skull!

[Ice Spike Double Piercing], [Extreme Cold Diffusion]

The cold pierced into the brain—if its brain was located in that area...

But at least after this strike, its tail whip did not immediately follow, and its movements became sluggish once again.

*Boom!*

*Boom! Boom! Boom! Boom!—*

Lu Cang was not the type of person to let an opportunity slip away. Taking advantage of the opponent's sluggishness, he had no intention of taking a breather!

Strike while the iron is hot!

Five more massive ice spikes slammed down!

Each one targeted its jaw and skull! This time, Lu Cang intended to smash it to pieces first.

Otherwise, who knew if it would trigger a third phase, a fourth phase...

(End of Chapter)