Hiss...
The Earth Python Lord flicked its tongue, hissing from time to time as it slithered through the swamp toward Kuriboh. Its speed in the mire was astonishingly fast.
Kuriboh retreated, backing onto firmer ground behind it.
The Earth Python Lord showed no fear and charged straight out of the swamp. But as its bucket-thick, five-meter-long body surged onto solid ground, its speed suddenly dropped by a third.
"The speed in the swamp is 36 meters per second, but only around 25 meters per second on land. Looks like the swamp gives it a speed bonus."
Xiao Wen murmured, and after calculating the Earth Python Lord's speed, he was no longer quite so worried about Kuriboh's situation.
As a wind-attribute monster of the Dragon race, speed was Kuriboh's forte. Even though its defense had been greatly reduced by the Gust Fan, as long as it wanted to, it could still rely on its speed to evade the opponent's attacks.
After all, what use was a powerful punch if it could not hit anyone?
Seeing the Earth Python Lord charge onto land without fear, Kuriboh stopped retreating. It let out a low growl, beat the two wings on its back to propel itself forward, and rushed toward the Earth Python Lord.
The Earth Python Lord raised its head, opened its blood-red maw, and bit down at Kuriboh.
Kuriboh did not flinch. When it was over a meter away from the Earth Python Lord's head, it suddenly beat its wings. Its body, which had been charging straight ahead, abruptly soared upward, brushing past the Earth Python Lord's head.
At the very instant it flew over the Earth Python Lord's head, Kuriboh threw a punch, smashing it into the Earth Python Lord's skull.
HP -300.
Whoosh!
A sharp whistle tore through the air. Just as Kuriboh punched the Earth Python Lord's head, its vision suddenly darkened. The Earth Python Lord's tail had swung over like a long whip, lashing Kuriboh's body.
The timing was excellent—precisely when Kuriboh had launched its attack and its body was momentarily stiff.
At that moment, even as a wind-attribute monster of the Dragon race with astonishing speed, Kuriboh had no way to dodge.
The two golden wings behind its back swept forward and crossed before it.
Thud!
Block! HP -1100.
A damage value appeared. With the two wings blocking the strike, the Earth Python Lord's damage had been halved.
Kuriboh was sent flying sideways, skidding more than ten meters through the air before steadying itself.
"Roar!"
With a low growl, Kuriboh pounced again. Its dragon claw clenched into a fist. This time, it used the martial technique Xiao Wen had taught it earlier, smashing into the vacuum and creating a suction force that dragged the Earth Python Lord's body over. Its other fist followed, striking the cartilage at its "seven-inch point."
Defense Break! HP -4800.
A successful defense break landed. The Earth Python Lord recoiled in pain, and its movements became even more violent.
The two traded blows, fist after fist striking flesh as they grappled with primal, bloodthirsty instinct, nearly driven mad.
Seeing this, Xiao Wen's expression gradually darkened.
"Kuriboh has lost."
Xiao Wen shook his head and sighed.
This battle appeared evenly matched, but Xiao Wen had noticed that amid the almost "frantic" fighting, Kuriboh had held the initiative most of the time. Whenever the Earth Python Lord counterattacked and struck Kuriboh, Kuriboh had already used its wings and dragon claws to block in advance.
It looked as though Kuriboh held the advantage, but Xiao Wen had noticed one detail.
Their battlefield was steadily shifting toward the swamp!
The swamp was the Earth Python Lord's home ground. There was no way this had not been planned.
Furthermore, the game system's description of the Earth Python Lord had labeled it "cunning," which only made Xiao Wen more certain of his guess.
However, Xiao Wen had no intention of intervening.
He had promised Kuriboh that this was its battle, and he would not interfere.
Even if he were to act, it would only be after Kuriboh died.
Before then, what mattered more to Xiao Wen was gathering information—every piece of information about the Earth Python Lord—for later use.
Punch after punch, Kuriboh continued attacking, and the battlefield finally shifted to the edge of the swamp.
Hiss!
The Earth Python Lord, which had remained on the defensive, let out a low hiss and flicked out its tongue. It suddenly switched from defense to offense, twisting its body to take Kuriboh's punch head-on while sweeping its tail toward Kuriboh.
Kuriboh had been prepared. It beat its wings and rose into the air. As its two wings flapped, they crossed together, and two Wind Blades burst through its body, striking the Earth Python Lord while it evaded the tail.
"The counterattack has begun."
Xiao Wen shook his head, seeming already able to foresee Kuriboh's defeat.
The Earth Python Lord turned its head back and opened its mouth, spewing black mist. As the black fog drifted over the green grass, the blades instantly withered and turned yellow, robbed of all life.
Skill! Poison Barrier!
Seeing this, Kuriboh beat its wings and whipped up a gale, trying to blow the Poison Barrier away.
But the poisonous miasma seemed alive. It wriggled continuously while maintaining its shape. Even under the gale, its spread merely slowed somewhat; it was not dispersed by the wind.
Still, for Kuriboh, delaying its spread even slightly was enough.
As its wings beat, it retreated, trying to widen the distance between itself and the Earth Python Lord.
But at the very instant it flew backward, the Earth Python Lord flicked its tongue and revealed a humanlike sneer. Its tail struck the ground, and a thick earthen wall instantly rose from the flat terrain. At the same time, the gravity on the ground abruptly tripled, causing Kuriboh's flying height to drop sharply.
Skill! Earth Element Control!
Its retreat blocked and unable to fly high, Kuriboh had almost all paths of escape cut off. It could only watch helplessly as the poison drifted over and wrapped around its body.
The wings behind it beat more and more slowly. The light in its eyes gradually faded, becoming hollow and lifeless.
Its HP was even being continuously depleted.
Poisoned... HP -68. HP -68. HP -68. ...
When Kuriboh finally collapsed weakly onto the ground, the Earth Python Lord withdrew its constantly flicking forked tongue and opened its jaws. Sharp venomous fangs gleamed coldly beneath the sunlight. Its tail swayed as it rapidly approached its prey, circling around Kuriboh and continuously tightening its body around it. It was clearly preparing a Fatal Strike.
Strangle!
Kuriboh kept beating its wings, trying to struggle free. But the more it struggled, the more painful it became, and the more clearly it felt its life force slipping away.
"ε=(ο｀*))) Sigh..." Xiao Wen sighed and placed his hand on the Duel Disk. Rays of light spread from Kuriboh's body, turning into a cluster of light particles. Before it could die, it transformed into a card and was collected into Xiao Wen's deck.
"That's enough. You've already done well enough. Leave the rest to me."
"Roar!"
Somewhere in the unseen, a dragon's roar filled with unwillingness echoed beside Xiao Wen's ears.
"Don't worry. I'll avenge you. I already understand its weakness perfectly."
"A Lord-class BOSS is nothing special!"
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