Explosion

"Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh..."

Arrows flew continuously toward the python. The closer they got, the more accurate they became. Before long, the python's body was bristling with arrows, blood streaming down its scales. It looked badly wounded, and even its slithering had slowed.

Seeing that the opportunity could not be missed, the guard captain waved his hand and directed the other soldiers to rush forward with the large net. They threw it down over the python. The mesh openings were no larger than a fingernail, and the three-meter-long python could not possibly squeeze through. When it struggled inside the net, it only ended up tangling itself even tighter.

The guard captain curled his lips, thinking the matter was settled, when the soldiers who had thrown the net over the python suddenly screamed and scattered in every direction.

What?!

The guard captain focused his eyes, and they nearly popped out of their sockets.

Flames over half a meter high burst from the python's body with a puff. They were orange-yellow, instantly burning through the entire net and snapping every arrow embedded in its body.

The next moment, the python suddenly sped up. With a violent lunge, it bit the slowest fleeing soldier. The soldier screamed, but after the python coiled around him, he fell silent in an instant. A moment later, the python went after the remaining soldiers, leaving behind a charred corpse.

Damn it!

The guard captain's eyes reddened.

Richard's eyes flickered slightly as well.

The color of a flame was closely related to its temperature. Setting aside the influence of the burning material, generally speaking, the brighter the flame, the higher its temperature. For example, the common saying "a fire burns pure blue" referred to sky-blue flames, which could reach roughly 2,500°C. Red flames, on the other hand, were usually around 1,000°C. As for black flames, they looked impressive, but that was merely because incomplete combustion produced too much smoke. Their temperature was only around 300°C, far lower than charcoal fire, which was about 600°C.

Judging by the orange-yellow flames currently covering the python, their temperature should be around 1,500°C. Though they could not compare to the sky-blue flames of a pure blue fire, they were not to be underestimated. After all, iron melted at only 1,538°C. These flames were already nearly hot enough to melt steel.

"It really does seem to be a magical creature," Richard muttered to himself. "At least this time wasn't another disappointment. But capturing it won't be easy to handle..."

"Ah!"

Another scream rang out. The python, its entire body ablaze, coiled around another lagging soldier and took his life.

The guard captain watched until his eyes nearly split apart. The ferocity buried deep in his bones erupted. Seeing the python chase after a third soldier with its back turned toward him, he gritted his teeth, tightened his grip on his longsword, and charged at it.

Thirty meters, twenty-five meters, twenty meters.

Waves of scorching heat rolled off the python in the distance. The guard captain felt a stinging pain on the skin exposed beyond his clothes, but he ignored it completely and continued rushing closer.

Twenty meters, fifteen meters, ten meters.

The guard captain could feel the iron armor on his body becoming scorching hot, searing his skin like a branding iron. His expression twisted, but he endured it all the same. He raised his longsword high, aimed at the python's head, and prepared to rush forward and cut it off.

Just then, a short arrow shot from behind him. With a whoosh, it grazed his ear and sliced a bloody line across his face, leaving a burning pain.

The guard captain froze. He instinctively turned around and saw Richard standing in the distance, staring at him expressionlessly. One hand held a crossbow, while the other made a gesture telling him to come back.

"If you don't want to die, come back," Richard said bluntly.

"Prince... I..." The guard captain hesitated for a moment, but ultimately chose to obey. He quickly retreated to Richard's side and said between breaths, "Prince, this python covered in flames is truly difficult to deal with. A rope net can't catch it at all. Should we return first and have the craftsmen make an iron net before coming back? Otherwise, if this continues, I'm afraid none of my men will survive..."

"I told you when I came that an ordinary net wouldn't work," the wizard muttered softly from the side.

"Say that again!" The guard captain glared furiously, looking as though he wanted to devour the wizard. "If you hadn't hidden the strength of this damned python, would my men have suffered such heavy losses? I think you did it on purpose!"

"Enough." Richard spoke up. "Whether he did it deliberately or not can wait. But even if we went back, making an iron net would be useless. The flames on this python are already hot enough to melt an iron net."

"Then what do we do?" the guard captain asked anxiously.

"There will be a way." Richard turned to look at the black-clad Strong Man beside him.

The black-clad Strong Man had been carrying a case and following at his side the entire time without saying a word, like a shadow. Now, it was time to use that shadow.

"Use the latest product I had you bring from the shop," Richard said quietly.

"Yes." The black-clad Strong Man nodded. Without another word, he quickly opened the case and took out a bomb.

Yes, a bomb!

At least, it looked like a bomb—the most primitive kind of bomb—a Metal Ball with a long fuse attached to it.

After taking out the bomb, the black-clad Strong Man did not wait for Richard's orders. He moved on his own, swung his arm, and hurled the bomb far away.

The black-clad Strong Man was incredibly strong and highly skilled at throwing. He tossed the hefty Metal Ball like a grenade, and after rolling across the ground, it arrived precisely in front of the Flame Python.

The Flame Python's entire body was currently burning, so there was no need to light the bomb's fuse. It ignited on its own.

"Get down!" Richard immediately shouted. No one dared disobey, and they all threw themselves to the ground.

The next moment, a massive explosion rang out, making everyone's ears ache. The entire ground shook violently as a powerful gust of wind swept past, kicking up a vast cloud of dust.

When everything settled, the guard captain and his soldiers rose together and looked toward where the python had been. Their mouths slowly fell open.

The previously unstoppable python had been blasted open, its flesh split apart. Its body was nearly severed in two, lying on the ground like a broken piece of dead wood, barely clinging to life.

Even so, the guard captain did not dare let his guard down. After receiving Richard's approval, he immediately had the soldiers fire another barrage of arrows from a distance with their longbows. Only after they had completely killed the python did he finally let out a breath.

After finishing this, the guard captain turned to look at Richard. There was not much excitement on Richard's face. He remained calm as ever and ordered, "Take the python and return to the city quickly. I need to dissect and study it as soon as possible. If too much time passes and it loses some of its vitality, many things will change. Also, no one is allowed to tell anyone about anything that happened today. Understood?"

"Uh... yes." The guard captain hurriedly agreed and called for the soldiers to tie the three-meter-long python to a horse, completely ignoring how the unfortunate horse was trembling in terror.

Richard then turned to the black-clad Strong Man and said quietly, "The explosive is still too weak. According to projections, it should have killed it outright. Keep improving it. I'll provide you with some plans."

"Understood."

"Good. Go back, then."

"Yes." The black-clad Strong Man carried the case away.

Richard mounted his horse and returned to Blue Lion City with the cavalry.