Encirclement

The demon laughed triumphantly, chanting ominous syllables under his breath. A powerful shadow spell was taking shape in his palm as shadow energy surged and gathered, and faintly, agonized souls could be seen roaring within it.

This terrifying display made it clear that if the spell was successfully cast, the consequences would be dire.

Tamara's expression hardened. She smoothly slung her shortbow across her back, gripped two daggers, and charged at the demon with terrifying speed.

At the same time, accompanied by a youthful roar, the true warrior entered the fray.

Baine Bloodhoof burst through layers of smoke and dust, leaping out from the wreckage of a tent. While the two hunters had drawn attention away, he had been hiding behind the demon all along.

He now leaped high into the air, crimson fury coiling around his spear and forming a powerful phantom as it came crashing down upon the demon with tremendous force!

Skull Bash!

Vel'th was no fool. With a knife-wielding madman rapidly closing in from the front, whether as an assassin or a spellcaster, trying to block a warrior's attack at this moment clearly would not end well.

A small magic circle appeared beneath his feet as shadows churned. Short-range teleportation was a warlock's specialty!

Remember this, idiots! This kind of encirclement meant nothing to a master of shadow manipulation!

Just as he laughed mockingly and prepared to step into the shadows, a fourth ally appeared.

Two totems burst from the ground. Vel'th's body instantly stiffened as he felt as though he had suddenly been burdened with an enormous weight.

In the distance, the high priestess lowered her casting hands and covered her mouth as she coughed several times in pain. When she pulled her hand away, fresh crimson blood stained her palm.

Her severe injuries had yet to heal, yet she had forcibly cast two powerful spells. Her condition was worsening by the moment.

But the two totems had indeed played a tremendous role. One Earthbind Totem released waves of earth elemental energy, making the demon's body twice as heavy. The other, the Vortex Totem, had been prepared for the next strike.

Air Spirit gathered around Bashana Runetotem. Using the high priestess's Vortex Totem as an anchor, Xiao Na was able to control the air pressure nearby. The chaotic storm was compressed into powerful frontal currents, then released all at once.

Struck by the violent airflow, the demon's teleportation was forcibly interrupted.

The spell backlash made him spray out a mouthful of blood in agony, and for some time afterward, he was unable to focus enough to cast spells.

As he staggered helplessly with nowhere to evade, several barbed arrows came screaming in from the flank and buried themselves in his body.

These arrows, specially designed for large creatures, were exceptionally cruel weapons. They expanded into huge cavities inside their prey, causing devastating damage, and their barbs often made the wounds bleed without end.

What could stir a beast's desire to attack more than blood?

At the same time, a snow-white night owl shrieked as it dived from the black clouds like a bolt of white lightning.

The strike landed in an instant, and the demon let out a miserable scream.

The raptor immediately flew away. By the time it landed on the old hunter's shoulder, its talons and beak were covered in foul-smelling blood, and a mangled eyeball was disdainfully flicked onto the ground.

The heart-rending pain made the demon roar in agony, his screams echoing over the wilderness for a long time.

Before he could even mourn his lost eye, the fatal strike finally arrived!

The spear came down heavily, kicking up a bloody spray. A purple arm was blasted into the air, spinning as it scattered filthy blood across the earth.

Then came another flash of crossing light and shadow. The hunter's agile, panther-like figure brushed past him, and layered blades like a predator's fangs sent the demon's other forearm flying into the sky.

Little Baine had gathered all his fury into this—

His all-or-nothing Skull Bash was extraordinarily powerful. The spear's downward chop carried an impact like a blunt weapon, launching Vel'th's body heavily into the air. He rolled several times before finally coming to a stop. Immediately afterward, several sharp arrows pierced his shoulder blade, thigh, and knee, pinning the demon's struggling body firmly to a protruding wooden stake amid the ruins.

Not far away, Sian silently released the trembling bowstring. He casually tossed his bow behind him, then reached shakily for the hand axe at his waist.

Without a word, he walked toward his prey. His steps grew faster and faster, and the knuckles gripping the axe handle began to crack. The despair and rage he had been holding in had reached their peak.

The demon had suffered devastating injuries. His life seemed to be at its end.

The pale high priestess was the first to approach. Her frail body quietly stood before the three children. A trace of fresh blood still lingered at the corner of her mouth, and she looked worse than ever.

"Cough, cough... So it was you, you old hag with one foot in the grave. I must say, you did well to find such an excellent audience."

Facing the group gathered in judgment, Vel'th said mockingly, "It seems this... cough, cough... performance has truly taken an unexpected turn."

Sian shoved the high priestess aside and stepped before Vel'th. The sharp edge of his axe pointed directly at the demon's throat. His eyes were bloodshot, and the overwhelming hatred he could not conceal seemed written across his face.

Baine gripped his spear tightly and stepped back, faintly blocking the demon's escape route.

"Ha ha ha... I truly am unlucky, perfectly managing to enrage everyone at such an awkward moment..."

"But in the end, it was my fault. After dealing with that stupid test subject, I should have chased after you and killed you, just as I killed your mother..."

"So tell me, my little darling. Will your flesh and blood be as nourishing as your mother's?"

Amid the silence, the weakened demon continued tormenting everyone in their rage with his twisted words, whittling away at their precious reason.

"Don't let this madman's words shake you. End this. It is your right, and no one should take it from you!"

Tamara patted her disciple's shoulder, giving him immense courage. Then she stepped back and yielded the final position.

Sian's shoulders trembled. At this point, he no longer knew whether he was afraid or excited.

His axe was finally aimed at the enemy he hated most. Cold arcs of light glimmered along its pig-iron edge, screaming to drink the blood of his foe, just as its master desperately craved revenge.

But someone stopped him.

"Wait... good child, forgive this foolish old woman, but there are still some things I must ask him. Could you wait a moment? It won't take long."

A miserable smile appeared on the high priestess's withered face. She carefully pleaded with the child she had hurt. Though she knew this terrible request would hurt him again, she still made it.

As she had said, she truly had a reason to do this.

Sian's chest rose and fell violently. He was silent for a while before finally nodding. With scarlet eyes, he took half a step back and yielded the spot to the elderly elder.

"Cough, cough... Respecting the old and cherishing the young? What a stupid tradition. Pitiful! Tragic! Utterly ridiculous!"

"Shut up, demon! You had better answer my questions before my patience runs out!" the high priestess roared.

Vel'th coughed up a pool of blood, then sneered. "May I ask, if I cooperate, can I stay alive?"

"No. But you will be granted a swift death!"

The high priestess cautiously glanced at Sian. The child had no objection, and she breathed a sigh of relief.

After losing Tally, all the high priestess's love had been transferred to this little Tauren. She absolutely did not want this innocent child to become a cruel devil because of revenge.

"What naive creatures. Everything is written on your faces. If you could learn even a tenth of your neighbors' cunning, you would not have fallen to such a state."

"Shut up, demon! Answer my question!"

The high priestess was so furious that she nearly screamed. "What did you do to the elements here? And where is Tally's body?"

The original plan for the encirclement had not been for the high priestess to control him while Xiao Na interrupted him. It had been meant for the high priestess to accomplish everything alone.

What Shaman spell could both restrain someone and interrupt spellcasting?

There was indeed such a spell. It was called the Electrical Totem, capable of stunning a group for dozens of seconds. It was practically perfect.

But it could not be used.

More precisely, ever since entering this area, both Shamans had found it extraordinarily difficult to cast any lightning spells. Even the elements themselves could not tell them why.

It was not that the storm spirits refused to help them. Rather, there was not even the slightest trace of storm elements in this entire area.

Upon hearing those two questions, Vel'th laughed wildly as though he had heard something hilarious. Disregarding his precarious condition, he laughed more violently than ever before, laughing until tears came to his eyes.

"How interesting! What a clever old woman. They say one should heed the wisdom of the elderly, yet you immediately grasped the key point!"

Vel'th laughed smugly. "You haven't noticed yet, have you? Of course not. The Storm Cocoon blocks magical detection. To pitiful Shamans like you, it is like a black hole."

"But you should learn your lesson, you foolish old thing. Next time, don't ask the same question twice. Not only does that waste a precious opportunity, it also lets the time you struggled so hard to gain slip away for nothing! Hahahaha!"

Sian's heart sank. A terrible premonition spread through the air.

Suddenly, as if remembering something, he jerked his head up and stared at the Storm Cocoon hanging there as though it had been forgotten!

They had focused entirely on how to kill the demon and had overlooked the demon's true purpose!

Or had that so-called hypnosis already been activated?

"Not good! Stop him!!!"

"Too late!!!"

Amid the demon's triumphant laughter, a crack split open in the cocoon. Everyone seemed frozen in that moment, watching helplessly as the crack slowly widened, widened, and widened further...

Storm and shadow surged from the rupture in the cocoon. Some utterly evil creature was breaking out of its shell!