Reading settings
overlord_ Welcome the Birth of the King_chapter_0170
Chapter 174
Chapter 170: Heroic Realm! Astonishment, the Frogman's Egg!
A middle-aged man with an aquiline nose, long, light-brown hair, and matching pupils, clad in an exquisite black-and-gray magic robe, walked out step by step from the depths of the dense forest.
The soft ground, composed of weeds and decaying leaves, had no effect on his advance. It was as if an invisible force held the Gray-robed Mage aloft as he walked. The soft forest floor showed no trace of an indentation beneath his feet.
An invisible aura emanated from the Gray-robed Mage, forcibly pushing aside the surrounding branches and leaves.
An unseen pressure washed over them.
The screams of the White Mist Witch abruptly ceased. The Green Leaf Witch tightly gripped the White Mist Witch's arm, lowering her head in fear.
And at this moment!
The White Mist Witch's ruptured stomach began to heal at a visible rate, but her presence had weakened considerably.
When Tang Zheng saw the Gray-robed Mage, a look of caution and seriousness entered his eyes.
Even from a distance.
He could still feel the man's power, which was clearly on a different level. It was a strange sensation, one he had never felt from any previous opponent.
Above level 20?
No.
The man was definitely a magic caster who had stepped into the Heroic Realm—level 29 or higher!
Tang Zheng glanced at the terrified Twin Witches not far away.
The pieces fell into place: they had sent the cave lizardmen to deliberately provoke him, luring him here with a series of strange actions. He finally had his answer.
The Twin Witches planned to use him to either drive away or eliminate the Gray-robed Mage!
Heh, using a borrowed knife to kill?
These Twin Witches were quite clever.
However…
Tang Zheng’s gaze remained fixed on the slowly approaching Gray-robed Mage. Who was this man, and why was he here?
"A fourth-tier Dominion Angel. No wonder you dared to venture into this Great Wetland alone. To master magic of this level at your age..."
"You shouldn't be a nobody in the Slane Theocracy... So, are you another one of their hidden 'talents'?"
The Gray-robed Mage's light-brown eyes glanced indifferently at the Dominion Angel that had assumed a defensive posture above Tang Zheng's head.
His voice showed no concern for a summoned angel of this level, and when he said the word "talents," his tone was clearly heavier, laced with mockery.
"Humanity supreme, humans are the chosen race—that kind of brainwashing is truly disgusting."
The Gray-robed Mage's cold laughter grew louder. "The higher-ups in your Theocracy are the truly cold-blooded ones..."
"If I may interrupt."
Tang Zheng's voice suddenly cut in.
The Gray-robed Mage's cold gaze fell upon him, like a butcher eyeing a lamb for the slaughter.
"I don't know what grudge you have with the Slane Theocracy, but I want to make it clear that I'm not one of their people."
Tang Zheng clarified.
"Oh—"
The Gray-robed Mage tilted his neck slightly, letting out a long sigh. The coldness in his light-brown eyes turned to indifference. "What a pity."
"I was planning to let you live a little longer, but this is fine too."
An undisguised killing intent emanated from the Gray-robed Mage.
"It seems leaving on my own is no longer an option. So, before I die, can you tell me what's going on with this frogman?"
Tang Zheng's eyes lowered slightly as his hand gently gripped the ghoul dog's bone chain. He asked with an air of curiosity.
"Trying to stall for time?"
"Or do you actually think you have a chance of winning?"
The Gray-robed Mage raised his hands, a low laugh escaping his lips. He paid no mind to Tang Zheng's little ploy, instead beginning to boast:
"Isn't it fascinating? That a frogman could actually emerge from another creature's stomach."
"Did you know? Frogs are wondrous creatures. They reproduce by laying eggs, and during their growth, they undergo a complete transformation. Frogmen share this same characteristic."
As the Gray-robed Mage spoke, a fervent look appeared in his eyes. He swiped a hand at his waist, and a translucent, pearl-sized object resembling a glass sphere appeared in his palm.
"Look, this is a frogman's egg. I've processed it a bit, adding a little something before it develops."
Tang Zheng's brow furrowed slightly as he looked at the frogman's egg in the man's hand, which glinted faintly in the sunlight.
What the man was describing... wasn't that just the "metamorphosis" that frogs undergo?
People in this Otherworld actually study such things?
"The little something I add develops along with the frogman until it's fully mature, at which point the creature will be completely under my control."
The Gray-robed Mage paused, then shook his head and said grimly, "But that's too slow!"
"It takes at least ten years for a frogman to fully mature, so I came up with another method."
As he spoke.
The Gray-robed Mage tossed the pearl-like frogman's egg into the air.
In an instant!
The egg began to grow rapidly in mid-air, first transforming into a large black tadpole. Its tail quickly receded as hind and forelimbs sprouted.
In just two or three breaths.
The egg had become a well-built frogman, taller than a man, appearing before their very eyes.
Tang Zheng's eyes couldn't help but widen, a look of astonishment on his face. If not for the current situation, he would have almost let out a curse.
However!
Just as Tang Zheng thought it was over,
The Gray-robed Mage shook his head, his tone full of disappointment. "Unfortunately, a frogman created this way is just useless trash that only looks good on the outside."
As he spoke!
The frogman's body suddenly swelled, then abruptly contracted before violently exploding, splattering blood and flesh everywhere.
Before the gore could reach the Gray-robed Mage, a wave of force from his magic robe blasted it all away.
"Come here, you filthy thing."
The Gray-robed Mage looked up again, his gaze falling upon the frogman born from the Dense Fog Witch, and beckoned.
The frogman, which had been standing there dazedly, immediately reacted. Its muscular legs bent slightly, and with a single leap, it landed beside the Gray-robed Mage.
A gust of wind billowed from the powerful leap!
This brought a smile back to the Gray-robed Mage's face.
"Since the forced maturation method doesn't work, I'll do it in reverse."
As he spoke, the Gray-robed Mage raised a finger and tapped the center of the frogman's brow.
Thump!
A sound like a heartbeat came from within the frogman. Its entire body began to collapse inward, transforming into a pearl-like frog egg that dropped to the ground.
The Gray-robed Mage picked up the frog egg. On his grim face, his light-brown eyes, filled with killing intent, landed on Tang Zheng. "A perfect creation, isn't it?"
The air grew quiet.
"Impressive!"
Tang Zheng said sincerely after a moment of silence. He then continued:
"It seems I really won't be leaving this dense forest alive."
The fact that the man revealed such a secret without reservation proved he had never intended to let him leave alive.
After speaking!
Tang Zheng raised his head, looked the Gray-robed Mage in the eye, and grinned. "That is, if you can kill me!"
Hum!
An astonishing surge of magical energy radiated from the Gray-robed Mage as a two-meter-long silver spear rapidly coalesced in mid-air.
(end of chapter)
A middle-aged man with an aquiline nose, long, light-brown hair, and matching pupils, clad in an exquisite black-and-gray magic robe, walked out step by step from the depths of the dense forest.
The soft ground, composed of weeds and decaying leaves, had no effect on his advance. It was as if an invisible force held the Gray-robed Mage aloft as he walked. The soft forest floor showed no trace of an indentation beneath his feet.
An invisible aura emanated from the Gray-robed Mage, forcibly pushing aside the surrounding branches and leaves.
An unseen pressure washed over them.
The screams of the White Mist Witch abruptly ceased. The Green Leaf Witch tightly gripped the White Mist Witch's arm, lowering her head in fear.
And at this moment!
The White Mist Witch's ruptured stomach began to heal at a visible rate, but her presence had weakened considerably.
When Tang Zheng saw the Gray-robed Mage, a look of caution and seriousness entered his eyes.
Even from a distance.
He could still feel the man's power, which was clearly on a different level. It was a strange sensation, one he had never felt from any previous opponent.
Above level 20?
No.
The man was definitely a magic caster who had stepped into the Heroic Realm—level 29 or higher!
Tang Zheng glanced at the terrified Twin Witches not far away.
The pieces fell into place: they had sent the cave lizardmen to deliberately provoke him, luring him here with a series of strange actions. He finally had his answer.
The Twin Witches planned to use him to either drive away or eliminate the Gray-robed Mage!
Heh, using a borrowed knife to kill?
These Twin Witches were quite clever.
However…
Tang Zheng’s gaze remained fixed on the slowly approaching Gray-robed Mage. Who was this man, and why was he here?
"A fourth-tier Dominion Angel. No wonder you dared to venture into this Great Wetland alone. To master magic of this level at your age..."
"You shouldn't be a nobody in the Slane Theocracy... So, are you another one of their hidden 'talents'?"
The Gray-robed Mage's light-brown eyes glanced indifferently at the Dominion Angel that had assumed a defensive posture above Tang Zheng's head.
His voice showed no concern for a summoned angel of this level, and when he said the word "talents," his tone was clearly heavier, laced with mockery.
"Humanity supreme, humans are the chosen race—that kind of brainwashing is truly disgusting."
The Gray-robed Mage's cold laughter grew louder. "The higher-ups in your Theocracy are the truly cold-blooded ones..."
"If I may interrupt."
Tang Zheng's voice suddenly cut in.
The Gray-robed Mage's cold gaze fell upon him, like a butcher eyeing a lamb for the slaughter.
"I don't know what grudge you have with the Slane Theocracy, but I want to make it clear that I'm not one of their people."
Tang Zheng clarified.
"Oh—"
The Gray-robed Mage tilted his neck slightly, letting out a long sigh. The coldness in his light-brown eyes turned to indifference. "What a pity."
"I was planning to let you live a little longer, but this is fine too."
An undisguised killing intent emanated from the Gray-robed Mage.
"It seems leaving on my own is no longer an option. So, before I die, can you tell me what's going on with this frogman?"
Tang Zheng's eyes lowered slightly as his hand gently gripped the ghoul dog's bone chain. He asked with an air of curiosity.
"Trying to stall for time?"
"Or do you actually think you have a chance of winning?"
The Gray-robed Mage raised his hands, a low laugh escaping his lips. He paid no mind to Tang Zheng's little ploy, instead beginning to boast:
"Isn't it fascinating? That a frogman could actually emerge from another creature's stomach."
"Did you know? Frogs are wondrous creatures. They reproduce by laying eggs, and during their growth, they undergo a complete transformation. Frogmen share this same characteristic."
As the Gray-robed Mage spoke, a fervent look appeared in his eyes. He swiped a hand at his waist, and a translucent, pearl-sized object resembling a glass sphere appeared in his palm.
"Look, this is a frogman's egg. I've processed it a bit, adding a little something before it develops."
Tang Zheng's brow furrowed slightly as he looked at the frogman's egg in the man's hand, which glinted faintly in the sunlight.
What the man was describing... wasn't that just the "metamorphosis" that frogs undergo?
People in this Otherworld actually study such things?
"The little something I add develops along with the frogman until it's fully mature, at which point the creature will be completely under my control."
The Gray-robed Mage paused, then shook his head and said grimly, "But that's too slow!"
"It takes at least ten years for a frogman to fully mature, so I came up with another method."
As he spoke.
The Gray-robed Mage tossed the pearl-like frogman's egg into the air.
In an instant!
The egg began to grow rapidly in mid-air, first transforming into a large black tadpole. Its tail quickly receded as hind and forelimbs sprouted.
In just two or three breaths.
The egg had become a well-built frogman, taller than a man, appearing before their very eyes.
Tang Zheng's eyes couldn't help but widen, a look of astonishment on his face. If not for the current situation, he would have almost let out a curse.
However!
Just as Tang Zheng thought it was over,
The Gray-robed Mage shook his head, his tone full of disappointment. "Unfortunately, a frogman created this way is just useless trash that only looks good on the outside."
As he spoke!
The frogman's body suddenly swelled, then abruptly contracted before violently exploding, splattering blood and flesh everywhere.
Before the gore could reach the Gray-robed Mage, a wave of force from his magic robe blasted it all away.
"Come here, you filthy thing."
The Gray-robed Mage looked up again, his gaze falling upon the frogman born from the Dense Fog Witch, and beckoned.
The frogman, which had been standing there dazedly, immediately reacted. Its muscular legs bent slightly, and with a single leap, it landed beside the Gray-robed Mage.
A gust of wind billowed from the powerful leap!
This brought a smile back to the Gray-robed Mage's face.
"Since the forced maturation method doesn't work, I'll do it in reverse."
As he spoke, the Gray-robed Mage raised a finger and tapped the center of the frogman's brow.
Thump!
A sound like a heartbeat came from within the frogman. Its entire body began to collapse inward, transforming into a pearl-like frog egg that dropped to the ground.
The Gray-robed Mage picked up the frog egg. On his grim face, his light-brown eyes, filled with killing intent, landed on Tang Zheng. "A perfect creation, isn't it?"
The air grew quiet.
"Impressive!"
Tang Zheng said sincerely after a moment of silence. He then continued:
"It seems I really won't be leaving this dense forest alive."
The fact that the man revealed such a secret without reservation proved he had never intended to let him leave alive.
After speaking!
Tang Zheng raised his head, looked the Gray-robed Mage in the eye, and grinned. "That is, if you can kill me!"
Hum!
An astonishing surge of magical energy radiated from the Gray-robed Mage as a two-meter-long silver spear rapidly coalesced in mid-air.
(end of chapter)
