Chapter 346: Chapter346: The Quest For Starry Stone And Congenial Wood
Enzo took the list. "Very well, let us first seek out Starry Stone and Congenial Wood. Patricia, you and Matilda remain here to assist the master craftsman in preparing other materials. Kosor and I shall seek them."
Patricia expressed her concern, "You must exercise caution."
With that, Enzo and Kosor embarked on their quest for Starry Stone, arriving at the fabled, mysterious valley.
The valley was suffused with an otherworldly glow, with magical runes flickering intermittently in the surroundings.
Kosor scanned the area warily, "This place feels unsettling. Everyone stay alert."
Enzo nodded, equally cautious, as he scrutinized their environment. "Indeed, those magical runes may well be part of a trap. Let us refrain from any hasty movements."
The two proceeded cautiously deeper into the valley when, suddenly, the ground began to tremble, and enormous rocky puppets emerged from the earth. These puppets radiated a dull yellow light, causing the ground to quake with each of their steps.
Kosor shouted, "Enzo, these puppets appear rather formidable!"
Enzo replied, "Let us first target their joints and see if we can hinder their movements."
With that, Enzo summoned elemental energy and unleashed a beam toward a puppet's knee joint, while Kosor charged forward, swinging his great sword down upon another puppet's arm joint. However, their strikes merely elicited a shower of sparks from the puppets. They sustained no significant damage.
Kosor furrowed his brow, exclaiming, "The defenses of this puppet are formidable. Ordinary attacks are utterly ineffective."
Enzo pondered for a moment, then replied, "I shall attempt to disrupt its magical core with elemental energy. You should seize the opportunity to strike."
With unwavering focus, Enzo transformed his elemental energy into a unique wave, aiming to interfere with the puppet's magical control. Meanwhile, Kosor stood poised, his gaze fixed intently upon the puppet's movements.
At last, one puppet faltered briefly under Enzo's interference. Kosor seized the moment, lunging forward with all his might, his sword piercing the puppet's chest. This time, the great sword successfully penetrated its form, and the puppet instantly ceased its motions, crumbling into a heap of rubble.
Having gained experience, the two exhibited increasingly harmonious teamwork. After a fierce battle, they ultimately vanquished all the rocky puppets.
As they pressed on, they beheld a dazzling Starry Stone, suspended in midair and ensconced by potent magical wards.
Enzo attempted to approach but was rebuffed by a force, exclaiming, "These wards are incredibly strong. We must devise a method to break them."
Kosor contemplated for a moment, stating, "I shall wield my great sword to search for a weakness in the wards."
He swung his sword, probing relentlessly until he finally identified a chink in the defenses. Enzo quickly seized the opportunity to unleash his elemental energy, successfully shattering the wards and securing the Starry Stone.
Kosor grinned, "Ha! The Starry Stone is finally ours. Next up is the Congenial Wood."
Enzo carefully stowed the Starry Stone, cautioning, "Let us not celebrate prematurely. The Congenial Wood will undoubtedly pose its own challenges."
As they journeyed towards the Misty Forest in search of the Congenial Wood, they found themselves enveloped in dense fog, visibility severely impaired.
Kosor frowned, "This fog is overwhelming. It is all too easy to become lost."
Suddenly, a colossal warcraft materialized before them, precisely the creature the old blacksmith had described—one capable of articulate speech.
The warcraft roared ominously, "Humans, how dare you trespass into my domain! If you seek the Congenial Wood, you must first overcome me!"
Unfazed, Enzo retorted, "Then let us engage! We shall see who is the mightier!"
"Quite amusing." Chuckled the warcraft coldly. "You are the most audacious human I have ever encountered. Soon, however, you shall pay dearly for your arrogance."
Kosor brandished his great sword and charged forward, declaring, "Do not speak too soon! Feel the might of my blade!" With a whoosh, the sword lunged toward the warcraft. Yet, the warcraft remained unperturbed. With a swift sidestep, its massive claw swept through the air, unleashing a foul wind. Kosor narrowly dodged, but the warcraft's tail struck him, causing him to stagger and nearly fall.
With swift hand movements, Enzo gathered elemental energy in his palms. "Kosor, be careful! Witness my Flame Surge!" A column of fire shot toward the warcraft, which, to their astonishment, opened its maw and swallowed the flames, letting out a satisfied belch. "Is that all you can muster? This fire merely tickles." It taunted.
Rising and brushing dust from his face, Kosor remarked, "This creature is rather sinister, Enzo. We need to alter our strategy."
Enzo nodded in agreement, "Indeed, it seems capable of absorbing elemental attacks. Let us engage in close combat."
Exchanging determined glances, the two charged towards the warcraft. Kosor attacked from below while Enzo leapt into the air, striking from above. The warcraft, momentarily bewildered by their sudden shift, quickly reacted, expanding its form to cast a shadow over Kosor.
"Kosor cried out, "Enzo, it means to ensnare me! You must find a way!"
In mid-air, Enzo forcefully redirected his trajectory, unleashing an energy beam aimed at the warcraft's eye. "I shall target its eyes. Use this moment to escape!"
The warcraft was compelled to shut its eyes as Enzo's attack struck true, allowing Kosor to escape.
After a fierce struggle, they finally succeeded in wounding the warcraft and securing the Congenial Wood.
Just then, a sharp whistle cut through the air in the forest.
Enzo's expression shifted dramatically. "This is bad. That whistle could be a signal, and more dangers might be approaching."
Kosor tightened his grip on his great sword. "No matter what it is, we'll face it head-on! We cannot back down."
Barely had he finished speaking when a group of agile Umbra assassins surged forth, brandishing their blades, flickering in and out of the mist. One of the Umbra assassins sneered, "Did you think you could so easily take the Congenial Wood? This treasure is under our protection."
Enzo eyed them warily, "Who are you? Why do you guard the Congenial Wood?"
The Umbra assassin offered no reply, rushing forward to attack. Enzo and Kosor had no choice but to set aside their questions and confront their foes with full force. During the battle, Enzo realized that these Umbra assassins excelled at hiding in the mist, their strikes always catching them off guard.
Kosor fended off attacks while exclaiming, "These fiends are elusive in the fog, like phantoms. They're tough to deal with!"
Enzo, sensing the surrounding movements with elemental energy, responded, "Let me try dispersing this mist with wind. Let's see how they remain arrogant then."
Enzo unleashed a wind spell, and a powerful gust swept through, gradually clearing the fog. The Umbra assassins, stripped of their concealment, revealed themselves.
Seeing this, Kosor bellowed, "Now, let's see how you hide!"
He swung his great sword, charging at the Umbra assassins, with Enzo following closely to launch elemental attacks. However, the strength of these Umbra assassins was formidable. They swiftly adjusted their tactics, forming a sword formation that encircled Enzo and Kosor.
Enzo surveyed the intricate sword formation surrounding them. "This array is rather formidable. We must locate its core to dismantle it. It resembles a turtle's shell. We need to identify its vulnerable spot to strike."
Kosor nodded in agreement. "Very well, I shall draw their attention while you seek the core. I refuse to believe that my righteous spirit cannot pierce through this nefarious array."
With determination, Kosor charged into battle against the Umbra assassins, engaging them in fierce combat, while Enzo meticulously observed the shifts within the sword formation. Suddenly, he noticed a distinctive figure among the Umbra assassins at the center of the array, with energy fluctuations converging around him.
"Kosor! That Umbra assassin may be the core. Attack him!" Enzo shouted.
Upon hearing Enzo's call, Kosor surged forward, breaking through the defenses of the Umbra assassins toward the core. Simultaneously, Enzo unleashed elemental attacks to clear a path for him. Through their coordinated efforts, they successfully shattered the sword formation, prompting the Umbra assassins to flee in panic.
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Enzo let out a sigh of relief. "At last, we've dealt with these adversaries. Let us hasten away with the Congenial Wood. This place is too sinister. I have no desire to linger."
Kosor sheathed his great sword. "Indeed, this is no place to remain. We must depart swiftly to avoid any further complications."
Just as they prepared to leave, Kosor unexpectedly triggered a concealed mechanism hidden among the grass. A loud "click" resonated, and a massive Magic Circle materialized on the ground, enveloping Kosor in its radiant glow.
Enzo swiftly reached out to grasp Kosor. "Kosor, are you all right?"
Trapped within the luminescence, Kosor exclaimed, "I'm ensnared! This Magic Circle seems to possess a powerful pulling force. I can't move! It feels as though I'm glued in place."
Enzo attempted to shatter the Magic Circle with elemental energy, but its might proved overwhelming, rendering his efforts futile.
Enzo anxiously exclaimed, "I cannot break this Magic Circle. What are we to do? It feels like an iron lump, utterly immovable!"
Kosor, remaining composed within the circle, replied, "Do not concern yourself with me. First, take the Congenial Wood back to the old blacksmith. He may know a way. Do not dawdle. If we linger any longer, we are both doomed."
After a moment's hesitation, Enzo insisted, "But I cannot abandon you. We embarked on this journey together, we shall leave together."
Kosor urged loudly, "No more hesitation! If we do not leave now, we may never escape. There could be other dangers lurking nearby. Hurry, find a way to rescue me and return!"
Clenching his teeth, Enzo replied, "You must hold on. I will return for you at once. Do not allow anything to befall you before I am back, or I shall not rest until I reckon with this Magic Circle."
With a tight grip on the Congenial Wood, Enzo turned resolutely and sprinted towards the edge of the forest. The Misty Forest, already foreboding, felt even more menacing with Kosor trapped. Fear and urgency propelled Enzo forward, glancing back repeatedly, apprehensive that the Umbra assassins or other dangers might emerge.
At long last, he burst forth from the Misty Forest, scarcely pausing as he rushed towards the blacksmith's abode. Along the way, branches tore at his clothing, and his face bore several scratches, yet he paid no mind to such trivialities, his thoughts solely occupied by the image of Kosor ensnared in the Magic Circle.
"Master blacksmith, something terrible has happened!" Enzo shouted as he barged into the old blacksmith's workshop, panting heavily.