Chess Mage of Faerûn

Chapter 437 Fishing the dog, then trapping it.

The scene before us could be aptly described as a dog biting a hedgehog. The hedgehog even had red-hot iron spikes on its back. The large insect, which had been gnawing at it for half a day, not only failed to taste any meat but also had its own blood in its mouth.

Ink-black blood dripped from the giant worm Nightshade's mouth and torso, but compared to these wounds, the attack from the Shadow Fiend was truly vicious.

The shadowy skin that used to withstand all kinds of weapons and spells was no longer strong in the face of those terrifying flames. The remaining shadow flames still lingered on the mottled and festering wounds, and the shadow spiders and spirit-binding creatures that rushed over under its command were also firmly blocked outside the defensive line and could not advance an inch.

Perhaps these Shadows would be adventurers' nightmares in another context, but right now, this group of defeated soldiers is simply no match for the Word Bearers squad, which has the support of the All-Powerful Knight.

The abundant resources of the Underdark have given the drow and tauren magical weapons powerful enough to break through the defenses of the Shadowbound Spirits, and the insidious touches that steal power or life energy have also failed to penetrate thanks to the protection of negative energy spells.

As for the Omniknight?

The light shimmering on their warhammers was not from any kind of illumination spell. Wielding warhammers blessed with holy light, they were like simplified versions of retribution knights. Each powerful strike was like a branding iron, etching itself onto the enemy's body and emitting a wisp of decaying black smoke.

Seeing that things were not going well, the giant insect Nightshade did not linger. It twisted its body and plunged into the black tide of the floor like a diver, disappearing into the distorted interdimensional space as ink splashed down.

Instead of having his pieces gather to protect and support him, the mage sent Axe and Shadow Fiend to the front lines to join the battle, hoping to eliminate those vassal minions as quickly as possible.

The two three-star chess pieces were not the last straw; they were more like the anchor of stability. As they pressed forward, the clever Drow immediately seized the opportunity, their dark gold scimitar blades gleaming as the Axe King swung his red-hot battle axe, wreaking havoc.

While the Undead Freeze spells cast by Eirima and Taybion, who had regained their spellcasting abilities, had little effect, they did slow down the enemy's movements. Omniknight's Warhammer and Shadow Fiend's Blazing Fire then completely banished these already weakened shadows and undead.

The situation ahead looks very promising!
While this move significantly boosted the strength of the front lines and provided a final chance for the stalemate, it also left the area around the mage as a weak point.

Kegan was not sent to the front lines; instead, he stood guard beside his lord, shield in hand, his expression somewhat grave.

He didn't quite understand why the mage, who was usually so steady and cautious, was being so aggressive and daring. After witnessing the Axe King's methods, the giant insect Nightshade probably wouldn't have charged headlong into danger. But wasn't the mage's behavior just giving the enemy a chance to launch a surprise attack?
The dwarf knew he was the last line of defense; the two old men riding horses behind him didn't look like they could withstand the giant insect's attack at all...

What you fear most has come to pass; the floating of the shadowy alveoli reappeared, and this time, it was right beneath the mage's feet.

"Boss, quick..."

In his haste, Kegan disregarded everything else and was about to grab the mage's robes to drag him away when, before his fingertips even touched the cuffs, a radiant light cascaded down like a waterfall, shining directly on the mage's head, bathing him in its splendor from head to toe.

Baptism by holy light!

The Omnipotent Knight's sudden baptism wasn't meant to give Master Zhang a spotlight; the vertically descending holy light utterly crushed the churning shadow alveoli, even clearing away the shadows in that small area, revealing the stone ground beneath the receding black tide. Although this circle, only a few meters in diameter, was insignificant compared to the entire shadow-covered dungeon, the black tide of shadow at the edge of the purified area was already spreading inward like mist, soon to reclaim the area as its own domain.

But that was enough. Without the teleportation medium, the giant insect Nightshade couldn't launch a surprise attack from under the mage's feet in a short time. The insect seemed to be stunned or blinded by the holy light, and remained motionless for a while.

Then came the insects' trickery, like playing whack-a-mole. The black tide on the ground not far from the mage kept boiling and churning, rising and falling. Their intention was obvious: to lure out the enemy's possible backup plan and launch a thunderous attack amidst the feints and real attacks.

The little tactical deception couldn't fool the mage; instead, it bought the opponent the most precious time.

Waving away Kegan, who wanted to come up to protect him, Zhang Yuan, who had finished guiding the ceremony, smiled and looked at the gem he was holding between his fingers. The already flawless diamond was now sparkling, radiating thousands of brilliant rays.

The mage strode forward, tossing the precious gem between his fingertips with a slightly flippant air, unaware that he was about to step into the range of the black tide and head towards the front lines.

Seeing that the enemy was about to reunite with those troublesome guys, the giant worm could no longer restrain itself. Its black shadow rippled like a fountain, and the monstrous body of the giant worm Night Shadow could be vaguely seen. It opened its abyssal maw, but did not rashly pounce.

Although the worm longed to devour the cunning intruder whole, to grind it into mincemeat with its millstone-like tusks and savor it, the several humiliating defeats it had suffered previously were still fresh in its mind, so…

A cone-shaped plume of white frost shot out from the mouth of the giant insect Nightshade, causing the already chilly underground palace to cool down even further. The spreading frost breath merged into the shadowy mist like falling black snow.

This is its spell-like ability, Ice Spike. The giant worm, having learned its lesson, didn't rush to pounce and devour its prey. Ideally, the Ice Spike Breath, mixed with the negative energy of shadow, would severely injure or even freeze the opponent into a withered ice sculpture. Even if that didn't work, hindering its movements and testing its next move would be good.

"Castling."

The mage's smile remained undiminished. With a deft flip of his index and middle fingers, his entire figure vanished from the giant insect's perception, replaced by that annoying red-hot iron hedgehog.

It's a very simple level one spell that allows two volunteers to instantly switch places. Although it has strict distance restrictions, it's perfect for this kind of small-scale movement.

Damn monkey tricks, damn spellcaster! Seeing the big bug fall into the trap again, he was both annoyed and somewhat relieved.

Fortunately, they tested the waters first, otherwise...

He glanced at the fiery red figure with some apprehension. The Frost Breath Cone, mixed with gray shadows, was completely blocked by the opponent's raised cloak. The Ash Lord's Cloak, which was like molten iron slag rising from a steel furnace, did not extinguish even in such a deadly cold current.

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(End of this chapter)