Black Hearted Mage

In the dense, deep forest, the tranquil atmosphere was quietly shattered by time. A few minutes seemed to stretch on for an eternity. From within the dense forest, the only sound was the snapping of branches and the sound of heavy footsteps, as if some enormous creature were approaching. Then, a dozen tall, portly figures slowly emerged from the dense forest.

A closer look revealed a dozen or so white-skinned ogres. Each one stood over two and a half meters tall, resembling rolling mountains of flesh. Their pale skin, illuminated by the moonlight, took on a sickly sheen, as if they hadn't seen the sun for years. Their mouths were surprisingly wide, and the sharp fangs within, like daggers, gleamed with a chilling glare, a clear sign of a long diet of raw flesh.

These white-skinned ogres were practically naked, wearing only a hide so filthy it was impossible to tell its color from their waists. The hide was covered in stains, blood, and various unknown mucus, emitting a pungent, nauseating stench. They seemed excessively fat, their necks almost invisible beneath their heads, as if their heads were directly attached to their shoulders. Each one had a round, bulging belly, bulging like a balloon or a pregnant woman in her tenth month. As they ran, their flesh shook violently, creating a sensation of surging waves, each piece of flesh rising and falling rhythmically, like a water-filled hide water bag, swaying with their movements.

These dozen or so ogres wielded simple weapons. Some held clubs hewn from thick branches, still smeared with scraps of bark; others wielded stone axes, their blades rough but radiating a primal ferocity. They were panting heavily, their breaths like bellows, each breath carrying a strong, fishy stench. They ran slowly, their steps dragging, each step leaving a deep footprint, as if the earth were trembling with their weight.

"Look at them, you idiot! They look just like you! They're as fat as you, with round bellies, and their big mouths and fangs are almost exactly like yours. I'm wondering, are these white ogres your brothers?"

After hearing Caesar's description, the puppy's drooping ears instantly stood up, its head slightly raised, and it hummed in dissatisfaction. The sound was thin and weak, as if complaining about Caesar's gaze.

Its round, ruby-red eyes followed Caesar's gaze and settled on the obese ogre not far away. The ogre was bloated, hairless, and hideously ugly. The moment the puppy saw it, its large, scarlet tongue darted out uncontrollably, licking the corners of its mouth, saliva dripping down its tongue and onto the ground. This series of movements was a clear demonstration of its voracious appetite, as if the ogre before it were a truly delicious meal.

At the same time, the alluring aroma of omelets lingered faintly in the air. Like an invisible hand, this scent gently tantalized the olfactory nerves of several white-skinned ogres. These white-skinned ogres, their skin a sickly pale, their faces filled with greed and ferocity. Their cavernous nostrils flared, their nostrils twitching constantly, striving to capture the source of this aroma. Their eyes gleamed with desire, as if this scent were the world's most deadly temptation.

Soon, the white-skinned ogres spotted Kaesus's presence. Their eyes, once dulled by the pursuit of the scent, instantly grew fierce and sharp. They muttered among themselves in a strange language that sounded like a curse from the depths of hell. As they spoke, they brandished their strangely shaped, blood-stained, improvised weapons, shouting so loudly that the air around them seemed to tremble. Then, with heavy, clumsy steps, they rushed towards Kaesus, the ground clunking under their feet.

Caesars was already prepared. His left hand gestured rapidly in the air, casting a powerful protective spell. A transparent shield, shimmering with a mysterious light, instantly enveloped him, as if he were wearing an invisible armor. He appeared remarkably calm, a gentle smile on his face. He thought to himself that now, he only needed to cast the Curse of Weakness and the Curse of Fatigue to easily deal with these foolish ogres. Meanwhile, his eyes unconsciously fell on the pup, and a strange thought suddenly occurred to him: he wanted to see which part of the ogre this greedy pup would choose to devour.

As Caesars chanted the spell again, he waved his hands forward. Two strange rays of light shot out from his hands, landing accurately on the charging ogres. In an instant, the ogres, who had been so aggressive, froze as if under a spell of immobilization. Their movements froze in an instant, expressions of fear and confusion on their faces, and then they fell straight to the ground with a dull thud.

There was a strange gray-green light flashing on the surface of the ogre's body. This light was like an evil ghost, entwining and wandering around them, as if announcing their failure and doom.

Curse spells originated from the Moon Demon Clan in the Demon Realm. Curse spells were very effective against humans, but their effects against ogres were incredibly strong. Caesars estimated that this was related to the tainted blood of the ogres.

More than a dozen ogres lost their ability to move and lay down in the woods. Their bodies were stiff and they let out wild beast-like howls from their mouths.

Kaisas stood guard, wary of the possibility of more white-skinned ogres in the distant forest. The puppy, its mouth wide with excitement, trotted over with a certain gaiety. It stopped beside the nearest ogre, stretched out its stubby, powerful front legs, and flipped the four or five hundred kilograms of "food" over, leaving the stiff white-skinned ogre lying on its back.

The fat puppy stood on the "food", stretched out its strong paws and gently patted the "food"'s chest, and finally its paws stopped at the position of the heart.

Dazzling red magical light gathered on the puppy's claws, which swiftly pierced the white-skinned ogre's chest like a sharp awl, piercing the heart within. As the puppy withdrew its claws, red magical patterns appeared on its body. The white-skinned ogre's foul-smelling blood gushed from its chest, floating eerily in the air.

The high-level magic patterns on the puppy's body flickered rhythmically, and the white-skinned ogre wailed feebly. Blood gushed out continuously, and his body shrank at a visible speed. A drop of blood, the size of a fingernail, glowed faintly as it separated from the stench of blood.

The puppy stuck out its big scarlet tongue and rolled the blood drop into its drooling mouth. The puppy looked very happy, and its little eyes were narrowed.

"Don't enjoy yourself, damn dog! The curse spell has a time limit. You need to speed up, otherwise your "food" will escape!"

Caesars' brow furrowed slightly, a hint of alarm in his eyes. He raised his voice to warn the puppy. Curse spells only last two minutes. Curse spells that directly inflict magical damage last even shorter, usually less than a minute.

The puppy's ears instantly perked up, its small body trembling slightly, appearing a little anxious. Its round eyes gleamed with excitement and eagerness, and it occasionally let out a low growl as it charged towards the white-skinned ogre in front.

The puppy nimbly darted between the ogres like a flash of dark red lightning. Its claws were like sharp daggers, piercing the ogre's body with every swing. With a single leap, it landed on the back of an ogre, its claws gripping tightly, instantly tearing the ogre's tough skin apart and pouring blood. Then, it swiftly leaped in front of another ogre and plunged its claws into its chest. The ogre on the ground wailed helplessly, as if realizing it had become food.

Caesars stood by, eyes wide, watching the pup's brave display with a shudder of fear. He knew the toughness of ogre skin; ordinary swords and knives could only leave marks. But beneath the pup's claws, the ogre's skin was as fragile as paper, vulnerable to a single blow.

Before long, a dozen or so white-skinned ogres were twitching, blood gushing from the holes in their bodies. As drops of blood formed, the ogres turned into somewhat shriveled corpses.

The puppy excitedly circled around the corpses several times, swallowing the bright red blood beads one by one.

Caesars walked forward and looked at the bodies of the white-skinned ogres, which had become much thinner. Their necks were now visible. He pulled out his storage ring from his waist and cast a simple magic hand. The bodies of the white-skinned ogres were then placed into the storage ring.

Under the bright moonlight, at the edge of the Southern Endless Forest, just over thirty meters from the Great Swamp, a dark red puppy lay on its belly in the thick green grass, snoring rhythmically.

The little golden-eyed black magic snake coiled its body and stood guard outside the hard-shelled leather tent.

Caesars opened the tent. The fat dog had taken a lot of tonic today, and its snoring was obviously louder than before. He grabbed the puppy's short and thick legs and turned it over, otherwise it would not be able to sleep that night.

As time slipped quietly into the night, the once bustling chirping of insects gradually faded, as if lulled by the darkness. The intermittent chirping of insects felt like a gentle lullaby, drifting through the still night air.

Caesars lay quietly in his tent, the exhaustion and fatigue of the day washing over him like a tide. His eyelids grew heavier, his consciousness gradually blurring. He gradually drifted off into sleep, his breathing even and steady, as if blending into the tranquil night.

However, the quiet night is always short-lived. When the first rays of morning light penetrate the darkness, the clear chirping of birds is like a melody welcoming the dawn, heralding the arrival of a new day. The clear and melodious bird song breaks the silence of the night, as if nature itself is beginning to awaken.

Kaisas slowly opened his eyes to the sound of birdsong. He stretched and sat up from his sleeping bag. He looked at the gradually brightening sky outside the tent and quickly put on his sturdy boots. The moment he stepped out of the tent, the fresh air hit him, refreshing him.

At this moment, the little black snake poked its head out from under the grass. Its dark body was looming in the grass, and a pair of eyes on its triangular head were watching the surroundings vigilantly.

Caesars glanced around and noticed the plump puppy was gone. His brow furrowed slightly, but he didn't dwell on it. He deftly folded up the tent and put it back into his interspatial ring. Then, he took out a few slices of cheese and chewed them. The light milky aroma spread throughout his mouth, replenishing his energy.

"Saint Paul, let's go and stop waiting for that dead dog!"

Caesar spoke to the golden-eyed black snake and picked up the staff of death. He set out westward, following the border between the forest and the great swamp. The forest to the right seemed like a mysterious and dangerous world. Within the dense woods lay countless dangers. Tall trees blocked out the sun, making the forest interior dark and damp. From time to time, strange noises could be heard, leaving one's hair standing on end. The forest teemed with ferocious white-skinned ogres. These ogres were enormous, and if more than thirty of them appeared, Caesar would have no choice but to flee.

The vast swamp to the left was equally fraught with danger. The vast expanse resembled a massive trap, poised to devour any who stumbled into it. A layer of green weeds covered the surface, yet beneath lay a bottomless quagmire. Ferocious white-skinned crocodiles roamed the swamp's edge, their massive bodies and skin as tough as iron. They lurked at the swamp's edge, waiting for prey. If Caesars encountered three of them simultaneously, he would be forced to retreat while fighting.

Caesars carefully observed his surroundings while steadily moving forward. He knew that he had to be extremely careful with every step on this dangerous road.

A faint smell of blood wafted from the front. Caesars immediately activated his magic shield and magic armor, cautiously moving forward. A short, dark red tail swayed continuously at the edge of the grass, more than thirty meters ahead.

"You idiot, you're eating alone again!"

Caesars walked over quickly and saw the greedy, fat puppy gnawing on a huge white crocodile.