Chapter 153

Words : 1226 Updated : Oct 7th, 2025

Chapter 153: Chapter 153 Sensing imminent danger, Clayton quickly tried to yank his hand free from the strange lotus root wrapped around it. But no matter how hard he pulled, he kept failing—his frustration growing with every attempt. As he prepared to try again, something strange happened. His physical strength, mana, and even spiritual energy began to slowly drain toward his arm... and then vanished. At first, he was confused. But as more and more of his energy slipped away, panic began to set in. "Aghh, what the hell is happening?" Clayton exclaimed, his voice laced with fear. He forced himself to think clearly, and soon a possibility crept into his mind. "Is this weird root... absorbing all my energy?" he muttered in suspicion. Taking a closer look, he spotted traces of his own energy on the lotus root. That was all the confirmation he needed. Realizing the danger, Clayton didn’t hesitate. He destroyed the root with a burst of magic. Bang! The root shattered, and Clayton broke free from its grasp. At that same moment, the energy leak from his body ceased. That confirmed it—the lotus root was the cause. Feeling endangered, Clayton tried to retreat. But he was too late. The surrounding roots had already begun wrapping around his legs, and others from a distance shot toward his body. A chill ran down his spine. Without thinking, he scrambled to break free. Splat! Spla! He struck back, destroying the approaching roots. Fortunately, they weren’t very strong, allowing Clayton to dodge and counter them with ease. But there were just too many. Worse still, every time a root touched him, it drained a bit more of his energy. His condition deteriorated rapidly, even though he remained physically unharmed. It was only a matter of time before he was completely drained by the chaotic assault. Clayton knew he couldn’t let this continue. He racked his brain, desperate to find a solution. Then, an idea struck him—these roots were just external tools, like knives. Damaging them wouldn’t affect the real source. The true enemy—the lotus flower—was controlling them from afar. With this realization, Clayton scanned the area and spotted the lotus flower floating at the center of the lake. Now, he knew what he had to do. "If you want to beat your enemy quickly, strike its weakest point." With renewed determination, Clayton broke free once more and launched a barrage of ranged attacks at the lotus flower. But every spell failed. The roots effortlessly blocked them. Still, Clayton didn’t give up. He kept attacking, hoping for an opening. Even with his tracking enchantments, not a single hit landed on the flower. He had underestimated the sheer number of roots it controlled. They spread across the area like a chaotic power grid in a forgotten rural village. He now realized that this fight wouldn’t end anytime soon. Seeing how ineffective his efforts were, Clayton weighed his options. Eventually, he admitted the truth—this battle wasn’t worth it. Especially since he had already retrieved one valuable seed from the flower. Thinking more clearly, he made the decision to flee as quickly as possible. But escaping was easier said than done. Unlike the relatively dull Stone-Patterned serpent he’d fought earlier, this lotus was frighteningly intelligent. Its roots bombarded every potential escape route, trapping him with relentless precision. Clayton’s frustration grew. He tried every trick he knew to escape, but nothing worked. Cornered, he shifted tactics. This time, he would go in close. If the roots had time to react to distant attacks, maybe they wouldn’t respond as effectively to a direct assault. With resolve hardening in his chest, Clayton forced his way through the tangled roots, pushing toward the flower. As he fought, a strange feeling washed over him—as though something were making things slightly easier. It made no sense. He was still struggling, yet part of him felt... guided. Even so, he remained cautious. He continued pushing forward with all the strength and magic he could muster. Still, he failed multiple times, and his body began to show signs of strain. He started to question whether he could even reach the lotus at all. "Is this just my imagination? Maybe I’m just completely worn out from everything that’s happened today..." he thought, recalling his battles with two enemy factions, a giant serpent, and now this relentless flower. But he clenched his fists and pressed on. Now was not the time to falter. Finally, after what felt like a lifetime, he stood face-to-face with the lotus. He had once thought it beautiful. Not anymore. That admiration was long gone. Now, there was only one thing he wanted: To destroy it. Without hesitation, Clayton unleashed his strongest spell. "Water Magic: Abyssal Vortex!" Invisible vapor condensed around him, forming dozens of miniature whirlpools that swirled into a single violent current. Amplified by the surrounding water, a monstrous vortex roared to life and surged toward the lotus flower. The flower must have sensed the danger—it summoned even more roots to defend itself. The battlefield erupted into chaos. Clayton grinned, but stayed alert. He retreated, calculating his next move. "If the attack lands, I’ll follow up with ranged spells. If not... I’ll retreat." He wasn’t about to risk his life over something uncertain. Like the serpent, this lotus seemed bound to one place. But suddenly, thick roots surged toward him from every direction, surrounding him in a tight ring. Clayton’s heart sank. He slashed wildly in every direction, trying to carve a way out—but the roots just kept coming. Grinding his teeth, he shouted in frustration: "Why the hell is it still going after me instead of defending itself?!" More roots flooded in. All Clayton could do now was hope his vortex spell had succeeded. He glanced toward the flower, searching for any signs of damage. For a moment, he still had hope. But then... that hope began to fade. The vortex was unraveling. The flower remained—untouched. Worse yet, more roots gathered to reinforce its defenses. The lotus had used a clever strategy: disrupting the vortex’s momentum with layer after layer of roots. Since the spell relied on momentum and buildup, this constant interference completely neutralized its power. "Aghhh! Why is that damn thing so tough?!" Clayton roared. A flower that beautiful had no right to be this powerful. It just wasn’t fair. With hope gone, only one option remained: Run. He bolted through the battlefield recklessly, not caring if he got hurt. But his momentum didn’t last. The vortex collapsed, and the lotus survived. Now, every last root turned on him. His movements slowed. Soon, they overwhelmed him. Thick, sinewy roots wrapped around his body, cocooning him in a prison of wood and vine. Inside, Clayton gasped for breath. His chest tightened, and his face went pale. The moment his skin touched the roots, an old illness he’d long suppressed returned with a vengeance. And as if that wasn’t enough, a foreign energy invaded his mind—trying to seize control of his body. Teetering on the brink of unconsciousness, Clayton clenched his jaw and bit down on his tongue, desperate to stay awake. As the invasive force clawed at his mind, a strange image flashed before his eyes—a glimpse of a savage, barbaric creature, wild and monstrous. "Arghhhh!" Clayton let out a guttural roar as blood trickled from the corners of his mouth.

Chapter 153

Comments (0)