Chapter 162

Words : 1189 Updated : Oct 7th, 2025

Chapter 162: Chapter 162 Clayton froze—stunned and confused—as he suddenly found himself surrounded by a group of people. Yet even in that moment, he didn’t hesitate. He immediately activated his Water Circulation Armor, cloaking himself in its liquid defense, ready for any incoming attack. Once the armor had fully formed, Clayton scanned the group with caution, bracing himself for the moment they would strike. At the same time, he discreetly slipped his hand into his spatial pouch, his fingers curling around a handful of fine, golden granules. Suddenly, one of the figures began chanting a spell. Seeing this, Clayton instinctively prepared to dodge or counter—only to stop short when he realized the spell wasn’t aimed at him. Another person joined in, launching an attack of their own. Again, Clayton braced himself—only to find that this spell, too, had missed him. His confusion deepened. Before he could make sense of it, four of the attackers turned on each other, unleashing spells like bitter enemies. They didn’t even acknowledge Clayton’s presence. He stood frozen. He’d assumed they would come after him to stop him from escaping—but clearly, that wasn’t the case. Now, he hesitated. Should he run or stay put? If he ran, he might avoid the fight entirely—but that risked provoking them and being cut down before getting far. If he stayed, maybe they’d finish each other off, leaving only one weakened survivor—someone he could handle with ease... though nothing about that was guaranteed. Still, Clayton wasn’t too worried. He had his skeletal warriors at the ready, just in case. While he was lost in thought, a fierce battle erupted nearby. Three fourth-star apprentice mages were ganging up on a bounty hunter—who happened to be a six-star apprentice mage. The six-star was clearly overwhelmed. Frustration and regret began to show on his face. Distracted by his own thoughts, he lost focus—just long enough for one of the attackers to land a hit. Bang! The impact sent the six-star mage flying, his body battered and bloodied. The three attackers burst out laughing, their tone openly mocking. "Hehehe... Didn’t you say you could handle a hundred of us with ease? So why are you the one about to die?" "Hahaha! Such a big mouth! I bet you’re feeling humiliated now, ’honorable mage’~" The taunts cut deep. The six-star mage’s pride shattered. The pressure grew, and his emotions unraveled. But the three attackers didn’t care. They kept mocking him, venting their long-held grudges. They relished the psychological thrill of stomping on someone they had once feared and revered. The six-star apprentice finally snapped. Madness consumed him. He ignored his wounds completely, driven by a single instinct—to destroy everything in sight. The tables quickly turned. His three attackers suddenly found themselves on the defensive. Clayton watched, eyes gleaming. "This is it," he thought, energized. He seized the moment and tried to flee. But his movement drew the attention of the three mages—and the deranged six-star. The three were furious but too preoccupied to stop him. The insane mage, however, was no longer bound by reason. His bloodshot eyes locked onto Clayton. In his broken mind, Clayton was to blame for everything. He unleashed a furious barrage of magic at him. Anticipating it, Clayton quickly summoned a dome of water for protection. Bang! The crazed mage’s spell slammed into the dome with incredible force, shaking it violently—but it held. The others were stunned. Until now, they had only dared to dodge the six-star’s attacks, knowing how powerful they were. But Clayton had blocked it—head-on. Their expressions turned wary. Had Clayton been hiding his true strength all along? Just as everyone was processing what had happened, a powerful surge of energy shot toward Clayton. He reacted instantly, diving to the side. Boom! The blast struck a nearby boulder, erupting in a deafening explosion. Clayton’s spine chilled. He spun around, searching for the attacker. He froze. The one who had thrown the fire serpent... was Everlight. Clayton narrowed his eyes. He studied Everlight and his group. They looked haggard and injured—still suffering from the effects of his earlier finishing move. Everlight’s blood boiled at the sight of him. Today had been humiliating. A six-star apprentice mage, leading nearly a dozen followers, had failed to capture a mere three-star. If word got out, he would be mocked—perhaps even punished by the noble families. Furious and determined to restore his pride, Everlight vowed to teach Clayton a lesson he would never forget. Meanwhile, the four mages who had been fighting over Clayton now hesitated. With Everlight’s arrival, their chances at claiming the bounty had all but vanished. One of the three-star mages turned and fled. Two others quickly followed. But the insane six-star still glared at Clayton, seething with hatred. Clayton felt the weight of that gaze—but his attention was now fixed on the greater threat: Everlight’s group. Seeing the others flee, Everlight gestured to his subordinates. Several of them broke off to chase the runners. Then, he turned his gaze back to Clayton, studying him carefully. He wanted to remember this face—the most unforgettable enemy he’d ever encountered while serving the nobles. But Clayton didn’t stand still. He summoned a wave of murky, greenish-black water. Everlight’s group immediately tensed. They had been fooled by Clayton’s tricks before—they wouldn’t make the same mistake again. Whoosh! But nothing strange happened. They lowered their guard. Clayton smirked—and turned to run. Everlight’s rage exploded. "You little pest! Still running after seeing me? How dare you!" Clayton didn’t answer. He sprinted away, skeletal minions flanking him. Everlight, boiling with fury, unleashed a barrage of spells. Clayton was struggling. His skeletons lacked agility, and Everlight’s team still had the numbers advantage. The longer he ran, the more hopeless it felt. Everlight smiled coldly. Watching Clayton suffer filled him with dark satisfaction. He continued his magical assault, driven by vengeance. Clayton cursed under his breath—but he didn’t stop. He kept looking for a way out. Then—he saw it. A familiar, transparent dome in the distance. Without hesitation, he dashed toward it. If he could make it inside, he’d be safe. Everlight, seasoned from countless battles, noticed the change in Clayton’s demeanor. He narrowed his eyes, trying to uncover what had made the boy suddenly hopeful. Then it clicked. "Stop him!" Everlight roared. Clayton heard the shout and knew—his plan had been discovered. Without wasting a second, he hurled a handful of shimmering dust at Everlight and his group. Everlight was confused at first—until he recognized the substance. Tuberose pollen! He tried to burn it away with fire magic—but it was too late. He slipped into a deep illusion. At the same time, the serpent monster poison Clayton had used earlier began to take effect, temporarily paralyzing Everlight’s team. Clayton didn’t hesitate. He fired a flurry of water bullets at the insane six-star mage. Combined with the assault from his skeletal warriors, the madman was finally brought down. Without a backward glance, Clayton stepped into the transparent dome. Relief washed over him. He was safe. But just as he tried to catch his breath— RUMBLE! A massive tremor rocked the earth, throwing Clayton off balance.

Chapter 162

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