The Magic Empire for 20,000 years

Chapter 279 Crisis
"Report to the captain: Traces of [Abyssal Amethyst] ore veins have been detected in the underground area."

Upon hearing his teammate's report, soldier John's face lit up with joy:
"Great! These past few months of exploration and pioneering have finally yielded results."

This amethyst, which originates from the abyss, is a crystallization of the chaotic magic of the abyss. As a magical gemstone imbued with the aura of another dimension, it can also be used as a material for the [Otherworldly Bond], making it extremely precious.

The group immediately collected some soil and rocks from the area where mineral resources had just been detected, and simultaneously inscribed teleportation markers.

—With items obtained from the target location and the location marked in advance, teleportation spells can reach the area relatively accurately, without deviating too much and getting lost in the wilderness.

"Okay, Nana, relay the information back to base immediately."

Upon receiving the instruction, the pioneering team member named Nana closed her eyes and connected to the [Mind Connection] mind communication channel.

Before setting off, some members of the expedition team establish this kind of spiritual connection with a few members who remain at the base. This allows them to communicate instantly and report information even when they are far apart.

However, after Nana closed her eyes for a while, she opened them again:

"Strange, there's no sound coming from the telepathic communication channel..."

Is there a problem with the signal?

Captain John immediately focused on his inner voice and tried to speak into the telepathic communication channel, but received no response.

"not good!"

“Mind communication may have been interfered with or blocked.”

Realizing something was wrong, he quickly issued an order using the fewest possible sentences:
"Enemy attack! All units, prepare for defense!"

As a seasoned Imperial soldier, Captain John immediately considered the possibility of an enemy attack!
—Compared to mages who can continuously level up while staying in their own laboratories, every high-level warrior is honed through countless battles, and their combat experience and sense of crisis are by no means inferior!

The next second, hundreds of demons charged down from the hill behind them, unleashing a variety of spells on the pioneering team.

Fortunately, the development team received a warning two seconds in advance and reacted immediately.

The towering clay golem stood in front, using its sturdy body to block the incoming magic.

The spellcasters chanted incantations rapidly, countering the enemy's magic while simultaneously launching a counterattack.

Team members also activated magical artifacts from the Dwarven Kingdom to dispel abnormal statuses suffered by allies.

One by one, the skeletons nocked their bows and arrows, hurling a hail of cold iron arrows at the onrushing horde of demons.

Warrior John drew his longbow from his back, and a magical arrow, forged from Abyssal Blood Steel, shot through the air, piercing the head of a flying Florian.

Two high-ranking demons, controlled by contract magic, also attacked simultaneously, unleashing a multicolored aura of fear that suppressed the oncoming horde of demons.

In just one exchange, the well-trained Trail Blazers team successfully withstood the enemy's surprise attack and launched a counterattack!

"Fortunately, the enemy is not strong."

"They're just a bunch of low- to mid-level demons."

As John adjusted his position and dodged the enemy's magic, he drew his greatsword and charged forward, cleaving a tall demon in two with a leaping slash.

Upon seeing the formidable strength of the pioneering team, the hundreds of demon attackers who had been so aggressive just moments before scattered like birds and beasts, fleeing in panic and disappearing without a trace.

"Great, the crisis is over!"

The members of the pioneering team cheered.

However, Johnson remained serious and highly vigilant, raising his hand to stop his players' cheers:

"No, that's not right!"

“Those demon attackers didn’t seem to be attacking us aimlessly; they seemed to be driven by a more powerful demon.”

“There may be an even more powerful demon in this area. It is the demon that has blocked our telepathic communication signals.”

clap clap.

Just then, a crisp clapping sound came from the hillside.

"A spectacular battle! Brilliant on-the-spot judgment!"

The team members immediately turned their attention to the direction from which the applause and voices were coming.

The tall, shapeshifting woman, Artina Shi, with her ruddy skin, watched the battle with great interest, as if it were a theatrical performance, completely unconcerned about the casualties among her subordinates.

“Nice performance.”

"It seems that the humans of the magic empire of Eldoron are not just incompetent fools hiding behind the demon army, but are quite capable themselves."

A hint of greed crept into Altina's gaze as she stared at Captain John.

The hunter's greed for his prey. This most powerful lesser lord of the first level of the abyss strolled leisurely toward the expeditionary team with the ease of a leisurely walk.
"Hey human, even though you're not a spellcaster, you're quite capable of leading a team."

"Qualified..."

"Become my pet!"

As soon as Altina finished reciting her poem, she was met with a stern rebuke:
"Fight!"

"Spread out to avoid being enveloped by area-of-effect magic."

John quickly took command of the entire pioneering team.

"Ugh, what a boring opponent."

Altina sighed softly, shook her head helplessly, crossed her arms, struck a rather relaxed pose, and let out a sneer:
"Your team is very capable, with various combat units of different functions and varying strengths working together, and they clearly have a very good understanding of the characteristics of demons."

"If we encounter other weak lesser demon lords, we can definitely hold them off for a while."

"If we encounter a legendary demon that is not adept at fighting large numbers of enemies, there is even a possibility of repelling it..."

"such a pity……"

Watching the cold iron arrows raining down on her, the spells aimed at her, and seeing Captain John charging towards her with his greatsword, Altina sighed with regret.
"It's a pity you encountered such a situation,"

"it's me!"

This mid-level legendary demon, with a twist of his slender body, instantly transformed into a mirage, like a reflection in a mirror or the moon's reflection in water.

Snapped.

Her figure shattered like a mirror, and all the attacks landed on empty air.

Altina Shi's true form appeared on the other side, facing the direction of the pioneering team, extending her right hand and making a loose fist.

The next moment, many members of the pioneering team, including the two high-ranking demons, Captain John, and the other humans, felt their bodies stiffen.

My joints felt like they were being targeted by slats, and my blood seemed to have frozen, making it impossible to move.

Is it a group of monsters immobilized, or something similar...?

Such powerful magic, there's absolutely no way to escape or break free...

John was startled to feel his body freeze.

"team leader!"

The team members screamed at their captain, who was stiff and unable to move, and they also felt their bodies freeze, as if they had turned into statues.

"hateful……"

"It's... a far more formidable enemy than expected..."

"At this point... there's only one way..."

Meanwhile, John watched helplessly as two clay golems, unaffected by the immobilization spell, charged toward Artina. However, Artina simply waved her hand, and the ground collapsed into quicksand, trapping the two towering golems inside, unable to escape.

"These two Nendoroids are a bit strange; they weren't frozen in place. Are they immune to magic that affects the mind?"

"Unfortunately, it's still too weak..."

"Then, the battle is over."

Artina maintained the effects of the immobilization spell and walked with a smile toward the desperate pioneering team.

The undead continued to fire arrows at the lesser lord, but all the arrows turned to ashes as they approached her.

Altina strolled leisurely to John, a smirk playing on her lips as if selecting her prey.

"I'll capture you."

Of all these people, you are the only one who interests me.

"As for the rest of the people..."

The tall, slender lesser lord lazily twisted his head, looking at the immobilized humans and demons:
"Just kill them all!"

Altina raised her hand, and crimson light gathered in it, ready to wipe out all the enemies.

"Wait... a minute, let's... make a deal..."

(End of this chapter)