Wizard: Starting from Escape from the Thorn Garden

"Rest where you are! Recover as quickly as possible!" Evan's voice carried an undeniable weariness and urgency.

He sat down cross-legged first, took out a pale blue potion and drank it down, then closed his eyes to regulate his breathing.

Sofia leaned against a relatively dry, hardened patch of fungus. The rocky armor on her body receded like the tide, revealing a face covered with fine corrosion marks and sweat. She gasped for breath and quickly swallowed a recovery potion.

Rhodes sat down on the ground, his chest heaving violently, the flame patterns on his body dimming, clearly indicating that his final burst of power had consumed a great deal of energy.

Kyle and Serena, like statues blending into the shadows, each occupied a corner, quickly treating the minor cuts and venom on their bodies, their movements swift and silent.

Elena was the one who was most severely depleted. The light of her Nebula Crystal was dim, her face was as pale as paper, and her purification field had shrunk to the surface of her body, continuing to resist the pervasive erosion of the abyss and mental pollution.

She didn't speak, but simply nodded slightly to Evan before focusing all her energy on meditation to recover.

Kate is in relatively better condition.

Although his mental energy was greatly depleted, and the use of the Thorn Armor and the Spirit Pivot Seed also brought burdens, the immense evil energy brought by the Bloodthirsty Vine devouring the Queen Bee's Crystal Core nourished his spiritual sea and the Seed of Origin like sweet rain.

That power was being rapidly transformed, and the fatigue was fading much faster than that of his teammates.

He did not waste this precious time.

"Shadow of Thorns, Recycle and Repair," Kate commanded in her mind.

He walked to the edge of the devastated battlefield, his mental connection reaching out like invisible tentacles.

The scattered remnants of the Thorn Shadow—shattered carapaces, broken limbs, and extinguished torsos—trembled slightly as if summoned.

The core components, which were not completely destroyed, shimmered faintly under the mental connection.

Kate placed her right hand on the dimensional bag, and the bag's opening began to glow.

He took out spare mutated blood-devouring vine branches, a small piece of malevolent crystal, and simple alchemy tools.

The movements were fluid and precise, like those of the most skilled craftsman.

He first conducted a rapid test on the recovered core components of the Thorn Shadow.

The patterns on the right arm, resembling blood-devouring vines, glowed faintly as a wisp of the primordial seed's analytical force field was injected into the wreckage to assess the extent of the damage.

At the same time, mental guidance acts like the most skillful carving knife, removing the parts of the circuit nodes that have been corroded or burned by energy overload.

"The shell is severely damaged and needs to be replaced."

"The transmission gear of the third joint of the left anterior appendage has melted and needs to be replaced."

"The core malevolent crystal energy residue is below 10%, replenish."

"Purification bomb units depleted, refilling."

The cold commands flowed through the Seed of Origin.

Kate skillfully cut the mutated blood-eating vine branches, shaping and metallizing them according to pre-set forms, replacing the damaged outer shell and appendages.

He used specially made alchemical tweezers to pick up the new small crystal of evil intent, carefully embedded it into the energy core slot, and used his mental power to guide the energy circuit to reconnect and solidify it.

Finally, he filled the reserved micro-toxic sac chamber with a "purification bomb" that mixed moonshine moss purification matrix and a trace amount of stardust.

The whole process lasted about half an hour.

When the last repaired Thorn Shadow was reactivated and returned to the dimensional bag, shimmering with a deep green metallic luster, fifteen intact puppets had already gathered around Kate.

Although the number is slightly less than before, the core combat power has basically recovered. In fact, due to practical experience, the sensor nodes of some puppets are more adapted to the environment of the Corruption Garden after Kate's fine-tuning.

"Kate, how are you feeling?"

Evan opened his eyes, his voice regaining some of its previous calm.

He noticed that Kate had stopped moving.

"Recovered to 70%, and the number of Thorn Shadows has been replenished to 15," Kate replied succinctly.

"Alright." Evan nodded, his gaze sweeping over the exhausted but somewhat recovered group. "The swarm was just an appetizer. Elena's prophecy has been disrupted, and the Corrupted Ancient Tree Lord is lurking somewhere."

The toxic miasma and mental pollution here far exceed our expectations. We must find a more efficient way to move forward, and... seek allies.

Just as Evan finished speaking, Kyle's cold voice suddenly rang out in the communicator, carrying a rare hint of solemnity:

"Warning! A large-scale energy fluctuation is approaching from the northwest! It's not magical plants or insect swarms! It's... Wizard Apprentices! There are quite a few of them, at least two teams!"

Everyone tensed up instantly!

Rhodes abruptly stood up, and his molten battle aura ignited again; Sophia's body shimmered with a grayish-white light as her rock armor instantly covered her; Kate silently activated her thorn armor, while several vines quietly reached into the humus beneath her feet; Elena also forcefully erected a purification field.

The swirling purplish-green poisonous fog in the northwest was pushed aside by a powerful force.

The first thing to appear was a soft yet resilient barrier of starlight, like a huge, semi-transparent dome, which dispelled the surrounding poisonous fog and created a relatively "clean" area.

Inside the barrier, a group of apprentices dressed in dark blue robes adorned with star patterns were clearly visible. The leader was none other than the leader of the Starry Sky Tower, the ethereal silver-haired girl—Chloe Starwhisper.

Almost simultaneously, a commotion was heard from the other side.

A clear stream of water, like a nimble snake, weaved through the poisonous fog, neutralizing and diluting the toxic gases wherever it passed, leaving behind a refreshing trail.

At the source of the water was a group of apprentices dressed in light blue scale armor or flowing robes with seaweed patterns. The leader, a handsome young man with pale blue scales behind his ears, held a staff inlaid with a huge pearl. He was Alphonse Deeptide.

Both teams had clearly noticed the Green Peak Alliance, but instead of showing hostility, they cautiously stopped at a safe distance.

Chloe's gaze swept over the remains of the Venomous Fang Bees scattered on the ground and the slightly disheveled but imposing group from Greentop. She lingered for a moment on the remaining fragments of the Shadow of Thorns beside Kate, her silver eyes sparkling.

Alphonse looked at Elena, sensing the aura of shared celestial origin emanating from her, and nodded slightly in acknowledgment.

"Starry Sky Tower, Tide Temple." Evan, as the leader of the Emerald Peak Alliance, broke the silence first, his voice steady. "I didn't expect to meet you all here in this corrupt land. It seems the road ahead is fraught with peril, leading you all to choose to unite here?"

Chloe's voice is ethereal and melodious, like a flowing river of stars:

"Guided by the stars, deep within the 'Withered Royal Court' of this region, there resonates a powerful force of life and purification, but the path is obscured by even deeper filth and colossal objects. For either side alone, the price to reach it is unbearable."

The Alphonse interface has a gentle yet profound sound, reminiscent of the ocean.

"The same applies to the perception of tides. The erosion of the abyss is like a deadly poison, corrupting the very essence of life. The purifying waters of the temple can temporarily dispel the poisonous miasma and protect the soul, but a much greater power is needed to confront that entrenched, corrupting giant tree."

He demonstrated his side's value—purification and protection.

All three parties share the same goal and are aware that going it alone carries extremely high risks.

In the brief silence, an invisible understanding was formed.

"The toxic fog and mental pollution from the Corrupted Garden are the primary threats," Evan said, pointing to the swirling purple-green mist around them. "Our Elena can provide a stellar purification field, but it consumes a huge amount of energy. Can the water purification system of the Tide Temple help?"

Alphonse smiled slightly and tapped his pearl staff lightly.

A stream of clear water spread out from beneath his feet, like a winding brook, flowing around the members of the Green Top Alliance.

The water exuded a cool and moist scent. When it came into contact with Elena's starlight purification field, there was no conflict. Instead, they blended together perfectly!

The silver-blue starlight and the aquamarine halo intertwined and amplified, forming a thicker and larger star tide purification barrier!

The toxic fog within the barrier was rapidly dispersed and neutralized, and even the irritating, whispering mental pollution was greatly reduced!

Immediate results!

Elena's pressure eased, and a hint of color returned to her pale face. She cast a grateful glance at Alphonse.

"Good!" Rod couldn't help but shout, feeling that the burning pain from the corrosion on his skin had lessened considerably.

Chloe also demonstrated her value at the opportune moment: "The Star Tower excels at prophecy and spatial perception. I can try to stabilize prophecies amidst deeper disturbances, providing early warnings of spatial rifts and the movements of that big guy."

The nebula crystal in her hand shimmered with light, and a faint starlight shot into the distant fog. Everyone seemed to feel that the energy flow in that area had become a little "clearer," although it was still blurry, but much better than being completely clueless before.

"The Shadow of Thorns can provide information on environmental reconnaissance and toxin distribution."

Kate added calmly, while releasing a repaired Shadow of Thorns.

The puppet crawled rapidly along the edge of the Star Tide Barrier, sharing the concentration of the poisonous fog and the energy fluctuations of the corrupting plants it sensed with Kate through a mental link, which Kate then briefly relayed to the others.

This is like lighting a moving searchlight in a dark forest.

The three leaders quickly exchanged a glance. Evan said in a deep voice, "We share the same goal and complement each other's abilities. The threat of the Corrupted Garden cannot be stopped by any one party. I propose that the three parties temporarily form an alliance, share intelligence, and cooperate in operations. Our objective—to break through the Withered Royal Court and reach the Purification Temple!"

"Star Tower agrees." Chloe nodded.

"The Temple of Tides seconds this," Alphonse smiled.

"The Green-Capped Alliance is undisputed," Evan confirmed on behalf of his team.

A simple soul contract was quickly reached under the leadership of the three leaders, binding the three parties to refrain from attacking each other before the goal was achieved, distributing spoils according to contribution, and sharing key intelligence.

With the alliance reached, the atmosphere eased somewhat.

Protected by the Star Tide Purification Barrier, the three teams sat in a circle and held a brief joint meeting.

Outside the barrier, the thick poisonous fog, like a giant beast ready to devour its prey, was firmly kept at bay.

"According to intelligence from the Barrier and Chloe's prophecy, the 'Corrupted Ancient Tree Lord' is the ruler of the Withered Court and is most likely entrenched near the entrance to the Temple."

Evan spoke first, using energy to draw a simple map on the ground.

"It is a living behemoth completely fused with the abyss, with roots that may spread throughout the entire royal court. It can control magical plants and poisonous insects, and its own defense and regeneration are astonishing. Its attacks are inflicted with abyssal corruption and powerful mental pollution."

"My celestial omens were severely disrupted as I approached the core of the royal court."

Chloe frowned slightly.

"Only fragments can be captured: a vast shadow, a flowing river of filth, and... the image of countless struggling and wailing souls being absorbed by the roots. Its source of power likely comes from the corruption and devouring of life and soul."

"According to the ancient texts of the Temple of Tides, these abyssal symbiotes often possess a core 'Source of Corruption,'" Alphonse added. "It might be a highly condensed abyssal crystal within its body, or a node connecting to the abyssal plane. Destroying it is key, but this core must be heavily protected."

"Preliminary reconnaissance by the Shadow of Thorns indicates that the closer we get to the Royal Court, the more exponentially the levels of environmental toxins and mental pollution increase," Kate shared the data transmitted back by the puppet.

"At the same time, a large number of highly active predatory magical plants appeared, such as the Bone-Eating Arum, the Howling Vines, and the Poisonous Berry Cluster. The bee swarm is just an outer guard."

"We need an efficient implementation plan."

Evan summarized, "Rhodes, Sophia, and the 'Raging Tide Guardians' of the Tide Temple form the vanguard, responsible for tearing apart the magical plant defenses and clearing large obstacles."

Chloe, Alphonse, and Elena are in the center, maintaining and strengthening the "Star Tide Barrier," doing their utmost to purify the environment, stabilize the mind, and provide early warnings.

Kate, Kyle, Serena, along with the "Dark Star Stalkers" from the Star Tower and the "Dark Current Assassins" from the Tide Temple, form a roaming control team responsible for eliminating hidden threats, restricting high-value targets, protecting flanks, and providing environmental reconnaissance with Kate's assistance.

This allocation fully utilizes the advantages of all three parties: the early warning and stability provided by the Star Tower, the purification and protection provided by the Tide Temple, and the attack and control provided by the Green Top Alliance.

"agree."

"feasible."

All three team leaders had no objections.

"Finally, deal with the 'Corrupted Ancient Tree Lord'."

Evan appeared very confident. "The 'Thorn Storm' magic array will be the core attack method, but it requires cover and time. When it is lured out or its core is exposed, it will be activated by me, Sophia, and Kate."

Rhodes, the Tideguard, and everyone else's high-burst attacks will form the second wave of attacks.

Chloe and Alphonse, your purification and spatial stabilization abilities will be needed to suppress its abyssal contamination and potential area-of-effect mental attacks.

Kyle, Serena, Dark Star, and Dark Current are tasked with restraining its roots, tentacles, and summoned creatures, and finding an opportunity to deliver a fatal blow to its core!

With the plan clear, everyone's fighting spirit was ignited.

Faced with a terrifying existence at the wizard level, only sincere cooperation offers a sliver of hope for success.

"Rest is complete, let's go!" Evan gave the order.

The combined force began to operate like a sophisticated war machine.

The Star Tide Purification Barrier expanded steadily, firmly holding back the thick toxic fog.

Rhodes roared, his molten fire aura clearing a path and burning the blasting berries blocking his way.

Sophia and the Raging Wave Guardian were like a rock and a raging sea, one shattering the roots of the Corrosive Arum underground, the other stirring up waves with the Giant Anchor Staff to wash away the dissolved gases.

Chloe's star compass hovered in the air, constantly correcting its direction to avoid energy traps; Alphonse's water flow acted as a lifeline, continuously replenishing the barrier and washing away the filth that had tainted everyone.

Kate's thorny shadows moved silently at the front and flanks of the team, constantly transmitting information about the distribution of magical plants and the depressions where poisonous gas had accumulated, guiding the team forward safely.

Kyle and his companions, like ghosts, cleared away the howling vines, poison thorns, and other attackers that emerged from the shadows or humus.

The speed of advancement far exceeds that of before!

The precise reconnaissance of the Thorn Shadow and the powerful protection of the Star Tide Barrier allowed the team to avoid a lot of unnecessary fighting and attrition.

Occasionally, small groups of corrupted creatures or demonic plants may be encountered, but they are quickly wiped out with the cooperation of the three parties.

As Kate controlled the Shadow of Thorns, she felt the Seed of Origin thrive in the corrupted environment.

Although the malevolent thoughts permeating the air were not as pure as when the target was killed, they were inexhaustible. The Seed of Origin absorbed and transformed them continuously, like breathing, slowly and steadily enhancing the power of the Seed of Origin and its control over the symbiote.

He even guided the Howling Vines to quietly absorb the pure resentment that had escaped when the plant died, and a cool and refreshing feeling came from his spiritual sea.

After traveling for most of the day, and traversing a dark forest composed of huge, pus-oozing "corrupted banyan trees," the scenery ahead suddenly changed.

The toxic fog seemed to have thinned out a bit, but the light was even dimmer.

A huge, ring-shaped basin, as if formed by a meteorite impact, appeared before everyone's eyes.

In the center of the basin lies a terrifying scene beyond words, a sight that sends chills down one's spine—the withered royal court!