Chapter 124 — Someone's About to Lose It Again
The Beast-Taming Craftsman Page 2 of 3
As it howled, an immense, formless shockwave burst straight out from Eleven's body!
Its gaze fixed on the Emerald Tree Python and Miao Dongdong himself, and in that instant the air above the arena began to hum and quiver, the nearly materialized waves of Intimidation turning into a gale that swept across every corner of the field.
"Here it comes—"
In that moment, the Emerald Tree Python's body jerked to a halt, and the shadow beneath Miao Dongdong's feet vanished in an instant, fusing into his body as strange black tattoos appeared across his skin.
BZZT!
The mental storm swept past; Miao Dongdong gritted his teeth against the dizziness in his head, unconsciously clenched his fists—and then broke into a smile.
Likewise, the Emerald Tree Python shook its head rapidly, its gaze gradually sharpening, and let out a roar.
"ROAR!!!"
"Is that all?!"
Facing the terrifying wave of intimidation, Miao Dongdong was drenched in sweat, yet he quickly steadied himself and recovered. The parasitic gu within the Emerald Tree Python, evidently shielded by the sovereign husk's protective canopy, had weathered almost the entirety of the horrific mental assault.
"Now—it's our turn to strike back."
Miao Dongdong raised a hand, and countless shadows materialized out of thin air, about to converge into a sphere—none other than the Shadow Ball, one of the Shadow Gu's abilities.
At the same moment, the Emerald Tree Python's body swayed slightly, shifting into an attack stance, baring its fangs.
This was the first opponent Shi Jin and the others had encountered who, despite being affected by Eleven's intimidation, could still keep attacking.
Sure enough—Intimidation, that god-tier skill for crushing the weak, ceased to be so universal the moment it met a slightly stronger foe.
"H-he held on!!"
"Miao Dongdong is a beast."
"You're the first one to make the Iron-Eating Beast Knight's flex fail."
As Miao Dongdong and his beast weathered the intimidation head-on, wave after wave of noise erupted from the spectator stands.
Many eyes lit up, sensing this battle would be spectacular.
The master-level beast masters, too, turned looks of appreciation toward Miao Dongdong.
The Shadow Gu and the Parasitic Gu were nothing but two extraordinary-race gu insects, yet Miao Dongdong had developed them to such a degree. He and Shi Jin were, without question, the two most inspiring examinees of this trial.
At this moment, however, only a minority seemed to grasp the gravity of the situation.
"What are you all yelling about... don't any of you have eyes? That was only one layer of intimidation—the Bug God hasn't even made its move yet." In the stands, a pair of cousins stared at the little bug, whose eyes had begun to close, and felt things were not so simple.
This intimidation, by any measure, didn't look like it was meant to one-shot the opponent... but rather... to draw attention!
Sure enough, before long, people began to notice the little bug with its eyes shut.
This had already become the telltale sign that the little bug was about to go berserk.
"Look!"
"On the Emerald Tree Python's head!"
In that instant, everyone was stunned to discover that, though the Verdant Silk Bug was still clinging to the Iron-Eating Beast's shoulder,
an identical Verdant Silk Bug had appeared atop the Emerald Tree Python's head!
Just as in the first trial it had manifested draconic might, and in the second, manifested wings—this time, the Verdant Silk Bug had manifested a projection of itself!
"What?!"
At this moment, sensing the change, both the Emerald Tree Python and Miao Dongdong froze.
"ROAR!!!"
The Emerald Tree Python was still gaping dumbly, jaws wide—when the next instant, the Verdant Silk Bug on its head bent its body and flipped a full three hundred sixty degrees, diving like a trick diver straight into the Emerald Tree Python's mouth.
The scene left everyone dumbstruck.
"Holy shit."
The crowd wore expressions of utter stupefaction.
"(⊙﹏⊙) Uh..." The Emerald Tree Python sensed something was off as well.
Miao Dongdong: d(?д??)? What the hell!
Miao Dongdong himself was briefly dazed, unable to grasp what this meant.
Launch an attack from inside the python?
But the python had a venom-attribute stomach-acid skill—it could corrode even metal and stone!
Suicide?
While Miao Dongdong stood baffled, the next instant, the Emerald Tree Python's eyes flew wide, it made a retching motion, and then its expression turned even more agonized—
"ROAR!!"
Its body began convulsing wildly.
Inside the Emerald Tree Python's body.
Swish!
The Verdant Silk Bug phantom erupted with countless silk threads, driving them into the Emerald Tree Python's interior like the wild mane of a rampant lion.
Glug—
The gastric juices that came churning up met the insect silk and corroded it relentlessly, yet that fierce corrosive power could not affect the level-less insect silk in the slightest.
Instead, each strand of silk, like a tiny living organism with a will of its own, launched a savage assault on the Emerald Tree Python from within its body!
Max-level insect silk—this was absolutely a product no one could comprehend, not even a legendary beast master.
And the parasitic-thread effect derived from max-level insect silk, something not even godlike-level insect silk possessed, was mastered by Shi Ying's Bug alone!
At this very moment, not a single person knew what was happening.
All they knew was that Shi Jin seemed to be launching an attack from inside the tree python—and it seemed to be working.
"Despicable city folk."
Miao Dongdong, a country boy, suddenly recalled the warnings his village granny had given him, and his eyes reddened.
Sensing the distress signal from the parasitic gu, he could hold back no longer. He snapped his gaze toward Eleven and the Green Silk Bug, and shadows burst into being beneath his feet, stretching out violently!
He meant to use the Shadow Gu's other skill, Shadow Control, to pin down the little Iron-eating Beast, while at the same time the shadow ball in his hand had already finished forming—he hurled it savagely at the Green Silk Bug.
He had no idea what was going on, but crushing the Green Silk Bug had to be the right move—
Swish!
The shadow ball streaked toward Eleven and the Bug like a black meteor, yet Eleven did not so much as stir.
Shi Jin: "Emerald Tree Python—block that attack!"
It was Shi Jin, the beast master, who called out to his beast at the opportune moment.
In that instant the colossal Emerald Tree Python slammed down on the shadow the Shadow Gu had conjured, and with its own enormous flesh threw itself in front of the shadow ball!
Miao Dongdong: ???
Everyone: ???
BOOM!!!
The shadow ball struck the Emerald Tree Python. A faint light gleamed in the python's eyes; its massive frame was merely scraped, suffering a wound so light it could hardly be called a wound. Such was the might of a monarch-tier constitution—even without a single move, it radiated overwhelming pressure.
The crowd's mouths fell slightly open.
Strong, yes—but something had clearly gone wrong—
Why, why was this Emerald Tree Python obeying Shi Ying's command and helping the Iron-eating Beast and the Green Silk Bug block the damage?!
"Could this be the legendary parasitic bug??"
"No—impossible!" Miao Dongdong was utterly dumbfounded.
And he demanded an explanation from the parasitic gu.
Meanwhile, deep inside the Emerald Tree Python's body, in some small chamber, the parasitic gu—its true form no more than a high-tier transcendent species with no other impressive skills—stared at the lively strands of insect silk encircling it. Did it dare move?
The one skill capable of attacking invaders from within, its gastric juice, was useless against this silk—did it dare move???
"Chirp!!!" The silk rubbed together, producing an excited sound.
"Chirp!!!" The parasitic gu let out a shriek like a chicken being slaughtered.
Don't you come any closer—