Wizard: Start with Biological Transformation to Grind Experience novel Chapter 29

Chapter 29: 029: 1 on 1

A Soul Crystal worth tens of thousands of Magic Stones!!!

Richard had considered the possibility of some conspiracy, but that thought was fleeting and swiftly drowned out by excitement and greed.

After all, this was a treasure worth tens of thousands of Magic Stones, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity for someone like him who barely earned a few hundred Magic Stones in a year.

Because of this, even knowing there might be a trap, his overwhelming avarice instinctively drove Richard to—

snatch the Soul Crystal off the ground in one swift motion.

"Clatter, clatter!"

"Treasure! Treasure! The treasure has returned!"

"Quick, bring the treasure back!"

The restless wasteland suddenly seemed to spring entirely to life.

The Corrupted Tree Demons emerged from the barren shrubs, making rustling noises as they crawled out in droves, their hollow eyes fixated on the Soul Crystal, their faces alight with unmasked greed and excitement.

"Get lost! Get away, you filthy trash!"

Richard waved his hand, unleashing a surge of Dark Element. The corrosive energy immediately melted two of the Corrupted Tree Demons.

But their companions weren't fazed at all; their eyes remained fixed on the glowing Blue Crystal in Richard's hand as they continued to swarm in overwhelming numbers.

"Clatter, clatter!"

Meanwhile, several thick branches started hurtling toward Richard from behind. The massive commotion instantly caught his attention, and when he turned to see the creature behind him, his heart jumped.

"Twisted Tree Spirit!"

A being equivalent to the strength of a Mid-level Apprentice, coupled with countless low-level magic creatures like the Corrupted Tree Demons, sparked a flicker of fear in Richard's mind.

But giving up the Soul Crystal in his hands? Impossible.

"Gabri, take them down!"

He issued the attack command to the Demon Alchemist while summoning his remaining five Undead Servants to gather around him, heading back the way he came.

But he had only walked a few steps when the ground beneath him suddenly began to shift. What had seemed like solid terrain suddenly loosened like sand, and one of his Undead Servants in the lead immediately sunk into the ground, caught completely off guard.

"A swamp!" Richard's expression shifted drastically as he realized the path underneath him was far from ordinary.

The route they had taken was marked by Lynch's trail of blood, deliberately leading them across solid ground.

But now the path was overrun with countless Corrupted Tree Demons, making it impossible to discern which way they had come.

"Damn it!"

Richard hurriedly retrieved a scroll from his Space Ring, hesitating painfully for a moment before finally breaking the seal on the High-level Apprentice Magic scroll worth hundreds of Magic Stones and activating it.

"Clatter, clatter!" The earth tore upward, forming into a clay bridge that extended toward the distant hillside.

Zero-ring High-level Magic: Clay Manipulation.

Richard sat atop the clay bridge with the remaining Undead Servants, leaving the Demon Alchemist behind. Already stuck in the swamp, its massive body was impossible to extract, and the clay bridge wouldn't be able to support its weight.

After all, it wasn't really his possession. Leaving it behind as a distraction might buy him some time.

The clay bridge carried Richard across toward the hillside, but the distance of several hundred meters was too far, pushing the magic's limits.

Richard had to shove one of his Undead Servants off the bridge to reduce the burden and stretch the bridge a bit farther.

Even so, the bridge's magic barely managed to deliver Richard to the opposite hillside before giving out entirely. With a clattering sound, it crumbled into rubble.

Of the meticulously crafted Undead Servants, only three remained. Hundreds of Magic Stones had been sacrificed on scrolls and Magic Potions, but Richard deemed it worthwhile. Gazing at the glowing Blue Crystal in his hand, he unleashed a triumphant laugh:

"Ha, hahahaha!"

"Rustle, rustle..."

But just then, the bushes ahead quivered, and a figure emerged.

Richard turned his head to see Lynch standing a short distance away: "Disappointed, aren't you? Your elaborate little trap still couldn't stop me?"

Breathing heavily, Lynch shook his head. "No, I'm already quite satisfied with the current outcome."

A scenario that had seemed like certain death had turned into an almost one-on-one confrontation. Lynch couldn't have asked for more.