The Cornflower Witch

Book 2: Chapter 195: Twin-Headed Serpent: Blackquis Larva

Vol 2 Chapter 195 Twin-Headed Serpent: Blackquis Larva

Darkmist Mountains, Rhinoceros Horn Mountain City.

The high ridge curved like a gigantic, bent rhinoceros horn resting on the earth. Beneath that massive “horn” lay a sturdy fortress, dotted with many brazier fires. This was the garrison hidden in the cliff’s shadow.

“City Lord, the Rhinoceros Guard are ready. All 304 active Rhinoceros Knights are present.”

On the high watchtower of the city wall, a figure in a gray-brown heavy feathered cloak turned his head. His face looked somewhat weathered, etched with furrows and wrinkles.

“How are the other accompanying support units prepared?”

“We have 145 chalkstone masons, 37 guiding scholars, and 212 additional logistics personnel.”

After hearing this, the old man nodded slightly, then gave orders.

“Let them depart. After clearing each site, construct a lighthouse node along the route.”

“Yes.”Before long, an elite force of about seven hundred set out from Rhinoceros Horn Mountain City, marching toward that dark, lightless abyss.

Over the past few years, the eleven outposts in the Darkmist Mountains had been gradually prepared, accumulating ample resources and manpower. Thus, the plan to open up the Darkmist Mountains entered its second phase.

Their objective was to sweep unknown spots around the Darkmist Mountains, eliminate the monsters holed up there, and build Castle nodes at each location, forming a massive net to gradually seize control of the area.

Once the second-phase plan commenced, teams from each outpost began to mobilize.

In the Sunblaze Garden, about forty knights clad in white-gold armor were already assembled and ready. Mounted on warhorses, shields and longswords in hand, they formed ranks on the garden square. Behind them, other personnel finished preparing.

Sylutia wore a loose cloak today, riding the lead Windtrust horse and guiding the group forward.

Following the mapped route, on the first day Sylutia’s party encountered few monsters and the road was smooth.

By the second day, they reached areas far from usual activity. The environment grew strange, and the monsters they met progressively became stronger.

“Tia, a Brain-Eater Monkey outpost was spotted ahead,” Rachel reported, riding back from the forward wilds.

“How many are there? Dangerous?”

“Around thirty in number. Six of them are Third Tier, the rest Second Tier or below. Their bodies are like stone, extremely sturdy, but they don’t have many weird abilities—just brute strength.”

“Send the First Squad to handle it.” Sylutia issued the order. A team of roughly thirty riders stepped out, including eight Third Tier knights, one Third Tier healer, one Third Tier gardener, and the rest Second Tier fighters and support.

On receiving orders, they hastened, charging on horseback toward the reported location and began the engagement.

Although a sweep mission, Sylutia considered the apprentices needed to grow. She always assigned slightly more personnel than the opponent, but not so many as to crush them completely. This provoked the team’s potential, forcing cooperation, thinking, and adaptability.

More than ten minutes later, the team arrived at the strange stone forest where the Brain-Eater Monkeys dwelt. After observing for a moment, they moved to action.

Above the canopy, a large Eye Tyrant floated quietly, watching the fight below and relaying intelligence in real time to the girl far off. Using the Gloom-Gaze Evil Eye’s vision, Sylutia could clearly assess the situation. If danger arose, she could direct the eye to support, or simply blink herself there to change the battle.

Fortunately this operation wasn’t highly difficult. Entering the stone forest, the main combat knights formed two three-man squads and struck like twin spears. Behind them trailed the mop-up and Second Tier members who handled minor monsters.

“Meteor Archery!”

Several members raised longbows, releasing razor-sharp arrows that pierced several gray Brain-Eater Monkeys in the stone grove, causing internal chaos. Soon, several leading Third Tier Brain-Eater Monkeys charged out. Their physiques were powerful, muscles like gray-blue rock, and when they charged they let out strange hisses, revealing blood-red mouths and white teeth.

Facing the attracted monsters, the front-line soldiers raised large shields in tight formation. Holy runes shimmered across the shields and linked into a continuous field, forming an illusory yet sturdy wall.

The forward-charging Brain-Eater Monkeys broke the incoming arrows, then leaped high and slammed down with both hands like catapults. A violent shockwave rippled across the shielded light curtain, and the front shieldbearers felt their wrists jarred.

Unable to break the wall, the massive Brain-Eater Monkeys slid down the light curtain, and in that instant several long spears thrust from behind the shields, piercing their exceptionally tough hides and plugging into their bodies.

“Piercing Kill Lance!”

The spearheads flashed with a keen silver edge. Even the extra defense of those tough hides could not resist; the grievously wounded Brain-Eater Monkeys immediately toppled.

The remaining Third Tier Brain-Eater Monkeys were defeated by the squad using the same tactics.

Their strategy was simple: arrange a formation first, then lure enemies with ranged attacks. When the foes approached, the shield-line provided protection as their members used various abilities to concentrate fire on nearby enemies and kill them instantly, then move on to the next target.

Within minutes, the Third Tier monsters in that Brain-Eater Monkey cluster were wiped out. The remaining First and Second Tier monsters scattered in fear, but most were chased down and slain by squad members.

After cleaning the area, they withdrew in order. Logistics arrived to haul off the corpses while accompanying personnel set up a Ritual Magic Array to purify the site.

Thus, at each monster hotspot they cleaned out the threat, built a lighthouse node, purified the surroundings, and prevented other monsters from approaching.

These lighthouse nodes strung together as faint lines leading into the pitch-black depths beyond the Darkmist Mountains.

...

Five days later, Ironwall Precipice.

“How is the advance ahead going?” Commander Taos of the garrison asked the aide at his side.

“Overall smoothly, but the process hasn’t been easy.”

“Good.” He nodded, standing by the railing to gaze at the distant darkness.

“According to the scholars of the Hidden Grove Alliance who keep excavating and investigating, the region beyond the Darkmist Mountains likely harbors a powerful monster.”

“A powerful monster?” The aide sounded puzzled.

“Yes. You may not fully understand. High-tier life acts like magnetite; merely existing there gradually alters the surrounding environment and affects nearby creatures.”

“In the secret realms and dangerous spots of the Darkmist Mountains, the number of Nightmare-aspect monsters is noticeably higher than normal, nearly matching the number of Distortion-aspect monsters.”

“We originally thought this might be the lingering influence of Pallen Markov, but the Sunblaze Garden’s excavations shattered that assumption.”

“While Pallen Markov slept, his aspect leakage was almost sealed; he wouldn’t have caused such wide-reaching effects. Besides, he was weak—far from the high-tier existence capable of influencing the entire Darkmist Mountains.”

“Sylutia reported discovering Twin-Snake Cult relics within a secret realm not far from Mammoth town. Over the years of opening operations, apprentices have continued reporting Twin-Snake Cult traces.”

“Scholars extrapolate that the identity of ‘Pallen Markov’ might be the handiwork of a Twin-Snake Cult branch.”

“He had bull horns and a serpent lower body, and his specialization followed Twin-Snake Cult strengths— the Nightmare Path.”

“The Twin-Snake Cult last surfaced on the surface continent five hundred years ago. When their final force was destroyed, they cursed and mocked that the twin snakes would return in the future. Calculating the time, that return matches now.”

“Could that merely be a scare tactic? Many Twin-Snake Cult members were madmen.” The adjutant murmured.

“At first many disbelieved, but now, with scholars’ observations and data comparisons, somewhere outside the Darkmist Mountains must harbor a powerful monster causing the Shadow World here to deviate from the continent’s shadow.”

“It’s like sitting on a wooden bench. Although we can’t see it, we can feel that the board under us ripples and changes on the other side.” He offered the simple analogy.

“We should find that secretive, slumbering creature soon.” Taos estimated the timing.

“Push further inward and you slip completely into the Twilight Sea. I don’t think the old Twin-Snake Cult had the power to go that deep and set things up.”

...

On the seventh day, Sylutia’s squad.

“Rest well tonight. Gather the wounded into the designated tent for care.”

Sylutia arranged night watch. Afterwards most members crawled into their tents and fell asleep. In the white tent, Sylutia and several medical personnel checked on the injured and helped tend to them.

Creatures of the Shadow World possess strange abilities; monsters in this abyssal region were even more tenacious. Even capable team members often faced entirely unfamiliar unknown methods that were hard to anticipate.

Silver glints coalesced behind Sylutia, forming an amplified phantom of the girl. The spectral figure held a water flask and poured out purified Clear Spring water dew, washing wounds and expelling toxins and corrosion from the injured bodies.

“Thank you, Lady Tia.” An injured man revived by the cool water sat up and thanked her.

“You should sleep first.” Sylutia stopped him.

“All right.” The wounded obediently lay back down.

She performed two more Clear Spring purifications, poured the extra Clear Spring into a water bottle left in the tent, then stepped outside.

The campfire still burned. Aside from a few night watchers, others were asleep.

She found a spot by the fire and sat slowly, hugging a soft pillow and dozing. Her pale silver hair glowed amber under the flames.

“Lady Tia worked hard today.” A few night watchers whispered.

“Yes. Who could have expected we’d encounter a Fifth Tier monster en route? It was a worthless Patchwork Horror, but under its aspect-level pressure, many were stunned by the acidic miasma it spewed. A few low-tier members nearly had their bodies dissolved into bloody water.”

“Lady Tia purified that acidic miasma and saved those near-death members.”

“Scholars say that finding a Fifth Tier monster indicates we’re close to the target.”

“Rest well these next two days to keep in top condition. We might face a fierce battle ahead.”

“Fifth Tier monsters are already formidable. If we meet Sixth Tier and above, I can’t even imagine it.”

A Sixth Tier creature? Half-asleep, Sylutia slowly roused and opened her eyes.

She had heard that conversation and the thought surfaced in her mind.

Before departing, she had also received key information and orders. Their mission was twofold: sweep and search for that hidden high-tier monster. If they encountered a Fifth Tier or higher monster, it served as a signal.

So far she had seen two Sixth Tier beings: one was the Cobalt Vulture-Lion that helped save Regas, and the other was the giant monster carcass that had become the Trial Labyrinth.

The sheer power of the former was beyond her sight; it could effortlessly alter weather across thousands of kilometers of Regas and tear through any resistance. The latter conveyed an incomprehensibly vast level of crushing dominance. Its kilometer-long body constantly harbored maggots and Insect Moth monsters.

Even now, she could only try to retreat and could not defeat such foes unless, like before, she borrowed the great power of an otherworldly witch.

Luckily, the Hidden Grove Alliance would not use them as cannon fodder. If possible traces were found, quick reports would bring higher-level Alliance forces to assist in battle.

What kind of enemy could so persistently influence the entire Darkmist Mountains? And what would the Alliance’s upper echelons be like? Sylutia drifted slowly toward sleep pondering this.

The next day.

Sylutia’s team reported back via the special Water Mirror Rituals, then pushed further into exploration.

This place bordered on perpetual night; the air had grown viscous. Walking felt like oil sliding across skin. If breaths weren’t filtered, lungs felt clogged, slowly suffocating.

The squad had raised several layers of pure-white Veils to block environmental erosion. Members moved with shallow breaths, carefully examining the surroundings by torchlight.

Occasionally the team halted to protect the scholars in the middle. Using carried tools, they dug and sampled soil to probe conditions and search for relics.

“Lady Tia.” A knight from the front rode over to report.

“We can’t go any further,” he continued.

“If we press on, our purification Veils may not hold,” he explained, sounding embarrassed.

“I understand. Stop here for now.” Sylutia nodded. Even with her ocular techniques and reconnaissance, she was heavily suppressed in this hostile environment.

“Have the scholars perform one final excavation and sampling, then set up a lighthouse node to mark this spot.”

“Yes.” The team responded.

Sylutia dismounted and gave additional instructions, then stepped out of the Veil.

Although the team could not proceed, she could still resist the environmental corrosion enough to perform a lone final reconnaissance.

Drawing a deep breath, Sylutia left the others and stepped into the darkness.

A faint starlight shimmered around her figure as she quickened her steps, weaving deeper into the region.

The farther in she went, the more it felt as if she were wading through black sludge. Everything around seemed filled with mire.

Sylutia tightened the Knight Badge that Captain Cassius had gifted her. The pure-white light sphere it cast kept the filth at bay.

This was it. As she reached a certain place she suddenly detected a distinct difference and stopped.

Closing her eyes, Sylutia carefully analyzed where that special feeling originated. She opened her eyes slowly, which now shimmered with a preternatural deep purple.

[Fog-Breaking Eye]

Using the Hundred-Eyes Sect’s special observation secret art, her vision pierced the impenetrable black sludge and looked to the distant abyss floor.

In the boundless chaotic ooze, a vague black silhouette registered in Sylutia’s awareness.

Its size was enormous, seemingly several kilometers long, slowly moving in the endless black. Its form resembled a gigantic serpent, but with a serpent head on each side.

When the creature’s body outline came into focus, an immense terror suddenly rose in Sylutia’s chest.

She had no time to think. Her body flashed and vanished from that spot, and just one second later, a hundred-meter-wide gaping serpentine maw swallowed the ground where she had been standing, dragging it forever into the serpent’s devouring belly.

Covered in cold sweat, Sylutia reappeared at the camp. She could not shake that shocking glimpse—the colossal serpent silhouette seemed like humanity’s natural nemesis.

Simply seeing it instilled abject horror.

[Twin-Headed Serpent: Blackquis Larva] (Sixth Tier · Nightmare · Dead Embers)

‘Descendant of the aberrant creature “Blackquis,” which defeated the Primordial King three times. Though not as strong as its ancestor, it benefits from legendary augmentation. It is innately humanity’s nemesis; all beings of human bloodline are suppressed by its presence.’