What exactly are you agonizing over?
Ron was speechless and walked forward.
The visible area ahead was still a flat ground, but the color of the path had changed, which definitely meant something unusual.
Ron poked with his probing stick, and the ground ahead was like tofu, easily pierced.
“We have successfully arrived at the swamp.”
“Mr. Barrett, where would you like to start your tour?” Seeing that Ron didn't want to speak to Byron, Ruiji, the most mature-looking Beastkin lady following behind Byron, asked.
Ron pointed forward: “I want to go down and have a look around.”
Uh…
Ruiji looked in the direction Ron was pointing, which was the swamp.
So the commissioned task of “taking a tour around Dusk Swamp” meant literally going into the swamp to take a tour?
Who would dare to accept that?
If they went down there, their heads wouldn't even float up for their seventh-day memorial.
“Mr. Barrett, Lord Byron is just outspoken and likes to communicate with people. What he said had no ill intent. I hope you won’t hold it against him.” Ruiji explained, thinking that Ron was angry with Byron and deliberately spoke out of spite.
Byron chuckled.
Ron glanced at Byron indifferently and said, “There’s a magical beast in this swamp that swallowed something precious of mine before. I hope you can help me deal with it.”
Byron didn’t doubt him. He drew the greatsword from his waist, looked at the swamp, and asked, “How do we lure the magical beast out?”
Ruiji, however, was a bit unsure of Ron’s attitude.
Although Ron had changed the task to a relatively simpler one, still…
She looked at the calm swamp.
Is there really a magical beast here?
The gray mist blocked magic. Even if a magical beast fell into the swamp, it would be firmly sucked in, sink to the bottom, and die.
“Blood will do.”
Ron looked at the short knife on Ruiji’s waist.
Ruiji understood and handed the short knife to Ron.
Ron was silent for two seconds, then took the short knife.
Ruiji was about to retreat, but her arm was grabbed by Ron. Before she could react, a relatively deep cut appeared on her arm.
“That’s a Poison Armor Frog. It can use third-tier magic. Normally, it would take three people with third-tier martial skills to suppress it. Can you handle it?”
As Ron spoke, he pulled the Beastkin lady to the edge of the swamp. Bright red blood flowed down the Beastkin lady’s arm, the back of her hand, and her fingertips, into the swamp.
Ruiji: “…”
Byron, concerned about Ruiji’s condition, heard Ron’s question and immediately guaranteed with confidence: “No problem, I can kill it by myself.”
Time slowly passed.
Ruiji’s face gradually turned pale. Just as she felt dizzy and lightheaded, ripples spread out from the calm swamp.
“It’s coming out!”
Ron shouted and quickly pulled Ruiji back.
“Leave it to me.”
Byron drew the greatsword from his back, gripped it with both hands, and angled the blade towards the swamp.
Boom—
The next second, the mud from the swamp splattered everywhere.
A massive creature leaped from the swamp into the air, crashing towards their location.
Byron roared, raised his greatsword, and heavily chopped down at the black shadow.
Bang!
The black shadow was knocked back, and Byron also retreated five or six steps.
“Gua gua.”
Without giving Byron a chance to adjust, a scarlet long tongue covered in venom lashed out horizontally.
Byron blocked with his sword, steadying himself.
“It truly is a Poison Armor Frog.”
Byron snorted lightly and quickly approached the source along the long tongue.
Soon, he saw a magical frog as large as a wild ox.
Byron snorted disdainfully.
Although the Poison Armor Frog was large, its strength was not physical attack but water magic mixed with venom.
Outside, he might have been wary. But in this gray mist where magic couldn't be used, he could easily crush it.
Because he was a warrior, his early cultivation primarily relied on physical strength, and third-tier martial skills did not require magic at all.
“Die!”
Byron rushed towards the Poison Armor Frog, holding his greatsword and leaping to strike down.
“Be careful, it can cast magic!”
A sudden urgent warning came from the side.
What?
Byron was stunned, not understanding.
But he quickly understood what it meant.
He saw the Poison Armor Frog open its large mouth, and a ball of green liquid quickly condensed and shot out.
Byron’s pupils constricted.
That was no ordinary venom.
That was the Poison Armor Frog’s racial innate magic, capable of easily corroding iron blocks.
How was that possible?
It could actually use magic in Dusk Swamp?
At this moment, he noticed a seemingly hollow zone around the Poison Armor Frog, between it and the gray mist.
What was going on?
Briefly astonished, Byron quickly redirected his strength, narrowly dodging the fatal venom.
The venom splattered on the ground behind Byron, making sizzling sounds.
Glancing at the corroded armor on his shoulder, Byron felt lingering fear.
He looked at Ron, about to ask what was going on, when the scarlet long tongue attacked again.
Byron had no choice but to deal with the Poison Armor Frog first.
Although he didn’t know why the Poison Armor Frog could use magic, it was only third-tier magic after all.
And the martial skills he knew were more than just third-tier.
When the battle reached a fever pitch, Byron, who had a slight advantage, seized the moment when the Poison Armor Frog extended its tongue, and unleashed his ultimate technique.
Fourth-tier martial skill—Sky-Rending Slash!
A brilliant sword light tore through the air, carrying an unmatched momentum as it slashed towards the Poison Armor Frog.
This Sky-Rending Slash truly lived up to its name as a fourth-tier martial skill. Wherever it passed, the space seemed to be cut open by a sharp blade, emitting “hissing” sounds.
Thud!
The Poison Armor Frog, split in two, fell to the ground with a dull thud.
“Lord Byron, are you alright?” Ruiji and the others gathered around, asking with concern.
“What could possibly happen to me?” Byron said with a proud smile.
As expected of a man who dared to bring four girls.
He still had some strength.
Ron walked towards the Poison Armor Frog’s corpse. After observing for a moment, he beckoned to Ruiji: “Come here.”
Ruiji hesitated, then came to Ron’s side: “Mr. Barrett, is there anything else?”
“Feel if there’s anything unusual inside this magical frog’s belly?” Ron said.
As expected, it was nothing good.
“…Why don’t you feel it yourself?” Ruiji asked in a low voice.
“I’m afraid it’s poisonous.”
“…”
“Let me do it.”
Byron walked over and unhesitatingly reached his hand into the Poison Armor Frog’s belly.
After some fumbling, he finally felt something distinct from organs and digested matter.
He took it out.
It was an iron plate engraved with strange patterns.
No.
It was half an iron plate.
“This is it.”
Taking the iron plate from Byron’s hand, Ron joyfully wiped off the mucus with his clothes.
“Mr. Barrett, what is this thing?” Ruiji asked curiously.
Ron did not answer, only focusing on admiring the iron plate.
Byron, seeing Ron’s reaction, guessed something: “This must be what allowed the Poison Armor Frog to use magic in the gray mist, right?”
Ron looked up at Byron, not denying it.
He said, “Your task is complete. You can go back now.”
“What about you… Mr. Barrett!”
Ruiji’s words were cut short as she suddenly cried out in surprise.
Ron walked to the edge of the swamp,
Then, without any hesitation, he jumped in.