Because the Molten Six-Legged Crocodiles on this floor mostly hid in the lava, they were hard to hunt unless they initiated an attack.
Therefore, Li Xiuman didn't waste too much energy trying to hunt them.
With time running out, his sole focus was heading toward the harvesting spot for the Octagonal Fire Crystals.
After taking a few wrong turns, Li Xiuman finally arrived at the harvesting spot.
It wasn't because he, a skeleton, had a terrible sense of direction, but rather because hand-drawn maps in this world were simply too abstract.
The map hand-drawn by the big boss, Ilu, was noticeably much higher quality.
Aside from the fact that she broke an average of three custom steel-clad pencils for every map she drew, everything had gone smoothly.
The Octagonal Fire Crystals grew on a pitch-black island in the middle of the lava, gleaming with beautiful colors.
However, the vast majority of the crystals were only four-sided or five-sided.
Those that could grow to eight sides were extremely rare, the absolute best among them.
Aside from the fire crystals, a few molten crocodiles were also sprawling on the island, taking leisurely strolls.
These fire crystals clearly had some benefits for the fire crocodiles as well. Thus, if he wanted to harvest the crystals, he first had to deal with the crocodiles.
“This is a bit of a hassle,” Li Xiuman muttered, carefully observing the scene.
In addition to the fire crocodiles on the island, there were many more lurking at the bottom of the lava. He couldn't afford to be careless.
Soon, Li Xiuman located the highest-level leader among them: a Level 21, Tier 2 fire crocodile.
First, he had to eliminate this one.
The fire crocodile was currently lounging lazily at the highest point of the island, surrounded by crystals with many sides.
Finding a good vantage point for a sniper shot, Li Xiuman raised his staff and aimed it at the crocodile.
A three-colored magic circle of yellow, indigo, and blue opened at the tip of his staff.
Locked on.
“Tier 1 Magic...”
As a blue water sphere compressed, earth-yellow stone enveloped it, growing into a stone spike.
Then, a vortex of Wind Magic wrapped around the stone spike, spinning it slowly.
As it spun, moisture seeped through the stone spike, forming water-like ripples across its surface.
The rotation spun faster and faster, wrapping around the stone spike to form a vortex tail.
The staff trembled slightly, and the stone spike seemed ready to launch at any moment.
He charged, charged, and charged it further.
Until it reached the absolute limit of its rotation.
“Torrential Wind Spiral Spike!”
The water-infused stone spike sliced through the air with a soft whistle, flying straight toward the fire crocodile.
A precise hit. It spun directly through the crocodile's neck.
The water sphere inside detonated within its body, splashing onto its scales with a loud sizzle and kicking up a cloud of white steam.
The crocodile's temperature plummeted instantly. The magma-like blood coursing through its veins cooled rapidly, freezing solid inside its body.
[Ding! Slain Molten Six-Legged Crocodile. Experience +800]
His 5,000-point experience bar surged significantly.
Before the remaining fire crocodiles could react, Li Xiuman flapped the Bone Wings on his back, leaping into the air and flying toward the island.
This floor's open space finally allowed him to utilize his aerial advantage to the fullest.
He floated in midair, raised his staff, and aimed at the other crocodiles.
“Tier 1 Magic...”
He charged it up once again.
This time, since he was facing other Tier 1 fire crocodiles, he didn't use the multi-elemental Wind Spiral Spike. Instead, he only opened two magic circles.
“Wind Spiral Spike!”
Propelled by Wind Magic, the stone spike tore through the air with a spinning hum, shooting toward one of the crocodiles.
Another direct hit, reaping the life of a Level 18 fire crocodile.
Then, he flew higher to dodge a barrage of molten fireballs, raising his staff to repeat the trick.
“Tier 1 Magic... Wind Spiral Spike.”
He was growing increasingly proficient. In the heat of battle, Li Xiuman was steadily raising his mastery of the spell.
By the time Li Xiuman shot his fourth fire crocodile, the survivors realized the danger. Giving up the hopeless struggle, they all dove back into the lava.
Using the lava to shield themselves from his attacks, they would poke their heads out and spit fireballs at him whenever he flew too low.
“Are these crocodiles seriously this smart?” Li Xiuman muttered a complaint as he watched the crocodiles turtling in the lava.
But his goal wasn't to hunt them down anyway; there was no need to fight to the death.
He landed on the island and began searching for the Octagonal Fire Crystals.
Seeing this, the fire crocodiles stealthily tried to creep back onto the island.
Seeing them try to crawl back up, Li Xiuman flew back into the sky and cast Wind Spiral Spike.
The fire crocodiles turtled right back into the lava.
When Li Xiuman landed on the island, they would creep back up.
After repeating this a few times, another two fire crocodiles lay dead. Li Xiuman didn't mind wearing them down, treating it as an opportunity to farm experience.
Eventually, learning from the corpses of their comrades, the fire crocodiles finally got the message and stopped climbing onto the island.
Li Xiuman quickly began searching for the Octagonal Fire Crystals.
While other adventurers might have had to carefully count the sides, Li Xiuman cast Appraisal on each one, making his search incredibly efficient.
In no time, he had harvested more than enough Octagonal Fire Crystals to meet the quota. He flew off the island without looking back.
Mission accomplished.
Now, it was time to head back.
However, he still hadn't crossed paths with the Hyena Adventurer Party...
Could they have assumed he couldn't possibly make it to the twenty-first floor and decided to wait for him on the upper floors instead?
If that was the case, then the tables had turned.
He had already completed his mission, and they had missed their best opportunity to ambush and hunt him down.
Now, it was his turn to hunt them.
After all, they had made open threats to kill him, which made them enemies.
An enemy had to be destroyed.
He reentered the passage and climbed back up to the twentieth floor.
Rather than rushing, Li Xiuman took his time, searching for any trace of the Hyena Adventurer Party on the twentieth floor.
He spent a day without finding any sign of them, though he did hunt a few lizardmen along the way.
Giving up his search on this floor, Li Xiuman moved up to the eighteenth floor.
And there, he found them.
“Lucky.”
The soul fire within Li Xiuman's eye sockets flared up.
He was starting to get excited.
The eight-man group was moving in an orderly and comfortable formation, exploring the floor with ease.
Two Heavy Warriors, two Swordsmen, one Archer, two Mages, and one Priest.
The Heavy Warriors guarded the very front and rear of the column.
The two Swordsmen flanked the left and right sides, while the rest occupied the center.
Their leader, Shucodo, was one of the Mages in the center of the formation. Safely guarded, he directed the team from within.
Conducting a decapitation strike to eliminate Shucodo directly would be incredibly difficult.
If he attacked now, he would have to face the entire party at once.
It was a terrible strategy.
He needed to wait for an opportunity.
Li Xiuman activated [Quiet Steps], tailing the party from a safe distance.
No one should expect a skeleton to show mercy. Skeletons didn't possess hearts, after all.
“Leader, it's about time we took a break,” the Heavy Warrior leading the Hyena Party couldn't help but complain.
“If you ask me, that skeleton is alone. He probably can't even make it to this floor in the first place.”
They had searched floor by floor but hadn't caught so much as a glimpse of that skeleton.
“We'll talk after we've finished searching this floor,” Shucodo replied, remaining cautious.
“No way, Leader, not again!”
“For all we know, that skeleton died in some random corner! You don't actually believe that guy can get to the twenty-first floor and harvest fire crystals, do you, Leader?” the Archer with the greatbow on his back chimed in.
Looking at his demoralized crew, who clearly lacked any motivation to continue searching, Shucodo frowned slightly.
However, for the sake of team cohesion, he had to compromise as their leader.
“Fine. Let's find a place to camp for the night first.”
Following behind them, the skeleton's eyes flared with light.
Rate on N.U.
