Bab 187: Even as a pig, never become Thor's enemy
Blood began to gush from Vladimir's body, and one powerful mushroom monster after another emerged.
"Wind Fury!"
"Meteor Fire Rain!"
"Thunderclap Strike!"
Various skills flew from Mike's hands, killing the newly spawned Bloodthirsty Mushrooms one by one.
Vladimir, his face pale, still managed to cheer for his master.
He no longer needed to cut himself to stimulate the Bloodthirsty Mushroom spores. Vladimir had found a simpler method.
He inserted the spores directly into his unhealed wounds, allowing the Bloodthirsty Mushrooms to continuously spawn.
Tired, resigned, and embracing his inner drama queen.
Spawning Bloodthirsty Mushrooms required a lot of blood.
Even Vladimir couldn't produce blood out of thin air; he needed to replenish it.
So, while watching Thor kill monsters, he held a piece of iron in one hand and a bucket of water in the other.
Eating iron and drinking water, his body continuously produced fresh blood.
On the eighteenth level, the monsters that spawned were the same level as the challengers, or even higher, providing rich experience points.
After two hours of fighting, Mike leveled up from 124 to 194.
Boom—
A giant Bloodthirsty Mushroom monster fell, unable to withstand Thor's terrifying lightning damage.
This time, no new mushroom monsters spawned. Vladimir, who was gnawing on iron, quickly checked his arm.
The twenty or so mushroom spores planted on his arm were still there!
Could it be that he was out of blood?
Rip—
Vladimir used a sharp dagger to cut his arm, and red blood instantly flowed out. He hurriedly caught it with his mouth.
It was his own blood, not a drop could be wasted!
After his wound healed, Vladimir squeezed out the twenty or so mushroom spores, finding them all withered.
Vladimir curiously asked, "Why aren't the Bloodthirsty Mushrooms spawning anymore?"
Mike had anticipated this and casually explained,
"The remaining monsters here are enough to get me to level 199. No more monsters will spawn."
Only by clearing this cursed land would the source of the curse reveal itself.
Killing it would increase the Exploration Rate to 100%, achieving Mike's SSSS rating conquest!
With Vladimir's willing help, the monster-killing speed had significantly increased.
"Catch."
Mike tossed a small bottle of red liquid to Vladimir.
"What's this?"
Even without opening the bottle, Vladimir could recognize the contents!
Prince-level blood essence!
"Can I really drink this?"
A flash of greed appeared in Vladimir's eyes but was quickly suppressed.
He knew his place.
As a servant, especially an 'unfaithful' one.
When the master offered a reward, it wasn't necessarily a reward; it could be a test.
His soul contract was controlled by Thor, making him a slave without rights.
"Don't overthink it."
Mike rolled his eyes and said seriously,
"You work, you get paid. It's only fair. Likewise, if you slack off, you get punished. Understand?"
Vladimir nodded frantically.
"I understand, I really do!"
Opening the small bottle, Vladimir gulped down the prince-level blood essence, not caring about his noble demeanor. Afraid of wasting even a drop, he swallowed the entire bottle.
After all, he had a good appetite and could digest small things like this.
The bottle contained at least ten drops of prince-level blood essence!
Vladimir's pale face turned even paler, and his four life-steal fangs began to protrude, only to be ground down again!
Vladimir had gotten used to being a flat-toothed vampire, finding it more elegant to drink blood with a straw.
As his aura surged, Vladimir's level quickly rose, soon surpassing 400!
"Not bad."
Mike, watching coldly from the side, nodded slightly.
He was about to head to the Abyssal Plane and, with luck, could return in a few days.
Originally, there wasn't much to worry about in Mike's private space. Vladimir had been tamed and seemed to have no ambitions, his biggest desire being to eat well every day.
Now, with the addition of a demon race Fool master smith, caution was necessary.
While Mike was away, the private space needed some defensive capability.
Though he hated to admit it, Vladimir was Mike's only choice.
With some of his strength restored, Vladimir knelt on one knee before Mike, his right hand on his left shoulder, his expression serious, "I will never forget your kindness."
He was always good at acting.
"Cut the crap. I can give you strength with blood essence, and I can take it away anytime."
Mike asked, "If I restore you to level 600, giving you Battle Chief strength, how much blood essence would you need?"
Vladimir's tier was very high, even among princes, he was top-tier.
Unfortunately, he had encountered a few people too powerful, leading to his current miserable state.
Vladimir didn't hesitate, "100 drops!"
The Eye of Truth revealed the correct answer: [40 drops]
"Alright, he's still not honest."
Mike shook his head and tossed four small bottles of prince-level blood essence,
"This is your payment for the next period. I'll be away for a while. Keep the private space safe until I return. If everything is in order, your strength might even advance further."
"Got it!"
Vladimir quickly responded, swearing, "If anything goes wrong in the private space, I'll spit out as much blood as I drank!"
"No need. Just stand still and let me strike you with lightning once."
Mike said sincerely, "Just once."
He meant it, just one strike.
Vladimir's mouth twitched, the red lightning replaying in his mind, making every cell in his body tremble.
One strike would be worse than death!
In a few minutes, Mike settled things with Vladimir and turned his attention back to killing monsters.
"Go to the other side of the cursed land and drive all the mushroom monsters over here."
"As you wish."
Vladimir bowed slightly, transforming into countless blood bats and flying into the sky.
Soon, the sound of mushroom monsters running came from the other side of the cursed land.
"Wind Fury!"
"Meteor Fire Rain!"
At the edge of the cursed land, Mike first set a fire.
When Wind Fury's cooldown was ready, Mike cast it again.
Then he began chanting.
"Sea Fury!"
A full 60-second chant of Sea Fury could summon 120 waves.
With Wind Fury's boost, it would stack to 360 waves!
In previous battles, Mike had accumulated several rage points, all added to [water element skill damage], increasing it by an additional 5%.
Sixty seconds passed, and Mike finished chanting.
Splash—
A wave surged forward, crashing into the mushroom monsters, dealing massive damage.
Before they could react, more waves followed!
No, it wasn't just waves!
A sea was rushing in behind Mike!
Whoosh—
Above Sea Fury, Meteor Fire Rain continued to rain down, engulfing countless mushroom monsters in flames.
Above the sea of fire, blood-red bats, now restored to Duke strength, flapped their wings, coldly watching the mushroom monsters' demise.
Though bats are warm-blooded, at that moment, Vladimir's blood ran cold.
He knew the source of all this—his master, the merciful insulator, Thor.
The longer Vladimir spent with Thor, the more he understood one thing: even as a pig, never become Thor's enemy.
Because Thor showed no mercy to his enemies.
Boom—
Thunder rumbled.
Vladimir shuddered, reverting to human form, standing in the Sea Fury.
In his shocked gaze, the scene of what had just happened lingered, unable to fade.
At the moment all the mushroom monsters died, a powerful level 198 boss descended, gathering all the strength of the cursed land.
Even at the same level, this monster would be extremely challenging for Vladimir.
But as it descended, red lightning struck.
Under the lightning, no creature could survive.
Only ashes remained, proof that it had once existed.
No matter how many times he saw it, Vladimir was always awestruck by the lightning, a feeling beyond words.
Coming to his senses, Vladimir looked into the distance.
Under the lightning, above the Sea Fury, the only standing figure—Thor.
Vladimir slowly bowed, lowering his gaze, his face full of reverence, a drop of blood falling from his brow into the Sea Fury, disappearing.
The Sea Fury took on a slight red hue, like the sunset.
"I offer my humble loyalty."
Kneeling in the Sea Fury, Vladimir softly said,
"My master. Thor."