The Verdant Golden-Eyed Python's scales changed into a blood-red color and red miasma leaked from its wound.
"What's going on…"
Lawrend stared at the Verdant Golden-Eyed Python in shock. It was like red ink dripped onto paper as it changed color.
"ROARRRR!!"
The Verdant Golden-Eyed Python roared. A snake that shouldn't have been able to roar released a deafening roar that shook the earth.
Lawrend suddenly felt a suffocating mana pressure exude from the Verdant Golden-Eyed Python's body. His body felt like it was being compressed from the outside.
"Holy Sh*t! I can't kill this guy!" Lawrend cursed in fear.
It became a totally different creature than before. The power he could feel from it was different.
"A Ruby Red Python…" A voice suddenly said from afar.
Lawrend turned his head in that direction in shock. That voice was familiar.
"Mr. Joseph!?" Lawrend exclaimed in shock.
He recognized the person that was walking towards him calmly from the forest who wore a red cloak.
"Yo, Lawrend. It's been a while," Joseph greeted Lawrend with a smile.
"Why are you here?" Lawrend asked him.
The Ruby Red Python heard Joseph's footsteps and turned its head towards him. Its red eyes stared at Joseph curiously.
"Step back. This Ruby Red Python is not your match anymore," Joseph said to Lawrend.
Lawrend followed Joseph's words and stepped back.
The Ruby Red Python focused its eyes on Joseph. It could feel the power inside Joseph's body.
"Did the Verdant Golden-Eyed Python evolve?" Lawrend asked Joseph.
"It did. Your unique lightning magic and magic artifact most likely catalyzed its evolution," Joseph explained to Lawrend.
"..."
Lawrend stared at his hand silently. So it was the red lightning that caused the evolution of the Verdant Golden-Eyed Python. His own mana almost caused his own death.
"You don't have to blame yourself. This Ruby Red Python was already on the verge of evolving," Joseph reassured him.
"I see."
Lawrend nodded his head in understanding.
"So… Are you gonna attack or not?" Joseph taunted the Ruby Red Python.
In response, it merely stared at him as it flicked its tongue.
"Lawrend, buy me time," Joseph said to Lawrend before he started chanting, "O' lord of fire…"
He raised his red gem staff high up into the air.
"What!?" Lawrend shouted in shock.
He doesn't think that he can stop that snake even for a second.
The Ruby Red Python suddenly attacked so fast that Lawrend wasn't able to even see a blur of its attack.
CLANG
A sword flew and hit the sharp fangs of the Ruby Red Python which stopped its attack.
"Focus!" Joseph shouted to Lawrend.
Lawrend felt a chill running down his spine after he realized that the Ruby Red Python almost killed him. If Joseph hadn't saved him, he would have died without him realizing it.
"...burn this land before me…" Joseph continued chanting.
His staff started to slowly glow red as it was filled with his fire mana. The surrounding mana started to concentrate as the environmental mana was attracted by Joseph.
"+Demonic Arc+!" Lawrend shouted.
An arc of red lightning stopped the Ruby Red Python from advancing. Though it didn't hurt it.
"Mr. Joseph, I can't hang on!" Lawrend shouted in panic.
"...scorch every inch…"
Joseph ignored Lawrend and continued chanting his spell.
"WhatdoIdo?WhatdoIdo?WhatdoIdo?WhatdoIdo?" Lawrend asked himself repeatedly. His eyes bulged as his mind rapidly thought of possible solutions.
"I have never tried this, but… I hope it works!" Lawrend said to himself as he thought to something.
He pointed both of his palms towards the Ruby Red Python and shouted, "+Demonic and Shock Arc+!"
A bright red arc of lightning escaped his left hand while a bright purple arc of lightning escaped his right hand. The two lightning intertwined together and formed a single lightning arc.
BOOM!!!
It was like an earthquake hit the area as a shockwave spread to the surroundings. Branches were snapped and Lawrend flew backward like a broken kite.
Nuon and Amene who were running far away looked behind them. The shock wave hit their faces and threw dust into the air.
"Lawrend!" Amene shouted anxiously. She ran back in worry.
"Amene!" Nuon called her and grabbed her hand forcefully. "What are you doing?" Nuon asked Amene angrily.
"I'm going to Lawrend!" Amene replied to him with tears in her eyes.
"Wha—"
Nuon was taken aback when he saw the tears in her eyes. He thought he heard his heart break into pieces. After all, this catgirl was someone he took interest in. Seeing her cry in worry for another man made him feel pain.
"I'm going!"
Amene pulled her hand free from Nuon's grip and ran.
As for Nuon, he was frozen in place. He was too emotionally stressed to care about anything.
…
"...incinerate the enemies…"
Joseph continued chanting even though he was hit by the shock wave. Lawrend was down on the ground not far from him.
The Ruby Red Python was bleeding from a charred wound on its face. Crackles of red and purple lightning appeared on its body from time to time. They were leftover from Lawrend's lightning magic spell earlier.
"...bring forth the flames of hell, Hell Flame Strike!"
Joseph finally finished chanting. Pure red fire mana left the top of the red gem on his staff and flowed to the ground underneath the Ruby Red Python.
A huge circle appeared around the Ruby Red Python and enclosed it.
Then, BOOOM!
A huge pillar of flame appeared in front of Joseph. It engulfed the Ruby Red Python inside it, cooking it alive.
"Hahh… Hahh…" Joseph panted heavily.
That was an Arch Mage spell. Even for an Arch Mage like him, it isn't easy to use that kind of a spell.
"Lawrend!" Amene shouted in horror when she saw Lawrend motionless on the ground.
"He's fine. Just unconscious from using too much mana," Joseph said to Amene with a smile.
"Lawrend…" Amene kneeled on the ground and embraced Lawrend tightly.
"Nyaaa!! I thought you died, Lawrend!" Amene cried in relief.