Black Hearted Mage

Chapter 133 Swamp 3

On that moonlit, star-filled night, with all silence and a thousand sounds, the watery moonlight poured down, casting a tranquil and mysterious scene. Across the vast, boundless expanse of water, a white raft glided slowly across the surface.

Rodman sat steadily on the edge of the raft, his eyes narrowed slightly. Relying on the memory deep within his mind, he carefully controlled the spear in his hand, moving the raft forward slowly and steadily. His movements were extremely gentle, as if he was afraid to disturb the water. Each time he plunged the spear into the water, it was as light as a dragonfly skimming the water, almost inaudible.

Seeing this, Caesars, who was standing by, quickly cast a spell, granting Rodman dark vision so he could see his surroundings more clearly. However, when he tried to use his spear to help propel the raft, he was decisively refused.

"Kasas, sit still. We are now in a deep swamp with only a narrow stone dam under the water. This is the most dangerous area of ​​the Great Swamp, where lives an extremely ferocious bony fish. These guys are not much smaller than white-skinned crocodiles. Although they don't have sharp teeth, they have extremely hard bony mouths, which are as sharp as magic steel machetes!" Rodman continued to move forward while paddling the raft forward and introducing this terrifying bony fish to Kasas in detail.

Hearing Rodman's description, Caesars' eyes widened in disbelief. This was the first time he'd heard of a fish with bones growing externally. According to Rodman, this bony fish was like a layer of solid armor.

Their immense bite force and steel-hard exoskeleton are the most striking characteristics of bony fish. In this vast, unfathomable deep swamp, bony fish are undeniably the dominant species, forcing even the ferocious white-skinned crocodile to flee in disgrace, tail between legs.

Time slipped away, and finally, it was noon the next day. After a long drift, the simple raft finally reached the edge of the deep swamp. Looking ahead, I could already see clumps of wild grass growing in disorder in the distance. These weeds varied in height and density, but without exception, they were the hallmark plants of shallow swamps.

"Rodman, why haven't we seen any signs of bony fish yet?"

Since dawn, Kaisas has been lying on the edge of one side of the raft, staring intently at the calm water, searching hard for the legendary strange-looking bony fish.

Hearing his companion's question, Rodman responded calmly, "Kesas, don't worry. Once we paddle a little further into the shallow swamp, I'll have a way to lure the bony fish out so you can feast your eyes. But for now, you should focus on observing the weeds ahead. White alligators usually hide in them, waiting for an opportunity to strike. We need to find a relatively small and safe place to stop and rest for an hour or two!"

After nearly a day and a night of paddling the raft, Rodman was feeling a little tired. However, he still didn't dare to speed up for fear of disturbing the bony fish underwater.

"White Alligator, in the bushes to the right front!"

Caesars spotted a white figure in the bushes and quickly motioned for Rodman to look.

"The edge of the Great Swamp and the shallow swamp are both hunting areas for the white-skinned alligator. We can get behind the white-skinned alligator and drive it into the deep swamp, and then you can see the ferocious bony fish!"

The raft slowly reached the southern edge of the weedy patch. Rodman expertly plunged his four-meter-long spear into the mud beneath the surface. With a slight tremor, the raft stabilized. He then quickly produced a magical bow covered in magic patterns.

Rodman took out an elemental crystal and gently inserted it into the slot. In that instant, something magical happened—the elemental crystal seemed to resonate with the magic pattern, and a constant flow of elemental energy surged into the intricate patterns like a tide. Meanwhile, a sharp, three-edged, armor-piercing arrow was already firmly placed on his bowstring.

Rodman's arm muscles suddenly bulged, as hard as steel. Without hesitation, he pulled the bowstring with all his might. With a resounding click, the armor-piercing arrow, forged from magic steel, sped towards the giant crocodile basking in the sun not far away, at a speed beyond imagination.

In the blink of an eye, the deadly arrow easily penetrated the tough leather of the white crocodile and pierced deeply into its strong and powerful hind legs. The large crocodile, which had been quietly lurking deep in the grass, suddenly suffered such a severe attack and became agitated.

It suddenly opened its bloody mouth and let out a deafening roar. Its huge body instantly bounced up due to the severe pain, and it fled madly towards the nearby water at lightning speed, trying to escape from this terrible attacker.

Due to the huge size of the white crocodile and the powerful impact it brings when entering the water.

A loud "plop" suddenly resounded, like thunderclapping from the sky. A large, high splash erupted from the water, and crystal-clear droplets splattered in all directions, forming a vast, white mist. Simultaneously, a surging wave arose, rolling out in all directions with a force so immense it was truly breathtaking.

"Kaissa, look carefully. This white crocodile is dead. It made too much noise!" Rodman said with certainty as he watched the white crocodile escape into the deep swamp.

Caesars observed the water in front of him, but it soon returned to calm. Just as he was puzzled, ripples appeared on the water in the distance.

A hundred or two hundred meters underwater, something seemed to be trying to escape, riding a wave towards the shallow swamp. Suddenly, an undercurrent surged beneath the surface, followed by a huge splash of water, with numerous red droplets in the water.

The bloodied and scarred white crocodile poked its head out of the water, its massive and heavy body leaving streaks on the surface as it swam with all its might towards the shore. Each stroke seemed laborious, but the desire to survive kept it moving forward.

Not far behind the white-skinned crocodile, three fins shaped like sharp blades cut through the water, slicing through the white waves. These three fins split the waves at an astonishing speed and rushed straight towards the white-skinned crocodile.

Instantly, a gigantic bony fish leaped from the water, its hideous form revealed in the sunlight. Its head was enormous, taking up nearly a third of its body. Its surface was covered in a hard, bluish-black exoskeleton that shone with a chilling coldness. Its bony fins were like razor-sharp blades, gleaming with a chilling light. Its bony mouth was like a guillotine, opening and closing as if it could tear its prey apart with ease.

In a flash, the bony fish slammed down on the fleeing white-skinned crocodile with the force of a thunderbolt. The strong smell of blood in the air instantly fueled their frenzy. With a resounding "bang," the white-skinned crocodile was stunned and disoriented by the sudden blow, causing its swimming speed to stagnate.

At the same time, the other two bony fish quickly caught up and attacked their prey fiercely. They surrounded the white-skinned crocodile in a triangle formation, and a thrilling bloody feast began.

The white crocodile struggled in fear, trying to escape the siege of the bony fish. Under the fierce attack of the bony fish, the white crocodile gradually lost its ability to resist and was dragged mercilessly into the bottomless water.

As the white crocodile was pulled into the deep water, a large pool of bright red blood slowly spread out, like a flower of death blooming on the surface of the swamp, shocking to the eye.

"Rodman, the bony fish is so powerful!" Seeing the confrontation between the bony fish and the white-skinned crocodile, Caesars couldn't help but sigh.

"Well, bony fish are very powerful. Although they are very large, they don't actually have much meat, but the meat is very delicious. Hunting bony fish is not easy. Not only do they have extremely high defense, but they also come out in groups!" Rodman said as he moved the raft closer to the grass.

The raft stopped at the edge of a grassy patch, a similar patch of grass only a hundred meters away. The soil here was firm, trampled down by the white crocodiles, and was perfectly comfortable for standing and even for pitching a tent.

From the foot of the river to the mud swamp to the south, this area is a vast shallow swamp. This is the most densely populated habitat of white alligators, with their numbers far exceeding those on the northern edge of the Everglades.

The White Alligator, a powerful, high-level water-based magical beast, is not particularly favored by mercenaries, though its meat, though slightly aged and lacking in flavor, is highly sought after. This is because its leather possesses exceptional waterproof properties, making it an excellent material for a wide variety of waterproof items. Whether it's covering the roofs of luxurious carriages of the nobility or appearing on large military procurement lists, this high-quality leather is a common sight.

The entire deep swamp is less than a hundred kilometers wide, while the shallow swamp is significantly wider, spanning two to three hundred kilometers. This vast area contains abundant food resources, ensuring that the white crocodiles here are usually well-fed. They often bask in the warm sunshine, enjoying the leisurely time, each one appearing extremely lazy and listless.

It was afternoon, and the brilliant sun shone down on the earth, bringing a subtle warmth and even a slight heat. Thankfully, it was still winter; visiting the Everglades during the unbearable summer heat would have been a recipe for disaster. The scorching sun overhead could tan and peel one's skin.

The shallow swamp wasn't completely shallow, but the area near the grass was particularly shallow. Here, the speed of travel was significantly increased. With just a push of the spear, the raft could glide across the water for dozens of meters.

The underwater scene is also clearly visible, with a variety of fish and clams, as well as swift prawns. These prawns are extremely delicious, and each one is more than a foot long. Two prawns are basically enough for a full meal.

"Rodman, it's your turn to paddle the raft. I need to catch more prawns!"

"Kaisas, you've caught thousands of giant prawns in two days. Do you want to keep catching more?"

"My grandfather and father are drunkards, so I'll catch more for them as snacks. Liv is also greedy, so she won't be happy if I give her less. I still have four or five years to travel, so I need to prepare some. Besides, it's not easy to come to the Great Swamp!"

Rodman was speechless. He was the only one who knew this shortcut leading to the volcanic area.

"Kaisas, there are a lot of delicious foods over there in the volcanoes. I'm afraid your space ring won't be able to hold them all!"

"Rodman, there seems to be no other magical beasts there except the ground dragons, fire lizards, and fire salamanders?" Caesar said with confusion, recalling the knowledge about the volcanic group.

"The books in Frostcrown are too old. You should go to the Great Library in the Crater. Detailed records of exploring the volcanic region are there. There are more than a dozen species of large lizards in the volcanic region, as well as dark spiders, lava spiders, white jade spiders, and earth demon spiders. There are also several species of beasts, but only about four or five species of demon plants."

"What about minerals?"

Among all kinds of products in the volcanic area, elemental minerals are undoubtedly the most valuable and they are also the most sought-after.

"Of course it's Fire Crystal. If you come across a rich mine of Fire Crystal, you're very likely to find Fire Crystals. You know, these crystals contain a surge of Fire Element, making them the perfect magical crystals for magicians seeking immense power. Furthermore, within the scorching magma lie extremely rare and precious magical metals. Successfully refining them is no easy feat, and only a Fire Mage can accomplish this!"

As Rodman talked incessantly about the rich volcanic group to Caesar, Caesar couldn't help but marvel in his heart.

This seemingly perilous volcanic region actually hides so many treasures, making it a truly treasured land. Unfortunately, it is a truly high-temperature zone. Apart from highly skilled high-level fire mages who can remain there for extended periods, no one else can withstand the scorching heat.

As large patches of grass appeared in the swamp, the water surface became increasingly smaller, indicating that the muddy swamp was not far away. Rodman increased the speed of the raft, but still made no loud noise. Caesars also took out the Death Staff and used magic to explore the surrounding grass.

This is where the white crocodiles breed and is the most dangerous area in the shallow swamp.