The sky was blotted out by a sea of writhing vines, and Sebastian's expression darkened in an instant.
He hadn't anticipated that Alex would have so many plants hidden behind him—far more than the number of angels at his own command. The entire forest was alive with undulating tendrils, a sight that sent a chill down his spine.
The scene immediately reminded him of the mysterious plant-based figure who had appeared during the earlier struggle for the treasure chest. The vines looked exactly the same as the ones before him now.
"So it was you!" Sebastian's voice was icy, his mind flashing back to the two precious items he had lost and the heavy casualties his angels had suffered. A cold, murderous intent burned in his eyes.
Without wasting another word, he barked an order to his angels. In an instant, a radiant, holy light filled the air.
The fourth-tier angels unfurled their wings and took to the sky, their bows and spears aimed squarely at Alex.
A cruel smile crept across Sebastian's lips.
As one of the strongest early-game unit types, the angelic legion not only possessed extraordinary combat prowess but also the innate ability to fly, giving them an overwhelming advantage against most other units. A few measly plants thought they could stand against him? It was laughable.
Even if Alex was a fourth-tier summoner, it wouldn't matter.
"Attack!" Sebastian roared.
The angels' weapons tensed, and in the next moment, a barrage of holy arrows and spears shot toward Alex. The attacks tore through the air, the holy light so intense it seemed to rend the very fabric of space.
Sebastian's expression twisted into a savage grin, as if he could already see Alex's blood staining the ground.
But then, in the blink of an eye, a green glow erupted around Alex.
Five newly upgraded Wood Sprites and River raised their staffs, pointing skyward. Thorny vines lashed out, intercepting the attacks and diverting them off course.
At the same time, a Treant Warrior charged forward, crossing its arms in front of Alex to shield him.
"Boom!"
The holy arrows and spears exploded on impact, sending the Treant Warrior staggering back, its arms torn open by the force. But before the damage could take its toll, beams of natural light descended, healing its wounds completely.
"How is this possible!?" Sebastian's heart clenched in shock. He hadn't expected Alex to so easily deflect his assault.
What he didn't know was that Alex's plant units were bolstered by River's Aura of Affinity, which increased all their attributes by 10%.
Before Sebastian could react, the air was filled with the sound of whipping vines. Tendrils shot out from every direction, lashing toward the angels in the sky.
The angels scrambled to retreat, shielding Sebastian, but more than half of them were ensnared and yanked violently to the ground.
"Thud! Thud! Thud!"
A series of heavy impacts echoed through the forest.
The angels struggled to rise, only to find that a toxic substance had been injected into their bodies, rapidly eating away at their strength. They were trapped, unable to break free from the vines.
Seeing this, the remaining angelic priests in the sky raised their staffs high.
"Holy Light!"
A wave of gentle, radiant light washed over the angels, purging the toxins from their bodies. Finally free, they managed to stand again.
But their respite was short-lived.
Suddenly, sharp wooden spikes erupted from the ground, impaling several angels through the chest before they could react. They fell lifeless to the ground.
And it didn't end there.
Before the angels could catch their breath, red mushrooms landed at their feet.
"Boom!"
A series of violent explosions sent the angels flying. Several were obliterated on the spot, their bodies dissolving into motes of light.
Sebastian, covered in dirt and debris, scrambled to his feet, his face a mask of terror and disbelief.
His angelic legion, one of the most powerful unit types in the early game, had been utterly crushed without even a chance to fight back. Since when were plant units this strong!?
Without a second thought, he turned and fled, dragging his remaining angels with him, desperate to reach the safety of his four companions.
"After him!" Alex commanded.
If Sebastian wanted his life, Alex wasn't about to let him escape so easily. He led his plant army in pursuit, the vines surging forward like serpents through the forest, closing in on Sebastian's retreating form.
Sebastian's face paled as more angels moved to block the vines.
"Holy Barrier!"
A translucent wall of light materialized in front of the vines, completely cutting off their path. The vines slammed into the barrier, only to rebound harmlessly.
"Go!" Sebastian gritted his teeth and fled with his remaining units.
By the time Alex managed to circumvent the barrier, Sebastian was long gone.
"He's fast," Alex muttered, coming to a stop and frowning.
He hadn't expected Sebastian's escape skills to be so formidable. With the slow movement speed of his plant units, catching up was out of the question.
"Angelic units, huh?" Alex's expression hardened as he stared in the direction Sebastian had disappeared.
After today's battle, the enmity between him and Sebastian was set in stone.
But Alex wasn't worried. Even if Sebastian's units were angelic, he wasn't afraid. His mutated plant units were more than a match, and today had served as a harsh lesson for the arrogant summoner.
With that thought, Alex turned and led his plant army away.
Meanwhile, after fleeing for what felt like an eternity, Sebastian finally stumbled back into the swamp where his companions were waiting.
The swamp had been cleared out, and the four were busy collecting the remains of the Scorpion Tails. When they saw Sebastian's disheveled state and the drastically reduced number of angels trailing behind him, they were visibly shocked.
"Sebastian, what happened? You look like you've been through hell!" one of them exclaimed.
"Where are all your angels? Did you run into some powerful monster?"
They crowded around him, firing off questions, their eyes wide with curiosity and concern.
These were fourth-tier angels, after all—some of the strongest units in the entire region. What could have possibly caused Sebastian such heavy losses? Could it have been a fifth-tier monster? But were there even any fifth-tier monsters in this area?
"Enough," Sebastian snapped, cutting off their questions. His face was dark with anger. "I was careless today. I didn't expect someone like that to be in this region. My angels almost didn't make it back."
"Someone like that?" Michael and the others exchanged uneasy glances. Their hearts sank.
Could it be that the person who had reduced Sebastian to such a state was… another summoner? That couldn't be possible!
They knew Sebastian's strength better than anyone. He was one of the top summoners in the entire region, with few who could rival him. For someone to have driven him to such a desperate retreat—who could it be?
Was it someone with a demonic unit type, rivaling the angelic legion? But they had never heard of any demonic summoners in the area.
Fear and disbelief washed over them.
"Sebastian, should we go and check it out together?" one of them ventured.
"No," Sebastian said coldly. "He has nearly as many fourth-tier units as we do. We'll regroup first."
"Alright, let's get out of here then."
The thought of someone who could inflict such damage on Sebastian was enough to make them wary. Without further discussion, they gathered their loot and hurriedly left the swamp, heading back toward their territory.
Unbeknownst to them, a figure hidden in the shadows had witnessed the entire scene.