Chapter 223 - Deeptrench Frogking
Soon, the second trial started. The Deeptrench Frogmen had evolved into Elite Deeptrench Frogfighters. They wielded metal tridents, sported long tongues, and had gained a new Skill called Water Bullet. It was a powerful attack capable of shattering even the Iron Skeletons.
Still, they proved no match for Han Wu’s formidable Deeptide Whale form. Using the entire pool, he summoned a massive whirlpool that swept them all away in a single, decisive strike.
The third trial raised the stakes. This time, he had to face the Deeptrench Frogzerkers. They had bulky, muscular bodies and astonishing physical strength. Han Wu’s enormous whirlpool alone couldn’t wipe them out. It took the combined assault of the Dark Cursed Bugs’ Shadow Needles and the half-dragons’ lightning strikes to bring them down.
Han Wu had to admit the Deeptrench Frogzerkers were impressively powerful despite their amphibian origins. The fourth trial brought even more Frogzerkers, along with a towering creature known as the Deeptrench Megafrog, which stood ten meters tall and just as wide.
Still, it wasn’t larger than Han Wu’s Deeptide Whale form. Han Wu tackled and launched it onto dry land. The Osteomancers quickly transformed into their bone giant forms, pinned the creature down, and peeled off its skin.
The sight traumatized even the Deeptrench Frogzerkers, which fled into the water in fear of the massive Osteomancers. Sadly for them, Han Wu was stronger. A single, enormous whirlpool followed by a powerful tackle ended them swiftly.
Soon, the fifth trial arrived. The ruins seemed to sense that the Deeptrench Frogzerkers were no match for Han Wu and summoned a single boss monster, the Deeptrench Gigafrog.
The Deeptrench Gigafrog dwarfed even the Deeptrench Megafrog. It was so enormous that it could not fit inside the cave. Half of its massive body remained submerged underwater while only its upper half surfaced. It wielded powerful water-attribute skills like Water Cannon, which shattered two Osteomancers in a single, devastating blast.
Though it was a Lord life form, the Deeptrench Gigafrog was still weak compared to the High Lord Han Wu. Moreover, Han Wu had transformed into the Deeptide Whale, the strongest fighter in the water.
As expected, the Deeptrench Gigafrog shuddered upon sensing Han Wu’s presence. It tried to escape by moving onto dry land, but its bulk prevented it from fitting inside the cave. The Osteomancers quickly grabbed boulders and relentlessly hurled them at the monster, trapping it in a pincer attack that left it helpless.
Han Wu tackled it repeatedly before finally slaying it. The Deeptrench Gigafrog floated lifelessly, turning upside down with its belly pressed against the cave ceiling. The Crystal Lich, unwilling to waste such a valuable corpse, commanded the Holy Skeleton and numerous Skeleton Knights to perform a simple summoning ritual.
The enormous Deeptrench Gigafrog’s skeleton peeled away from its flesh. Without its muscles, it appeared much smaller, but it retained its strength as a Lord along with its powerful water-attribute skills.
Han Wu welcomed the new, powerful unit in his army and celebrated by circling joyfully through the water. The pool splashed and churned as currents stirred the bones resting at the bottom of the pit.
Han Wu was ready to face the sixth trial. Even before the boss appeared, he sensed the presence of a High Lord. He released his aura to disperse it and finally saw the true form of the boss—the Deeptrench Frogking!
Its colossal body resembled a mountain of flesh. Half of its head broke the water’s surface, towering fifteen meters tall. The rest of its massive form remained submerged.
Han Wu could tell the Frogking was nearly as large as himself. The two leviathans filled the pool with barely any room to maneuver. They resembled two fighting giants trapped in a well, with no space to dodge or retreat.
This battle would come down to pure strength and skill. The Deeptrench Frogking opened its massive mouth and unleashed a fierce Water Cannon. The condensed ball of water struck with a weight hundreds of times denser than metal. Even underwater, the force sent waves splashing high.
Han Wu refused to back down. He twisted his body, creating a fierce maelstrom that threatened to tear everything apart. Even the massive Deeptrench Frogking struggled against the raging water currents, spinning on the spot like a puppy caught in a washing machine.
Dizziness swept over it as shallow wounds appeared across its skin from the relentless force of the water. Still, the injuries barely fazed the creature; its organs and skeleton remained untouched. The two exchanged blows, locked in a tense stalemate.
Fortunately, Han Wu was not alone. His skeleton army stood ready. The smartest among them, the Crystal Lich, fixed a cold glare on the water, its spiritual flames flickering fiercely. It commanded the Giga Osteomancer to transform into its towering hundred-meter-tall bone giant and wade into the water to retrain the Deeptrench Frogking. Meanwhile, it issued orders to other units, coordinating multiple tasks with ruthless efficiency.
The Dark Cursed Bugs circled above the water and launched Shadow Needles at intervals toward the Deeptrench Frogking. Though the Shadow Needles only stunned the Frogking for a fleeting 0.01 seconds at random intervals, Han Wu managed to deal significant damage during those brief openings.
The half-dragons gathered and pressed the tips of their lances together to summon a powerful lightning strike. The strongest among them absorbed the full charge into its lance. The Lightning Lance crackled with blue and white energy as the half-dragon aimed it directly at the Deeptrench Frogking and hurled it forward.
The Lightning Lance hit its mark, and its lightning paralyzed the Deeptrench Frogking for five entire seconds. Han Wu seized the opportunity to attack freely and inflicted grievous wounds across the Deeptrench Frogking’s body.
Near the water’s edge, a small group of Frost Metallions observed the half-dragons’ tactic and mimicked it. They gathered freezing air into a concentrated point, forming a massive icicle before launching it at the Deeptrench Frogking.
The Deeptrench Frogking had just shaken off its paralysis when the massive icicle struck. The freezing air locked a large portion of its body in ice, triggering the onset of brumation from the sudden temperature drop. It grew sleepy, and its movements slowed considerably.
Han Wu recognized the Frost Metallions’ potential. They had found the Deeptrench Frogking’s weakness, so he ordered them to continue.
Obeying their master’s command, the Frost Metallions intensified the cold around them and unleashed a barrage of icicles. These further froze the Deeptrench Frogking’s body, and Han Wu continued raining heavy blows down on it. Even so, it took the entire team a grueling hour to finally kill the Deeptrench Frogking.
As it died, the strange voice echoed again inside Han Wu’s mind. “You have cleared the sixth trial and the Deeptrench Frogmen Ruins, ribbit!”
[You have obtained the treasure of the Deeptrench Frogmen, ribbit!]
[You have obtained Primalize, ribbit!]
[You have obtained Eternal Altar: Deeptrench Frogmen, ribbit!]
[You have obtained Deeptrench Frogmen Training Ground, ribbit!]
Han Wu felt a surge of satisfaction as the notifications streamed in.
“What’s Primalize?” he muttered, curiosity piqued. He decided to check it.