Wizard Lord:I can Extract Anything

"Strange things?" Richard asked curiously. "What's strange about them?"

"According to the shadow bat's observation, this settlement has many insects with spider-like lower bodies. These insects are not weak; each has the strength of a first-tier creature."

Richard turned to Slimew, "What are these insects?"

"I don't know. I've been away from the settlement for over half a month. Maybe other insects came up from deeper in the caverns."

Seeing that Slimew didn't know, Richard decided to keep him in the slave pouch to avoid any collateral damage during a battle.

"New insects or not, we're here to clear them out."

Richard pulled out the concealment potion provided by the command, and the three of them sprinkled it on themselves. This potion was supposed to mask their scent from the Black Crystal Insectoids, but Richard speculated that these underground insects were more sensitive to vibrations than smells. The scent masking was better than nothing.

As black wizards, each had their own methods for stealth.

Richard activated his Cloak of Concealment and cast a silence spell on himself, silently merging into the shadows of the settlement. Ellie wore a necklace engraved with an invisibility spell, making her vanish from sight in the cavern.

Lawrence, the most experienced among them, had the simplest approach. He waved his staff, transforming into a shadow that flowed along the ground toward the settlement.

Each using their unique skills, the three infiltrated the settlement.

The Black Crystal Insectoids were busy, constantly hauling stored food from warehouses. Huge bundles of stalk-like fungi were loaded onto transport insects, which carried them to other caverns. It seemed the Black Crystal Insectoid resistance had reached this settlement.

The three wizards didn't rush to intervene. Instead, they each marked the transport insects with tracking spells.

Shortly after entering the settlement, Richard found the strange insects Lawrence mentioned.

These insects were structurally different from other Black Crystal Insectoids. Their upper bodies were covered with matte black carapaces, had four blade arms, lacked wings, and had fine black hairs protruding from the carapace seams.

Their lower bodies were fierce spiders, seemingly with their own consciousness, their eight eyes darting around, sharp fangs dripping purple venom.

These insects gathered at the settlement's center, conversing with the village leader.

"Chief, you must not stay here," said one of the spider-bodied Black Crystal Insectoids. "The surface monsters have powers far beyond your imagination. Staying means becoming slaves."

Opposite him, an elderly cultivating insect stood trembling. He was fifty years old, a great age for a cultivating insect, and had he not become the settlement's chief, he might have already returned to the Mother Insect God.

"Spider Knight, I'm too old to help you below. I've lived in this cavern for fifty years and wish to return to the Mother Insect God's embrace here."

"Chief, don't be stubborn," another Spider Knight urged. "Your experience is valuable for managing cultivating insects. The hive desperately needs you."

"You want to return to the Mother Insect God, but staying here means you'll never reach her. The monsters will enslave you and extract all information about the hive. Then, it won't just be your problem!"

The Spider Knight's voice was severe, its high-pitched frequency conveying anger that Richard could sense even from a distance.

"Being so angry isn't healthy," Richard mused, raising his adamantine staff. "Anger harms the body."

Boom!

The three black wizards launched a coordinated attack. Richard waved his staff, releasing three black fireballs. Amplified by the staff, the Annihilation Flame-infused fireballs' power increased by nearly a fifth, from four hundred to almost five hundred energy levels.

Ellie mirrored Richard, her purple fireballs smashing into a Spider Knight with terrifying heat.

Lawrence's approach was more sinister. Emerging from the shadows, he waved his staff, and black insects crawled from two Spider Knights' shadows, voraciously devouring them.

"Enemy attack! The monsters have invaded the hive!"

A Spider Knight emitted a piercing high-frequency scream, alerting the entire settlement. Cultivating and transport insects began retreating to lower caverns, while the remaining Spider Knights launched a counterattack.

"Monsters! Don't think winning on the surface makes you invincible!"

A Spider Knight roared at Richard, its spider lower half charging at him with incredible speed.

Elsewhere, the remaining Spider Knights began their assault.

Lawrence's magical energy was the strongest among the three, attracting three Spider Knights, while Ellie's powerful spells drew two.

Spider Knights moved with lightning speed, closing in on Richard almost instantly. He had heard from returning Black Crystal Insectoids that these monsters, like them, were divided into "warriors" and "priests."

Warriors had strong bodies but struggled with elemental manipulation, while priests excelled at it but were physically weaker. Seeing the three monsters attacking with spells, the Spider Knight assumed they were "priests" and was confident he could win in close combat.

The Spider Knight's four blade arms became shrouded in black energy, crossing in a slashing motion toward Richard, leaving black streaks in the air.

"Die, monster!"

But in the next instant, he realized something was wrong.

Clang!

A metal staff with golden veins blocked his blade arms, the corrosive energy failing to scratch its surface.

As he tried to pull back for another strike, he noticed the creature's mouth twisted in a mocking smirk.

It seemed to taunt his overconfidence.

"Monster, you'll pay!"

The Spider Knight's vocal organs emitted a sharp explosion, retracting its arms for another strike. But then, the creature's arm muscles swelled, seemingly harboring terrifying power.

Boom!

The Spider Knight's arms paused mid-air, then fell limply. The metal staff had come crashing down, shattering half his body.

Richard pulled back his staff. It was reinforced with adamantine, making it excellent for close combat. Moreover, as an alchemical wizard, Richard had added runes to increase its weight during swings, boosting its striking power.

With the Spider Knight defeated, Richard turned to assist his companions, only to find the Spider Knight's spider half still alive and attacking him.

The spider spat purple venom from its mouth, which Richard blocked with a mana barrier, causing it to vaporize into white smoke. The venom corroded a deep pit in the stone floor.

"Interesting, the venom contains corrosive energy."

Richard swung his staff, slicing the spider in half, ending its life.

While Richard easily dispatched his foes, his companions struggled.

Lawrence and Ellie weren't built for physical combat. Once engaged in close quarters, casting powerful spells became difficult, forcing them to find openings to retreat.

Although the Spider Knights appeared clumsy, they moved with blinding speed, making it hard to gain distance without teleportation skills.

Lawrence was faring better; his vast experience and shadow magic made him slippery prey in the cavern, keeping the three Spider Knights at bay. Given time, he could likely handle them.

Ellie, however, was in a tough spot.

As a spell turret, her spells packed a punch and were mostly area attacks. Using them in close combat risked harming herself before the Spider Knights.

Two Spider Knights flanked her, their eight blade arms causing ripples in her mana barrier, which appeared dangerously close to breaking.

Hiss!

The spiders from the two Spider Knights spat venom, turning into a purple mist that bypassed her barrier and entered her vicinity.

Mana barriers have a lower threshold for physical attacks, allowing slow-moving objects through to prevent suffocation during sieges. But here, this design flaw became Ellie's bane.

Hiss!

More venom spewed forth, the dense mist enveloping Ellie as the Spider Knights pressed her, preventing escape.

"Damn it!"

With a grim determination, Ellie began channeling elemental energy into her staff.

Hesitation would mean death by poison!

"Ellie, stop."

A deep voice called from the mist.

Two buzzing sounds followed, and two black spheres consumed the upper bodies of the Spider Knights.

A figure wielded a staff, black flames burning away the airborne poison.

"Richard!" Ellie exclaimed in relief.

"Finish off the spiders; they're still alive."

With that, Richard moved to assist Lawrence.

His flame-imbued staff whistled through the air, sending a Spider Knight flying, its blade arms cracking.

Lawrence seized the opportunity, shadows rising from the ground like water, slipping through the Spider Knight's carapace seams. Moments later, dark purple blood oozed from its shell.

Seeing the tide turn, the remaining Spider Knights attempted to flee.

But now recovered, Ellie wouldn't let them escape.

A purple fireball whizzed past Richard, obliterating the Spider Knights.

"All clear."

Richard brushed off his hands, approaching a Spider Knight's corpse.

"Now, who's going to report these new insects to the Floating City?"

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