SWNOVELXO Chapter 725: Perhaps it's an advancement, perhaps it's annihilation
"Truly rare, a wind-attribute dark source crystal!"
"Very delicious!"
Gustalon consumed the dark source crystal in his hand, feeling incomparably refreshed.
Before Gustalon lay the corpses of two Windfoot Freaks; the dark source crystals had been extracted from their bodies.
The enemy forces had successively retreated from the Marshlight Sanctuary territory, but along the border, probing attacks and skirmishes between small units had not ceased.
Gustalon, as Orion's personal intelligence operative, was naturally active in this region.
The Windfoot Freaks were a newly joined race in the battle, a humanoid species that seemed to have evolved from a mantis-like creature.
Blade-like claws and bone wings were the most distinct physical characteristics of the Windfoot Freaks.
"As a favored child of the wind element, you shouldn't be here."
"Surrender to us. I will introduce you to a truly powerful expert."
Just as Gustalon was preparing to depart, a voice suddenly reached him, carried on the wind.
A fierce gust of wind swept through. When the wind subsided, a strikingly imposing female Windfoot Freak, her frame surprisingly petite and her head adorned with a square kerchief, appeared before Gustalon.
"Riding the wind… your understanding and control of the wind astonish me!" Gustalon said truthfully. It was the first time he had ever seen an existence capable of "riding the wind."
Although the Windfoot Freak before him was an enemy, Gustalon was still filled with curiosity towards her.
"Riding the Wind" was an exceedingly rare ability to merge one's body with the wind.
This skill wasn't as complete as Gustalon's own ability to "merge with the wind and depart," but on the battlefield, it was not to be underestimated.
"I also didn't expect to meet an elemental life form on the front lines, and a wind element at that," the female Windfoot Freak replied.
"I am Yvaine, Queen of the Zephyrkin Swifts. I am willing to introduce you to my master."
"The prerequisite is that you must submit to me."
Gustalon stared at Yvaine, a smile playing on his lips, but his eyes were filled with disdain.
Ever since encountering demigod powerhouses like Deputy Commander Edward and witnessing the Storm Avatar in the Valkorath Realm, Gustalon had gained a clear understanding of his own future path.
He had yet to advance to the Legendary level, and initially, he had been perplexed about his path.
However, as his kills on the battlefield mounted, Gustalon gradually came to an understanding.
In the past, he had been lazy, a pursuer of freedom and flowers.
Now, he was a pursuer of strength.
Without strength, his pursuit of freedom and flowers was utterly meaningless.
Gustalon was different from his past self!
"What level is the strongest wind-user you've ever seen?" Gustalon asked Yvaine.
"Legendary? Or Arch Lord?"
"Introduce me to your master? He is not worthy."
At this moment, the image of the Deputy Commander's Storm Avatar was supremely great and imposing in Gustalon's eyes.
"You are a Legendary creature of wind. Do you know, seeing you, I've suddenly had an epiphany!" Gustalon declared to Yvaine.
"I will defeat you, devour your Lord Stone!"
The determination in Gustalon's eyes was dazzling, and also utterly frenzied.
The clouds in the sky were blown away.
The wind began to blow.
At first, it was a soft breeze, then a light wind, steadily strengthening to a persistent breeze.
Leaves began to fall, trees swayed, and a continuous rustling sound filled the air.
The wind grew stronger, becoming an unceasing gale, and then a fierce tempest raged forth.
Crack!
The small trees around Gustalon began to topple and snap—this was a gale.
Yvaine's eyebrow twitched. She could see that the wind force was increasing level by level, and the battle intent enveloping Gustalon was growing ever more intense.
"Good. I'm also very interested in you," Yvaine said.
"By devouring you, perhaps I can advance further."
The Windfoot Freak Lord, Yvaine, raised her twin claws, and the blade-like wings on her back began to beat.
A buzzing sound arose, and the surrounding wind force intensified once more.
Crack! Crack!
This time, even the thicker trees in the vicinity began to fall one after another.
Gustalon glanced at Yvaine, his form dissipating as he completely merged himself into the wind.
On the other side, Yvaine executed her art of Riding the Wind, and she too transformed into a gust of wind.
However, unlike Gustalon, Yvaine's wind would intermittently flash with blade-like glints.
Rumble! The wind force continued to escalate, and even the stones on the ground were being lifted one by one.
The wind force grew even more violent!!
On the battlefield front, a great wind arose, a wind so powerful it threatened to peel the very surface off the earth.
Combatants from both sides, as if fleeing death itself, all retreated from the wind-swept area.
The howl of the wind grew tighter, its force more ferocious.
Strong gale, storm, hurricane!
Ultimately, in the area where Gustalon and Yvaine battled, two colliding, tearing hurricanes formed.
"By the Titan God, is this a death summons from Hell?" someone exclaimed from afar.
In the rear, at the temporary encampment.
Dirtclaw, Fergus, and Thundar emerged from their tents one after another, gazing at the distant hurricanes, sighing in awe.
Thundar frowned. "Hurricanes… Windfoot Freaks… Could it be Gustalon has encountered an enemy?" Among their invading faction, it seemed only Gustalon was capable of stirring up such terrifying hurricanes.
"Thundar, should this matter be reported to the Lord?" Dirtclaw asked.
"He probably already knows!" Thundar shook his head. With such a massive disturbance on the front lines, it was impossible for powerhouses like Orion and Leonidas not to sense it.
"That's true. Orion is so powerful, it's impossible he didn't sense it."
"So what do we do now? Should we go and assist Gustalon?" As Dirtclaw said this, he himself felt a bit embarrassed; it seemed they couldn't really help much. He laughed awkwardly.
"This kind of aura… perhaps Gustalon is about to advance to the Legendary level!" Thundar mused.
Hearing this, Dirtclaw and Fergus both fell silent. Could it be that their Stoneheart Horde was about to gain another Warden?
How far were they from such a lofty rank?
Elsewhere, Lorelia and Vexis, key figures in their own contingent, also stepped out of their tent.
"Vexis, are there Legendary-level powerhouses fighting over there?" Lorelia asked.
Even from a great distance, the aura transmitted by the two hurricanes still made Lorelia feel somewhat suffocated.
Although she too was at peak Alpha-level, she had no clue whatsoever about advancing to the Legendary level.
Vexis glanced at Lorelia, then continued to gaze at the distant hurricanes.
"Indeed, it's the aura of the Legendary level!"
"The hurricanes are immense. One of them might be that wind elemental life."
"Him? Is he advancing to Legendary level?" Lorelia wondered aloud.
"I don't know. Perhaps it's an advancement, perhaps it's annihilation."
Vexis glanced towards the far rear, where Orion and Leonidas were resting among a group of old buildings. Those two great lords had made no response, so they were certainly tacitly allowing something to unfold.