Chương 22: Follow Me!

The trio arrived close to the swamp and stopped just as Maximus began explaining the plan.

"We will make a trap; I know just the place. After we bait the beast there, you need to watch yourselves; as long as we don't kill it, it should be fine. I can heal it later." Maximus warned.

"We are actually doing this? God help us." Oscar wiped the sweat off his bald head.

"I thank you once more," Maximus said seriously.

"It'll help us in the future battles, and leaving you alone here leaves a bad taste in my mouth," Felix said simply.

"Aye, exactly. Can't have you kicking the bucket the second we're gone, can we? Come on then, let's 'ave at it!" Oscar tightened his grip on his spear and strode into the swampland, boots sinking slightly into the damp earth.

"Wait for me! You don't know where to go…" Maximus sighed as he hurried after him, leaving Felix behind for a moment. Felix watched the two, a faint smile tugging at his lips before he followed them into the misty swamp, the air thick and heavy with the scent of stagnant water.

Maximus led them to the circular area where he had fought the Devourer plant. The ground was still scorched and torn from the battle, making Felix and Oscar realize just how tough the creature had been.

"Felix, plant the traps there, there, and around here." Maximus pointed as he started planting edited Cinder-Seeds in a careful pattern.

"Here, take these. Eat one once we start fighting; it should restore your mana for five minutes." Maximus handed each of them a handful of seeds.

"Would eating more stack?" Felix asked.

"It won't, I've tested it. But you can eat as many as you want; there are no side effects." Maximus explained calmly.

"Once the beast is trapped, I need you two to run and deal with the smaller ones. I don't want you inside the circle with me." Maximus suddenly announced.

"Are you proper mad? There's no way I'm leaving you alone with that thing!" Oscar shouted.

"Calm down, you will awaken every monster in the region. I have my plans, don't worry," Maximus said seriously as he adjusted the last seed into place.

"If anything goes wrong, we jump in. Alright?" Felix added.

"Alright, if needed, I will call for your assistance." Maximus finally agreed.

Maximus led them deeper into the swamp, Sprout rooted on his vestment, observing the area and guiding them toward a few interesting finds. Maximus managed to gather a dozen Madcaps, mushrooms that could be used in more harmful decoctions, and they even found Luminous Moss and pitch-black flowers named Creeping Death. This area is indeed interesting. If all of this is influenced by the waters coming from the Wildlands, I'm getting quite eager to explore them.

Maximus thought as they finally found traces of large claw marks carved into the nearby ground.

"Boys, be ready. We are within its territory!" Maximus warned as the waters rippled and a group of dark green alligators emerged from the murky depths around them, snapping their maws.

"Bloody hell, these are some ugly buggers." Oscar frowned as he ignited his spear. Felix slashed at the two approaching from the left, sending a sharp arc of freezing mana that cut into the monsters' bodies and froze the water around their feet. Oscar released a flurry of stabs at the closest one to him, piercing the beast's scaly hide and setting it ablaze.

The alligator thrashed as it tried to flee, but Maximus was faster and shot a Wind Spear into its back, making it collapse lifelessly as the spell released sharp winds that minced its insides. You have defeated: [Marsh Alligator Lv. 12] Oscar acted swiftly and joined Felix, helping him finish off the two whose feet were trapped within the ice. The remaining three, seeing this, swam away quickly without even turning back.

Then, just as Felix and Oscar finished their prey, the swamp trembled, and the massive white crocodile emerged, snapping its maw with a thunderous crack.

"We are proper fucked." Oscar gulped.

"Run back toward the trap, I'll lure it after us!" Maximus ordered, and the two nodded with sharp exhales as they sprinted back.

As the crocodile charged toward him, Maximus shifted his legs into lupine form and summoned his Thorn Whip, enhancing it with poison as he lashed at the charging beast. The thorns barely pierced its hide, and the poison failed to seep into its bloodstream, but it was enough to keep it enraged long enough to chase him. As it realized Maximus was faster, it halted for a brief moment and roared. The waters rippled violently, and moments later, dozens of smaller alligators emerged, responding to its call.

Then, with another roar, the swamp water surged around it as if commanded, and with a violent burst of muddy waves, the crocodile and its subordinates were propelled forward toward Maximus.

"What an intriguing turn of events. Now I want you even more." Maximus muttered as he transformed into his Cat Form, his speed surging as he dashed forward at full pace.

Maximus moved at his fastest speed, lunging from one patch of land to another, as running through the swamp waters made movement far more difficult, so he avoided it whenever possible. As he bounced from one patch to the next, he finally saw Felix and Oscar lying in ambush. Maximus lunged once more before morphing back to his human form with lupine legs.

"Felix, be ready!" Maximus shouted as he entered the circular area full of traps. The crocodile abruptly halted the surging waters, digging its claws deep into the mud to forcefully redirect its charge and follow behind Maximus. You might be reading a pirated copy. Look for the official release to support the author.

As it turned and dove into the naturally enclosed area, Felix emerged from his hiding spot and stabbed his blade into the rushing waters, detonating traps and raising a thick wall of ice that sealed the entrance behind it. Behind Felix, dozens of smaller alligators emerged, snapping wildly, while Oscar charged forward, shouting to draw their attention, "Time to make some lizard shish kebab!"

Meanwhile, Maximus activated Grow, forcing the Scorching Lilies to sprout almost instantly, fueled by the abundant spirit energy in the region. As the crocodile lunged toward him, the plants triggered on contact, detonating in bursts of flame and heat, tossing the massive beast upward. Maximus followed instantly, activating Static Vine. Two vines crackling with lightning lashed onto the airborne beast, wrapping tightly around its snout and releasing violent surges of electricity through its drenched body.

The beast crashed down with a thunderous impact, only to trigger the Ice Traps beneath it, which exploded with surging frost mana, encasing its lower body in thick, heavy shackles of ice, while Maximus leapt forward, his lupine legs carrying him swiftly and precisely.

He circled the beast, tightening the vines around its maw and throat, trying to prevent it from breaking free, and as the electricity faded, Maximus cast Entangle, wrapping the beast further in thick roots that absorbed the abundant spirit energy, growing denser and stronger than ever before. The roots fully bound the beast, even triggering additional ice traps beneath it, reinforcing the frozen prison it now found itself trapped within.

Sensing the danger, the beast attempted to control the waters around it, but most of it was already frozen, limiting its power severely.

"Calm down, you majestic beast. How about you join me on my journey? I can promise to raise you into something worthy of respect, not just some territorial brute of the First Plane. What do you say?" Maximus spoke calmly as he slowly approached. The beast growled in response, struggling violently against its bindings. Seeing it would not listen, Maximus focused, ensuring he channeled the skill properly and shouted, "Follow me!" as spirit energy rippled outward.

A wave of bright green power settled over the beast, attempting to calm it down and bind it. Maximus smiled, hoping it would work on the first try, but suddenly the beast violently broke through the vines binding its maw and snapped forward despite being frozen in place. As its jaws broke free, they glowed a deep blue, and the croc bit toward Maximus, releasing an echo of water that surged forward like a second set of jaws made from compressed force.

Maximus cast Barkskin and lunged to the side, but too late, as the attack struck his right side, breaking his arm and tearing a chunk from his thigh. Maximus bit down on his tongue to stop a scream from escaping as he cast Rejuvenation and drank deeply from his potion, immediately shoving several Cinder-Seeds into his mouth and swallowing hard. He pulled out his staff and forced himself upright as the beast began breaking free from its bindings.

"Listen to me, you simple-minded beast. I can end your life right now, do not think that I won't!" Maximus roared as Sprout began guiding the surrounding spirit energy, amplifying his presence and making him seem far more imposing. Maximus noticed and smirked.

"I don't ask you to follow me as a slave. I don't ask you to follow me as a tamed beast. I ask you to join me as a companion. Let us walk side by side and sow chaos in our wake. Let us battle monsters, dragons, and even gods. What do you say, you pale lizard? Will you Follow Me?!" Maximus roared, drawing all the swirling energy around him into the skill, turning the words into something heavier, something binding, like a true spell, like a Runeword given life.

As the power surged into the crocodile's mind, its blood-red eyes dimmed just enough for a sliver of reason to break through, enough for it to glimpse the weight of Maximus's will. Maximus held unwavering eye contact as the crocodile roared, the force of it bending nearby trees away, and then the system chimed. The beast has decided to follow the user Maximus Reid. Skill Leveled Up: [Follow Me! Level 20] Skill Follow Me! (F) is ready to evolve.

Beast tamed: [Alabaster Crocodile (Mutated) Level 21] Alabaster Crocodile (Mutated) | Level: 21 Rarity: B A rare beast that awakened the bloodline of the Archosaurians, the rulers of ancient waterways. It possesses a somewhat limited control over nearby waters. Known skills: Echo Crunch, Aqua Surge, Surf, Tail Whip, Snap, Azure Shell Traits: Armored, Water Lord, Unbreakable Will, Stubborn, Cold Resistance Maximus browsed through the list quickly and laughed, "Stubborn as a trait? What have I gotten myself into?"

Maximus laughed as he released the roots and helped break the ice around it with a simple blade he'd purchased before they left. The crocodile stared at him carefully, almost as if studying him in return.

"Well then, my new friend, I'm Maximus, and this small guy is Sprout." He pointed at Sprout, who stared fiercely at the beast, refusing to back down.

"He is… Just as fierce as you." Maximus chuckled.

"I'll have to give you a name, but first, let's save my friends. Can you recall your followers?" Maximus asked. The crocodile moved forward, slamming its tail into the partially melted ice wall and looking beyond it, where Felix and Oscar were still locked in battle with a larger group of alligators. Seeing this, the crocodile roared, and the smaller beasts froze before retreating swiftly, as if a command had been issued.

"Are you two alright?" Maximus asked, his arm and leg still slowly recovering, dripping blood into the shallow waters.

"Better than you." Felix shook his head, eyeing him with concern. Oscar jumped back, raising his spear toward the crocodile.

"Is he still mental?" he asked cautiously.

"He accepted me. He is one of us now." Maximus said with quiet satisfaction as he patted the large, slick head of the beast.

"Does it have a name?" Felix asked.

"How about Dundee?" Oscar offered immediately.

"Don't listen to him." Felix chuckled.

"I have just the name for him. Something strong… How about Silex? It comes from a dragon's name; it should suit you." Maximus said, turning toward the beast. The crocodile snapped its maw once and gave a slow, deliberate nod.

"Flippin' heck, he actually likes it?!" Oscar gasped, his eyes nearly popping out of his head.

"Welcome aboard, Silex." Felix nodded approvingly.

"Well then, let's get somewhere dry to recover and check our gains," Maximus suggested. Oscar rushed to his side, hooking an arm under his to take his weight.

"You look like you've had a right royal rumble with a croc, mate." He chuckled, trying to lighten the mood. Maximus cracked a soft smile and leaned into him, struggling to keep his feet as they shuffled through the swamp. With every step, the horizon shifted, revealing the rising, solid ground of the eastern plateau. I am quite eager to see what this skill will evolve into. Maximus thought as he observed Silex walking beside them, his massive form parting the marshland with ease. What a rare specimen.

I must prove to him that he made the right choice. A soft smile escaped through the pain. This old mage will make sure you grow strong, strong enough to devour the world itself, my friend. Maximus promised silently and focused on the path ahead, ignoring the fire burning through his body. He forced himself to keep a steady, rhythmic pace, determined not to show a hint of weakness before the mighty predator that followed him. ‎