Chapter 600: Swamp Siege
I yank on the apophis’s [Human-Faced Tongue], reeling it in towards me. It flaps its wings, doing its best to regain control in the air. It seems it has realised that it can’t beat me in a contest of strength, and is preparing to launch a counter.
I create a [Mirage] of myself to obscure my position. This should make it harder for it to land its counter. I’ll hit it with a direct claw attack the moment it becomes defenceless as it tries to attack my illusion.
Once I’ve pulled it in close enough, I let go its tongue and swipe my claws toward its head. My claws scrape just barely in front of its head. It used its wings to fly backwards and dodge my attack.
I should have an overwhelming advantage in this clash. And yet, the apophis outpredicted me.
It should have been lead astray by the [Mirage]! It saw straight through it, even though it was the first time I've used [Mirage] against it.
Ah, that reminds me, it has the [Heat Perception] skill. That was probably how it knew my exact location without relying on vision.
The death carriers also have [Heat Perception], but they totally fell for [Mirage] earlier. That was probably why I wasn’t as wary of the apophis’s [Heat Perception].
Even with the same skill, the effectiveness varies depending on the user. There’s also a difference in skill level. As a Magic Beast King, the apophis probably has much more battlefield experience than the death carriers. I should have considered the possibility of it seeing through my illusions and thought of some countermeasures.
The apophis's fangs sink into my forefoot as it swings past. Pain spreads throughout my leg, and I feel a faint nausea.