Chapter 183: Festering Bloom
As the system notification faded, the grand theater around them began to change once more.
The rows of seats dissolved into particles of light while cardboard audiences melted away.
The grand stage that was in front of them began to crack apart before sinking into the ground.
In only a few moments, the entire battlefield transformed.
A sea of green spread across their vision.
Rolling grassy fields stretched toward the horizon while countless mountain peaks rose in the distance.
Ancient stone paths wound through the landscape, connecting one temple to another. Some temples sat atop cliffs, overlooking the valleys below.
Others were hidden among forests of tall pine trees, their roofs barely visible beneath the thick greenery.
Just being within this place carried a strange spiritual feeling.
Prayer bells gently swayed despite the absence of wind.
Adam faintly caught a whiff of incense that drifted through the air.
At first glance, the scenery appeared peaceful...
However, Adam’s expression gradually darkened.
Something was wrong...
The previous two battlefields had been large... But this one, however, was absurdly large.
His eyes swept across the endless mountain ranges and the countless temples scattered throughout the area.
There were too many hiding places and blind spots that could be abused.
Not to mention, having numerous locations meant that someone could disappear without being found.
Adam immediately understood why.
This battlefield had been created for a shaman!
Temples naturally amplified spiritual energy just like how graveyards amplified necrotic energy.
Combined with the mountains, forests, and countless structures, it created a battlefield where a shaman could freely prepare rituals, hide talismans, summon spirits, and retreat whenever necessary.
A direct fighter would constantly be forced to search for their target.
A shaman, meanwhile, could control the pace of the battle from the shadows.
Adam frowned...
If the Reflection possessed all of Seo-jun’s abilities while also having perfect knowledge of the terrain, this fight could become extremely troublesome.
He immediately turned toward Seo-jun.
"Do you have any teleportation or movement abilities?"
Seo-jun looked around the vast landscape before giving a slow nod.
"Only one."
His tone was calm, but even he seemed somewhat wary of the battlefield.
"It allows me to move a great distance instantly, but it requires preparation beforehand."
He paused before adding,
"And I can only use it twice."
Adam’s expression remained calm, but inwardly, he was already reorganizing their strategy.
A battlefield like this was practically designed for a shaman.
There were mountains to hide behind, forests to disappear into, and temples scattered everywhere that could potentially serve as anchors for rituals and spiritual techniques.
If they allowed Seo-jun’s Reflection enough time to prepare, this battle would become far more troublesome than the previous two.
Adam immediately began issuing orders.
"Kurou, scout the area using your shadows and clones. As the leader, I do not permit you to engage in combat."
Kurou raised an eyebrow.
Adam continued before he could protest.
"Your body and mind are both heavily damaged right now. Focus on gathering information."
Kurou didn’t disagree with Adam’s judgement, thus he obeyed without complaint.
Adam then looked toward the others.
"Guin, stay here with Salvia and Seo-jun."
His gaze narrowed towards another person.
"Mallory, follow me."
Mallory visibly hesitated for a brief moment before stepping forward.
At the same time, Salvia unconsciously moved as well, as if intending to accompany her younger sister.
However, Adam’s voice stopped her.
"I said Mallory."
Salvia paused out of reflex for a bit.
Adam continued.
"Salvia, Seo-jun. I don’t have specific orders for you right now. But I trust your judgment. Support the team however you think is best."
For a moment, Salvia looked confused.
Then her eyes drifted toward Mallory, who had already walked over to Adam’s side.
A faint smile appeared on her face as she realized what the situation seemed to be about.
"Don’t push yourself too hard."
Mallory avoided her sister’s gaze for a second before nodding.
"...I won’t."
With that, the group split up.
Just as Adam was about to leave, Seo-jun suddenly spoke.
"If you encounter a spirit that looks like yourself, don’t talk to it."
Everyone took a short pause due to the fact that Seo-jun’s tone seemed gravely serious.
The group exchanged glances before nodding.
Adam made a mental note of the warning as well. Then he and Mallory headed toward the nearest temple.
The stone path beneath their feet wound through a field of tall grass as prayer bells resounded faintly in the distance.
As they walked, Adam spoke.
"You also have that flower-type ability just like your reflection, correct? That one filled with malice and evil."
Mallory glanced at him.
"[Festering Bloom]?"
Adam nodded.
"Yes."
Mallory folded her arms.
"As long as I have enough mana, I can create quite a lot of them."
She looked around the massive mountain range.
"But if you’re planning on covering this entire place with flowers, that’s impossible."
Adam shook his head.
"Not the entire mountain."
His gaze settled on the distant temples.
"Just the temples."
Mallory immediately understood that he had something specific in mind.
Adam continued explaining as they ran.
"Even among shamans, there are differences between their categories."
His voice remained calm as they travelled along the path.
"There are shamans who use karmic energy to read fate and interpret omens. Some draw strength from mountain spirits and ancient nature deities. Others specialize in talismans, using spiritual power to create seals capable of protection, suppression, or exorcism."
"Although they’re all called shamans, the paths they follow can be completely different."
Mallory quietly listened.
Adam pointed toward one of the temples.
"Seo-jun belongs to the last category."
"I noticed that most of his techniques require talismans as a medium. He converts mana into spiritual energy before casting his spells."
Adam’s eyes narrowed.
"Normally, that’s a limitation towards Shaman’s like him who are not within favorable areas. But this battlefield removes that weakness."
Mallory immediately understood.
"The temples."
Adam nodded.
"This place is overflowing with spiritual energy. The mountains, the temples, even the atmosphere itself is helping the Reflection."
Destroying the temples would be possible, but Adam doubted it would accomplish much.
"The buildings themselves aren’t important as they’re only symbols. What matters is the spiritual environment surrounding them."
Mallory slowly nodded. Now she fully understood what he wanted.
"You want me to contaminate the environment using [Festering Bloom]?"
Adam gave a slight nod.
Her [Festering Bloom] wasn’t simply a flower-generating skill.
The flowers carried negative emotions, decay, affliction, and corruption.
If enough of them were planted around the temples, they would gradually disrupt the spiritual harmony of the area and weaken the Reflection’s access to the abundant spiritual energy.
There were similar events that this sort of situation was used in during Adam’s past life.
During a conflict on the upper floors, where the details were later buried and rarely spoken of, the military had encountered a threat that could not be defeated through conventional force.
Rather than directly confronting it, they targeted the environment that sustained it.
They deployed specialized units to spread devices and materials designed to interfere with the natural flow of spiritual energy throughout the area.
One by one, they were placed around key locations—ancient structures, spiritual landmarks, and regions where energy gathered most densely.
At first, there seemed to be no effect. But as time passed, the land began to change.
The spiritual currents became unstable, connections between realms weakened, and entities that once drew strength from the area found themselves gradually diminished.
Adam wanted to recreate such a situation but this time, instead of specific devices, it was to use Mallory’s abilities.
After acknowledging what Adam wanted to accomplish, Mallory simply nodded as they arrived at one of the temples.
Sadly, Seo-jun’s reflection could not be seen here.
Without another word, dark flowers began sprouting around the path behind them.
As they drew closer towards the temple, Adam suddenly opened his inventory.
A small black-and-white carrot appeared in his hand.
It was [Wonderland’s Trick].
He tossed it toward her and Mallory caught it instinctively.
"Use it if you’re attacked while I’m distracted."
Mallory stared at the strange carrot for a moment.
Adam simply looked toward the distant temple ahead.
"Spirits are difficult and cunning opponents, hence they will surely target you first due to your [Festering Bloom] ability. I know you’re used to getting injured for your sister, but since it’s only you and I here right now, I’d rather you don’t get injured at all."
