"'Why ask such a question? The time in the Star Spirit Realm and the Human Realm is not consistent! If it's not right, just adjust it, right?' Buzz, that's what she said."
Rhode saw Lucy inside waving her fists, looking a bit frustrated.
This made him feel even more peculiar: "Why can't her voice come out, yet she can hear what I'm saying outside?"
"'I told you… don't study such things, pay more attention to your surroundings!' Buzz, that's what she said."
"Oh," Rhode turned his back, avoiding looking at Lucy, "then I'll give you a heads-up, sitting like that, you're exposed."
"'Ah—' that's what she said." Hologram was trying hard to mimic Lucy's tone, even mimicking her expression during the scream perfectly.
This Star Spirit was quite amusing, and Rhode found it fascinating.
The group walked for a while, and Rhode kept the River Crab on alert around them, but still, they did not encounter any strange bees.
Suddenly Hologram spoke up: "'Um… I need to use the bathroom.' Buzz, that's what she said."
As soon as the words fell, Lucy already pushed open the door and walked out.
Rhode teased: "Can't you use it inside?"
"Of course not!" Lucy stomped her foot, turned to leave, but then stopped and stood still.
Rhode sighed: "You guys go accompany her for a bit."
Carla didn't follow them but reminded, "Those two purple crabs of yours..."
"I know." Rhode had a feeling that something was about to happen, but out of courtesy, he retrieved the River Crab.
Sure enough, just three minutes after Lucy and Wendy left, screams rang out:
"Ah—"
"Help!!!"
"Wendy?" Carla flew up immediately.
Rhode also hurried over.
Lucy and Wendy both held their hands out in front, in the classic damsel in distress pose.
Yet, Rhode and Carla widened their eyes, seeing no bees.
Rhode could feel a strong Magic Power in the forest, quickly shielding Lucy and Wendy behind him: "Following the plot, should I laugh a bit first?"
Lucy, in a panic, said: "Stop joking, what's coming is not a bee!"
Carla, puzzled, asked, "Then what is it?"
"A big snake!"
"A big dog!"
Lucy and Wendy provided different answers, looking at each other in surprise.
Lucy said: "I clearly saw a snake, three of them!"
Wendy replied: "But I saw a dog, a three-headed dog, a really big one."
Before the two could continue their argument, Rhode already heard heavy footsteps, and a Three-headed Dog strolled out of the woods.
It was as big as a small building, entirely black, with mane around its neck curling and seemingly moving with its steps.
The thick tail behind didn't seem like a dog's tail, nor a wolf's tail, rather more like a crocodile's tail.
The three heads looked like three vicious wolves, baring sharp teeth, with purple-black saliva dripping from their mouths.
The suspicious liquid dripped onto the grass, instantly causing the blades to wither and blacken, then turn into powder.
"Hell Three-headed Dog." The name immediately came to Rhode's mind.
No need to say, this must be the target of another mission.
Can't this thing be captured and given to Elfman?
As soon as Rhode saw it, this thought popped into his mind, and he lightly flicked his fingers, creating three purple Magic Arrays around the Three-headed Dog's heads.
There was a loud boom as three explosions were heard, enveloping the dog heads in flames and smoke, but they quickly burst through them.
The Three-headed Dog was unharmed and seemingly enraged, charging at Rhode in a couple of steps, its giant paw slamming down heavily.
Whether it was an illusion or not, Rhode always felt his position was on the paw pad, while Lucy was the one about to be sliced by the claws.
He pushed upwards with one hand, a whirlwind erupted from his palm, flipping the Three-headed Dog's immense body, and it landed with a heavy thud.
The ground covered by its body flattened a large patch of grass, revealing moist soil.
The Three-headed Dog rolled onto its feet, but was unexpectedly covered by a massive web that descended upon it entirely.
It struggled to tear the web with its teeth and claws, but its body and three heads only got more entangled in the web.
"Roar~~~" The middle head spewed a fierce flame, burning away the web and rushing toward Rhode and the others.
Yet the two-meter-wide pillar of fire collided with a thin golden shield, spilling outward without harming anyone behind it.
Rhode felt he had a read on this guy's level and asked, "Don't you two want to join the battle?"
Before Lucy and Wendy could answer, the Three-headed Dog lunged forward again, this time with claws and teeth unleashed.
However, neither the massive claws nor the jaws from three directions could penetrate the thin Magic Shield.
Lucy and Wendy both jumped in fright.
Now it felt like observing a beast from a cage, those claws and teeth right in front of them.
Rationally believing it couldn't break through, nor could it harm them, the roars, immense size, and sharp fangs were still terrifying.
Anyone else might be scared too, but they were mages.
Wendy clenched her small fists: "I want to fight!"
"Then count me in!" Lucy reached for the whip at her waist.
Rhode glanced at her actions, wanting to make a sarcastic comment.
But he decided to let her do things her way first.
"Then ready, 3, 2, 1!"
Rhode withdrew the shield, and Wendy launched her attack immediately: "Sky Dragon's—Roar!"
A fierce hurricane hit the Three-headed Dog's chest, halting its charging momentum and pushing it back.
The Three-headed Dog's hind paws gouged two trenches in the ground before using its strong tail to brace itself and stop the retreat.
Lucy seized the opportunity, rushing up and viciously swinging her whip.
The River of Stars Blue Light Whip kept lashing the left and right cheeks of the three dog heads, also hitting its body and front legs with crackling sounds.
The three dog heads instinctively recoiled but then stayed still, as not a single hair was knocked down.
Lucy's final move wrapped the long whip around the neck of the middle dog head, pulling back hard: "Wendy, do it… now ahhh!!!"
The Three-headed Dog bit the whip, flung its head, and tossed Lucy skyward.
The long whip loosened and retracted into Lucy's hand.
Carla flew quickly, chasing after Lucy.
"What were you thinking…" Rhode couldn't bear to watch, "Didn't she see the power of the Hell Three-headed Dog just now?"
Wendy wore an expression of indescribable complexity: "Miss Lucy seems to enjoy close combat."