Chapter 203: Sewer 2
Without a word, I lunged at the Sand Raider stumbling at the very front with a Werebear pounce. I don't know if it's because they grew an extra pair of hands or what, but these Sand Raiders seemed to have poor Sense of Balance, causing their Movement Speed and Attack Speed to be slightly slow.
"Bang—"
In the face of Strength more ferocious than a Barbarian's, the Sand Raider's four long blades didn't even have time to land on my Body before it was knocked down onto the Underground with a single palm strike, falling face-first with its Back facing up.
Poor little guy, never mind, you can rest on the ground for now.
I looked at it with pity, then stepped on its bald Skull without hesitation. At the same time, a Sand Raider had already surrounded me on my left and right front. Three Sand Raiders, twelve long blades, all fell towards my Body simultaneously. I could even hear Kate and the others gasping behind me.
I roared disdainfully, instead meeting the attack with my Body, letting the twelve long blades land on me head-on. Taking advantage of this gap, I grabbed the heads of the Sand Raiders on my left and right with my palms, like holding basketballs with one hand, lifting them into the air and then flinging them forward, smashing into the several Sand Raiders rushing towards me from the front, sending them flying.
After temporarily dealing with the enemies on both sides, the Sand Raider directly in front became my primary Target. A few palm strikes sent it reeling back and forth, completely unable to fight back, and finally ended its Life amidst Screams.
After taking down one Sand Raider, I shifted my attention to the one I was stepping on. This poor little Skeleton was like a crab whose shell was being pressed down hard by a finger, its six limbs struggling desperately on the ground, but it couldn't move an inch under my "Demon Foot" trampling.
Never mind, I'll just keep stepping on it like this, it feels pretty good. I narrowed my bear eyes and focused on the Sand Raiders that had reorganized their formation and were rushing over again.
There were a total of nine Sand Raiders. Under my wanton torment, they only lasted for four or five minutes. By the time I came back to my senses, Little Snow and Poison Creeper had already turned over thirty Burning Dead into over thirty piles of Bone fragments, and were looking at me eagerly as I finished off the last Sand Raider with my palm, their faces full of resentment.
Ah, a momentary slip-up. I'm really sorry, I chuckled, then suddenly moved my foot slightly. I just remembered there was still one alive that I had been stepping on.
"There's still one here, I'll leave it for you guys."
I stomped a few times forcefully, then reluctantly waved my Large Hand, pretending to be generous and giving the Sand Raider under my foot, which only had half a breath left, to Little Snow and Poison Creeper. The boss eats meat, so the little brothers should at least get some Soup, right? As for how they distribute it, that's none of my business.
"Oh my God, Lord, your Defense is too high, too powerful."
Seeing me clear the Battlefield and walk back with my two pets, Little Snow and Poison Creeper, Kate and Holt's faces were filled with nothing but awe. There weren't no Adventurers who could withstand the Attack of three or more Sand Raiders without changing their Expression, but those people were at least Level 30 or above.
To Kate's exclamation, I smiled slightly and didn't act humble. Looking at the Stats all over my Body, I was most satisfied with my Thick-skinned and tough nature. Leaving aside the Excellent Equipment on my Body, Werebear Transformation provides a 60% Defense increase and 131% Life increase. Oak Sage provides 60% Life. If I held a Scepter and activated Resistance Aura, I could increase my Defense by another 70%, which is already higher than the Defense of a well-equipped Level 30 Paladin with Resistance Aura active. What? Not enough? Okay, then add Frozen Armor. Not only does it provide a 30% Defense bonus, but it also has the function of Freezing enemies. Is that enough?
Therefore, I am quite confident now. Unless I am completely surrounded by Elite Level or higher Monsters, or facing hundreds of Ranged Attack Monsters, I can ignore most Physical Attacks. If I can drop a unique Helmet that adds to the Barbarian's Tier 2 Skill "Shout" in the future, even a Level 1 Shout can add 100% Defense. Thinking about myself at that time, I feel a bit like bullying others. For Monsters below Elite Level, isn't this clearly equivalent to having a "Physical Attack Invalid" Stat...
Led by the Mercenary duo, the four of us wandered around the Sewer for who knows how long. Hawk said that due to the special Terrain of the Sewer, although we had been walking inside for nearly ten hours, we hadn't advanced much. This area still belonged to the outer rim of the Sewer. To truly reach the innermost part, which is the central Underground of Lut Gholein City, it would take at least four days of Effort, and this was based on estimates from when Monsters were scarce.
The Monsters encountered in the outer rim of the Sewer, besides Burning Dead and Sand Raiders, also included a type of Monster called Corpse. These Corpses looked like skinned walking Corpses, with clearly defined Muscle lines all over their Body, exactly like human specimens in a biology lab, even more disgusting than those Zombies with rotten bellies and faces.
However, these Corpses were also the favorite of weaker Mercenaries, because they moved slowly. Although their Defense was a bit higher, Mercenaries could patiently wear them down little by little. And their Drop Rate was also good. The only thing to note is that after these Corpses die, their Corpses will immediately emit a pervasive Poison Gas, so it's best to go around behind them to kill them. Otherwise, once they die, you will find that the Passage ahead is completely blocked by Poison Gas, and it might not dissipate for several hours. Of course, you can also choose to directly cross this layer of Poison Mist, as long as your Poison Resistance is high and you can tolerate the putrid smell.
"Lord, let's Rest here for the night."
In a relatively dry Corner, Kate said so. I nodded. The performance of these two people several times had made me completely believe that, leaving aside the Monsters, the Sewer was as familiar to them as their own home. No wonder their employer chose them.
And our Princess Marissa stood there silently, her eyes as calm as water, exuding an Aura of composure. From the beginning until now, I have never seen her show a second Expression, and her taciturnity has reached expert level. As long as it can be expressed with her Body, she will never express it with her Voice. Thanks to the richness of human Body language, she hasn't uttered a sound until now. I don't even know what her voice sounds like, or if she's mute.
To put it simply, she is a person with very little Existence.
This is not just my Feeling. Out of the four of us, the three of us are bodyguards responsible for Protection, and Princess Marissa is the speaker in the Party. But not only me, even Kate and Holt often forget her Existence. For example, this suggestion to Rest was first asked of me by Kate, and then he suddenly remembered that I was just an escort, and the inconspicuous Little Princess next to me was the real person in charge of this trip. He quickly added with a fawning smile, suggesting it to her, which was met with a gentle nod from Princess Marissa. She seemed to have become accustomed to it and didn't mind her Existence being ignored.
A girl who is difficult to Ponder, I muttered softly. After skillfully setting up the Tent, I looked at her again, then turned and went inside.
"Hmm..."
"How about it, our keen-eyed Saintess Highness has no Method either, right?"
Inside the Tent, I looked at Alice, who was deep in thought, and smiled.
"Woo~~"
Little Ghost let out a cute, troubled, and unwilling nasal sound, her pair of shining silver eyes staring fiercely at me.
"Alright, alright. Let's sleep. Early to bed and early to rise is good for your Body."
I spread out the Beast Hide Blanket, pulled the depressed Little Ghost over, and lay down holding her fragrant Body.
"Woo~~, just you wait, I will definitely expose the true face of this so-called Princess."
The still unwilling Little Ghost poked her small Head out from my embrace, declaring with certainty. That Presence was like a useless police inspector in a Detective Novel confidently expounding his self-righteous Inference.
"Yes~~ yes~~, my all-knowing Saintess Highness."
A gentle kiss immediately silenced Alice, who was full of Presence and wanted to continue making her declaration.
On the third day, Kate and Holt finally confirmed that we had entered the inner layer of the Sewer. The Monsters inside would become more numerous and their Strength would be more Powerful. Even before the mutation occurred, very few Adventure Teams would go to the inner layer for Trial. Most people just wandered around the outer rim. And in the innermost layer, which is the central part of Lut Gholein's Sewer, hardly anyone had ever been there. Even Kate and Holt had only heard about it.
In the inner layer, according to Kate, there is a very terrifying Monster - the Burning Dead Archer. As the name suggests, from the Physical Attack of the Burning Dead which comes with Fire Stats, it can be inferred that the Arrow shot by these Burning Dead Archers must also carry Fire Damage, or even shoot Fire Arrows.
My Inference was immediately confirmed by Kate. The Monster called the Burning Dead Archer indeed shoots genuine Fire Arrows. Although there is still a Gap compared to the Power of an Amazon's Fire Arrow, it should not be underestimated. In the past, three or four such Burning Archers were enough to give a Mercenary Team a headache. And now, no one knows how many Burning Dead Archers will gather together in the mutated Sewer, because everyone who encountered them has died.
Even the Mercenary duo, who had great Confidence in me, subtly revealed a layer of anxiety on their faces.
"How did you deal with these Burning Dead Archers before?" I couldn't help but ask curiously.
Kate and Holt's faces turned red: "If there were no more than four, we would ambush them at the Corner beforehand. If we could get behind them for a Sneak attack, it would be much easier. If not, we would have to take a certain risk, first throw an Item to Attract their first round of volley, and then seize the Opportunity to approach them. Fortunately, their Intelligence is not high. Every time they Attack, they always shoot in a collective volley, and they won't run away after being approached."
So that's how it is, I nodded, a very simple and practical Method.
Just as Kate said, we had entered the inner layer of the Sewer. After eliminating a combination of Corpses and Burning Dead, we had only walked for less than an hour when Little Snow issued a warning.
"Crack... la..., crack... la..."
A very faint sound of Bone friction came. If you weren't careful, you wouldn't notice it at all. Kate and Holt's faces immediately changed drastically.
Monsters that can make this sound are most likely Skeleton type Monsters. Sand Raiders and Burning Dead are typical hyperactive children; they will walk back and forth even if there are no enemies, so you can hear the sound of their Bones rubbing from afar. They are very easy to identify.
However, the enemy in front of us, although we could clearly feel the Killing Intent just across the Passage at the turn, only made such a faint sound. Based on the Experience from Rogue Encampment, it is most likely Skeleton Archers who dislike moving.
I looked at Kate inquiringly, receiving a solemn nod from him.
What should we do now? If there are hundreds of these Burning Dead Archers on the other side, even I don't have the Confidence to charge through.
"Is there any way to know their Quantity?"
Hearing me ask this, Kate was stunned for a moment, then nodded.
"If it's just to detect the Quantity, I think it should be no problem."
Clearly, he was not optimistic about this action and probably wanted to suggest that I go around.
He carefully moved forward, each step so small. To avoid making any sound, he even took off his Shoes. His bare feet were silent. He took nearly ten minutes to cover a distance of over ten meters. When he reached the Corner, he stopped, took out a small mirror, and then, holding the Edge of the mirror, slowly extended it out...
Suddenly, his face changed. The hand holding the mirror also trembled slightly by accident. And in that instant, a red Light passed through the mirror, and with a "snap," the entire mirror was shattered into pieces and fell to the ground.
Kate covered his hand and quietly retreated. When he opened his hand, the two fingers holding the mirror were already scalded.
I immediately took out over ten bottles of Light Healing Potions and handed them to him.
"It's okay, just a scrape, lost a few points of Health."
Kate refused, flattered, but under my strong Request, he still accepted them and carefully put them into his Space. For Mercenaries like them, Potions are a luxury. Even minor Healing Potions are very precious, let alone Light Healing Potions.
I also gave Holt ten bottles. As for the other person, I hesitated for a moment. To prevent this Princess with a weak Existence from feeling unfair, I also took out some and handed them to her, including a few Mana Potions.
I don't know if it was my illusion, but her movement seemed to pause for a moment. Only when I became a little impatient did she extend her small hand from her wide sleeve and accept the Potions. Taking advantage of this Opportunity, I was finally able to catch a glimpse of her small hand's true appearance - like her height, it was very small and slender, yet long and beautiful, as fair as Milk. It made me unconsciously think, if she were to play the piano with these hands, what kind of elegant music could she play?
While I was momentarily lost in thought, that pair of small hands had already retracted. I came back to my senses and looked at Kate.
"Lord, there are over thirty, and one of them is an Elite." Kate's Voice was a little shaky. Neither the Quantity nor the presence of an Elite Level Monster was something Mercenaries like him dared to imagine.
"No, I mean, what's the maximum number?" I shook my Head.
"Lord, you..." Kate was clearly stunned. He originally thought that after reporting the Quantity and the existence of an Elite Level Monster, even I would wisely choose to avoid them. He didn't expect to get such an unexpected answer. Looking at his Appearance, it seemed I still wanted to challenge them.
"No need to say more, just tell me." My strong answer immediately made Kate shut his mouth.
"Yes, although I didn't get a clear look, I estimate it shouldn't exceed double the amount." He finally swallowed a mouthful of saliva and answered helplessly.
Double, meaning no more than sixty? In that case, it's no problem.
I glanced at the other three.
"Wait for me here. Remember, don't move around."
Without waiting for their answer, I immediately used Werewolf Transformation, bringing Little Snow and Poison Creeper. I also gathered all four Ghost Wolves. Oak Sage followed far behind us, trying its best to envelop every Comrade with its Aura.
After putting on all my Fire Resistance Equipment, I, Little Snow, and the others charged out amidst the exclamations of Kate and Holt.
"Swish swish..."
Before I could even turn my Head to see this group of damned Archers, a fiery red Light flashed before my eyes. It seemed like countless red Lights were rushing towards me simultaneously. The Feeling of being shot felt like sparks hitting my Skin, a faint smell of burning rushing into my sensitive nose.
I roared, turned around, and saw a dense group of fiery red Skeletons opposite me, holding bright Battle Bows. One of them was red turning purple, clearly the Elite that Kate mentioned.
Charge! Charge forward during this gap! I had only one thought in my mind. Leading Little Snow and the others, I charged forward fearlessly.
It wasn't until the last Ghost Wolf behind me also disappeared around the Corner in the eyes of the other three that the Corner of my mouth curved slightly.
All the caution and prudence just now were just me pretending, playing with you guys. I haven't forgotten that there is a Princess next to me who is like an enemy but not an enemy. How could I reveal my full capabilities in front of her?
Airdrop Encirclement—
Under my Command, the self-created Tactics that hadn't been used for a long time were once again deployed. The Ghost Wolves running around suddenly rippled, then disappeared into thin air like Ghosts. And in the next moment, a Commotion broke out within the Skeleton group.
The effect of Airdrop Encirclement was even better than I expected. The second round of Attack from this group of Skeletons only shot out nearly twenty Arrows. Led by Little Snow, five Ghost Wolves had already Attracted two-thirds of the Archers.
These twenty-plus Fire Arrows were completely painless for me and Poison Creeper. In the third round, there were even less than ten. By this time, Poison Creeper and I had already charged forward.
After getting close, the first thing to do was to cancel the Transformation and take out the Divine Language Staff that I had already equipped. With such a dense group of Skeletons, how could I not use some Spells to do myself justice?
A Molten Boulder about a meter in diameter flew out from my hand, crushing the Skeletons in a straight line into dust, and finally exploded in the center of the Skeleton group. Immediately, countless pieces of Skeleton Bone shot out from the explosion.
After the Molten Boulder came a raging Inferno. A Fire Pillar several meters long swept across in a fan shape, and the Skeletons within the fan shape immediately turned into a puddle of Bone water.
That should be enough. Looking at the remaining ten or so Burning Dead Archers, including that sly Elite, I twisted my limbs to loosen my joints and didn't Attack again. I even let Little Snow and the others "have their fill" as much as possible, taking their time, having fun, and not rushing to eliminate the enemy.
If the Mercenary duo knew that I had eliminated nearly sixty Monsters that were extremely terrifying in their eyes in less than a minute, I wonder if they would be scared to faint. As for that Princess, I also need to be careful and guard against her. I can't let her Overestimate me...
I simply leaned against the Wall, watching with interest as they played with the remaining ten or so Skeletons, especially that Elite, which received special treatment. To compete for the right to torment this Elite, Little Snow and Poison Creeper even faced off against each other, baring their fangs and claws. Finally, under my mediation, they decided to go at it together and see whose Method was more skillful. The winner would get priority in the next Battle...
What a pathetic bunch.