Chapter 37: Dungeon Trials [1]
Ellie Greyart's POV:
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With each step, the leaves and branches beneath our feet wisphered to us, 'stay alert.'
"Halt!" Myung Joon's voice boomed, and he swiftly looked behind.
?????? ?????? ??????!—The air was disturbed as feathers sliced through it, creating a harmony when birds decided to escape from their foliage, hastily reacting to Myung's powerful cry.
My gaze followed his, examining the tree branches above us.
We were in a clearing of the forest, and no monsters came to greet us a hello, atleast not yet. Updated from novelbIn.(c)om
Yet, as if a surprise party, three lava chimps jumped from their leafy concealment, their fiery tails ablaze, casting an orange hue.
Towering at least 6 feet tall, they presented a formidable sight.
Lava chimps, the lowly (F-) ranked monsters, possessed a might capable of slurping bones.
Their ability to gush molten lava from their maws added an extra layer of charm to their awful simian kissers.
Amidst the chaos, someone pushed me aside, striding confidently towards the oncoming abominations.
"Uh, Karthik?" I voiced my confusion, a confusion caused by his audacity that is!
"Don't worry, I'll take care of them," he reassured, seemingly uncaring of what I meant! Fuck him!
But, my mind allowed skepticism to be the guest.
'How can he possibly handle three Lava chimps, alone? It seemed like a reckless move.'
"Listen, let's stick together and fight as a team. You don't have to face them alone," I pleaded, finally concerned for this jerk of a beautiful face.
He grinned back at me with warmth in his eyes, shrugging his shoulders nonchalantly. "If things get out of hand, you can always step in," he suggested, his words both comforting and unsettling.
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A sigh of resignation escaped me, realizing that my intervention will be inevitable.
????????!—The resounding cry of my machete making contact with bones cut through the air as I launched an attack on the skeleton blood hound.
Meanwhile, Anastasia chanted a spell, her words embracing my ears, "Mother Earth! I beseech you to embrace the foe, just as you embrace all life upon this sphere."
Mother earth answered her call as a cage of earth materialized, ensnaring the monster in a cage made of stones, effectively immobilizing it in its place.
????????????!— In the midst of this all James leaped at the monster with a roar,"Rah!"
With an arcing motion of his scythe, he swiftly sliced through the skeletal beast, cutting it down with deadly precision.
The cacophony of battle temporarily subsided as the monster crumbled to the ground, defeated by our coordinated efforts.
"Huff, huff!" breathing heavily, James sank to the ground, his weary expression telling about his exhaustion.
Watching his state, Anastasia turned to me and with concerned voice asked, "This was the third monster we encountered on this path."
Doubt clouded James' face as he questioned our chosen route, "Are you certain we're on the right path?"
With a feigned confidence, I bullshited him, "Absolutely. This path has lesser monsters than the surrounding area. Trust me bro!" I flashed a smile at him while gesturing a thumbsup. "My propensity is related to navigation, remember?"
In my vision, an augmented reality map displayed four approaching dots—a clear indication of more monsters drawing near.
A momentary flicker of apprehension crossed my mind.
My true intention was not to secure the path with the fewer monsters but to evade any encounters with members of the enemy class, who were also navigating the treacherous terrain.
Having gained valuable information through Nano's hack, I was well aware of the location of others.
But, the approaching four monsters threatened to overwhelm our tiny group.
It became apparent that my team would struggle to deal with this final wave of creatures along my chosen path.
So, I made a decision. It's time for battle mode.
"You guys rest here," I spoke, my voice confident. "There's something I need to take care of."
Anastasia's voice filled with curiosity as she questioned, "Where are you going?"
Raising my little finger with a smile, I replied, "Nature's call."
I stealthily slipped away, leaving my teammates to catch their breath.
"Nano, activate battle mode."
[Affirmative]