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[The next day]
My breakthrough caused a great stir in the academy...I was practicing at the [Training Square] after all,so every single person saw what I did.
The new skill had a different wording than both of its predecessors,being a [Routine],instead of a [Technique],or [Moveset].As I checked the difference between the terms the answer I got was:
This basically meant that what i created was a brand-new spear style...as its the [Brilliant Gale Academy]’s first,it shall have the same name - [Brilliant Gale Spear].
I didnt mention it before,but despite the fact that everyone’s progress during those few months was clearly visible,mine was simply astonishing when compared to the NPC’s.
Even though most elders comprehended the [Divine Wind Gathering Method] by now,their affinities were still far too low to even practice [Brilliant Step],to speak less of catching up to me.As for the disciples...out of them all only Edmund comprehended the element fusion,with everyone else still practicing basic elemental techniques.
If their progress was only this much,training an elite force would just be a dream as most of the academy’s members would spend a lifetime just learning [Brilliant Step]...
I felt that only real combat could help them improve,after all just repeating the same movements over and over again is useless if you don’t comprehend the skill’s essence.
Coincidentally,I also had to gather combat experience,as my last real fight was the...uhmm “strategic retreat” from the grizzly bear...
Persuading the academy’s members didnt take long,after all everyone was slowly getting tired of constant training...today is the day we go out to hunt.The main targets of our group are [Girallons] - Four-armed,ape-like creatures that possess astonishing strength and vitality.Their speed however is average at best, which means everyone can easily run away should danger arise.
A [Girallon] typically lives in a pack of three to five,deep in the woods.It just so happens that their presence was recently reported at [Duskfall Forest],which is located around five kilometers east to [Dimorth Town].
The area is a regular hunting ground for our hunters,however the spottings of apes caused most of them to avoid the location,which had an impact on our food production.
In other words,the mission has two goals - training the younger generation as well as wiping out the creatures...of course the fact that I simply want to try out my skills is also a factor,but its not the main one...right…?
Everyone decided to attend,which means a total of 78 members - myself, 5 elders and 72 disciples.Our plan is to split the group into two squads - the first one would consist of a vast majority of the expedition’s members - the elders and all the outer disciples - a total of 52 people.They were going to enter the forest and simply walk forward,exterminating everything they see.
The other squad would include myself as well as the inner disciples.Our primary task would be scouting and getting rid of stronger creatures in advance.This meant that should we encounter a group of [Minotaurs], the ones fighting them would be us,not the main group.
As the entire expedition entered the forest a system notice appeared before me:
[DING]
[Your actions have created a mission]
Extermination EventMission Difficulty:D+/C-Location:Duskfall ForestObjectives:Failure Conditions:Kill at least 90% of the area's [Girallons]Exceeding the 7 day time limit
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[Some time later]
For the last few hours things have been progressing smoothly...the main group’s advance started to slow down though,as we gradually left the outer part of the forest.
So far,the enemies we encountered were mostly [Gray Wolves] or other animals at a simlar level and as such, we would leave them for the main squad unless they attacked us,to which we would retaliate.I found killing wolves pitfully easy now though,as they were unable to react to my current speed,and even if they by chance managed to initiate an attack,it would just hit my afterimage.
Like this,we travelled for quite some time until we ran into our first real prey - someone saw a lone [Giant] nearby.Their species were much like humans,except they were around three times larger - a height of 6 meters is nothing to joke about.From what I’ve read about their race,they had a rating of 2.4,with a PSM of 3,3,a [CPR] of 46,compared to a human’s 15,6.
Theoretically speaking they are a [Normal] race,not animals,however most of their stats lie in either VIT or STR,which takes a tool on their intelligence,to the point that even a camp is a rare sight in their so-called society.They do have a very simple language though.
Unauthorized reproduction: this story has been taken without approval. Report sightings.
The [Giant]’s humanoid figure was currently sitting in his cave,holding a huge wooden club in his hand,seemingly unaware of the incoming ambush.
Well its weapon looked like a club,but it was in fact a tree...guess they use it the same way we use clubs though...enough of that.
Our ambush plan was to surround him,followed by my frontal assault.While his attention is focused on me,the group behind the [Giant] would charge out of the forest,with the rest acting as support.Should he still not fall,everyone would throw their spears,which should finish him…
The plan’s starting phase was successful,now came its execution…
As I charged out of the woods,utilizing the [Brilliant Gale Spear],I struck the [Giant] before it had time to react...the bad part was that my spear got momentarily stuck in his body,which would not be that big of a problem...what I was facing was something over 6m in height though...the club smashed down on me as I finally freed my spear and moved behind my opponent,the [Giant]’s weapon striking my afterimage.
The oversized human momentarily thought he killed me,as the afterimage was almost identical to myself,however it quickly dissipated.The surprise was long enough for me to lunge at the [Giant]’s back…
Suddenly I felt an imminent sense of danger...deciding to follow my instincts,I quickly retreated as far as I could,abandoning my attack.
The feeling turned out to be real,because as soon as I moved,another gigantic club struck the newly created mirror image of myself.
Apparently,we were not facing one but two [Giants] !
On top of that,the second one,in addition to his club,also held a much larger,rectangle-shaped piece of wood in his other hand...this was going to be troublesome...
The squad finally made their move,throwing their spears at one of the [Giants].Normally it would heavily injure the being,however his companion quickly moved,blocking the spears with his shield…
Checking my mana,I still had around two-thirds remaining...a second of active usage of [Brilliant Gale Spear] uses around 2% mana,while creating an afterimage takes 10%.
In other words,I could only use the skill for 30 seconds, at best.The squad’s equipment varied - other than everyone having a spare throwing spear,they held all kinds of melee weapons.Some even carried bows and quivers,those were going to be useless against a foe of this size though…
As I was thinking,the giants started charging at the closest group of disciples.Having trained for this kind of situation before,after a moment of panic,they quickly jumped into the forest to limit the [Giants]’s mobility.
Seeing their difficult situation,I ordered a frontal assault...As for myself,seeing how my mana was insufficient for prolonged combat, I decided to make use of my [Mana Manipulation] to imbue the tip of my spear with light and wind energies...after all,the wooden shield could only withstand so much force and a weapon enchanted with both elements should find it rather easy to penetrate it.
After gathering as much mana as i could,I threw the spear at the [Giants],as they were now distracted by melee combat...one of the enemies,hearing the spear’s sound,or perhaps just seeing a glowing object approach him crossed his arms in an attempt to defend…
The weapon went straight through his body,leaving a hole in his chest before landing on the ground...I honestly didnt expect it to be that effective…
After that,the other [Giant] quickly fell under the squad’s combined effort…
[DING]
Battle Conclusion: VictoryCodex Entry Acquired: GiantsYour group gains combat experienceAllies:Enemies:Dead: 0 Injured: 8 (NPC)Dead: 2 [Giants]
Throwing(Passive)Level: F-F EXP: 71,26%Can learn throwing techniques up to F-F rankThrowing an object is now 5% more effective
Enchanting(Passive)Level: E-E EXP: 20,52%Imbuing mana into an object consumes 12% less ManaEnchanting is now 12% more effective
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[2 Days Later]
Our group is now about to move into the innermost part of the forest...until now,very few [Girallons] actually,appeared,only a dozen or so,leaving the quest progress at around 12%...this is strange...
As we travelled,the trees gradually grew sparser...Before long we arrived at the forest’s center..and there they were,all the [Girallons]-
Suddenly, I sensed a mana disturbance in the area...turning my head I saw...
[DING]
[Boss Monster [Troll Voodoo Shaman] has entered the scene]
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Eldrith Status
Eldrith(2,99)Race:HumanClass:HunterTitles:Giant Hunter, LordCapabilties:Physical:Defensive:Magical:VIT Growth: 115%Physical Resistance: 107,5%Affinities:STR Growth: 120%Elemental Resistance: 115%Wind(10%),Light(10%)AGI Growth: 120%Mind Resistance: N/AMana Capacity:INT Growth: 115%Poison Resistance: 107,5%MP Growth: 135%