V2 Chapter 11
"Aaahhhhhhh!!!"
Granite started the fight. Bashing her shield at the nearest monster and swinging her Barbaric Hand Axe that was glowing in yellow light color, the color that symbolizes the power of the earth.
With every smash of her axe on the ground, it created fissures and slight earthquakes, and even blowing monsters due to the shock wave she causes in her every swing.
Explosions rang out, and monsters blew away like broken kites against the violent storm, wherever she goes. What’s even more amazing was her skill, [Rock Armor]. A skill that even Rain couldn't help but feel somewhat envious of.
All the rocks and pebbles around her floated, and then, as if metal fillings attracted by a magnet, they stick on her body, and merge with her skin, making her even bigger, tougher, and stronger.
She looked like the Lamian version of ‘The Thing’ as she mowed everything around her with incredible ease. A living tank that can endure no matter how much damage the opponent gave her. On this kind of battlefield, she mowed everything and anything in her way, all while making a straight path of destruction.
Like a monster that is nigh unstoppable, she slaughtered her way through, towards the largest Goblin—the Goblin Champion.
"You are mine!!"
Granite held her Barbaric Hand Axe as her tower shield collided with a large group of rushing monsters.
Shield Bash! Barbaric Tackle! Earth Impact!
Like a bowling ball crashing on a pile of pins, she basically moved a straight line with a bashing momentum.
If this was seen from above, one would be able to see a straight, red line being created in the sea of monsters.
On the other side, Scarlet spread her arms, her two hands glowed with a fiery light, then a flame burst exploded, incinerating the monsters that encircled her and Rain.
Her face frowned, but unlike Granite and Lafetti, she didn’t charge through the enemy ranks, and stayed beside Rain, while encircling them with blazing flames in a circle.
[Flame Barrier]. She was acting like a guarding angel for Rain, who was focusing all his attention on targeting enemies with his bow and enchanted arrows, yet for the enemies, she looked like a fire demon shooting flames after flames without any pause.
Boom! Boom! Booom!
Explosions rang out continuously in the Mausoleum, like fireworks on a festival night. The two of them, basically made all the highest kill count- one mowing down enemies with incredible strength, while the other one bombarded the entire area with extremely powerful fire magic that acted like grenades thrown randomly.
How powerful!
Scarlet’s magic is way stronger compared to normal Expert Mages among humans, and even though Granite is usually gentle and careful when attending him, but once she draws her axe and grabbed her tower shield, she’s almost unstoppable. Even Rain was impressed. Awestruck.
Lafetti, on the other hand, leaped over and beheaded three or more monsters with a single slash. She was calmer, and her actions are much more poised than the others.
She stopped, patted her clothes over the shoulder in dissatisfaction as she glanced at the Goblin troops. In response to her every movement, all the monsters surrounding her, trembled and retreated.
Around her, were several dozens of defeated Goblins and Elite Goblins, and scattered fragments of destroyed armor and weapon. The scraps of flesh lying around, and the blood that had formed like a red river, and pool of red blood was more than eye-catching.
"I hope, Rain's gonna be okay," she muttered with a very worried expression.
Should I go back?
No. Rain would not like it if I nag him too much. Rather, it's best to end this battle immediately, before he falls into danger.
With a fierce glance, she turned towards the others who were suddenly intimidated by her presence. Though, it seems like they felt humiliated by her nonchalant attitude that they roared in anger one after another, and charged once again after seeing her casually stroll up to them.
“Silly goblins…no matter how many you have, it doesn’t change anything,”
With a refreshing smile on her face, Lafetti casually walked up to them as if she didn’t have a care in the world.
“GORORB!!”
“GROOROB!!”
The goblins roared in response to her muttering. But the very next moment. With a cold, mocking snort, Lafetti’s body abruptly stirred—— Or rather, she became nothing more than a blur. And the green-headed Lamian, who had disappeared from the monster’s field of vision, closed the distance between them with astonishing speed and suddenly appeared directly in front of them.
And by the time the monsters had processed what had just happened, she was already before their eyes ——she had already broken through their ranks.
First, the goblin standing absent-mindlessly at the front of the group was cut diagonally down from the shoulder. The blade of Lafetti’s sword became an oblique flash of blue light that cut through even the bone with ease.
The goblin’s leather armor had proved to be no more useful than a piece of paper as fresh blood sprouted from its wound. Then, before the blood reached the ground, Lafetti slashed her sword to the left and right and cut through more flesh and left fountains of blood erupting behind her.
Each time the green-haired Lamian swung her sword, it emitted an aura of magic that permeated the space around it and drew a trail of pale blue light in its wake.
It was an incredible sight, of fresh blood, and magnificent light works. A combination of beauty and death. Yet, at the same time, it was almost funny how the monsters dropped one after the other like flies.
Lafetti moved too fast for them to make use of their greater numbers. Not a single monster could catch up to her, not even an elite Hobgoblin, or a Goblin Rider, riding their ugly dog mounts, as she rushed past them like wind and broke them as if they were merely dolls.
Swoosh!
Lafetti’s beloved magic sword glowed like a sinister phantasm and burned the eyes of her enemies.
“Don’t spare a single one!! Wipe them all…!!”
She cried out with an icy cold voice, turning toward Granite, and her murderous aura spread over, and a thick stench of blood and death permeated to every corner of the messy and chaotic Mausoleum.
The monsters surrounding her trembled, and if only they were not beings made of magic, and knows what fear is, they would have turned around at that moment, and run. They would have realized that fighting against the monster in front of them, is like walking to certain death. Unfortunately, they know nothing of such fear, and they were only intimidated for a while before they run, and charge like fools who were tired of living.
“I suddenly feel the enthusiasm to fight even more,”
Granite’s laughter echoed throughout the entire hall, and her body seemed to have gotten even bigger, as more rocks gravitated towards her. Her long, rock-covered tail slams on the ground, smashing monsters into a pulp.
She was now two times bigger than normal and seemed to be truly made out of rock. She let out a roar, and a shock wave was created, blowing away the hobgoblins that had surrounded her.
“Good. Just as long as we’re all in agreement…”
Rain grinned, as he stayed in his spot, but his hand started to get blurred, creating after images in the air, and his arrows that made arch mid-air pierced the target's eyes, head, throat, or chest—all were fatal hits.
It’s as if his arrows were living beings that chased after their intended targets. No matter what happens, they always hit.
Whit his dizzying arm speed, Rain displayed his skill in archery even Lafetti had never seen before. In fact, at times, he resembled his teacher, Stagna. And not only that—he displayed an uncunning, and mechanical-like accuracy that seemed to have never missed.
Though perhaps it’s also because of the skill of the artifact he was using. But nevertheless, Rain’s skill can’t be disputed.
Lafetti and Scarlet who was watching him from time to time, worrying about him, couldn’t help but get stunned by his brilliance. Varying speed, uncunning accuracy, feints, and surefire killing attacks. These things are easy to describe, but much more difficult to execute—but Rain magnificently pulled it off. And he did it with incredible ease.
At this moment, he was as accurate and as deadly as Stagna that Lafetti sees as the best archer in the world.
“Rain, don’t stand too far ahead!”
Looking at Rain, however, Scarlet couldn't help but voiced out her reminder as she saw him standing almost closely at the edge of the flame barrier, she had created to protect her and him.
“But this number, they are almost limitless…how is this possible?” she frowned the moment she saw several new groups of Hobgoblins and goblins slowly coming closer to where Rain was.
Some Hobgoblin Mages even started attacking Rain with Magic, and they seemed to be concentrating their attacks on his direction.
Her flame barrier managed to block several attacks but not all. And also, Goblins started to charge through the flames and started walking through the corpses of their comrades just to pass through the barrier.
The dead Goblins in front of are creating a mountain, making an open gap in her barrier to let those from behind enter.
"They are too many,"
Rain furrowed his brows as well, as he noticed this fact. He had started focusing on his attacks on the monsters that were charging through him, and he seemed to be hard-pressed.
“Okay, you bastards, you overdid it…! You better move back!!”
Scarlet who was sensing her barrier slowly being penetrated, couldn't help but cry out in anger. Furthermore, these monsters seemed to prefer Rain more than her, and they went straight at him.
Perhaps, it's because they felt that Rain was the weakest among the group, that they treated him as an easy target. But this foolish action had enraged the Ant Queen. But the only responses she’d gotten were roars and goblin, whatsoever curses.
“They said, ‘Go die,’ by the way,”
Rain said wryly as he jumped, dodging a desperate lunge of a Hobgoblin. Then, he turned around, and activated [Bone Spikes], summoning bone-like spikes that covered the entire area around him and Scarlet, piercing through the monsters, killing them instantly. Then, with a jump back, he raised his eyebrows and held his breath.
"... Another one bites the dust,"
He barely blinked… conjured an arrow… on his bow… aimed… then fired in an instant!
It all happened too quickly for the eye to see.
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The Hobgoblin that looked like a weightlifting wrestler with all its exposed muscles and bucket-sized arms, had its forehead struck by a glowing, pale-bluish white arrow that disappeared a moment later, leaving only just a bleeding hole.
And just like that, a Hobgoblin Elite was killed in an instant.
“Are you seriously saying that now, Rain,”
Scarlet smiled helplessly after hearing him translating the Goblin's cries.
"Well, they seemed to have not been properly educated as they only know simple and limited words. 'Kill' 'Die' 'Eat' whatsoever. The Goblins I had seen before were much more intelligent than them." Rain snorted.
"Well, something like that is much obvious. They are not proper beings of the living, after all. What do you expect? They are intelligence is limited," she grumbled. "Anyway, stay close to me!"
On Scarlet's right palm, a crimson red spherical flame appeared. Increasing the diameter of this ball to a meter, she then shot it at the charging monsters that had finally broken through their barrier.
Sensing danger, the monsters tried to run away. But it was far too late. The ever-accelerating round chased them. Its speed was roughly around 600 kph–clearly beyond the Goblins or Hobgoblins abilities.
"Gyaaaaahhhh!!!"
Those struck were immediately engulfed and burned without leaving ashes. Another set of basin-sized fireballs follows, and Scarlet, like a waving conductor in front of her orchestra, continues her mad, blazing slaughter.
There was even a group of Killer Ants and Antmen that had appeared from her shadow, somewhat making Rain felt envious upon seeing it.
It’s the Ant Queen’s Innate Unique Skill; [Ant Guards].
A skill that let her store her minions in her shadow to protect her whenever, and wherever she goes. Though, from what Rain knows, it only let her store and summons up to ten Elite Guards, equivalent to twenty normal Killer Ants.
It seemed to be due to her skill level that she can only do it with limited amounts.
Despite this, Rain still felt somewhat envious of that incredible skill. After all, how cool would it be if he was able to summon monsters from his shadow as well?
Just imagine, his opponent who thought it would be a one on one battle or a group vs one battle, and was already assured of their victory, but then suddenly monsters, even Killer Ants started coming out from his shadow—damn, what kind of faces would they be making.
It certainly is a skill used to surprise people.
Sadly, this kind of skill can only be possessed by the Ant Queen. Hence, if Rain wanted to obtain it, he might need to eat the Ant Queen, which is completely impossible!
Furthermore, an Ant Queen's existence is quite seen rarely, especially in the Desolate Cave.
In addition, there basically is no two Ant Queens living within 5 to 10 Kilometers. As the saying goes, a single mountain cannot accommodate two tigers, Ant Queens would always fight against each other- armies to armies even, to occupy a single area. And they would never let any other Ant Queens intrude in their territories, as that would basically be like declaring war.
Hence, since Scarlet was in the Desolate Cave, it means there should be no other Ant Queens in the Desolate Region. So finding another Ant Queen to consume would be nigh impossible for the time being.
Six Antmen Elites and eight Killer Ants: [composed of 4 Fire Antmen, 2 Black Antmen, 3 Fire Killer Ants, and 5 Black Killer Ants] came out from Scarlet’s shadow.
The Six Antmen circled around her like guards and protectors while the eight Killer Ants scattered around and started their slaughter on the horde of the Goblins. A single Killer Ant, with their strength and toughness, were much stronger than Goblins.
The Antmen were wielding long polearms, halberds, and spears, and started killing the Goblins.
From what Rain knows, the Six Antmen are the only ones left of her elite guards after his and the Lamians raid. Still, they are not something easily underestimated. Most of the Antmen had two Evolutions, while one of them even had Three Evolutions just like the Ant Queen.
It was the awesome-looking Antman who was standing beside Scarlet, with all its body covered by red armor. Not to mention, a long beautiful, but epic-looking red spear that seemed to let one feel the heat just by looking at it was in her hand.
[Flame Spear Ant General]
That seemed to be the name of the Antman.
By the way, the armor and spear it was holding was not something provided externally.
The Armor was its scales, while the red blazing spear seemed to be called “Living Spear"—living weapons that were made from the cells of the original body, so it seems that as the original body grows, the weapons grow with them—it cannot be separated from them, and would, even if one had let go of it, or it was stolen, it will become nothing but an ordinary spear, and would still come back to the original body after a set of time.
In addition, from what Rain had heard from Sylphy and Scarlet, once a Killer Ant undergoes their second evolution, and evolved into an Antmen, they would then be able to have a strange preference for a weapon.
This kind of preference seemed to be innate, something like a calling from deep within their souls. This seemed to be the basis of their third evolution.
Even if the Antmen, having no particular will and consciousness, no learning or training, holds a weapon for the very first time in their lives, the living weapon which came from their own bodies can be said to be an extension of their bodies. Therefore, even without training or anything, the Antmen would still know how to use it, and even better than most amateurs or even elites in the field.
Just that, what Rain seemed to be somewhat disappointed is the fact that Antmen might have a similar build and physique as Scarlet—a demi-human, with the upper half of their body being human-like, while the lower half belongs to that of a giant Ant with three pairs of legs. However, unlike the Ant Queen, who almost looks similar to a beautiful human appearance, with the only exceptions of her eyes, the Antmen have carapaces all over their bodies and that horrifyingly scary sharp ant mandibles on their mouth.
Therefore, no matter how beautiful their bodies were, and those voluptuous breasts bare every day, Rain till can’t get attracted to them.
And unlike the unique Ant Queen, from what he knows, evolved Antmen will only start producing a personal will and consciousness after they entered the third evolution. And from there, they would then develop their own intelligence, though their loyalty to the Ant Queen will still be solid as a mountain. However, their strength would also be something to be reckoned with, according to Lafetti and Drova.
Scarlet even proudly boasted that once a human or any other race, found an Antmen that had reached her third evolution, every kingdom would immediately send their subjugation squad and will treat them the same as they treat hazard level monsters. That’s already a testament to how strong a third evolution Antman is!
Well, one of the reasons why such a case of importance, was because a three evolution Antman would mean also a three or above, evolution Ant Queen would mean to also exist in the vicinity.
If such a monster appears, it would only mean a large, powerful army of monsters had already been established. Even humans would run away like little spiders if they fought against something like that.
The [Flame Spear Ant General] was dressed quite heavily in her heavy armor, but it was certainly agile. Creating after images in the air, her blazing spear mowed towards the enemies like sickle reaping weeds.
Flame Wave, Fire Spear, Flame Burst- the Ant General used incredible and high-level fire-type combat arts and slaughtered and burned every monster it sees. Its speed was incomparably fast, and its attacks were not even sloppy.
In this close tight battlefield, it was a highly efficient killing machine.
However, Rain noticed that, as if bound by invisible shackles, the moment the Ant General leaves Scarlet’s side for about 4 to 6 meters away, it will then return again to her side. It would never dare to go past that, leaving their queen alone. It truly was like a reliable guardian...!
“It’s a protector one would be desperate of having,”
Rain mused as he looks at the Ant General. It stood beside Scarlet like a statue and would only move when enemies were in the range of its attack zone. It basically didn't want to leave her master's side, and would never hesitate to offer her life for her Master's sake. A loyal, devoted guardian!
Boom! Boom! Booom!
Arrows and colorful Magic attacks, wails, and bellows, all mixed in the air. Rain raised his bow and an arrow instantly shot out. Then, another arrow, and another one, and another one. In just several seconds, dozens of arrows had already been let loose, striking accurately on their targets. And most of all, the arrows, one after the other, accurately stabbed into the enemies’ weak points and vital parts.
His hand even left after images in the air as he continued shooting. And then, with the continuous action of attacking and shifting his position, while silently calculating the remaining number, had slaughtered an incredible amount of monsters himself.
Scarlet who was standing beside him, protecting him and even supporting him with her flame magic, couldn’t help but feel somewhat dazzled by his breath-taking performance.
Rain has always been a charming man that held quite a deadly attraction power towards women, no matter what race they were from. His handsome and light-hearted appearance, graceful and kind temperament, heavy and righteous temperament; one that held no prejudice for all races, calmness, wise, humorous but not frivolous, and that graceful smile that often hanged on his face that can make any person feel familiarity and closeness towards him were very alluring—one that can attract anyone as if they were moths flying towards a flame.
Yes. This absurd guy had the most adorable smile, and certainly, he used it often. Like a weapon...or a tool to charm, even her.
Still... that was not all.
He even looks very attractive when he fights.
Scarlet followed the back view of Rain as he fights, with her eyes, and she couldn't help but recall the moments she had spent together with him. Her strange, but gleaming compound eyes had tender feelings like water as she looked at him, and followed his brave, and heroic figure.
Indeed, he was as brave and noble as any of the fairy-tale heroes she'd heard about.
The type of hero she'd given up on ever existing in the real world.
Powerful, but restrained. Strong, but gentle. Tough, but kind. Human, but much more than a monster one could ever be. As he was able to understand them and accept them, much more than any monster, much less a human could. The strange duality that made it even more attractive to her, and to all demi-humans.
Perhaps, this is also the reason why the Lamians are so attached to him... as if their very lives depend on him.
His nature had made it so, that anyone, or anything, human or not, would feel so comfortable, and familiar around him.
And that's also why I was deeply in love with him...
Scarlet saw Rain raise his bow, with that usual fearless expression, changing targets to the one surrounding the green-haired Lamian; Lafetti. He calmly drew his bow and rapidly shot more arrows, relieving her a bit from the pressure, well, if ever she had one, against fighting countless Goblins.
The fallen monsters grew more and more in number. Yet these monsters did not back down. On the contrary, more and more of them appeared, like a never-ending torrent of waves.
Correspondingly, the pressure on Rain and the others grew greater and greater. It looked like they would break through his defenses.
And finally, at this time, changes within the field occurred…
Because of the overwhelming number of the monsters, Rain had been left with no position to continue using a bow and arrow, and was forced to take a melee position, returned [Failnaught] back to his backpack and pulled his rapier, instead.
Aside from the fact that more and more Goblins appeared, and charging through them that even the Antmen were becoming extremely busy holding them off, Rain’s magic power was quickly being consumed- he was afraid he might really deplete his Magic Power shooting enchanted arrows in this, seemingly never-ending enemies.
But, aren’t they too many?!
Rain felt something was amiss.
But still, even if something is happening here, he didn’t have any clue as to how to resolve it.
But what is it...?
What is this sense of displacement...?
As he was working his brain, at this moment, a group of Goblins had finally reached his position. Scarlet immediately attack violently, but there was also another group coming from behind.
Rain even saw the sabers, swords, spears, axes, and other weapons attacking him from all directions. Bit by bit they drew closer…
“Damnit!! Raaaain!!”
Scarlet cried out in anger as she watched as Rain was drowned in the sea of weapons. She immediately conjured fireballs in her hands, but Rain was too close to them, that if she shoots her magic, he would surely be involved in the explosion as well. Hence, she desperately tried to rush over, but she was obstructed by Goblins that came like a flood.
Even the Antmen protecting her was so busy they are starting to slowly get pushed away from their Queen. Even the Ant General could only try her best to pave a path for Scarlet to rush over Rain’s location. However, Rain didn’t need any help or saving.
Boom boom… Pipa Pipa……
Those weapons that cut down towards Rain all suddenly flew into the air in an instant and then fell down, as if it was raining down with weapons!
And in that short instant, all of the Goblins surrounding him fell backward.
When they fell down, a single silhouette remained in the center of everything, carrying a thin, slender sword while standing ramrod straight!
And this silhouette, if it wasn’t Rain who would it be?
“Now I’m in a bad mood,”
Rain softly spoke, and then he turned around and thrust.
A Hobgoblin, much bigger and taller than a normal Goblin, and had leap sneakily from behind him, immediately fell over. It looked casual, and his movement seemed carefree, but that one thrust was like a flash of lightning and immediately pierced the throat of the monster, killing it instantly.
But before the Hobgoblin fell on the ground, the sword was pulled back no slower than it was thrust forward, as if it had never moved.
“Have you all been washing? You all reek,”
“Kill, kill this Human!!”
“Kill!!”
“Kill him! Eat him!!”
Seeing their comrades being killed, the Goblins eyes turned red and they raised their weapons, attacking him in waves.
"You should have not come,"
Seeing this, Rain’s body immediately disappeared.
The Goblins stopped on their tracks, confused and bewildered by the sudden loss of their target. However, a moment later, bone-like spikes suddenly came out from the ground and the Goblins that were in the area were immediately slaughtered, pierced by these bone spikes from underneath.
Some were still alive, however, but now wailing and crying in pain with their limbs or abdomen pierced.
"...that's why I said, don't come to me. You just don't listen, do you?"
Rain softly landed in the ground, but with a soft tap with his toe, his body blurred and moved incredibly fast, he was immediately in front of a Goblin.
With his eyes, he could see each move the monsters made quite clearly. As soon as he had killed one Goblin in an instant, he immediately turns around, and once again jabbed at the throat of the others with minimal movement.
He was using his thin sword, and speed to its absolute limit, various kinds of attacks and defenses all appeared within his hands.
The sword in his right hand seemed to have already perfectly adapted to his palm, and the response from the sword was clear when he fired off his speedy techniques as well. It was as if the sword was a part of his arm, from the leather-wrapped hilt to the tip of its sharp, glittering blade. Absolute perfection, that was the only way to describe it!
Every stroke of his sword seemed perfect in the eyes of those watching, and every thrust cruelly stole the life of an enemy.