Not good.
It turned out there was another shaman, along with several brutes, stationed just outside the village. And that shaman had gone after Michelle.
Through the edge of my vision, I caught a glimpse of her. She was entangled in thick, writhing vines that had coiled around her legs and torso, hoisting her upside down into the air. Her bow dangled uselessly from one hand, and she struggled to reach for the dagger at her waist.
The second shaman stood at a distance, seemingly laughing at Michelle as its staff pulsed with a sickly green glow. It was clearly channeling a spell—sothing more dangerous than simple entanglent. The vines around Michelle were tightening, constricting her movents even more and making her unable to break free. If I didn’t act fast, she’d be immobilized or worse.
“Hang on, girlie!” Boris shouted, having spotted the situation as well.
Unfortunately, he was still locked in combat, surrounded by a group of enemies. Several of the brutes seed to be intentionally keeping him pinned down, preventing him from moving to assist.
“Tch…!” I clicked my tongue, imdiately breaking off my attack on the first shaman. I couldn’t afford to let Michelle be taken out of the fight this early in the scenario.
I pivoted on my heel, redirecting my montum as I rushed to get to her. However, just as I moved, two brutes stationed near the altar stepped into my path, blocking the way. Their tall fras lood before , refusing to let through. At the sa ti, the nearby shaman began chanting, conjuring vines from the earth in an attempt to entangle .
These creatures are smarter than I gave them credit for… If I don’t act fast and drastically enough, I won’t make it to her in ti! Nevertheless, I didn’t want to resort to using Fabled Vessel just yet. So instead, I poured forty of my free attribute points directly into Dexterity.
Dexterity: 64 → 104
Maximillian Anderson Lv. 17/40 (EXP 266/720)
Rank: Bet [2]
Patron God: Istellia (Goddess of Imagination)
Class: Paradox Incarnate
Title: Foul Play (2)
Status: Normal
Strength: 82 10 | Dexterity: 104 12 | Stamina: 62 5
Mind: 49 | Magic Power: 45 | Luck: 54
Plausibility: 204
Free Attributes: 125
Signature Skill(s): [@!$# Creation], [Fabled Vessel], [Grant Plausibility], [Scenario Manipulation]
Skill(s): [Basic Alchemy Lv.4], [Basic Hand-to-Hand Combat Lv.3], [Basic Shield Mastery Lv.3], [Basic Spearmanship Lv.10], [Basic Swordsmanship Lv.10], [Desperate Willpower Lv.5], [Fast Reading Lv.2], [Heavy Slash Lv.2], [Heavy Stab Lv.2], [Inventory], [Mana Sense Lv.1], [ntal Tolerance Lv.4], [Negotiation Lv.4], [Night Vision], [Pain Tolerance Lv.4], [Projectile Defense Lv.1], [Predator’s Step Lv.1], [Wind Rush Lv.2]
In an instant, I felt the change—my body grew lighter, faster, as if the weight of gravity had lessened. My legs felt like they were made of feathers. Without hesitation, I activated Wind Rush. My form blurred, and I sidestepped the two brutes with explosive speed, easily twice as fast as I had ever moved while using the skill before. I was so fast that they couldn’t even react.
Predator’s Step seed to have kicked in as well, propelling through the chaos in swift, unpredictable strides. Enemies turned to follow, but they were too slow. Dodging through the thick of the battlefield, I angled myself toward Michelle’s position with everything I had.
There were still plenty of the smaller, tree-like monsters in my path, but I cut them down without slowing my stride. Each one died with a swing of my sword.
You have hunted [Grovedweller Sprout Lv.19].
You have gained 190 EXP.
You have hunted [Grovedweller Sprout Lv.17].
You have gained 170 EXP.
You have hunted [Grovedweller Sprout Lv.18].
You have gained 180 EXP.
You have leveled up.
“Hold on!” I shouted as I was about ten ters away from her.
The second shaman noticed approaching and raised its staff higher, casting a spell at . Although I was prepared, it wasn’t vines this ti. A thick, noxious green mist burst from the staff’s tip and spread across the field between us. It expanded rapidly, blanketing the whole area with a poison cloud, making unable to get any closer without risking inhaling the poisonous air.
I skidded to a halt just before the edge of the mist. Crap… I don’t have any resistance skills against poison. At this concentration, even a few seconds inside could cripple , if not outright kill .
The shaman cackled from behind the veil, clearly thinking it had successfully stalled as it turned to Michelle.
Fortunately, I had prepared for a situation like this. I pulled out an antidote vial I’d purchased before entering the scenario from my inventory, popped the cap, and placed it between my lips. As the bitter liquid slid down my throat, I felt a slight tingling sensation spread through my body.
Without wasting a second, I activated Wind Rush and charged straight into the poisonous mist. The air was thick and foul, the stench burning my nose and eyes. I could feel the toxins clawing at every pore, trying to seep into my system, but the antidote worked fast, counteracting the effects before they could take hold. I burst through the other side of the mist in an instant, covering the ten-ter gap like it was nothing.
The shaman’s eyes widened in surprise. But before I could reach it, the two brutes that were keeping an eye on Boris stepped into my path, intercepting .
With a roar, I hurled my sword forward mid-run, aiming it like a javelin. The blade spun through the air and struck the shaman’s arm, knocking the staff off course. The spell fizzled out instantly, and the vines lost their grip. Michelle dropped to the ground with practiced ease, landing in a roll before springing to her feet—finally free.
Subsequently, Michelle fired three arrows simultaneously at the shaman. All three found their mark—one pierced the shaman’s head, the second struck its chest, and the third embedded itself deep in its thigh. The creature staggered back, gave a strangled cry, and collapsed in a heap.
“Nice,” I said, turning my attention to the two brutes blocking my path.
The poison mist didn’t imdiately disperse despite the shaman having been killed, but that didn’t stop . I drew the steel spear from my inventory and lunged at the first brute. With my enhanced speed, I managed to slip past its swinging arm and drive the spear into its side with Heavy Stab.
“GRRUUHH!” it roared and tried to retaliate, but I ducked under the follow-up swing and twisted the spear sharply, wrenching it free in a spray of thick, greenish blood. The second brute charged in next, swinging its massive fists like clubs.
I backstepped just as it slamd the ground where I’d been standing. The impact cracked the earth and kicked up dirt, but I was already circling around. From behind, Michelle fired another arrow—this ti striking the brute square in the back of the knee, causing it to collapse onto one knee.
Seizing the opening, I leapt in and drove the spear into its exposed throat. The creature thrashed once, then collapsed backward with a heavy crash.
You have hunted [Grovedweller Brute Lv.40].
You have gained 500 EXP.
The injured first brute tried to pounce at to avenge its kin. However, I t it head-on and ended it with a clean slash across the neck before it fell to the ground.
You have hunted [Grovedweller Brute Lv.41].
You have gained 510 EXP.
You have leveled up.
With that, the last of the resistance near the poison mist was gone.
“Phew. That was way too close,” I muttered, letting out a breath. My limbs felt heavier, fatigue creeping in. Repeated skill use had drained both my stamina and ntal strength.
As the toxic mist began to thin, Michelle rushed to my side.
“Thank you for the help, Maxim,” she said, bowing her head in genuine gratitude. “You saved there.”
“Let’s save the pleasantries for later,” I replied, scanning the battlefield. “There are still enemies left.”
Even though I said that, the remaining enemies were all swarming Boris, who was rampaging like a total beast. He was truly an unstoppable tank, as no matter how many monsters tried to land a blow, they could only scrape harmlessly against his hardened skin. Furthermore, each of his punches killed a monster. One’s skull was crushed with a sickening crack, another’s chest caved in completely as it was sent flying across the clearing.
It was a massacre.
Michelle and I took a mont to catch our breath, quietly watching Boris in action.
“…Should we help him?” Michelle asked half-jokingly as she nocked another arrow.
“I think we’d just get in his way,” I replied, putting back my spear into my inventory and picking up the sword that I’d thrown earlier from the ground. “Instead, focus on picking off any stragglers. I’ll head to the center of the village to check for any hidden enemies.”
She nodded and imdiately got to work. On the other hand, I made my way to the center of the village, where the largest totem stood. As before, I reached out and touched its surface, absorbing the accumulated faith within.
You have absorbed the power of faith contained in the totem.
You have gained 112 Plausibility.
The beat of divine energy faded, and the totem went still—its connection to whatever force it once served now severed.
Soon, the fight ended as Boris let out a triumphant roar and grabbed two of the remaining creatures and smashed their heads together in a brutal collision. The clearing finally fell silent, and the corrupted forest creatures lay scattered in pieces around him, dissolving into dark motes of mana.
Destroy 2 monster settlents. (2/2)
You may now exit the scenario.
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