The change was so fast that most people, including Bloed, were unable to react.
Bloed's attention was focused completely on the four B-Rank enemies and Gerald's group. He had to be wary about their intentions, and after he saw Arnold take out an arrow, all his focus was in it.
Due to that, he failed to notice the signs of the much greater danger underground.
Fortunately, Regina was there to save him.
Bloed's face changed. Seeing the giant monster bursting out from the ground and swallowing a B-Rank as though it was nothing, he felt a chill on his spine.
He could not help but look at Regina in thanks. Regina, though, was completely focused on the monster in front of her.
It was a worm-like monster, with brown skin and spikes around his body. His mouth was filled with serrate teeth and his tail had a spear-like spike growing on it.
Only a glance was enough to know that this monster was not normal.
The monster roared. It chewed the meat on its mouth in delight without caring for the people around it.
Just the pressure it was releasing froze all the people here.
But the monster did not attack them as the group was expecting. Instead, it roared once more and burrowed into the ground.
"W-What was that…" One of the black-dressed men fighting Liu Ying stuttered.
Nobody replied. However, all the people here were pale. At this moment, nobody cared about the fight anymore.
"W-Was it an A-Rank monster?"
"I-Impossible! What is a monster like that doing here!?"
"I-Is it gone?"
Bloed frowned and focused on his senses. He could feel the ground below him trembling slightly.
"It's still here."
His voice was soft, but everybody heard it.
"H-How do you know?" Gerald asked, but Bloed ignored him. He just focused his senses on the ground.
An instant later, his expression changed.
"Liu Ying, move!"
"!!!"
Liu Ying did not hesitate. She instantly kicked the ground and jumped as high as she could. Unfortunately, the black-dressed men around her did not react as fast.
Less than one second later, a giant mouth appeared on the ground, swallowing five black-dressed men whole.
But this time, the monster did not go away like the last time. Instead, after swallowing the five men, it jumped towards Erika's group.
"Young miss!" Sara reacted instantly. She grabbed Gerald and Erika for their clothes and jumped away.
Harold did not fall behind. He reacted almost as quickly as Sara, jumping back like a frightened rabbit.
His men were not so lucky, though.
The next second, the worm swallowed the archer and the man Liu Ying had punched before.
"Little brother, Arnold!"
When Harold saw it, his expression froze, then, his eyes turned bloodshot.
"Little brother, Arnold! Arrrghhhhh!" With a roar of pain, he raised his shield and charged towards the monster.
But before he could take two steps, he felt a strong pain on his chest.
Looking down, he saw a black claw filled with blood coming out of his heart.
Behind him, a lightning cat was looking at him with blood-red eyes.
"A-Another?"
Those were his last words.
Then, the lightning cat meowed to the sky.
*Meow!!!*
That was the signal.
In an instant, tens of shadows jumped from the forest. Wolves, cats, rabbits, wild boars, tigers, and birds.
The beasts' eyes were filled with bloodthirstiness and violence. They looked at the people in the forest and roared in hunger.
They then rushed to devour them!
Bloed's eyes opened wide. He instantly realized what was happening.
"This is…"
"Master, more monsters are coming!"
Bloed's expression turned grave. "Damn it! Regina, Liu Ying, we need to get out of here!"
They nodded. Bloed then ordered Leto to return and got ready to face the horde.
*Bam bam!*
Two bullets were shot, instantly killing two monsters coming towards them. At the same time, roars of pain sounded in the forest.
Bloed could see the black-dressed men being killed. In less than five seconds, the remaining C-Rank and D-Rank black-dressed men were killed. Besides them, another B-Rank and the last member of Harold's party were killed too.
The two black-dressed men remaining were struggling with all their power, trying to escape. At the same time, Sara, Erika, and Gerald were being chased by a group of monsters.
But Bloed was not in the mood to pay attention to them. He hurriedly jumped onto Leto's back, followed by Regina and Liu Ying.
As soon as the three of them were on it, Leto kicked the ground and started to run.
However, Leto's enormous body quickly attracted the monsters' attention.
Before the group could escape the monsters' wave, an enormous sense of danger assaulted Bloed.
"Careful!" Regina cried out. She extended her hand, materializing an energy barrier around the group.
Then–
*Boom!*
A giant brown body crashed against the barrier.
Regina's expression turned solemn. Feeling the power of the monster, she was forced to use more of her strength. In an instant, her strength skyrocket from the peak of C-Rank to the peak of B-Rank!
Regina then clenched her fist and bellowed.
"Begone!"
*Boom!*
With a powerful punch, the monster was sent flying away!
Bur perhaps due to coincidence, or perhaps in purpose, the monster fell a few meters away Sara and the others.
Instantly, Gerald, Erika, and Sara's expressions turned white.
The monster roared in pain and rage. Blood flowed out of its mouth, and its body twisted on the ground.
When it detected the three humans near it, it opened its mouth to devour them.
"Damn it!"
Sara's expression changed. She hurriedly jumped away while carrying Gerald and Erika with her, evading the monster's attack by a hairbreadth.
But when she thought it was safe, she saw the spiked tail coming towards her.
'It's the end!'
That was the only thought in Sara's mind.
A second later, though, a man appeared in front of her.
"What do you think you are doing to my children!?"
With a roar of anger, the city lord raised his sword and slashed towards the monster.
...
P4TRE0N: patr-eon.com/aidnovels