The surface of the swamp was vast, with human and animal bones subtly protruding from the grey mud. It looked like quite a few people and animals had died inside. There were also various ugly and bizarre plants growing in the mud. Sharp spikes grew on the branches of the plants as they swayed aimlessly in the air. It all looked quite sinister and terrifying.
The large trees around the perimeter were on the edge of the mud. When some leaves landed in the mud, they disappeared without a trace in an instant, as if a demon lurked at the bottom of the mud and swallowed everything. Waves of disgusting stench emanated from the mud, attacking the senses, causing the water mage Aphrodite and the elf Nia to furrow their brows and cover their mouths, looking quite uncomfortable.
As everyone's gaze fell on the swamp, Trunks continued, "The plants that live in the swamp are all extremely dangerous. The swamp will swallow any man or beast that ventures into it, and the stench in the deep regions also contains a slow poison that drains one's energy. The Medusa that hides in this swamp appears at will and is very difficult to deal with.
Han Shuo's gaze focused seriously on the large swamp. His brow furrowed as he listened to Trunks' explanation and privately weighed his options on how to proceed.
"We don't have the ability to fly and we will sink to the ground as soon as we enter the swamp. From what you've told us, the Medusa lives in the swamp and can hide completely beneath it. It can attack or retreat and has all the advantages. The difficulty for us to fight it inside the swamp is simply too great. Han Shuo said quietly after he'd thought about it for a moment.
Glancing at Han Shuo, Trunks said, "The Medusa's strength increases greatly inside the swamp. Even the Manticore, a first-class magical creature, would be helpless against it. We don't have the ability to fly and we won't be able to hurt it very much, but if the Medusa comes out of the swamp, I think all of us together will be able to triumph over the Medusa, but according to my knowledge of the Medusa, it won't leave the swamp easily.
"Is there anything that has a higher chance of attracting the Medusa?" Han Shuo asked.
Shaking his head, Trunks said, "I don't know. The Medusa can emit a wonderful sound, and that sound has the power to attract humans and beasts. It will suddenly attack as soon as humans or beasts approach the swamp, drawing in its prey. So the Medusa is not afraid of not having enough food. I don't know what else it needs.
After a moment of silence, Han Shuo suddenly smiled, "Since that is the case, we can only use the most foolish method. . We'll stand guard here and kill its prey as soon as the Medusa makes a sound to lure in its prey. I think it won't be able to resist its hunger after a few notices that no prey has approached, and it will leave the swamp. We'll make our move together and kill it then."
"Yes, even though this method is stupid, there's no other way. My Manticore and I aren't afraid of the Medusa as long as it leaves the swamp. If we add all of you to the mix, I don't think it will be possible for her to escape death."
"Good, then let's make our preparations."
Several traps and simple fences were set up around the swamp, and it was only when they began that everyone realised how all-encompassing this task was. The swamp was quite large, and it would be difficult and exhausting to completely defend it from all sides. The group spent a great deal of time before tiringly finishing their preparations.
After a night's rest, everyone's ears were plugged the next morning as they took up positions around the perimeter that had been discussed beforehand. The swamp was too vast an area. Even with eight humans and a manticore split up, they were still spread a bit thin. Han Shuo also released his three original demons and used them to patrol the area around the swamp, constantly monitoring the situation.
The group waited with full attention for quite a while on the first day, but they didn't spot the Medusa hunting prey. As Trunks had mentioned, the Medusa hunt was enough to feed it for more than ten days. The group had no way of knowing when it had last hunted, so all they could do was wait with this brute force method.
The Medusa didn't hunt again on the second day, and Han Shuo's original demons discovered that at dusk on the third day, some of the mud in the swamp had suddenly risen, revealing the shape of the Medusa inside.
As her name suggests, the Medusa's many strands of hair were made up of live snakes. These snakes were incomparably long and extended like tentacles in all directions of the swamp. Medusa's features were indeed those of a beautiful woman. Her slender eyebrows and cherry lips were quite beautiful, but her mouth opened to reveal rows of sinister fangs. Her slightly exposed lower body was that of a serpent. An ugly brown stained its tough and thick skin, forming an indefinable, bizarre contrast to its striking face.
Although rows of sinister fangs protruded from its open mouth, the Medusa emitted an elegant and desolate sound of temptation. Han Shuo and the others had long since covered their ears, but could still faintly hear the sounds. They all felt their hearts tremble, as if they'd experienced a mysterious attraction and had the desire to investigate its source.
It was good that they could only hear a little, and that they had the benefit of Trunks' repeated reminders earlier in the morning. That way, they kept their heads and didn't walk towards the swamp, keeping a firm watch where they were, their eyes constantly scanning in all directions, alert to any movement around them.
Slowly, the sounds of small magical creatures, attracted to the previously quiet swamp, reached them. They were happily trotting along as they involuntarily travelled towards the swamp. A few larger magical creatures also approached from a distance.
Han Shuo and Trunks looked at each other, temporarily not activating the traps they had prepared earlier. The magical creatures that appeared didn't have much destructive power, so there was no need to use the traps. Everyone split up and carefully avoided the obstacles of the traps, making their moves mercilessly and starting to hunt down the smaller magical creatures that were slowly approaching.
It seemed that Trunks' injuries had healed well. His efficiency was the highest of all, and it was as if his body was another dangerous magical creature as he stomped through the trees and bushes, bringing waves of blood with him. In no time at all, he had wiped out the magical creatures that had approached him first.
With the help of the Demonslayer's Edge, Han Shuo's speed was slower than the trunks, but he was still much faster than the others. The Demonslayer's Edge was like a magical machine, harvesting life as it spun, easily slaughtering level five and six magical creatures.
After taking care of the lower level magical creatures in their area, Han Shuo and Trunks went to another area and helped the others deal with the fast approaching magical creatures. After a short time, the twenty or so small magical creatures that had approached had all been wiped out by the group. The value of these small, low-level magical creatures was too low, so Han Shuo didn't even make a move to collect the loot.
In this brief lull, Han Shuo pulled out the soft cloth that was covering his ears and stood where he was with a grave expression on his face. This startled Trunks who was standing next to him as he made several hand gestures at Han Shuo.
The elegant and desolate cries seemed to be a lover murmuring softly near his ears, giving one the uncontrollable urge to go to her gentle embrace and entwine himself with her, expressing the agonies of longing. This strange temptation instantly penetrated Han Shuo's mind, creating illusions for him as if it was Fanny calling to him again and again in the marsh behind him. This caused him to uncontrollably lift his feet and stride towards the swamp behind him.
However, he hadn't taken more than a few steps after lifting his feet before the thoughts in Han Shuo's mind began to stir slightly. As a result, an indomitable will instantly stopped Han Shuo where he stood. His body remained motionless where he was as he fought off the onslaught of temptation with unyielding will.
After training his magical yuan for such a long time, Han Shuo had full confidence in his willpower. Magic and combat aura were of no use against the temptation of Medusa's voice, the only thing that could counter it was stubborn and tenacious willpower. It was precisely because Han Shuo felt that his current self would be able to withstand her that he'd decided to abandon the cover of the soft cloth. He was trying to see if the lure of the Medusa could shake his indomitable will.
The final result showed that after such a long period of training his magical yuan, he had indeed developed an inhumanly strong will. The tempting screams proved to be tempting at first, but slowly began to lose their effect until Han Shuo was no longer affected.
The steps he'd begun to take backwards moved forward again with determination, the expression on his face carefree and natural. Clearly, he was no longer suffering from the temptation of the hypnotic voice. Trunks had watched in amazement from afar as he watched Han Shuo struggle with some difficulty at first and then handle things with ease at the end. He raised his thumb from afar, acknowledging Han Shuo's stubborn willpower.
Five to six level three and four magical creatures once again appeared in everyone's line of sight. There were also two Frost Eagles circling overhead. Han Shuo, Trunks, and the others glanced at each other in surprise and caution, focusing all their concentration on the lowly circling frost eagles.
The frost eagles had obviously been affected by the Medusa and looked as if they were about to roost in the swamp. Otherwise they wouldn't be flying so low. Grasping the crossbow in his hands, Han Shuo aimed at the outstretched throat of one of the frost eagles and a precise bolt ripped through the air.
At the same time, Nia and the other two mages made their moves, aiming for the other frost eagle. The frost eagles were quite large, and the Medusa wouldn't come out for at least five or six days if they fell into the swamp. All their efforts would be wasted, so the group could not let the Frost Eagle land in the swamp.
The enchanted Frost Eagle's alertness was obviously not what it usually was. Han Shuo's bolt pierced its neck and shot it down from the sky. On the other side, the attacks of Nia and the other two mages were somewhat weak due to the distance. Several of Nia's arrows stuck in the frost eagle's body, but they didn't seem to do much damage.
When Han Shuo saw the injured Frost Eagle fly over their heads and head towards the swamp, he became a bit worried. The already fired crossbow needed some time to reload a bolt and get it operational again. He would never make it in time. Just as he was about to take out the Demonslayer's Edge, Trunks suddenly threw out a short sword imbued with Trunks' fighting aura, into the Frost Eagle's lower spine.
The speed of the Frost Eagle's flapping wings slowed considerably under the heavy damage from the short sword. It began to slowly descend as the manticore flashed out from the distance like lightning, suddenly appearing in front of the frost eagle and slashing with its incomparably powerful claws, tearing the frost eagle's neck apart.
The magical creatures on the ground were all wiped out by the efforts of the traps and the three swordsmen. Just as everyone was breathing a sigh of relief, an elf maiden suddenly appeared in the distance. The elf maiden's beauty was pure and unadorned. She was dressed in luxurious clothes as she quickly approached Han Shuo's direction with a blank expression on her face.
Horror gripped him as Han Shuo immediately shot out and blocked the approaching footsteps of the elf. He opened his mouth to say, "Stop, hurry up and stop!"
It was a pity that the mesmerised maid had obviously temporarily lost her senses and completely ignored Han Shuo's words as she continued to walk towards the swamp.
"Not everyone has the same willpower as you. Stop trying to convince her and just grab her!" Trunks couldn't help but roar when he saw the elf approaching the swamp step by step and Han Shuo still trying to persuade her.
Han Shuo blinked and finally reached out with lightning speed when he saw the elf getting closer to the swamp, wrapping her in his arms and dragging her away from the edge of the swamp, ignoring her struggles.
"Brother... brother!" The female elf kept screaming and struggling in Han Shuo's arms. When she realised that she couldn't break free, her small fists began to strike Han Shuo's chest violently as she cried out desperately, "Brother!
This level of attack on Han Shuo's chest was neither painful nor ticklish. He held the elf tightly as he walked further away from the swamp. The elegant voice of the Medusa became more and more hurried, but no more humans or beasts appeared in the area.
After a short while, the Medusa finally stopped listlessly, and her body, hidden in the swamp, slowly revealed itself.