TL: Etude
Fire talent was a special talent, an offensive one that could directly increase combat power. What Wind Wolf and his team feared most when hunting beasts in the wilderness was encountering such beasts with special talents. These beasts were only slightly more valuable than others, but they were far more dangerous.
"Judging by its aura, this beast still falls within the category of low-level beasts. That's good news," Wind Wolf comforted himself.
Everyone retreated, their faces tense.
"Ye Tian, you recognize this beast. How strong is its fire talent?" Wind Wolf asked.
"Sub-basic fire talent," Ye Tian replied truthfully.
"Sub-basic fire talent means that this beast's fire can double its attack power. Beasts are less intelligent than warriors and have limited attack methods. We can kill it. Those at the early warrior stage should retreat; you won't be of any help," Wind Wolf said.
Several early-stage warriors retreated far away. As Wind Wolf had said, they were too weak to be of any help and would only cause chaos.
Whoosh!
Wind Wolf took the first move, testing the waters. The Fire-Spitting Lizard attacked Wind Wolf but didn't use its fire-spitting ability, instead biting fiercely.
Boom!
Wind Wolf's knife collided with the lizard's teeth, sending the beast flying and even knocking out one of its teeth.
Ye Tian stood aside, estimating the lizard's strength. "The Fire-Spitting Lizard has about 9,000 pounds of force, and its fire attack is equivalent to 18,000 pounds. The limit for a warrior is 10,000 pounds, and with the amplification of elemental power, it can reach 20,000 pounds. Although Wind Wolf's burst attack may not reach over 20,000 pounds, it should be close enough to deal with this Fire-Spitting Lizard."
Seeing that Wind Wolf could handle the lizard, Ye Tian decided not to reveal his true strength.
"Roar!"
The Fire-Spitting Lizard, hurt by Wind Wolf, finally activated its fire talent.
Boom!
A huge fireball formed and shot towards Wind Wolf at high speed.
"Slash!"
Wind Wolf's elemental-powered knife created a blade of air that tore through the fireball and continued toward the lizard.
Bang!
The blade of air hit the lizard, injuring it again. At this point, Ye Tian and several other mid-stage warriors also attacked, and soon the Fire-Spitting Lizard was killed by their combined efforts.
"Haha, so much for a beast with a special talent!" one of the warriors couldn't help but exclaim excitedly after killing the lizard.
"Don't let your guard down; there might be more Fire-Spitting Lizards in this valley," Ye Tian warned.
Wind Wolf's face grew even graver, completely devoid of the excitement from killing the lizard. "Ye Tian is right. We encountered a Fire-Spitting Lizard as soon as we entered the valley. There might be more inside, and not just one. Damn Lin family, assigning us tasks without proper reconnaissance, even sending us to clear an area with special beasts!" Wind Wolf cursed.
But he knew that the Lin family wouldn't care about them, so their complaints were useless. They had already come this far; retreating was not an option.
"Everyone, stay alert!"
After Wind Wolf's reminder, they continued to move forward. Soon, they encountered another Fire-Spitting Lizard and killed it after a struggle. Not long after, two Fire-Spitting Lizards appeared.
This time, Wind Wolf and his team were drawn into a tough battle. After sustaining minor injuries, they managed to kill both lizards. And at this point, they were still only at the outskirts of the valley.
"It's now certain that this valley is a nest of Fire-Spitting Lizards. There must be a large number of them inside. If we continue, we'll lose many lives," Wind Wolf said, exhausted.
After several battles, his elemental power was severely depleted, and his physical strength had also waned significantly. His combat effectiveness had dropped, and killing a single Fire-Spitting Lizard alone was now impossible. To proceed in this state would be suicidal.
"Let's retreat and regroup," Wind Wolf suggested.
No one objected; they were all frightened. The team began to move out of the valley, but as they were about to leave, they found the entrance blocked by about ten Fire-Spitting Lizards.
"Damn it!" Wind Wolf despaired.
With their team's current strength, they were barely able to handle one Fire-Spitting Lizard. Facing ten would mean certain annihilation.
"Call for help!" Wind Wolf took out his emergency device, retreating while sending out distress signals.
However, despite sending numerous distress signals, there was no response.
"Damn it, there must be elite warrior-led teams within ten kilometers, but these bastards are ignoring my calls for help!" Wind Wolf fumed.
"Wind Wolf, stop calling for help. No one is coming," Ye Tian said.
"Sigh, I know, but I was still holding onto a sliver of hope. It seems I've underestimated human nature," Wind Wolf sighed in resignation.
By now, the ten Fire-Spitting Lizards had charged at them. In terms of speed, the lizards were only equivalent to mid-stage warriors. Wind Wolf, being in the late warrior stage, had a good chance of escaping if he ran. But if he did, the others would have no hope of survival. Many of them had been his subordinates for over a decade, and he couldn't abandon them.
"If Xiao Yue were here, with her archery skills, perhaps we could have had a better chance of survival," Wind Wolf thought briefly.
But he quickly dismissed the idea. Xiao Yue was very young and only at the early warrior stage. However, her archery skills were excellent, and she belonged to a major family with a bright future. That family would never allow her to participate in such a dangerous mission. And he didn't want her to face danger either, which was why he had refused her request to join. At this moment, Xiao Yue was probably being looked after by her family.
Seeing the Fire-Spitting Lizards getting closer, Wind Wolf made a decision: "I'll hold off these Fire-Spitting Lizards. You all run!"
A sense of resolve emanated from Wind Wolf, instantly affecting everyone.
"Captain, let's fight them together!" one of the warriors stepped forward.
"Yes, let's fight them!" the others agreed.
However, the last warrior who had joined them was not part of Wind Wolf's hunting team and had no sense of loyalty. He prepared to flee.
"Everyone, you fight these Fire-Spitting Lizards. I'm sorry!" he said, and then ran into the valley, planning to find a place to hide.
"Despicable!" someone cursed.
Wind Wolf ignored that warrior and turned his gaze to Ye Tian: "Brother Ye Tian, you have high talent. It would be a waste for you to die here. You should run too."
Ye Tian gave a slight smile and said, "Don't worry, we don't have to die. It's just a few Fire-Spitting Lizards."
As he spoke, an aura belonging to an elite warrior emanated from Ye Tian.
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