"Fine... Let's help this group of troublemakers."
"Thank you, Vier-chan."
"Mhm!... Let's beat the scary bug together."
...Besides, I won't be able to figure out what this odd feeling is if those three Adventurers died...
That was Vier's thought as the Dwarf Cat-eared Elf think of a plan to help the unknown group of Adventurers.
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"Damnit! This bastard is toying with us."
One of the Swordmasters screamed in rage as he realized that the Blade Reaper Monster was toying with their group like how a mantis insect plays with its prey.
"Just stay focused and don't let your guard down."
The other Swordmaster tries his best to maintain the morale of the group while the last member of their group is still doing her best to protect her friends with her Prism Shield skill while waiting for an opening to cast her Magic skill that will turn the tide of battle.
...If only there was someone who would distract the attention of the Blade Reaper Monster away from her and her friends...
With a grim look in her eyes, as the thought that this might be the end of their adventures came through her mind...
...BANG!...
...A familiar explosive sound echoes from a distance.
A sound that not only attracted the attention of the Blade Reaper Monster but also answered her wish for help.
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Vier came out from where the Dwarf Cat-eared Elf was hiding at a 20-meter distance behind the Blade Reaper Monster.
...BANG!...
Using her Magic Item Shotgun, Vier fired a shot of her Iron Bullets that hit the Blade Reaper Monster's head. It didn't deal much damage, but it did attract the attention of the monster.
...Yep, it's totally pissed off...
That was Vier's thought as she saw the Blade Reaper Monster slowly turn its head towards her direction.
...SCREECHHH!...
...Bang!...Bang!...
As the Blade Reaper Monster charged towards her location, Vier continues firing her Shotgun, hitting the head of the monster again and again for its attention to only be focused on her and, at the same time, to continue pissing it off.
It only takes the Blade Reaper Monster a few seconds to reach Vier as its blade scythes aim to cut Vier into pieces. Yet Vier stands in front of the monster full of confidence.
After all, Vier knows that the monster's blade scythes will never reach her.
"Fortress!..."
As the Blade Reaper Monster reaches Vier, Mifumi comes out from where she's hiding and runs towards Vier to cast her Land Attribute Magic skill to protect both of them.
Six layers of translucent spherical Magic Barrier formed around Vier and Mifumi that managed to stop the Blade Reaper Monster's blade scythes and save their lives.
With Mifumi's Fortress skill successfully withstanding the attack of the Rank 4 monster, Vier shouts to get the attention of the Sorceress.
"Do what you need to do now!"
Understanding what it means, the Sorceress seized the opportunity given to her by the person who answered her wish.
The Sorceress stores her Sorceress Staff back to the Storage skill of her Storage Bracelet. Then she release a Monster Core and prepare herself to use the Magic skill contained in it.
"Gravity Field!... Arghhh!..."
The force of gravity restrained the Blade Reaper Monster while the Sorceress who cast the Gravity Field skill screamed in pain.
...Karna!!...
Seeing their friend in pain, the two Swordmasters try to move towards the Sorceress.
"You, idiots! Hurry up finish this monster!"
"Felin-chan!"
But Vier told the two Swordmasters to continue fighting as Mifumi gave the signal for Felin to come out from where she was hiding.
Vier and Mifumi understand what is happening with the Sorceress. Both of them know the reason behind her scream of pain.
Sorceresss like Mifumi can use the ability to control Magic Attributes along with the Magic skill using Monster Cores. A marble gem that can be found inside the body of monsters.
That marble gem is the same reason why monsters can control Magic Attributes and use the skills as well.
In simple terms, Monster Core is a Dungeon Artifact designed to be used by monsters, not by any other humanoid being.
It would be common sense that humans wouldn't be able to use Monster Cores without any consequences. That's why Monster Cores should be equipped to Magic Items like the Sorceress Staff and Storage Bracelet for humans to safely use in casting Magic.
Because if they used the Monster Core directly without any Magic Item they will suffer from the consequence.
The Sorceress screams in pain as she feels like her body is being torn apart. Bleeding wounds appeared all over her body as her clothes and robe got stained by her blood. Yet the Sorceress held tightly to the Monster Core and looked at the Blade Reaper Monster with the determination in her eyes to restrain the monster to the last of her strength.
"Sword Art Flame Form - Scorching Blade!"
"Sword Art - Sonic Blade!"
"Lightning Beast Form - Lightning Strike!"
"Puro-III... Revolver!..."
Seeing the sacrifice of the Sorceress, the Swordmasters move to finish the monster and end the suffering of their friend. Felin moves as well to defeat the monster. While Vier, using her Magic Item Revolver, shot the head of the Blade Reaper Monster with her Venom Bullets.
...SCREECHHH!...
The Blade Reaper Monster, unable to move from where it was standing, screamed in pain as the wound cut by the Scorching Blade burn deep within, as two of its limbs got cut by the Sonic Blade, as the lightning and thunder exploded burning its body to cinder, and as the venom of the bullet slowly kill its body from within.
But even with all of those injuries, the Blade Reaper Monster remains standing. And with the last of its strength, the monster cast its Magic skill to retaliate to the enemy standing in front of it.
...SCREECCHHH!...
Gust of wind started to revolve around the Blade Reaper Monster. And everyone, the two Swordmasters, Felin, even Vier and Mifumi who are inside the Fortress skill Magic Barrier, was thrown away as the gust of revolving wind hit them.
"Be careful, everyone! It's using the Whirlwind skill!"
Mifumi, who have the same Wind Magic skill, warns everyone of the wind blade attack that is about to come.
But the wind blades that they're expecting never came.
As the gust of wind revolving around the monster settles down, they all see the lifeless body of the Blade Reaper Monster. Full of the wounds and injury they have caused, yet still standing proud even after its death.
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...It feels like we didn't defeat it at all...
That's their thought as the Dwarf Cat-eared Elf and the unknown group of three Adventurers gather around after the Blade Reaper Monster falls to the ground.
"Thank you for helping us, everyone. We won't be alive if your group didn't lend us a hand."
"I'm sorry for dragging that monster all the way here. It won't leave us no matter how much we run away."
"Tsk!... We would have been fine even if you didn't help us."
The unknown group of Adventurers introduces themselves as the Bronze Rank Adventurers Party Neo Heroes.
Karna, the Sorceress with long deep-red colored hair, sincerely thanks the Dwarf Cat-eared Elf while at the same time, look at Vier with a fond smile.
Slain, the leader of the group, and the Swordmaster with red-colored hair apologize for the trouble they have caused and also look at Vier with a smile.
Renxa, the Swordmaster with black-colored hair and the one that uses a Flame Attribute Magic Sword said that repulsive remark while looking at Vier with irritation on his face.
The three Adventurers are all 17 years old, as the Dwarf Cat-eared Elf could guess. And it's probably their real age since none of them is Demi-Human or Half-Race.
Although, that is not important to them. Especially to Vier. After all, they all find the Neo Heroes' reaction towards Vier to be strange. Yet they decided to put that aside along with the odd feeling that Vier is still feeling from the three members of the Neo Heroes.
While Karna is recovering from her injuries using the Regeneration skill of the Monster Core of her Magic Item Necklace, the Dwarf Cat-eared Elf along with Slain dismantle the remnants of the Rank 4 Blade Reaper Monster. While Renxa, refusing to go near Vier, stay on the lookout for any monster around them.
After sharing the loot from the Blade Reaper Monster, the Monster Core for the Neo Heroes, and the two blade scythes for the Dwarf Cat-eared Elf, both groups decide to keep moving separately towards the Soldiers Outpost Town.
But before they could leave, Felin once again sensed another group heading towards their location.
"Don't tell me it's another group of troublemakers dragging monsters behind them?"
...We're really sorry about that...
Hearing Vier's unthoughtful remark, Slain and Karna once again apologize for the trouble they put themselves into.
"Mhm... I don't hear any monster, Vier."
"It's probably just a group of Adventurers hurrying towards the Soldiers Outpost Town."
At Felin and Mifumi's remark, both groups decide to wait for whatever is heading their way.
After a few seconds, two unfamiliar Adventurers came out running from behind the trees 30 meters away from their group.
"Gahhhh!... Please help!..."
"Huff!... Huff!... There's a monster... Huh?..."
When the two Adventurers saw their group, one of them started acting strange.
"Hahaha!... We did it!... We ran away headed to the right place! Now that monster won't chase us anymore!"
"What are you saying? Let's run away! There's no assurance that the monster will do his job!"
"It will do its job! Because that monster is the natural predator of that Beast-kin brat!"
...What?!!!...
The Dwarf Cat-eared Elf, along with the Neo Heroes, got anxious hearing that remark. After all, those two Adventurers might be talking about a certain monster and they are obviously talking about Felin.
"You, Mister! What do you mean by that?!"
Vier raised her voice to question the two Adventurers, but they didn't even bother to answer her inquiry, much less look at her.
"Hahaha!... We finally finished our job. Now we can leave this place!"
"Let's run away before..."
...RARWWW!!!...
...CRUNCH!...
"Gahhhh!!!..."
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"No way. That monster. Why is that monster here? What's a Rank 6 Black Weretiger Monster doing here?"
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PuroShark Writer's Note.
Here's a picture of what the members of the Neo Heroes look like. Look at the comment.