The air reeked of sulfur and blood as the battle raged. Each knight fought with unwavering resolve, their movements a mix of discipline and desperation. When the final monster fell, silence swept over the plain. The knights, battered but victorious, raised their weapons high, their triumph a testament to their unyielding strength.
The monsters approached quickly. A fiery fervor spread among the knights as they watched the hero carve his way through the chaos. The first wave of monsters was stopped by the shields, then impaled by the spears of the second row. The extermination had begun.
As a knight, Gedrick had received proper military training. It was therefore not surprising that he could keep up with the hero when facing these low-level monsters.
Given their lack of intelligence, they posed little threat unless an unfortunate accident occurred. Their greatest asset was their numbers. If their leader were present, they could become much more troublesome. But even in these circumstances, their commander had to be hiding.
Statut: Happy, Admiring
"This bastard has impressive skills for his age…" thought the hero as he glanced at Gedrick.
"He could have served as a living shield in the future. It's almost a shame to get rid of him now."
Gedrick felt Chreíos' gaze on him.
His eyes gleamed with anticipation as he cut down monsters that the hero had not reached.
"Sir Hero, we've reached the rocky zone. It'll be harder to fight under these conditions. What's your plan?"
"The plan remains unchanged: kill the leader. This area is full of caves—I suspect he's hiding in one of them. While the others deal with the monster waves, we'll take him out quickly."
In the rocky area, even the monsters were at a disadvantage.
They could no longer attack in large numbers. Gedrick and Chreíos cut through the goblins, leaving an increasing number of corpses in their wake.
"Understood," Gedrick replied as he eliminated the goblins attempting a rear attack.
"I think I've figured out what kind of creature we're dealing with. We're mainly being attacked by orcs, goblins, zombies, and skeletons. This points to an orc shaman as the leader. I deduce this from the presence of negative energy."
When it came to the undead, necromancy, or anything that defied the natural order of life, negative energy was always involved. Given the monsters—goblins, orcs, and skeletons—it was clear that a shaman versed in dark arts was responsible.
Some goblins, perched on higher ground, hurled rocks and arrows at Gedrick and Chreíos. But these rudimentary projectiles, lacking magical enhancements, were useless against them. Using his magic, Chreíos unleashed a fire slash, sending flames slicing through the air and consuming his enemies.
"No matter how intelligent this creature is, it's still a vile beast. A hikikomori will always hide in its room as long as it has everything it needs there," Chreíos remarked.
For a moment, Chreíos appeared lost in thought, but nothing significant happened.
"Hikikomori?" asked Gedrick.
"Forget it. I'm feeling unusually chatty today… Let's go!"
The hero followed the trail of negative energy, certain it would lead them to the shaman.
"Hero, I found a cave with a totem at the entrance!"
"Bingo. We've got him."
They had just found the location they were looking for. This place met all the conditions. Moreover, they could feel that something unnatural was emanating from it.
Gedrick Maxwell's Status
Name: Gedrick Maxwell
Race: Human
Age: 20 Class: Knight
Level: 25 Mana: E (19/20)
Strength: B (13/20)
Skills: Military Swordsmanship, Intention, Mana, Resourcefulness, Resistance to Intention.
Gedrick and Chreios entered the cave.
Naturally, there were a few monsters near the entrance, but they posed no threat to the great hero and a trained knight.
It was slightly dark inside, but that didn't bother Chreíos, who could see as clearly as if it were daylight.
"It's a bit dim—hard to tell where the enemies might come from."
The hero already knew they were surrounded. The enemies were only five meters away, while Gedrick's visibility was limited to two meters. Yet, Chreíos refrained from telling Gedrick that they were encircled.
Suddenly, footsteps burst from the darkness, prompting Gedrick to cast a basic spell.
"Flame."
The spell's purpose was to generate light.
"Damn!" Gedrick, startled, overreacted. His flame wavered and extinguished, revealing their position. Not that it mattered—these creatures of darkness hardly needed light to locate their prey. Embarrassed, Gedrick quickly apologized for his clumsiness.
"Sorry! Let me handle them so you can conserve your strength for the orc shaman."
"I'll leave the vanguard to you. I'll provide support until we find the shaman."
The orc shaman, deep within the cave, watched the hero as the hero observed him.
As time passed, Gedrick faced the horde tirelessly, while the hero casually finished off only the dying orcs. Eventually, the orc shaman rose from his throne of bones to join the fray. After all, his horde had been defeated.
Condition: Tired, Admiring, Happy
Gedrick's strength had diminished significantly due to fatigue, but Chreíos checked their opponent's stats next.
Condition: Admiring, Irritated, Confused
Gedrick's senses remained sharp. He had felt the overwhelming presence of something sinister lurking in the shadows upon entering the cave. What was once a vague unease now revealed itself as a tangible menace.
"There he is—the one leading this horde, the orc shaman."
Orcs were a warrior species, and it was unusual to see a shaman among them—especially one of this level, Gedrick thought.
"Proud human warriors, as a shaman and necromancer, I am the disgrace of my race. Yet you, valiant warriors, who have bested my troops, I shall fight you and prove that my path was the right one."
The shaman seemed to carry a story of his own.
"What's he talking about?" Gedrick asked, pointing his blade at the shaman.
Negative energy spreads.
You have resisted.
Gedrick spat blood as the negative energy coursed through his body. Prolonged exposure would eventually kill him. Chreíos pulled a ring out of nowhere and slipped it on.
You equipped the Ring of Sylvion.
You are now immune.
Though already resistant to negative energy, the ring rendered Chreíos completely immune. However, Gedrick was not as fortunate. Still, he stood firm, ready to fight, though the corruption had begun to take its toll. Negative energy was a poison to the living.
Gu spreads killing intent.
You have resisted.
Thanks to his mastery and resistance, Gedrick withstood the overwhelming intent. Lesser individuals would have succumbed to fear, panic, or even madness.
"You're still standing. You have the qualifications to face me. Come forth!"
Gedrick's face twisted in fury. He found the shaman's words insulting.
"How dare a mere subspecies speak of qualifications, especially to us—no, to the hero! Such insolence!"
He charged at the orc shaman, moving faster than his opponent. Gu barely blocked the strike with a summoned bone, which shattered instantly. Gedrick's position wavered slightly, and the shaman conjured a bone club, swinging it toward him. But before the blow landed, Gu instinctively stepped back.
"What...?" The orc shaman was perplexed.
"Ah, Gedrick, please be more careful, will you? This experiment nearly went to waste."
Confused, Gedrick apologized immediately, realizing his recklessness in his weakening state.
"But it doesn't matter—you'll die anyway."
Stunned by the hero's words, Gedrick asked, "What do you mean, hero?"
"Tch. You remind me of my father, who despised repeating himself. Now you've made me think of useless things," Chreíos muttered.
"You… you want me dead?"
"..."
"Why?"
The orc shaman silently observed their exchange.
"Well, since you'll die anyway, I might as well tell you. You married a stunning woman, and I plan to have some fun with her—her body, her emotions, her mind, and her life."
Gedrick, horrified and confused, felt despair creeping in.
"And you, Gu…"
"Gu?" For a moment, the orc shaman forgot his own name amidst his confusion.
"How dare you try to kill my walking stockpile of experience points?"
"Experience… points?"
"Yes, experience points. Now, let me show you something. Earlier, you used intent, didn't you? But you're doing it all wrong. Watch and learn."
Chreíos released a deadly wave of killing intent. Gedrick, already weakened by corruption, succumbed instantly.
You killed a human corrupted by negative energy. EXP +25
Gedrick's corrupted state made him vulnerable, and the shock of Chreíos's intent-induced mental collapse led to his death.
"Are you truly a hero?"
"Still, I should thank you, Gu. Gedrick's corruption made him a budding monster. I just saved us from another threat."
"What…?" The orc shaman was stunned.
"Now, let me ask you something. Why do you think I'm telling you all this?"
"Because you think I'm going to die, perhaps? How fascinating. You humans are truly intriguing. I think I'd rather kill myself!"