Chapter 4: Mushroom Static
All members of the group stood close to each other as they felt the heavy atmosphere around them. The mushroom had nearly succumbed to their attacks when they were right at its doorstep. But they weren't done yet. The boy with level-three shield protection boosted his teammates' confidence when he addressed the group.
"We've got this. The group stands ready to permanently destroy this enemy."
His companions responded with firm hand movements as they held onto their weapons more tightly. The boy with the helmet adjusted his headgear, and the girl with glasses checked behind her as she maintained surveillance. They were ready.
The young boy holding the shield explained that they needed teamwork to succeed. "Even though the target proved stronger than expected, we have numerical superiority on our side."
The mushroom detected their advancing presence while its body retained marks from its previous combat. The tiny mushroom hidden in the undergrowth experienced a rare surge of anger, which it had not felt during its long existence.
It was time to fight back.
A quick burst of movement propelled the mushroom toward the group as its small body launched itself forward at missile speed. The shield bearer noticed the incoming attack and lifted his shield at the perfect moment to defend himself.
Bam! The mushroom struck the shield, which forced the chubby boy to stumble backward while his feet slipped on the ground. The shield emitted a crackling sound as the impact struck it, causing its protective abilities to decrease rapidly. The boy used every ounce of strength to defend himself, but the shield eventually broke.
He gasped, then called out to his friends, "Form a defensive formation!"
The boy with glasses and the girl positioned themselves on opposite sides to shield their teammate, who was wounded. But the mushroom wasn't done. The mushroom moved backward to gain more power for its next attack.
The boy wearing the helmet acted fast to grab a stone while his expression became determined. He threw the stone at the mushroom without any delay.
🌈
Thwack! The rock accurately struck the mushroom's cap, leading to its collapse. The mushroom experienced painful sensations as the attack struck it.
[-4 HP]
But the mushroom didn't flinch. The tiny body of the mushroom showed its anger through its bristling fury as rage built inside. The mushroom refused to surrender without a fight.
The boy with glasses, together with the girl, prepared their stones for battle. The previous battle taught them that a barrage was the only effective method to keep the mushroom at bay. The two players coordinated their attack by throwing stones at the mushroom together.
Thwack! Thwack! Thwack!
Each stone succeeded in hitting the mushroom's fragile structure. The mushroom experienced every impact as its health points gradually decreased.
[-2 HP]
[-2 HP]
[-2 HP]
The mushroom lost its footing and could not escape the way it had previously. The mushroom weakened because its attack function needed time to recharge. But it wasn't finished.
A desperate noise escaped its lips as it pushed forward again. The chubby boy lifted his shield to block the incoming mushroom attack. The shield barely managed to block the hit, which knocked the boy down with a pale face due to exhaustion.
The boy with glasses understood the situation and sprinted toward the mushroom with his sword extended. "This ends now!"
He struck the mushroom with accurate swings, targeting its head.
After multiple hits, the mushroom lost its balance and could not escape the next strike. The sword blade touched the mushroom's cap, causing intense pain to travel throughout its small form. It screamed in agony.
[-5 HP]
The pain was unbearable. The mushroom's health decreased while its body movements became slow and uncoordinated. But it refused to back down. The mushroom refused to surrender to these children in such a manner.
âš¡
Under constant attack, the mushroom started to experience violent tremors throughout its entire body. The pain was overwhelming. The mushroom fell to the ground after its body stopped fighting. The mushroom's head dropped forward as its small frame lost all strength.
The children stood near the mushroom with uncertain expressions on their faces. They stood uncertain because the mushroom's health had reached dangerously low levels.
The girl with glasses observed the mushroom as she knelt next to it. "Is it... dead?"
The shield-bearer boy looked at the ground with a puzzled expression. The boy had not received any experience points since the beginning of the encounter. The group should have earned some experience by this point.
The two characters exchanged uncertain glances. Something wasn't right.
And then, without warning.
The mushroom's body twitched.
The children stood motionless with their eyes stretched wide in shock.
The mushroom had maintained a fake state of death.
With a mighty roar, the mushroom sprang to life. A sudden surge of power ran through its body as it attacked before any of the children could move.
"W-What—" The boy with glasses barely had time to register the movement before the mushroom was upon them.
The mushroom launched itself ahead by activating its Mushroom Charge power. The mushroom unleashed its power to a degree that surpassed all previous attacks. The shield holder lifted his defense, but the attack proved too strong for him. The shield broke apart while the boy crashed onto the ground, making a loud yelp.
[+5 EXP]
The girl let out a terrified scream while she retreated away from the mushroom. But the mushroom wasn't done. The mushroom directed its anger toward the remaining children as its fury pushed it to attack with unprecedented force.
The attacking children fell one after another while trying to stand up again. Each time the mushroom struck, it gained extra strength, which weakened the victims' fighting abilities.
✅
The helmet-clad boy launched one last stone at the mushroom while struggling to escape, but it was too late because the mushroom avoided the attack and knocked him senseless. The mushroom effortlessly avoided the rock before delivering a powerful strike that put the boy into unconsciousness.
[+5 EXP]
And then.
It was over.
The battlefield became completely quiet except for the wind moving through the leaves. The mushroom stood, victorious. A fresh power emerged from the mushroom's body as it experienced an overwhelming energy wave that surged through its being.
[Level Up!]
[+11 HP]
[+8 Mana]
Yuno could feel the changes. The mushroom's physical abilities reached new heights because his body became stronger and faster and more powerful. His heart raced with excitement.
He had won.
After defeating his enemies and strengthening his power, Yuno began to think about all the things he could achieve. His current state made him stronger than ever before, and he felt like an invincible force. And he had only just begun.
The victorious mage noticed a sudden flash of light in the sky while enjoying his triumph. The ground beside him received a deafening strike from a bolt of lightning.
The mushroom reacted with surprise and bewilderment. What was this? The atmosphere remained clear without any indications of danger. The sky displayed no clouds just before this incident.
Yuno's thoughts raced. Who or what force could have launched an assault against him?